An electric Harley-Davidson might sound like blasphemy, but the iconic motorcycle-maker is embracing the EV future with the new LiveWire. Now opening up for preorders as of CES 2019 today, the electric motorbike has finally had a price tag attached, though the size of it might make you wince.
Harley-Davidson (HD) has been talking up the motorcycle that it hopes will reach out to generations of younger riders and save the brand from a downward spiral as traditional riders hang up their helmets. That motorcycle is an electric offering called the LiveWire that is derived from Project LiveWire unveiled years ago. The bike made its official European debut recently at the EICMA show in Milan, and at that debut came more details on LiveWire.
Harley-Davidson plans to move a sizable portion of the motorcycles it produces outside of the US, blaming the escalating tariff war for spiraling costs in one of its biggest markets. The legendary bike-maker says the production decision comes after it was caught between the new steel and aluminum duties imposed by President Trump, and retaliatory tariffs implemented by the European Union.
Depending on who you ask, Millennials might be ruining everything. One of the things they are not buying in droves are motorcycles. Harley-Davidson is one of the brands feeling the pinch as older riders leave the sport and new riders aren't replacing them. Harley has announced that it will be producing an all-electric motorcycle.
Captain America marks his 75th anniversary this year, so to help him celebrate Marvel and Harley-Davidson teamed up to design a custom Street Glide Special motorcycle outfitted with the superhero's motifs and icons. Then the two companies realized this was too cool of an idea to limit to just Cap, and took it further with a project called Super Hero Customs, designing over 25 bikes inspired by heroes and villains from Marvel's universe.
In the year 2021, motorcycles will be much quieter vehicles — well, those from Harley-Davidson that is. The iconic American manufacturer has stated that within the next five years it will release a consumer model all-electric motorcycle. Back in 2014, Harley revealed a working prototype of an electric bike, dubbed the LiveWire (seen here), but it never become a production model. While we don't know if it will look the same, there's a good chance the upcoming vehicle will be based on the concept's tech.
Harley-Davidson fans and motorcycle enthusiasts in general will be excited to hear that the company has revealed its first flat-track racing bike in over 40 years. The new XG750R replaces the XR750, an iconic model that debuted in the early 1970s, and features modern touches like a liquid-cooled engine and a more aggressive design borrowed from Harley's 750 Street road bike.
Don't hold your breath for Harley Davidson's electric motorcycle, with the battery-powered LiveWire on hold until powertrain tech catches up. The eco-friendly bike was revealed to no small degree of interest a year ago, with the iconic firm taking it on a tour of the US and Europe to gage potential interest among riders. According to Harley the LiveWire is still on the roadmap, but right now neither the price nor the battery technology are ready for the mass market.
Automotive recalls have been extensive this year, and the issues have touched on a variety of systems: brakes, tires, air bags, fuel, and more. A large recall is currently underway over Takata airbags believed to be defective, for example, and GM is still working its way through the massive recalls it has initiated over the past year. Now Harley Davidson has surfaced with its own recall, but the reason is relatively tame in comparison to these other recent auto industry troubles.
This week the folks behind Avengers: Age of Ultron decided to wait until the last minute to reveal the big guns. Keeping their wares secret until the last day, showing off their excellence as the crowning bit for SDCC - there’s no better way to suggest you’re the king of comics. In addition to a tiny teaser trailer shown behind closed curtains, four major props were shown to the masses.
Harley-Davidson teased something big and battery powered, and now the iconic motorcycle company has revealed Project LiveWire, its first electric bike. Beginning a test ride tour across the US from next week, as Harley-Davidson explores the potential for EV powertrains, LiveWire isn't intended as a commercial bike in its current form but more a test-bed for how the company might evolve in future.
When you think of Harley Davidson motorcycles, there are probably a few things that come to mind: loud, big, powerful. Electric isn't one of them, but a new teaser video the motorcycle maker has uploaded to YouTube could change that in the near future.