Sean O'Kane reviews Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle on the Verge. He drove the LiveWire through parts of the Formula E, the electric bike race circuit in Brooklyn, New York. O'Kane says the LiveWire is faster and more capable than he needs.
Quick acceleration
Any modern EV will feel quick off a dead stop. This is particularly true of electric motorcycles but also electric scooters. The LiveWire also accelerates quickly, especially in Sport mode.
The difference with the LiveWire is that the same quick acceleration kicks in at 50, 60 and 70 miles an hour. O'Kane said that if he had more room to run he might have gone up to a hundred before he considered that perhaps he did not want to go that fast.
The LiveWire competently handles at high speeds as it has fat tires that keep it glued to the pavement. The tires also handled the tight twisty corners easily allowing the bike to lean.
Styling
O'Kane liked the styling of the LiveWire better than that of the prototype released five years ago, which looked more like a street bike. The LiveWIre is sleeker and more refined looking. The fit and finish are at the quality one would expect from a Harley Davidson product.
Other features
O'Kane found the digital screen responsive, with the buttons all feeling solid. There were no rattles. O'Kane found the sound linked to the electric motor rather raw. This might turn off some people but others may come to accept it.
The company claims the LiveWire has a range of 146 miles per charge. What may turn off most who consider the bike is the price tag of $30,000 at least $10,000 more than a competitor as discussed on the appended video. Motorcycle companies are developing very fast machines as they use electric technology.
Previously published in the Digital Journal
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