2021 Harley-Davidson LiveWire: A Wobbly Review

If a motorcycle manufacturer wanted to make a revolutionary new bike that was a “Harley-killer,” this would be it: quiet, smooth, no chrome for weight savings, and smart cutting-edge technology. But the kicker: it’s made by Harley-Davidson!

The LiveWire was highly anticipated as the first mainstream electric motorcycle. It’s prototype was revealed in 2014 and production began in 2019. Harley-Davidson, recognizing their traditional customer base is aging out, the plan is to attract the next generation of riders with the emerging technology of Electric Vehicles (EV’s). The difference is not just the technology, the LiveWire also provides a completely different riding experience and a minimalist urban look.

Most people were very curious about the LiveWire and I had to field a lot of questions!

The List of Frequently Asked Questions I Was Asked

• How far does it go? 235 km City, 153 km Highway
• How long does it take to charge? About 10 hours or overnight for regular charging, or 1 hour on a fast charger
• Do you like it better than a “normal” motorcycle? I really like it! Not better or worse, just different.
• Is that an e-bike? No, e-bikes have pedals or are those short range scooters that only go about 50 kph max and you don’t need a license. This can go faster than highway speeds and has a range of 150 - 250 km’s. You need a valid M license in Ontario.
• How fast does it go? I want to keep my license. I’ve gotten up to bursts of 140 kph but there was more room on the throttle.
• How much does it cost? That’s the CAD$38,250 question, plus freight, PDI, tax, etc. Probably around the USD$35,000 or $45,000 in Canada.

A Complex Piece of Technology

Before we could even ride the LiveWire, a mandatory 20 minute demonstration was provided by Harley-Davidson. This set the stage that what we were about to ride was not a simple twist-and-go machine (despite not having a clutch): we were riding a piece of complex technology.

The sleek, minimalist and clean urban look is the polar opposite of a bagger, dresser or cruiser look the brand is known for. A friend noted it reminded him of the XR’s. It was strange not seeing an exhaust pipe or any chrome accents on a Harley-Davidson; disappointingly, the bodywork and details are almost all plastic. I feel they could’ve added some carbon fibre pieces and/or made the tank metal to make the appearance less cheap. Also lacking were a clutch lever and gear shifter. Even more strange, was the deafening silence, and lack of vibrations when it was on.

Amazing Riding Experience

The riding experience was amazing. From the very beginning when you “arm” the LiveWire (maybe “coming online” or “started” is more accurate), you feel a heartbeat between your legs from the machine. This cool sensory feedback communicates the LiveWire is alive and ready to go, since there are no cues from sounds or vibrations you would get from a conventional gasoline engine.

Starting from a stop was incredibly smooth: simply twisting the throttle and you’re on your way with no noise, save for the slight whine of the electric motor and the sound of the tires on pavement. The seating position was sportier than I expected, with the foot pegs rearward, and handlebars forward but wide. For me at 5’7”, it was comfortable. As you accelerate, it’s difficult to gauge your speed with the crescendo of engine noise and changing of gears lacking. The wind noise eventually overtakes the engine whine and with the forward lean and wide bars, it really feels like you’re flying!

Riding the LiveWire was a fun relaxing experience. No assault on the senses: no loud engine or exhaust, no gripping bars that shake your hands into numbness, no smell of gasoline, no intense heat from the engine. The fun comes with having all the torque and power available, anytime. And riding is simpler with just twisting the throttle to go.

Ironically, it’s these very qualities that are antithetical to a traditional Harley-Davidson experience. Is it better? It’s just different. Just like riding a dirt bike is different from a sport bike which is different than a cruiser which is different from an electric motorcycle.

Litre-like Power but Sluggish Handling and Brakes

The power delivery felt like a litre bike (1000cc engine), but the handling was sluggish due to the long wheelbase and weight. Stopping power could be improved despite having radial mount dual Brembo 4-piston monoblocks on the front.

On paper, the LiveWire has one-third less torque (although similar horsepower) than the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide, but the electric motor delivers it’s peak torque (116 N-m / 86 ft-lb) instantly whether at a standstill or at highway speeds. Consider this the LiveWire weighs 156 kgs / 343 lbs less so acceleration is very quick and passing maneuvers are effortless.

Not Suitable for Passengers

The passenger seat is not only narrow and short, but also hard, and not suitable for longer trips. And with the instant torque, the pilot is well advised to tell the passenger to lean forward and hold on when taking off.

The Electric Vehicle Experience: Range Anxiety, Charging

A common experience for EV (Electric Vehicle) owners is range anxiety: worrying about being stranded because your battery is dead. This is amplified for electric motorcycles due to limited capacity for batteries. The LiveWire uses the standard J-1772 port and can utilize regular EV Level 2 or 3 chargers in addition to DCFC (DC Fast Charge) / CCS (Combined Charging System). The first thing I did when I was confirmed for the LiveWire test was to install the PlugShare app (available on Android and iOS) which maps out EV charging stations and their capabilities.

The included household charger fits under the seat but is very slow. I have an old outdoor garage, so it likely is not as efficient as an outlet directly attached to a house. While I love that the charger plugs into the tank, it’s awkward to have to remove what amounts to an extension cable, plug one end into the wall, the other end into the tank, then have to wind it all up “just right” to fit it back under the seat.

For testing purposes, I plugged into a Chargepoint EV station which had DCFC / CCS fast charging at BMW Toronto. I charged for about 40 mins and topped out at a rate of 8.788 kW. I had to use my credit card to start, and the display said to check the Chargepoint app for rates ($/min), but to date, my credit card hasn’t been charged. Unfortunately I forgot to note the exact before and after, but it added about 45% to the battery.

Charging on household power was slow, with an estimated 11 hours to full from 13%.

The LiveWire also has regen (regenerative braking) which charges the battery during braking. This means the range is higher in the city (more regen), than on the highway (no regen + high wind resistance at speed) which is counter-intuitive. Eco mode has the highest regen while Rain mode has the least. I prefered riding in Eco mode at all times because I felt I didn’t need the extra power or torque of Road or Sport mode, and the engine braking provided by the regen felt more natural to me.

Great Urban Vehicle but Not Yet Primetime Yet for Touring

The LiveWire is perfect for the urban environment. I had it during a summer heatwave in Toronto and one of the best surprise features is no heat from the engine when stuck in traffic! And your left hand doesn’t tire out in stop-and-go. Carve through traffic with the quick acceleration, and if you have an outlet or EV charger at your work, you have no electricity or gas costs associated with your commute! What’s more, in the City of Toronto, parking is free for motorcycles, which makes it great for hitting the town after work.

It’s range and charging time are the limiting factors making the LiveWire a poor choice for touring. That is, unless you’re okay to travel only 150 - 200 km in a day with an overnight charge, or planning a route around EV stations, which may be more feasible in the future. One solution might be to make swappable battery packs (like propane BBQ tanks)

Are Electric Motorcycles the Future?

Most of us have shared this experience: sitting on a patio (the only dining option during Stage 2 of the Covid-19 pandemic during which this review was written), especially downtown surrounded by buildings, and some dickless wonder (usually it's a guy) on a motorcycle cranks the throttle so everybody looks at him. All conversations stop. Car alarms go off. Children cover their ears. Babies cry. And no woman says, “Wow, that guy on that motorcycle is sooooo hot!!!” An electric motorcycle is more polite … and Canadian.

Electric bikes are here to stay. They will benefit from advances driven by their 4 wheeled counterparts. But battery capacity, charging times, charging infrastructure, environmental impact for the production and disposal of batteries, and price will need to significantly improve before they become more mainstream. The riding experience may even be preferred over traditional gasoline bikes.

Even Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman chose the LiveWire electric motorcycle for their Long Way Up two-wheeled adventure where they traveled from Ushuaia, Patagonia, Argentina to Los Angeles, California,USA. They opted to go on electric motorcycles to “be a part of the new wave of transportation technology” but still needed a backup crew and charger truck to do the trip. (Source: ADV Pulse )

What I Liked

• Appearance: Sleek urban look
• Seating position: surprisingly comfortable for my 5’7” frame
• Cool: No heat rising from engine while sitting in traffic, no worries about burns or melting things
• Suspension: Fully adjustable forks and suspension
• Fun, relaxing riding experience: Peak torque and power are always available and my senses were not overwhelmed. You feel like you are flying!
• Riding modes: Can change or customize according to conditions
• Display: Easy to read and contains lots of information
• Low maintenance: No oil changes, spark plugs, air filters, etc.

What Could be Improved

• Range: Fine in the city, but too short for traveling
• Charging: Takes too long to charge, not like just filling your tank with gas
• Needs a parking brake: When it’s off, it’s in neutral
• Turn signals: Separate buttons for left and right signals, but apparently this is a H-D thing
• Appearance: too plasticky and could use some carbon fibre or metal to make it look less “cheap”
• Price Tag: Approaching $45,000 CAD after dealer costs and tax

Other Electric Motorcycles

If you’re looking at the Harley-Davidson LiveWire, you should also consider:

• Zero Motorcycles
• Energica
• Damon Motorcycles 

The latter two are more sport oriented electric motorcycles.

Quiet. Smooth. Fun.

Add to the above: plastic instead of chrome and forward leaning seating position, and I can’t get over how “un-Harley” the LiveWire is! I really enjoyed the electric motorcycle riding experience -- it’s not better or worse it’s just different. However, the shortcomings around range, charging and price need to be addressed before it can match the sales of their gasoline bikes. Nonetheless, it excels in the urban environment where range and charging are not an issue.

If loud pipes save lives, imagine what hearing sounds around you can do!

Key Specifications

• Horsepower: 105 HP / 78 kW
• Torque: 116 N-m / 86 ft-lb
• Weight: 249 kg / 549 lb
• Range (minimum): 235 km City, 153 km Highway
• Charging Time: About 10 hours or overnight for regular charging, or 1 hour on a fast charger
• MSRP: $38,250

Full specifications can be found on the Harley-Davidson website.

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