POSTITIVE RIVALRY
MCN’s current Electric Bike of the Year is the LiveWire – so how does it stack up on the road?
The liquid-cooled electric motor is faultlessly smooth and whisperquiet. There’s no gearbox or clutch to worry about, just the motor, a 90° bevel gear and a belt drive to the back wheel. Turn the twistgrip – go faster. The LiveWire is seriously quick, too. A full-throttle standing start in Sport mode sees the dash jump from 0 to 60mph in three seconds.
Top speed is an indicated 114mph. But most impressive is its supernatural shove once rolling: 40mph to 80mph takes 2.5 seconds. The lack of noise or gear shifting doesn’t detract
– if anything, it makes the rabid, relentless turn of speed even more eye-opening. You’re shoved back in the seat, tensing to hold on, yet the bike barely seems to be trying. It’s like being thrown forwards by an invisible hand.
Zooming devours the battery, though. Without restraint, a full charge will last less than 60 miles.
‘It’s fresh, challenging, involving and addictive’
At a steady 70mph it’ll scrape 70 miles. Over a mix of town and single-carriageway riding at the speed limit, the LiveWire lasts 90 to 100 miles.
There’s a CCS (Combined Charging System) socket under the flap on the fake tank, so with the correct charger and a full refill of the 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery can be done in just over an hour. But plug in with the three-pin wall charger at home a 5%-to-full charge takes over 12 hours.
Once moving it doesn’t feel lardy or bulky, tipping into turns easily, willingly and accurately, albeit with a slightly tail-heavy stance. Change direction quickly at speed and you can definitely feel that mass as a physical reluctance at the bars, but most of the time it’s much like a normal naked.
But love it or loathe it, the LiveWire is a landmark.
It’s genuinely great fun, the acceleration is breathtaking, the sensations and challenges fresh, involving and addictive.