LiveWire starts a new era of electric bikes for the American bike maker.
In a bold move, Harley-Davidson revealed their new electric motorcycle in its production form at EICMA 2018. The bike is known as Harley-Davidson LiveWire and it is powered by a set of lithium-ion batteries, making it the first electric bike from the company.
It is a production-ready model and will go on sale next year. The design of the bike is also a deviation from the company’s usual styling. The LiveWire is a naked roadster made to tackle the corners.
The price and the pre-order status of the bike is not yet revealed. Harley-Davidson will release that information in January 2019 and it will launch the bike in the same year as well. The LiveWire sports a big lithium-ion battery-pack which features a RESS (Rechargeable Energy Storage System).
The entire battery sits low and uses the engine as a stressed member. It provides the bike with a low centre of gravity. As a result, the bike becomes easy to balance at slow speeds and delivers better handling. Since the bike is electric it has no clutch or gears. It only has throttle and brakes.
The details of the battery including its power, torque, range and capacity are yet to be revealed. The users will be able to charge the bike using a level 1 charger but it will take a lot of time. For quick charging, the optional level 2 or 3 DC fast chargers would be appropriate.
The bike will have different riding modes, which is a common feature in almost all electric bikes. The LiveWire will come with 4 factory-set modes and 3 custom modes which the users can customise themselves. The bike will also feature Bluetooth connectivity, music, navigation and several other features. All of the information will be available on a coloured TFT touchscreen.
LiveWire also comes with an additional 12V battery for operating lights, indicators and other electric equipment on the bike.
Harley-Davidson has equipped the LiveWire with an aluminium chassis along with fully adjustable Showa suspension. The front-end incorporates Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) suspension while the rear uses the Showa BFRC-lite (Balance Free Rear Cushion) suspension.
Both are high-end equipment, particularly the rear BFRC-lite unit. It is specially designed to provide stable traction even when the suspension strokes mid-corner. For braking effectively, the LiveWire uses Brembo monobloc front callipers biting dual 300 mm discs and cornering ABS. It also features traction control.
The Harley-Davidson LiveWire is expected to launch in Europe first, due to the presence of excellent e-vehicle charging infrastructure in the continent. Later down the line, the bike will make its way to North America. It is unlikely that the bike will come to India anytime soon. The company will also launch a series of new electric bikes after the launch of LiveWire.
Harley Davidson LiveWire Revealed
– It is the first electric bike from the company
– It features a lithium-ion battery, rider modes, traction control and high-performance chassis
– Bike’s pre-order status and pricing will be revealed in January 2019.
