LiveWire S2 Del Mar review

Freed from the shackles of Harley-Davidson, the S2 Del Mar marks the first all-new machine from the new LiveWire brand; and while there are still some subtle nods to the famous American brand dotted about the bike, for the most part, this is a completely fresh take on what an electric bike can be.

It’s not though likely to be the only ‘S2’ model we see from LiveWire, as thanks to its uniquely flexible and modular platform, a number of different bikes could be built, all with individual styling and designed for varying applications.

Looking at the S2 Del Mar, though, it’s clear to see what it is, and how it will be used. The flat-track styling and co-branded Dunlop hoops scream sideways action on the dirt. That could well be the case with some light modifications, but LiveWire is pitching this bike firmly at the urban rider market - a bike for zipping about the city, and stretching its legs out in the hills.

For this launch we sampled the new bike in the bohemian metropolis of Barcelona, where we spent a morning dodging the traffic, and an afternoon of canyon carving on the all-new electric machine.

Price

One particular area where the Del Mar differentiates itself from its bigger sibling is in its price. Where the LiveWire One is currently priced at £22,990, the new S2 Del Mar comes in at a much more palatable £16,990. Compared to the battery-powered competition, the new Del Mar looks like good value, and undercuts the £19,850 Zero SR/F by a fair chunk. The only area where the Zero is stronger is in its recharge time, although to get the fastest one-hour charge time you will have to spec the SR/F up with the optional 6kW rapid charger - a £2,000 option.

Colour options on the Del Mar are thoroughly modern, and you have the gloss Nimbus Grey option (as ridden), and two matt-finished bikes available in Nightfall Blue and Asphalt Black.

Reservations of the new LiveWire S2 Del Mar open on 25 October 2023 in the UK, and more information can be found on the official website.

LiveWire S2 Del Mar review

As launch destinations go, Barcelona has got to be up there - especially for a bike just like this. It’s a vibrant, pulsating mass of people, traffic, bikes and bicycles, and is the perfect test for LiveWire's latest creation. The launch hotel is slap bang in the middle of the Gothic Quarter, and before we can even dream of hitting a twisty (or a dual carriageway for that matter), we have the maze of narrow streets to navigate. I’ve ridden a lot of electric bikes, particularly in the last five to seven years, but it never fails to make me chuckle when a group of ten or more riders peel off down the road at slow speed and in total silence. It’s even more confusing for the natives and tourists who are out and about, who at first don’t bat an eyelid at the sight of a group of bikes heading their way. It’s the double take when we all scoot by without making any noise or exhaust smoke that gets me. 

After a couple of minutes, we are out and in the throng of Barcelona rush hour, either filtering through minuscule gaps or blasting away from traffic lights and giggling like children. It’s a good icebreaker for the event, and my first thoughts are that this is a very different beast compared to the LiveWire One. The new bike tips the scales at 198kg meaning it’s a full 50kg less than its older, larger sibling. It’s also super-slim, to the point that it feels almost as though there’s no bike between your legs at all. The bars are wide, the pegs low-set and comfortable, but even after only minutes in the seat, my first thoughts are that I’ll be asking for some extra padding by the end of the day.

Seat aside, the ergonomics and low weight do make the Del Mar an ideal city slicker. Its steering is light, the suspension is plush, and you are backed up by an 82bhp motor that packs a frankly unbelievable 194lb-ft of peak torque. The power and the torque are fun, but it’s the ample steering lock and nimble handling that are doing the majority of the heavy lifting right now - it is the city, after all, where LiveWire is pitching its latest machine.

After about 45 minutes the city life is beginning to bore me a little, although the range and State of Charge (SoC) of the bike are showing positive results - badoom-tish. It’s been stop-start stuff so far, and even in the ‘sport’ riding mode (which doesn’t have the re-generation cranked up full), we’ve covered around 13 miles and I’m just under 80 per cent battery remaining. I’m purposefully not trying to protect the battery, and instead give it a heavy twist of throttle to get a feel for the acceleration. If I really wanted to I could wind back my idiot dial a bit and more range could be found.

Finally, we emerge from the suburbs and onto a proper road, and better still, it’s one that I know very well. Poignantly the last time I rode here was on the European press launch of the then Harley-Davidson LiveWire, so I have a vague idea of which way it goes. It’s fast, sweeping, wide, and topped with smooth Spanish asphalt. All of a sudden this supposed city bike is starting to show another side to me. 

The wheel sizes of the bike are dictated by the LiveWire styling team, and while a 19-inch front and rear wouldn’t even be my third choice for a bike like this, they don’t seem to be holding the bike back at all. It turns into a corner nicely, and even the odd mid-turn bump doesn’t unsettle or fluster it. The brakes are also surprisingly good, and while a single disc on a 200kg bike is always a decision made by a stylist, the Brembo four-pot calliper and 320mm disc do a good job of hauling the bike up. I’ve ramped up the regeneration to full now, and sharpened up the throttle almost to its maximum, and the feeling of rolling off is akin to the engine braking you get on a long-stroke, big-bore single-cylinder machine. One of the nice things about electric bikes is their adjustability: because all you are doing is firing power to the motor, almost all of the important parameters can be tweaked and fettled with absolute precision.

If there’s a fly in the ointment of the handling, I’m going to point to the tyres. They’re okay in the dry, but every now and again I’m feeling the rear squirm under power. It just has me longing for a set of 17-inch rims front and rear and some Pirelli Diablo Rosso IVs to help hoover up that torque and turn it into forward motion! I’ve had a single bum-clenching moment on the bike so far, when heading up the northern side of a hill. The road was in full shadow, tree-lined, and still wet from last night’s rain. I’ve wound on the power coming out of a sweeping left-handed hairpin and the rear lights up, slewing the bike sideways. The traction control did gather everything up for me, but with this much torque on offer, the rear wheel can go a rather long way in a very short time.  

Taking away all the noise and gear shifts you have to do on a petrol bike, all I’m doing is focusing on where on the road I want to place myself, where to start braking, and when to begin winding on the power. It’s amazing how much brain power you subconsciously use to carry out all those supposed second-nature tasks of riding. And it’s only when you are riding a bike like this that it starts to make sense. 

I’m also impressed by the pulling power of the motor, as it seemingly doesn’t run out of puff above 60mph as some other electric bikes do. It’s simple science that, as revs rise, torque decreases, but the impression you get with the Del Mar is that it seems to have about the same amount of torque at 60 mph as it does at much lower speeds. Not only does it make last-minute overtakes a doddle, but coming out of faster corners doesn’t leave you with a breathless bike beneath you that doesn’t have anything left for the next long straight.

Rolling back into the launch hotel I’m feeling suitably impressed and surprised by the new LiveWire. On paper it could look like a serious step down compared to the LiveWire One, but having ridden it, even if it were the same price I’d lean towards the Del Mar. It’s much lighter on its feet, spacious, and seems as at home in the city as it does on the open road. The styling is great, the build quality appears solid and it feels like LiveWire has priced it to sell. The only real question mark that remains is whether people are willing to buy, or at least take a test ride on one!