HARLEY-DAVIDSON LIVEWIRE
From ear-shattering, fuel-gargling V-Twins, Harley-Davidson hangs a hard left and goes silent and fully electric! But are we ready for the seismic shift?
Electrifying hit or damp squib?
CAPTAIN AMERICA AND HARLEY-DAVIDSON go way back in time. Both have been intrinsic to American pop culture, having aged well over the decades — literally. Cap debuted in the 1940s on the Marvel horizon saving the world on a fire-breathing, H-D WLA ‘Liberator’, which played an important part during World War II. Legions devoted gas, oil and CO2 over several decades to keep the firebreathing V-twins alive. Similarly, Cap devoted his life to save America time and again, sacrificing his love to a certain extent. But when Black Widow emerged in Avengers: Age of Ultron on a Project H-D Livewire, people wondered if she had chosen the wrong set of wheels. This wasn’t the machine Americans were buying or riding. It whistled like a jet-plane taking off instead of playing the traditional potato-potato orchestra. The Livewire seemed like Tesla’s version of a Harley-Davidson. In fact, the Livewire is one of the most radical machines to have come out of the assembly line of a mainstream bike maker, especially one as rooted in history and heritage as Harley-Davidson. Coming from the land of gas-guzzling SUVs, fire-breathing V8s and big-bore V-twins, does the Livewire really stand a chance or will it follow the Cap’s Avengers Endgame footsteps? If only I had some Pym Particles to travel forward in time... but for now, I have the Livewire with me, on home soil, to find the answers.
Does it look and feel like a Harley-Davidson?
Absolutely. The Livewire is very handsome in the flesh featuring the stance of a Sportster and design elements of an XR. The front-end is masked by a big cowl just like Cap’s shield. The fuel tank, which is actually the charging port housing, resembles the XR’s to the hilt. The 15.5kWh li-ion battery is contained in an aluminium frame that masks it quite well. The large, Revelation motor with a bullet inscription makes its presence felt. Seat height is a low 780mm, like all other Harley cruisers, and the padding extends to the recesses even. The only thing that doesn’t feel at home is the chrome ‘bar.
The electronic wizardry includes top-drawer components sourced from the best of the best. You get a 4.3-inch cluster (could’ve been larger) that displays the riding modes of which there are four to choose from — Range, Rain, Road and Sport. The H-D Connect shows navigation, call alerts, music controls through an app that can be downloaded on your smartphone. You also get IMU-based cornering ABS, traction control and an add-on feature called Drag Torque Slip Control. DTSC functions like a slipper clutch and controls the torque slip when you shut the gas, avoiding panic situations.
In terms of range, no WLTP tests have been conducted so far but Harley claims a maximum of
THE LIVEWIRE IS ONE OF THE MOST RADICAL MACHINES TO HAVE COME OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY LINE OF A MAINSTREAM BIKE MAKER
235km. You get the option of Level 3 charging that allows a full charge in an hour. The regular, Level 1 port takes 12.5 hours for a full charge.
Does it go like a Harley?
No! The Livewire, as the name suggests is like a time bomb waiting to go off. It’s unlike any Harley I’ve ever ridden, which includes the new range of Softails. The lack of levers on the left side takes getting used to but thankfully, unlike other electric motorcycles, Harley has slotted the rear brake where it should be. And trust me, you’re going to require both your right limbs here, but more on that later. Switching on the motor requires a simple button that resembles the kill switch on traditional motorcycles. Wring the throttle and the Livewire takes off with a hypnotic whirling noise reminding you of a jet turbine. The conditions were wet and demanding with a lot of fog, forcing me to begin with Rain mode. The throttle response is astonishing! I haven’t ridden any other electric motorcycle with such precision. The rear wheel responds exactly how you want it to, begging you to switch to Sport mode. The unhinged, no-holds-barred Sport will take you to 100kmph in 3 seconds flat says Harley, and I believe them. The Livewire is a hoot and brings a wide smile to your
WRING THE THROTTLE AND THE LIVEWIRE TAKES OFF WITH A HYPNOTIC WHIRLING NOISE REMINDING YOU OF A JET TURBINE
face every time you exercise the right wrist. I’m sure that the roll-on between 50-80kmph will put midweight petrols to shame. The best part is the lack of heat and even noise, to some extent. But yeah, I did miss the potato-potato soundtrack after a while, to be honest.
Does it handle like a Harley?
Again, a big no. The lack of traditional components allows for a lean angle of 45 degrees and the Livewire is more than capable of getting to some crazy limits if not for the wet roads and the fear of crashing the only Livewire in India. The brilliant Showa Big Piston USDs provide ample feedback but the super stiff fully-adjustable Showa mono at the rear-end takes away from the experience on our roads. The monoshock is directly bolted onto the swingarm and you’ll need to take care of your teeth fillings in the long run, especially in our conditions. However, the suspension is adjustable at both ends, so fiddling with it will bring some respite for sure.
Thanks to its long wheelbase of 1490mm, stability is par excellence. It takes some effort to tip it into corners, despite a wide bar and the direct throttle tends to straighten the bike at every given opportunity, but that is to be expected. Our instincts are tuned to gasoline-powered machines, more saddle time will sort the issue, like it did in my case. Special mention to the brilliant Michelin Scorchers that inspired confidence even in wet conditions.
Does it have an electric future?
Steve Rogers a.k.a Captain America hands over the shield to Falcon at the end of Endgame, marking the end of an era. As MCU transitions into phase four, we won’t be seeing the Cap anymore. Similarly, H-D too is going through a transition that’ll see an ADV in the form of the Panamerica, a streetfighter (impressively named) Bareknuckle, and a slew of electric bikes. But the biggest responsibility lies on the Livewire that begins the rise of America as we have never witnessed before. We are not sure if Harley will bring the Livewire to India but if they do, it’ll be priced north of `30 lakh making it superniche. But then again the Livewire isn’t meant to be the biggest blockbuster of all time, like the Avengers: Endgame. It may not shatter the ear drums of fellow commuters at traffic lights, and it may not feature a Grammy worthy soundtrack. But it showcases what the future of mobility could look like, especially with our government’s current obsession with EVs. And if the infrastructure does keep up I’m not going to have any problems living with a Livewire. ⌧