Harley-Davidson LiveWire: All You Need To Know

The complete details of the features, specification and prices of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire are out! It is Harley-Davidson's first ever fully electric motorcycle and the production version made its debut at the 2018 EICMA Motorcycle Show. The LiveWire has been in the making for more than five years. With Harley-Davidson's motorcycle sales flailing globally, the LiveWire could work as a shot in the arm for the bar and shield brand. The LiveWire is already featured on Harley-Davidson India's website and we are hopeful that it will be launched in India before the year ends or in early 2020.

Cycle Parts

(The LiveWire gets top-shelf cycle parts such as Brembo brakes as Showa suspension)

The motorcycle is built around a cast Aluminium frame which is lightweight and it gets Showa big-piston forks up front along with a Showa monoshock at the rear, which is fully adjustable. Plus, the motorcycle also gets 300 mm twin discs up front gripped by Brembo Monobloc callipers and H-D Michelin Scorcher Tyres with a width of 120 mm up front and 180 mm at the rear.

Electric Powertrain

(The LiveWire has a range of 235 kilometres when ridden in the city)

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire uses an all-new powertrain called the H-D Revelation which consists of a permanent magnet electric motor which has a power output of 78 kW or 104.6 bhp and the peak torque output is rated at 116 Nm. Being an electric vehicle, the LiveWire offers 100 per cent of the torque right from the instant you twist the throttle. The 0-100 kmph sprint is done in 3.5 seconds and more specifically, the electric motorcycle can reach 100 kmph to 128 kmph in less than 2 seconds. There is a 15.5 kWh battery included which gives the LiveWire a range of up to 235 kilometres in the city and a stop-and-go range of 158 kilometres on the highway. The claimed range has been achieved using World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC) standards. The H-D Revelation motor is cooled by a water jacket with coolant circulated through a small radiator. It is positioned longitudinally and low in the chassis to keep the centre of gravity low, making for better manoeuvrability as well. Like any automatic scooter, the Harley-Davidson LiveWire has a 'throttle-and-go' function and the rear wheel is belt-driven.

Battery Charging

(The H-D LiveWire has a range of 235 kilometres in the city and it will be charged fully overnight)

As mentioned earlier, the LiveWire gets a 15.5 kWh high voltage lithium-ion battery which is placed in the middle of the motorcycle's cast Aluminium frame. The frame itself works as a cooling aid for the cells. The cell housing is attached to the frame at several points and contributes to the over-all rigidity of the chassis. The LiveWire motorcycle is also equipped with a 12-volt lithium-ion accessory battery that provides power for start-up and key fob recognition. Harley-Davidson says that the motorcycle gains a range of almost 21 kilometres for every hour of charging and it will a full night's charging time to recharge the battery fully.

Connectivity

(The LiveWire can be charged through a standard Level 1 charger)

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire is a connected motorcycle. Yes! It gets an LTE-enabled modem, which will connect all LiveWire motorcycles to the cloud. The rider can get all the information he needs using the H-D app on his/her smartphone. The H-D Connect service will be offered for a one-year free trial period after the purchase of a new LiveWire motorcycle and available with a subscription charge following the initial free period. The H-D app offers features such as tamper alert, stolen vehicle tracking, motorcycle status, service reminder notifications and so on.

Features & Electronics

(The 4.3-inch colour TFT screen is a touchscreen and also adjustable for angle)

Harley-Davidson has done well to offer lots of features in LiveWire. There is a whole range of electronics under Harley's Reflex Defensive Rider System or RDRS, such as ABS, cornering ABS, traction control, cornering traction control; front-wheel lift mitigation and drag-torque slip control system. The last one is designed to manage rear-wheel slip and rear-wheel lock due to regenerative braking on slippery or wet surfaces. Apart from the rider assistance systems, the LiveWire also gets 5 riding modes, which are Road, Rain, Range and Sport. While the other three are self-explanatory, the 'range' mode is where the motorcycle keeps the throttle inputs controlled and brake regeneration at its highest so as to gain maximum range from the battery. Plus, there are three rider customisable modes as well, which allows the rider to manage inputs such as throttle response, ABS, traction control and brake regeneration.

The motorcycle also gets a 4.3-inch TFT touchscreen which works as the instrument console and is tilt-adjustable as well. The LiveWire has Bluetooth connectivity for use with a smartphone and a wireless headset through the touchscreen. The rider can listen to music, take calls, and hear turn-by-turn navigation instructions provided by the H-D app.

Pricing & Availability In India

(The design is Harley-Davidson, but with streetfighter appeal)

The prices for the Harley-Davidson LiveWire start at $29,799 and the motorcycle will soon be launched in USA, Europe and select markets in Asia. We believe the motorcycle will be launched in India, hopefully by the end of 2019 or early 2020. The Harley-Davidson India website has already listed the LiveWire as 'Coming Soon'.