This week on EV Rider we’ve got a tail of the tape, a direct comparison between LiveWire’s S2 Mulholland and Zero’s 2024 base S model. The 2024 S has the same battery size as my personal 2020 SR/F that is seen in some of the video shots.

I’ve owned the 2020 model year Zero Motorcycles SR/F since 2019 and recently got to spend a day with the 2024 S2 Mulholland featured in the video at the top of this post, courtesy of Adamec Harley-Davidson. During my day with the LiveWire I racked up more than a hundred miles (see full Mulholland review here).

First let’s go over LiveWire vs. Zero pricing. For the 2024 model year Zero makes variations of its S-line motorcycles. The fairest comparison is to Zero’s base S model, which carries a retail price of $14,995. The Mulholland starts a thousand dollars higher at $15,999. Keep in mind prices may have changed by the time you read this or watch the video and those base prices don’t include any dealer discounts or potential incentives. 

The S-line Zeros featured in the video are the 2024 S and a 2020 SR/F Premium. The 2024 SR/F features a bigger battery than my 2020 and a lot more torque than the base S, so when referencing stats I’ll be referring to the 2024 Zero S to keep this comparison fair. 

The Zero S and Mulholland are closely matched in a lot of ways, with the biggest difference being battery sizes. The S comes with a 14.4 kWh battery with 12.6 kWh of usable capacity,  while the Mulholland has 10.5 kWh of usable (nominal) capacity.  

When it comes to torque and horsepower, both bikes have more than enough for most of us but the LiveWire screams with 194 lb-ft and 84 horsepower. LiveWire says that’s good for a 3.3 second 0-to-60 mph run, which based on my seat of the pants experience feels right.  

The Zero S has 97 lb-ft of torque and 65 horsepower. If you want more you’ll have to step up to the SR/F but that’s really a closer competitor to the LiveWire One, so we’ll stick with the S.  

The Mulholland also wins in the weight department coming in at just 432 pounds compared to 492 pounds for the S. The Mulholland sits a little taller than the SR/F.  

Out on the road they both feel light on their feet. Around town I’d say the Mulholland feels a bit more flickable although the Zero’s lower seat height (31-inches vs. Mulholland’s 31.75-inches) makes for a more comfortable experience when you’re stuck at stoplights since more riders can flatfoot the Zero.  

In terms of overall comfort, the Mulholland wins hands down. The Mulholland’s seating triangle is more relaxed compared to the Zero’s more aggressive riding position. The Mulholland’s seat is also more comfortable as the miles start piling up.  

Next let’s move on to build quality. I’ve got to give the nod to the Mulholland. Nothing against the Zero. I own the Zero featured in the video at the top of this post. But I’ve got to say I felt the fit and finish is superior on the LiveWire. That makes sense. Harley has been in this business a very long time. When it comes to range, the Zero beats the Mulholland all day long.

Zero says the S will go up to 101 miles in a 50/50 mix of city and interstate riding at 70 miles per hour. LiveWire does its testing a bit differently but says you can expect 91 miles going 55 miles per hour. 

Out in the real world it quickly became clear the 2024 Mulholland has significantly less range than my 2020 SR/F, which had the same size battery as the 2024 Zero S. 

When it comes to handling, that’s tougher. I didn’t get to spend enough time with the Mulholland to be able to make a good assessment on but first impressions were strong.  

You can’t really go wrong with either of these bikes. They’re both great urban commuters, although if you want to do some light touring you’ll probably want to lean toward the Zero. 

That’s simply because you’ll get a few extra miles of range before you need to stop for a charge. Even here, there’s not a clear winner because the base model S only charges at 3 kW, while I saw a 5 kW peak charging speed from the Mulholland and I’ve seen other Mulholland owners report 5.5 kW peak charging speeds. 

Back on the road the two bikes take a different approach to braking with the Zero using dual J-Juan discs upfront while the Mulholland features a single Brembo. 

Both have antilock brakes with the Zero using Bosch’s Base Motorcycle Stability Control system and LiveWire using cornering enhanced antilock brakes.  

When it comes to the guage clusters I prefer the Zero because it displays more information and allows for more customization of what is displayed. However, the Zero doesn’t offer navigation. At the time of this post Zero had pulled its navigation after troubles during beta testing. I do not know whether Zero plans to reintroduce it via a firmware update.

The LiveWire’s navigation is attractive, offering a full map view. The Mulholland also offers multimedia controls, which the Zero lacks, allowing Mulholland riders to easily control their music apps.

If you were to ask me which bike I think looks better? That’s a tough call. I really like the look of both motorcycles. I know that’s a bit of a copout but let’s face it, styling is subjective anyway.  

Both bikes feature a wide range of riding profiles and allow the rider to customize things like torque and regen. Both motorcycles also feature over-the-air firmware updates, meaning even fewer trips to the dealer for service.

Adding it all up, if we stick to the base model Zero S, which bike wins? To me, the Mulholland. It’s got the base S beat due to the LiveWire’s stronger performance and more premium feel.  

But it’s a razor thin margin when you consider the Mulholland costs more and has a smaller battery. 

As I said earlier, if you’ll be sticking to primarily urban use cases, you can’t really go wrong with either bike. If you’re looking for a more all-around EV motorcycle with faster charging and more range, then the LiveWire One or Zero’s SR/F, SR/S or DSR-X are worth a look.

What do you think? Would you go for a LiveWire or Zero? Let me know in the comments and for additional details be sure to watch the video at the top of this post and if you enjoy it, please give the video a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel so I can bring you more adventures in EV motoring 

The post LiveWire S2 Mulholland Vs. Zero Motorcycles S appeared first on EV Rider.

Imagine a light electric power cruiser that goes like a bat out of hell but still manages the corners, gets updates over-the-air and comes with all the tech. EV Rider is putting the S2 Mulholland from Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire brand to the test. 

The Mulholland will rip from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds thanks to its 194 pound-feet of torque. It weighs 432-pounds and has a seat height of 30.2 inches, which isn’t as low as some as some cruisers but isn’t as tall as LiveWire’s S2 Del Mar or adventure bikes like Harley’s Pan America. 

Tom Cruise Rides LiveWire At Paris Olympics

The LiveWire S2 platform of EV motorcycles was seen around the world thanks to actor Tom Cruise who jumped on a S2 Del Mar to help kick off the transition from the closing ceremonies at the 2024 Olympics in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024 to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Mulholland Has All The Tech

The Mulholland, which shares many componants with the Del Mar, receives over-the-air updates straight from LiveWire. The Mulholland’s smartphone app includes things like ride history, roadside assistance, rider profiles and more.  It has five different ride modes: Sport, Road, Rain, Eco and Custom; pretty much guaranteeing owners will be able to dial in their ride just ride.  

The LiveWire’s battery can store 10.5 kWh of usable energy, with the rest going to the battery’s buffer. LiveWire guarantees the battery’s performance for five years with unlimited mileage. 

LiveWire says the Mulholland gets combined city/highway range of 91 miles or a sustained highway range of 73 miles at 55 miles-per-hour. In stop-and-go city riding it’s rated at 121 miles per charge. 

LiveWire doesn’t list a peak charging speed on its website but I can tell you the fastest peak I saw during my time charging the Mulholland was 5 kW. LiveWire says the Mulholland will go from 20 to 80 percent of charge in one hour, 18 minutes. The Mulholland isn’t available with DC fast charging.  

During my day with the Mulholland I rode 104 miles on a variety of roads that included interstate speeds, stop-n-go traffic and cruising along Florida’s scenic A1A. I recharged the bike for the ride back to Jacksonville during a lunch stop in St. Augustine.

This bike really stands out in several areas: acceleration, nimbleness, comfort and build quality. Thanks to an upright seating triangle and comfortable perch I got off the bike at the end of the day feeling great with no monkey butt, sore arms or aching back.

I can’t speak to how a 300-mile day on the S2 Mulholland would feel but that’s not this bike’s mission. It’s more of an urban commuter that’s also suited for occasional outings of 125 miles or less with a break or two in between. For that type of riding, the Mulholland excels.

At first, I was a little concerned to see just a single Brembo disc up front but after riding it for a day I can see why LiveWire skipped dual discs. On a power cruiser this light, they’re just not needed.

One thing I never did warm up to is the mirrors. Unlike most motorcycles they are below the handlebars. I didn’t find a position where my arms didn’t partially block my view without moving them. However, I also only had the bike for a day. Given more time perhaps I would have found the perfect adjustment.

The Mulholland has all the safety features sophisticated motorcyclists have come to expect, including an enhanced antilock corning braking system, drag-torque slip control and enhanced cornering traction control.

I’ve only scratched the surface of the Mulholland’s virtues here. For the full story be sure to watch the road test video at the top of this post and for the bike’s full specifications see the bottom of this post.

A special thanks goes to LiveWire and Adamec Harley-Davidson in Jacksonville, FL for loaning EV Rider the S2 Mulholland featured in this review.

LiveWire S2 Mulholland Specifications

AUDIO & COMMUNICATION

• Bluetooth® Audio:Yes
• Mobile App Instrumentation:Yes

BRAKES

• Brake Brand Name:Brembo® Monobloc
• Front Brake Type:Hydraulic Disc
• Rear Brake Type:Hydraulic Disc

CONVENIENCE

• Engine Immobilizer Brand:Digitally Encoded Security System (DESS)

ENGINE

• Engine Type:Electric
• Fuel Type:Electric
• Horsepower (bhp):84
• Horsepower (kW):63
• Maximum Range (km):194.7
• Maximum Range (mi):121
• Starter:Electric
• Torque (Ft Lbs):194
• Torque (Nm):263

EXTERIOR

• Belt Guard:Yes
• Body Material:Aluminum
• Chassis Protectors:Yes
• Engine Case Guard:Yes
• Foot Peg Location:Driver
• Frame:Aluminum
• Stand Type:Kick

LIGHTS

• Type:LED

SEATS

• Number Of Seats:1, fits 2 passengers
• Seat Height (in):30.2
• Seat Type:One-Piece

SUSPENSION

• Front Adjustable Fork Pre-Load:Yes
• Front Adjustable Rebound Damping:Yes
• Front Suspension Brand Name:Hitachi®
• Front Suspension Size (in):1.7
• Front Suspension Size (mm):43
• Front Suspension Type:Inverted Fork
• Front Travel (in):5.3
• Front Travel (mm):134.6
• Number Rear Shock Absorbers:1
• Rear Adjustable Rebound Damping:Yes
• Rear Adjustable Shock / Spring Pre-Load:Yes
• Rear Suspension Brand Name:Hitachi®
• Rear Suspension Material:Aluminum
• Rear Suspension Type:Twin Sided Swing Arm
• Rear Travel (in):3.9
• Rear Travel (mm):99.1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Ground Clearance (in):5.8
• Ground Clearance (mm):147.3
• Length (ft):7.15
• Length (ft/ft):7
• Length (ft/in):1.8
• Length (in):85.8
• Length (mm):2179.3
• Wet Weight (kg):196
• Wet Weight (lbs):432
• Wheelbase (in):57.8
• Wheelbase (mm):1468.1

TRANSMISSION

• Number Of Speeds:1
• Primary Drive (Rear Wheel):Belt
• Transmission Type:Automatic

WHEELS & TIRES

• Front Tire (Full Spec):Dunlop® RoadSmart IV 120/70 ZR19
• Front Tire Aspect Ratio:70
• Front Tire Speed Rating:Z
• Front Tire Width:120
• Front Wheel Diameter:19
• Front Wheel Width (in):3.5
• Rear Tire (Full Spec):Dunlop® RoadSmart IV 180/55 ZR17
• Rear Tire Aspect Ratio:55
• Rear Tire Speed Rating:Z
• Rear Tire Width:180
• Rear Wheel Diameter:17
• Rear Wheel Width (in):5.5
• Tire Brand:Dunlop®
• Wheels Composition:Aluminum

The post LiveWire S2 Mulholland: Fast, Smooth, Comfortable appeared first on EV Rider.