Harley-Davidson LiveWire review, test ride

Tomorrow's Harley today - we've just ridden the American bike-making giant's take on electric motorcycles.

Published on Feb 28, 2015 11:00:00 AM

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Harley-Davidson LiveWire review, test ride

The LiveWire comes with a nice riding position - upright and only slightly sporty, with footpegs positioned a little to the rear. There's a cast-aluminium alloy frame that holds the exposed, meaty-looking motor in place. Fully adjustable Showa suspension is standard, fat and rigid upside-down forks in front, with a near horizontal mounted rear monoshock. Ride quality is stiff, sporty and very un-Harley, which just about sums up what the LiveWire feels like - fast and jet-like rather than a lazy, heavy cruiser as we've come to expect from this American manufacturer.

The Harley-Davidson-branded Michelin tyres on the test LiveWire offered good grip, while the single-rotor disc brakes did well to stop the bike with prompt, strong bite when called upon. There's no ABS for now, but that's only because Harley know this isn't a production bike, on which ABS will of course feature. The steering feels a touch on the heavy side at low speed, but is neutral and well weighted when hurtling along at over 100kph. The handling is better than on any Harley bike you've ever experienced.

In the end, it's clear Harley-Davidson has got it right the first time, pulling a rabbit out of its electric bag with the LiveWire. It's more exciting and involving a bike than you ever expected from Harley-Davidson, and sure to pull in a whole new generation of buyers. So one hopes the company doesn't wait too much longer to produce this new bike. Win-win in more ways than one, the LiveWire is the right direction for Harley, which is proven in the fact that the moment you get off this new electric bike, your first thought is of humming away on one again!

RISHAD COOPER