Photo: Harley-Davidson
The launch of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire in the second part of 2019 was far from the success the company hoped for, what with an unexpected halt of production at the end of the year and mostly negative media coverage of the bike.
Notwithstanding, the LiveWire is the first fully electric bike from the manufacturer, signaling a shift in approach for a company so old: the willingness to fully commit to a more environmental-friendly product and, at the same time, attract a wider and younger audience.
But it’s still dang expensive, at a $30,000 starting price. Harleys were never cheap, but this one is even more pricey, especially considering the limited range, charge specifications and performance. For this kind of money, you get a bike that is fast (it goes 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and has a top speed electronically limited at 110 mph), but the range is of just 140 miles.
To those saying H-D could do so much better, one Harley dealer says it will.
Harley-Davidson is the official bike of the Daytona Bike Week 2020, now underway in Daytona Beach, Florida (but in danger of being shut down early because of Coronavirus spread concerns). The LiveWire is also at the scene, offering riders the chance to try it out both on the dyno and the track, to see for themselves why going electric is worth it.
Amid positive reactions from testers and plenty of buzz also comes this: the $30K price point is just the starting point. At least, that’s what Daytona Harley’s general manager Shelly Rossmeyer Pepe believes, though chances are she’s not speaking in any official capacity.
“Just like the electric car market, Harley released the best of the best,” Pepe tells the Daytona Beach News-Journal. “In this case, Harley said they would come out with their ‘halo’ bike, the best of the best, then bring out less expensive models, different models without certain components or luxury items.”
That is to say: this is a premium product and users will be able to get cheaper electric bikes soon, with fewer bells and whistles. That doesn’t address the issue of the LiveWire being too expensive for what it has to offer, though.
On the contrary, it makes it sound like riders will soon be able to buy a cheaper electric Harley – with ever poorer performance.
But it’s still dang expensive, at a $30,000 starting price. Harleys were never cheap, but this one is even more pricey, especially considering the limited range, charge specifications and performance. For this kind of money, you get a bike that is fast (it goes 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and has a top speed electronically limited at 110 mph), but the range is of just 140 miles.
To those saying H-D could do so much better, one Harley dealer says it will.
Harley-Davidson is the official bike of the Daytona Bike Week 2020, now underway in Daytona Beach, Florida (but in danger of being shut down early because of Coronavirus spread concerns). The LiveWire is also at the scene, offering riders the chance to try it out both on the dyno and the track, to see for themselves why going electric is worth it.
Amid positive reactions from testers and plenty of buzz also comes this: the $30K price point is just the starting point. At least, that’s what Daytona Harley’s general manager Shelly Rossmeyer Pepe believes, though chances are she’s not speaking in any official capacity.
“Just like the electric car market, Harley released the best of the best,” Pepe tells the Daytona Beach News-Journal. “In this case, Harley said they would come out with their ‘halo’ bike, the best of the best, then bring out less expensive models, different models without certain components or luxury items.”
That is to say: this is a premium product and users will be able to get cheaper electric bikes soon, with fewer bells and whistles. That doesn’t address the issue of the LiveWire being too expensive for what it has to offer, though.
On the contrary, it makes it sound like riders will soon be able to buy a cheaper electric Harley – with ever poorer performance.
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