Harley-Davidson has now provided more detailed specs for its LiveWire electric motorcycle, together with plans for fast-charging devices at dealerships.
We rode the first incarnation of the LiveWire in LA in 2014 and inspected the production model at Milwaukee last year.
While some of the bike’s specs were provided, range was still a vague figure that seemed to vary from about 100-160km depending on whom you spoke to at HD.
Click here for our overview of the LiveWire.
LiveWire specs
Now Harley-Davidson has announced the final production-verified performance figures for LiveWire:
- 225km (140 miles) of city range or 142km (88 miles) of combined stop-and-go and highway range as measured using the MIC City and MIC Combined (70mph) tests;
- Standard DC Fast Charge technology which provides a 0-80% of battery charge in 40 minutes or 0-100% in 60 minutes;
- Top speed is 177km/h (110mph); and
- 0 to 100km/h in 3 seconds and 100-130km/h in 1.9 seconds.
The range figures are interesting because most companies just state one figure which is useless as range varies substantially on a number of factors. Click here for more details.
LiveWire will be available for sale in North America in August at $29,790, but is already taking orders. It will be available late this year in Europe and Canada with orders open from April.
Australia will get the LiveWire late next year at an expected price of more than $A40,000.
Harley LiveWireFast charging
The Milwaukee company has also announced that fast chargers will be available at 200 dealerships where the LiveWire will be sold.
Harley-Davidson Australian and New Zealand spokesman Keith Waddell confirms they would also be “looking to have fast charge facilities within the ANZ dealer network”.
Charging points on the LIveWire are under the “fuel” cap.That’s a handy service and we expect it might even be free or, at least, very cheap.
It’s also a good sales tactic as it would guarantee riders called into dealerships more often.
Riders would not only be able to charge their LiveWire electric motorcycle, but also the new children’s Harley-branded electric bicycles.
Harley also plans a range of e-bikes, electric scooters and smaller urban electric motorcycles than the LiveWire.
More LiveWire specs
Familiar switchgearLiveWire has a twist-and-go electric powertrain with no clutch or gear shifting, just like most scooters and many other electric motorcycles.
Braking effect of the power regeneration mode adds charge to the battery, especially in stop-and-go urban traffic.
Central to the technology driving the LiveWire is an Electronic Chassis Control (ECC) system.
It uses cornering ABS, traction control and Drag-Torque Slip Control System to “monitor and manage front and rear brake torque as well as motor torque to the rear wheel to enhance rider control and balance vehicle performance across diverse riding environments”.
In other words, it keeps the wheels on the ground and prevents slides.
In some markets, the LiveWire has the H-D Connect mobile app that uses an LTE-enabled Telematics Control Unit and cloud services to collect data and provide the rider with information about their bike such as battery charge status and available range, so long as you have mobile signal. It will also show riders where they can recharge and guide them there.
Touchscreen instrumentsThe app includes alerts riders if someone is trying to steal their bike and uses GPS to track it if it has been taken.
Riders will also get service reminders and other vehicle care notifications.
LiveWire has a fully adjustable Showa Balanced Free Rear Cushion-lite mono rear shock and Showa Separate Function Big Piston forks.
Fully adjustable Showa rear shockIt comes with Brembo monoblock front brake calipers on dual 300mm discs.
Brembo brakes