Lightning sells their first LS-218

[Richard230]

Lightning has delivered their first LS-218 two days ago, as reported by Rideapart. 

https://rideapart.com/articles/lightning-ls-218-fastest-electric-motorcycle?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HellForLeather+%28Hell+For+Leather%29

[Shinysideup]

Very impressive. Now just where DID I leave that spare $38K lying around?

[Richard230]

Very impressive. Now just where DID I leave that spare $38K lying around?

Have you checked under your couch cushions?   

[Richard230]

Jay Leno interviews Richard Hatfield in his Garage and rides the LS-218:

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/18/jay-lenos-garage-lightning-ls-218-motorcycle-video/

[Richard230]

Here is the latest review of the pre-production LS-218:

http://www.gizmag.com/lightning-ls218-review-ls-218/36470/

[Richard230]

Here is a cute video review of the Lightning prototype (they are sure getting a lot of use out of that bike) by Gizmag.com:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3DiAecsh_0&feature=youtu.be

[Richard230]

Well, it does look like Lightning has established a new manufacturing facility and a Global Headquarters in San Jose, CA. The new digs shown in this article must have cost them millions to buy, or tens of thousands of dollars a month to lease. Commercial real estate is really expensive in San Jose right now, what with Google buying every piece of vacant dirt they can find in the city. It kind of makes me wonder how Lightning is going to make ends meet with those kind of expenses just selling high-end electric motorcycles? How did that work out for Brammo, again?

https://electricmotorcycles.news/lightning-expands-into-new-corporate-headquarters-to-support-increased-ls-218-superbike-production/

[HadesOmega]

Oh yeah I happen to pass by their building one night when I was working.  It's in South San Jose.  I wonder if they will sell that minibike I saw they had.  That seemed interesting.  To date I have not seen a LS-218 on the street roaming about, but then again I haven't seen another Empulse either or Energica but I have ridden one.  =P

The Energica's are priced around $20k now, I still then they're the best electric motorcycle you can get currently.

[Richard230]

The 2019 Energica EVA ESSEESSE9 has a list price of $24,940 at Calmoto in Mountain View.  Or, you can still purchase a 2017 EVA model for only $18,040, the last time I visited the shop. I am not sure if there is much practical difference in performance between the two bikes, other than the age of their batteries and their styling. I have always been a little mystified regarding Energica's pricing scheme in the U.S. It seems to bounce around all over the place. Kind of reminds me of Bitcoins. 

[HadesOmega]

I recently visited the Energica website and they list the starting prices at:
EVA $21,656
EGO $22,565
ESSESE9 $20,930

Calmoto's website has some specials at
$18k

They're getting in the Zero territory =)

[Richard230]

Just to make my point that the Energica prices jump all over the place.  See the attached price list for the ESSESE9 that I photographed at Calmoto two weeks ago. 

[ttxgpfan]

Is anyone else super suspicious of this? We've heard this line from Lightning before. I feel like more than once. And Richard Hatfield won some sort of award recently recognizing all that he has done. Anyone know what he did?

[Richard230]

Is anyone else super suspicious of this? We've heard this line from Lightning before. I feel like more than once. And Richard Hatfield won some sort of award recently recognizing all that he has done. Anyone know what he did?

I think he gave some talks at EV symposiums.