Shocking stuff: Up close to the electric Harley-Davidson
So Harley thinks that this might well be one vision of the future – a huge-torque, easy-to-ride electric bike that’s impeccably mannered too. But what’s it feel like to get out on? Our Carli found out.
Rain was covering my visor; it was blind apex after blind apex after hairpin turn.
All I wanted to do was wind back the throttle to hear the noise of this prototype machine, to hear that jet engine-like whoosh once again before they took the bike off me.
And that’s something I never thought I would say about an electric bike made by Harley-Davidson.
Riding down to Millbrook testing facility in Bedfordshire on the A1, I was trying to work out what I was expecting from this machine I’d heard so much about. The project was announced in 2014 and while you can’t buy the bike right now, H-D is using it as a chance to gauge potential customer reaction to the idea of going down the bright spark route.
The 210kg Harley looks like something out of a film. Chunky, solid and packing plenty of personality. Does it look like a typical Harley? No. Is that a good thing? Possibly, yes. With Project Livewire, Harley is going beyond its existing comfort zone and taking the brand in a direction that many never would have thought those from the U S of A would even consider.
The riding position is relatively sporty for H-D, with your legs angled backwards and your feet in line with your derriere. Looking down, instead of seeing the circular dash you often do on a Harley, there’s a rectangular LCD touchscreen which contains all the details you need – speed, range, mode, battery charge and temperature – it can be used with gloves on too.
Nice touch. In a tactical move by Harley-D, the switchgear is the same as on a ‘normal’ machine which gives a nod to the heritage of the brand and will make current customers feel at home.
Livewire will power you from 0-60 in under four seconds – just a note that on the test ride it was chucking it down so we couldn’t experience the full power, but rolling back the throttle and letting the AC brushless engine do its thing, you can feel the drive straight away and I was surprised at the instantaneous power delivery.
There are no gears to worry about, simply twist ’n’ go – a very strange feeling on a Harley. The prototype model is not fitted with ABS and pressing on the back brake – in the rain – would create a slide so gentle front braking was the order of the day.
However, that being said, the AC brushless engine has regenerative braking – an energy recovery mechanism which slows the bike down by converting the moving energy into a form that can be stored or used immediately – close off the throttle and you can hear the noise of the machine change and you get engine braking.
For the first time in its history, Harley-Davidson has made a cast aluminium frame – weighing just 6.3kg – the brains tell us that the inspiration has come from the existing H-D range and the design and looks of the engine were just as important as the performance.
A number of manufacturers are dipping their toe in the electric waters – KTM with its range of smaller capacity off-road and street machines, Polaris (owner of Indian) has bought electric brand Brammo, BMW’s C Evolution – HarleyDavidson isn’t the first and it won’t be the last but by gaining customer feedback before bringing out a machine and perhaps waiting for the technology to improve – it could be biding its time and making sure the product offering is exactly what people want.
I filled out a survey after the ride, ‘Would I buy an electric HarleyDavidson?’ – yes, I would – if the range was doable and the price was right. Now all it has to do is go from idea to prototype to real bike for the road. Over to you H-D… In the UK, you could get up to £1500 off… In March this year, the Government announced that motorcycles and scooters will join cars, trucks and buses in their drive for greener vehicles. Up to £7.5 million has been set aside to make electric twowheelers a more accessible choice and help bikers bridge the cost gap between the zero emission machines and conventional petrol versions. In other words, the grant could offer up to £1500 off the purchase price…