Quick Test: Harley-Davidson Livewire

Bob Pickett has ridden Harley’s electric offering. Here’s what Bob thought!

If you had asked which major manufacturer would be first to launch a high-specification electric motorcycle, I doubt Harley-Davidson would have topped many people’s list. Yet in 2014 it debuted a prototype, and in 2019 it went into full production. In the same year, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman rode from Ushuaia in Argentina to Los Angeles on prototype LiveWire motorcycles for ‘The Long Way Up’. 2021 saw LiveWire spun off as a separate company, and since then it’s been valued at USD 1.77 billion. 

Give Me Some Spec

A cast aluminium trellis frame houses Harley’s ‘Revelation’ water-cooled magnetic motor, putting out 100bhp/75kW power and 84lb-ft of torque with a top speed of 115mph. The 15.4kW battery has an estimated range of 146 miles (City), 95 (Combined) or 70 (Highway). Seat height is 30 inches. Suspension comes courtesy of Showa SFF Big-Piston front forks up front and Showa BFRC monoshock rear. The 562lb weight is stopped by Brembo dual 

4-piston monobloc radial-mount front, dual-piston rear.

What’s It Like To Ride?

We last rode a LiveWire in 2021 so time to refresh the memory. 

The LiveWire has great ergonomics. The bars lean you gently into the bike, pegs neutral. No weight on your shoulders or wrists, relax into the bike, and ride in total comfort. Not quite so comfortable, the seat. Narrow and firm, it was supportive during our brief time together but I’m not sure I fancy riding from Ushuaia to Los Angeles on one!

As I only had it for a brief time I left it in Road mode. Frankly, that’s enough for most of your riding needs. You can roll gently in single figures, but when you open up there is seemingly endless amounts of drive on tap as it effortlessly surges forward.

The motor sits beneath the battery, giving the LiveWire a very low centre of gravity. A combination of this and the excellent Showa suspension, and the bike feels stable and planted at all times, nothing seems to ruffle it (though ripples and bumps do make themselves known through the rear), the Michelin Scorcher tyres glued to the road as it flows smoothly from bend to bend. The Brembo monobloc brakes are phenomenal. Huge amounts of stopping power allied to tons of feel, they’ll haul you up in complete control.

There are a few niggles, mostly coming from Harley styling cues. The mirrors could do with being bigger and I’ll never be convinced that separate indicators make sense. The instrument clusters are busy (the flip side being so many functions are available at the touch of a button). And I’m not a fan of key fobs; if it isn’t attached to the bike, it’s too easy to lose (I know someone who rode off, stopped to fill up… and realised they’d left the fob in their garage!)

But these are personal things. Money has been spent in all the right places with top-class brakes and suspension, great powerplant, well-thought-out ergonomics. It’s a great bike.

How Much Does It Cost? 

It’s not cheap – with the standard LiveWire that everyone knows coming in at £22,990. 

Want To Try One?

We borrowed a bike from the good folks at Lind Watford.

Lind Watford Harley-Davidson

Unit One, Trade City

Thomas Sawyer Way,

Watford WD18 0GS

01923 940646 / www.lind.co.uk