Harley-Davidson finally makes good on their quiet plans to release an electric motorcycle with their first live prototype: LiveWire. And with competition ramping up, it’s about time.
The biggest takeaway? A fully electric powertrain, meaning no clutch and no gears for seven different riding modes complete with Showa suspension. There’s also a bluetooth-enabled touchscreen for music, navigation and more. Its main battery is a rechargeable Level 1 that also takes Level 2 and 3 models as well as DC fast chargers.
However, the biggest adjustment for diehard Harley fans may be the sound. In lieu of a rumbling exhaust, the LiveWire will have a fake tone that adjusts to the bike’s speed representing the “smooth, electric power of the LiveWire motorcycle,” according to Harley. The imitative sound, which you can listen to below, will sit best with fans who fall in the middle of a Harley/Battlestar Galactica Venn diagram. Everyone else just has to buck up and get with the times.
Preorder details are set to release in January 2019 along with “a broader range of electric models” in 2022.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
