Serious Flux

SERIOUS FLUX

The LiveWire is neither vee nor twin, and unlike any other Harley-Davidson before it. Are you ready to let ions be ions?

DON CANET

Like many, I was shocked back in 2014 when HarleyDavidson—perhaps the most tradition-steeped motorcycle manufacturer on the planet—unveiled a prototype electric motorcycle with intent to bring a whisper-quiet Hog to market. It was a bold step for a brand with legions of devoted disciples baptized in gas, oil, and ink.

But the 2020 LiveWire is here following a nearly 10-year development program. Fundamental to moving forward with a production electric was a blind taste test, so to speak, with 33 unbranded prototypes traveling to major metro areas globally. The post-ride survey asked what riders would think if the bike were from brand X, Y, or Z, and among those options was Harley-Davidson. Reaction to H-D building this bike reportedly was overwhelmingly positive. This enthusiastic feedback spurred Harley’s commitment to proceed not only with this project, but to plan for a range of electric-powered two-wheelers moving forward.

Harley-Davidson also sees the LiveWire as a kind of outreach program. “The barriers to entry are much lower than traditional product,” said Harley-Davidson President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Levatich, on hand at the Portland, Oregon, press introduction. “We can get people on an EV motorcycle and get them up the learning curve of full enjoyment much quicker. And then participation follows, investment in learning how to ride traditional motorcycles follows, once you catch the fever.

“We see EV as a very important catalyst,” Levatich continued. “It is part of our new product investment, but not all of our new product investment. We are continuing to invest in great traditional Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We aim to lead in the electrification of this sport. This is part of the future of Harley-Davidson, and we’re investing to lead in it.”

With a suggested retail of $29,799, LiveWire is not likely, nor expected, to sell in great numbers. The company positions it as a halo product showcasing the potential of current EV technology, and it works as a flag in the ground showing the company’s first step in the space, while laying the foundation for more affordable and varied EV models—including pedal-assist bicycles—that are in the works and expected to debut in the next few years. Add in the acquisition of StaCyc, builder of electric-drive balance bikes for kids, and you can see Harley’s plain commitment to the joy of riding on two wheels with power.

LiveWire—essentially a straight-up motorcycle treatment but with a permanent magnet electric motor Harley calls “Revelation”—leads the way, well, because HarleyDavidson’s empire is built on straight-up motorcycles sold in about 700 dealerships across the U.S. The LiveWire is scheduled for fall 2019 delivery to 150 participating dealerships in North America.

Seeing the LiveWire firsthand hammered home Harley-Davidson’s vast experience in and dedication to paint, texture, color tone, and shape. Everything on the bike is extremely well turned out, and by far the best finished production electric motorcycle we’ve had the chance to ride.

Speaking of which, why don’t we get started? I gained a sense of the LiveWire’s claimed 549-pound curb weight when needing some effort lifting it off the sidestand, but the bike’s 30.7-inch seat height allows solid footing at stops for my 5-foot-10-inch frame, making for easy balance. There’s also a 1-inch-lower accessory saddle available.

“...and once the lights change to green, you are good to go.”

0-60 MPH: 3 SECONDS CLAIMED WEIGHT: 549 POUNDS SEAT HEIGHT: 30.7 INCHES BATTERY WARRANTY: 5 YEARS MSRP: $29,799 (VIVID BLACK); $30,149 (ORANGE/YELLOW FUSE)

Keyless ignition with fob proximity detection allows the bike to be powered on via a rocker switch located on the right grip. Boot up is quick, with the default display appearing on the 4.3-inch TFT touchscreen dash following an H-D logo splash screen. A bar-mounted mode switch allows on-the-fly selection of the factory-set ride modes labeled Sport, Road, Rain, and Range. Each mode has hard-coded levels for peak power, throttle response, regeneration (engine braking that charges the battery during deceleration), and TC sensitivity. A trio of customizable presets allows for user-defined levels for those very same parameters.

There is, of course, no tachometer because the LiveWire has just one “gear” with its belt drive and no clutch. As can now be executed with TFT displays, there’s an optional speedometer display with an analog-dial appearance if you miss swinging needles. A pair of vertical light bars bracket the instrument cluster, and when lit, yellow indicates standby mode, and twisting the throttle has no effect in this state. Arming the drivetrain requires thumbing an adjacent toggle, and once the lights change to green, you’re good to go.

Touchscreen functionality (only available while at a standstill) allows easy navigation of sub-menus offering customization of various dash elements and ride mode parameters, while thumb-operated dual mini joysticks located on the bar must be used when the bike is underway.

With Road ride mode selected, a slight twist of right grip sets the bike into motion. The connection between the throttle and rear tire is highly refined, delivering a communicative sense of control I immediately felt navigating between parked bikes at a walking pace.

“The days of debating whether electric bikes are ‘real’ motorcycles are behind us. ”

The combination of intuitive throttle response, no clutch or gearbox to manage, and generous steering lock makes parking-lot maneuvering remarkably easy.

A bit more throttle input effortlessly whizzes the bike smoothly into the urban traffic flow of Portland. With no engine vibration or exhaust noise, the LiveWire wakes one’s senses differently than any Harley I’ve ridden. The soft chorus of tire noise and a signature whine emanating from its spiral-bevel-gear primary drive fill my ears until 50 mph, when the wind smoothly rushing past my full-face helmet then dominates the soundtrack.

Quietly squirting from one traffic signal to the next, our pack of bikers still drew attention from curious curbside pedestrians. Listen up, Portlandia, the Stealth Riders MC is on the discharge!

Well into our ride on this mild midsummer day, I noted an absence of heat radiating from what Harley-Davidson has dubbed the Revelation powertrain—a riding revelation in itself. All was not bliss, however, as sharp-edged bumps riddling Portland’s streets delivered a dental-jarring ride even with the suspension dialed to a softer setting than standard. It’s a surprisingly stiff suspension setup from the fully adjustable Showa Separate Function Big Piston fork and Balance Free Rear Cushion-lite shock. A six-axis Bosch IMU delivers state-of-the-art TC and ABS cornering bankangle logic, while the pair of radial-mount Brembo monoblock front calipers and braided-steel brake lines will stop you in your tracks.

Once free of in-town traffic, the pace picked up and the ride smoothed out. I gave cruise control a go, finding its function seamless as a rheostat. Roll-on acceleration at highway speed is impressive with the bike pulling steady and strong through 100 mph. But even that pales to the thrill of blasting away from a standing start with the throttle pinned. Using a Vbox data logger, I verified Harley’s claim of zero to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds. While I’ve tested internal-combustion-powered performance bikes that are quicker out of the hole, none are as easily repeatable—and without clutch-abuse concerns.

The taut ride felt communicative and planted when whistling along winding roads outside the city limits. Steering proved responsive and neutral, requiring light bar input to initiate turn-in and holding my chosen line with slot-car precision.

Encountering damp patches on a stretch through the forest was a great environment to put the LiveWire’s rider aids to test. Harley-Davidson’s Reflex Defensive Riding System is the combination of TC, Cornering ABS, RearWheel Lift Mitigation, and Drag-Torque Slip Control, the latter of which prevents rear wheel lock during regenerative braking. Even with a custom ride mode set to maximum power, throttle response, and regeneration, I was hard-pressed to get the bike out of shape on corner entry or exit riding at a fairly quick street pace. I met a delivery truck crowding my lane while entering a damp downhill corner, and my trust in the cornering ABS allowed the LiveWire to slow up with room to spare.

At the completion of the 65-mile test loop, my bike’s dash showed 23 percent charge and 19 miles of range remaining. Considering that energy conservation wasn’t a concern during the ride, Harley’s claim of 95-mile combined city/highway range seems plausible. City-only range is said to be a formidable 146 miles, and 70 mph sustained highway use nets 70 miles. Range and charge time remain very important factors in EV ownership.

At the core of the bike reside lithium-ion battery cells encased in a finned, cast-aluminum housing (for functional cooling), which Harley calls a Renewable Energy Storage System. The RESS carries a five-year warranty with a 10-year projected service life and is said to be a modular design allowing for future upgrades as storage technology advances. Claimed output of the Revelation powertrain is 105 horsepower and 86 pound-feet of torque.

The supplied Level 1 charging cable (that can be carried under the seat) plugs into any 120-volt household outlet. A fully depleted battery takes 12.5 hours to recharge. While that may be fine if you have all night, for those on the go, LiveWire also supports DC Fast Charge, which cuts that time to one hour. DCFC charging stations are cropping up at a rapid rate, and the H-D Connect app will guide you to them. LiveWire owners will receive 500 kWh free charging at Electrify America DCFC stations. Better still, every H-D dealership that sells the LiveWire is required to install a DCFC station and provide LiveWire owners two years of free unlimited use. That adds up to a pretty enticing incentive and clever thinking on Harley’s part.

The days of debating whether electric bikes are “real” motorcycles are behind us. The potato-potato sound of a 45-degree V-twin is appreciated the world over, but the LiveWire is proof that there is nothing wrong with a low-carb motorcycle diet.