2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland First Look

Admin · March 21

The 2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland. (LiveWire/)

LiveWire, the electric motorcycle manufacturer with a Harley-Davidson majority stake, announces the immediate availability of the S2 Mulholland performance cruiser, the second model built around the company’s more affordable S2 platform. Next to the flat-track-inspired S2 Del Mar, the S2 Mulholland exhibits some of its Harley-Davidson cruiser heredity, but reinterprets it to suit the nature of the machine.

Like the S2 Del Mar, the Mulholland uses a 10.5kWh battery pack capable of delivering “121 miles of city riding range and 73 miles of highway range at 55 mph,” according to LiveWire. Using Level 1 and Level 2 charging, the company says the battery can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in 5.9 hours or 78 minutes, respectively. Given its potentially addicting combination of light weight (432 pounds, according to LiveWire) and a claimed 84 hp and 194 lb.-ft. of torque, here’s hoping Level 2 charging is readily available for owners who can’t help but sap the battery every time they jump aboard.

Minimalistic bodywork and fish-eye headlight give the Mulholland a distinct EV look. (LiveWire/)

Performance isn’t the Mulholland’s only draw. With an eye toward sustainability—and the demographic that that most resonates with—the Mulholland is constructed with a number of renewable materials. First, its front and rear fenders are made using CAP hemp bio-composite, while its radiator shrouds and wiring caddies are made of Hylon Ocean, a recycled nylon made from old fishing nets. The seat is made from recycled silicone. To further highlight its hemp composite bodywork, it’s left unpainted in the Lunar White scheme. Paint is applied for the Liquid Black color.

The power cruiser label suggests a return to the more conventional Harley-Davidson styling archetypes from which the S2 Del Mar and LiveWire One deviated, but the Mulholland’s minimalist style is a rethinking of the cruiser aesthetic, made possible by an electric powertrain and—more to the point—its lack of fuel tank.

LiveWire’s press release says, “[the] S2 Mulholland’s design departs from traditional internal combustion motorcycles in the cruiser category—which typically celebrate the gas tank.” It goes on to say that the design team wanted to “prominently display both the brake lines and wiring harness, creating a stronger connection between the human interface of the rider and motorcycle.”

The press release didn’t have a lot of detail, but we can see from this image that the Mulholland has a single disc in the front and a Brembo caliper. (LiveWire/)

With a 6-inch handlebar riser that affords a more upright riding position than the Del Mar, and minimal bodywork substituting the fuel tank, the rider does seem to dominate the silhouette—at least in photos. Between the high bars and the swoopy seat, there’s something vaguely Schwinn Sting-Ray about it. Paring back the motorcycle’s form as much as possible emphasizes the electric powertrain’s greatest attribute: simplicity. The bisected sphere-shaped headlight lens and abbreviated rear fender complete the cruiser remix. The Mulholland runs on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels shod in Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart IV tires.

The expansion of the S2 platform fills out the nascent brand’s offerings as its identity begins to take shape apart from the company’s Milwaukee roots. The LiveWire One remains its flagship, boasting a 15.4kWh energy-packed battery and a $22,799 price tag, but of all the models it looks the least “zen and the art of EV,” to co-opt the marketing-speak from its website. Whether or not EVs or LiveWire’s youth-focused marketing resonate with you, it’s exciting to watch the brand develop without having to shoulder the weight of the bar and shield.

LiveWire promises a line of accessories that will include passenger seats and pegs, windshields, luggage options, and cosmetic pieces. (LiveWire/)