It won’t be long before Harley-Davidson’s much-anticipated electric motorcycle reaches customers. Recently, we travelled to the US of A to test ride the all-new Harley-Davidson LiveWire. In the United States, the motorcycle is priced at close to US$ 30,000 (Rs 21 lakh approx) and is expected to be available from August 2019. Of course, because premium electric cruisers are a niche market, the LiveWire will take the CBU route when it comes to India and it will also attract a mountain of duties; increasing its price significantly (as compared to US pricing). Watch out for a detailed first ride review in the 14th anniversary issue of Bike India. During the ride, H-D told us that they do not intend to launch the LiveWire in India any time soon but the motorcycle is currently featured on the H-D India website. While H-D’s intentions to launch the motorcycle in India are still unclear, a launch in the near future is still on the table.
Harley-Davidson’s decision to electrify their upcoming line-up came as a shock to ardent fans and most of us who considered the marque synonymous with chrome, V-twins, and big, burly motorcycles. That being said, the LiveWire looks promising on paper and has retained the visual appeal of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
To begin with, the LiveWire is one of the fastest production models from the brand yet. It dismisses 0-100 km/h in just over three seconds while promising a range of 177 km per charge. No clutch or gears to fuss about on this H-D: you just twist the throttle and zoom away. Fully-adjustable Showa units take care of the suspension department and the LiveWire rides on Michelin Scorcher Sport tyres. The famous V-twin rumble has been replaced with a rather enticing whine (as observed in the product video). The instrument console is a 4.3-inch, full-colour LCD touchscreen. Further down the road, customization options will also be available.
H-D have provided two options to charge the battery. One allows you to charge the motorcycle from a normal household power socket and the other permits Fast Charge which replenishes the battery up to 80 per cent within 40 minutes. Of course, they have also developed an app that allows the user to monitor various vital aspects of the motorcycle.
H-D are also looking at venturing into the electric scooter and bicycle space. We can’t wait to experience the new-generation Harleys when the reach our shores. Meanwhile, read about our first experience astride Project LiveWire.
Story: Joshua Varghese
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