harley-davidson
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Harley-Davidson will make an electric motorcycle in 5 years
Harley-Davidson wasn't just fooling around when it showed off its electric Project LiveWire motorcycle. In a chat with the Milwaukee Business Journal, the bike maker's Sean Cummings says that there will be an electric Harley within the next 5 years. That's 2021, if you want to mark your calendar. He's not giving any clues as to what this e-bike will entail, but it probably won't resemble the 2014-era LiveWire.
You can't ride on this Harley-Davidson-themed PC case
We don't normally come across whacky desktop towers until Computex (which is less than two months away), so this beast of a PC at IDF was a nice surprise for us. Courtesy of Chinese startup Micle, this case is awkwardly called the "Proud of Blood" but has nothing to do with Diablo; instead, you're better off remembering it as the 90cm-tall desktop tower inspired by Harley-Davidson motorcycles. All the details are there: the V2 engine, the pipes, the tank cover, the spoiler and more. Unlike the plastic prototype we saw, the final version will be mostly aluminum, according to Micle co-founder and famed local modder Wei Zheng.
Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle is Project LiveWire and you can ride it
Legendary motorcycle builder Harley-Davidson teased an electric motorcycle with a video yesterday and now here it is. Project LiveWire is a part of Harley's attempt to expand its relevance beyond current riders and show off its new tech, with a not-in-production bike that it says is much more than just a trade-show prototype. Project LiveWire packs its electric motor into a polished case underneath the bike, and clearly the manufacturer is concerned about how customers may feel about losing signature touches like the V-twin engines and chrome pipes. The press release and video trailer promise "an unmistakeable new sound" like a jet on an aircraft carrier and tire shredding acceleration but don't have any specs to offer (according to Wired, the demo unit has 74hp, electrically limited 95mph top speed, 53 miles of range and charges in 3.5 hours). Built on a one-piece frame with dual-sided rear swing arm suspension, it has LED lighting all over and even a colorful touchscreen display for its rider. Of course, the best way to figure out if its customers want an electric motorcycle is to put them on one, and the company is doing just that with a demo tour this year.
Apple snagged partial rights for 'Lightning' trademark from Harley Davidson
Who says big companies can't be bros when it comes to trademarks? Since Apple had no need for its Lightning connector to appear on "motorcycle parts, slot machines or tachometers," it buddied up with Harley Davidson to secure partial use of the cycle maker's IP for its new iDevice interface, according to recent info from the European trademark office. That allowed it to use a name that's sympatico with its Thunderbolt moniker, while presumably letting Harley retain the rights for its heavier metal accessories. Also, should Cook & co. run up against a mid-life crisis, at least they'll have quick relief on speed-dial.
Apple bought "Lightning" trademark from Harley-Davidson
Patently Apple reports that Apple acquired the trademark for "Lightning" from Harley-Davidson. Harley's original holding covered items you'd expect, like motorcycle parts, electrical parts, a protective helmet and turn signal parts. Interestingly, it also covered "computer game programs, eye glasses and eyeglass frames." As we all know, large companies like Apple and Harley-Davidson often acquire patents and trademarks for ideas of products that will never see production. Still, it can be interesting to dive into the history of different filings.
GaugeFace iPhone dock displays your Harley's data on a 3.5-inch touchscreen
GaugeFace is an app-and-dock combo that interfaces with your Harley's ECU (Engine Control Unit) to display the bike's speed, tachometer, engine temp., gear, and turn signal info on your iPhone or iPod touch. And the installation is almost as easy as setting your phone in a charging cradle. So, what do you think? Ready to turn your late-model motorcycle into an overpriced -- yet totally bad-ass -- iPod dock? Available for an MSRP of $250. See it in action after the break, or it the source link to order up one of these bad boys for yourself.
Dell employees arrested for poor decision making skills
Round Rock police responded to multiple 911 calls of a suspicious man carrying two metallic objects inside a building at Dell's HQ campus. The "biker," dressed in all black and wearing a skull mask, was yelling at people to "go to the lobby," according to police reports. The ensuing panic resulted in the arrest of two Dell employees charged with interfering with public duties and deadly misconduct. Now get this: the incident was the result of a marketing stunt gone horribly wrong with the purpose of internally promoting a new product for the Dell Streak tablet "which can interface with Harley-Davidson motorcycles." Because really, leather-clad motorcyclists are constantly complaining about the lack of peripherals for their choppers.
Meet your new electric and biodiesel Harley
We love electric cars as much as the next guy; unfortunately most of them just don't have what we in the biz call "zazz", y'know? But an electric Harley-Davidson: now that's something special. Although it's not officially endorsed by the Milwaukee headquarters, that hasn't stopped Carl Vogel of Long Island from building a green-friendly hog by tearing out the usual gasoline motor from a stock Harley chassis and replacing it with an electric motor that can achieve 85 mph. But don't be ready to toss your classic Harley aside just yet, as the electric version only has a range of 60 miles traveling at 55 mph; to boost that distance, Vogel coverted a sidecar into a biodiesel engine that can recharge the batteries while he rides. Eyeing one? Vogel told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he'd be quitting his job as a teacher by 2007 to start making diesel motorcycles full-time at a retail price of $30,000 to $40,000, but he didn't mention if he's going to be selling the electric ones too. No word on whether Vogel's challenged Willie Nelson to a biodiesel drag race yet, though.[Via Treehugger, thanks Christine L.]
