Today, you can pre-order the Harley-Davidson LiveWire

By
Zac Kurylyk
-
If you squint, that almost looks like a Buell design with an under-the-engine exhaust ....

Harley-Davidson has opened Canadian pre-ordering for its LiveWire electric motorcycle.

The LiveWire is the bike of the future for Harley-Davidson, with claimed 0-110 km/h performance in 3 seconds, 225 km of city riding range, and a 1-hour recharge if you’re using fast-charge technology. Brake systems, suspension and electronic rider safety equipment are all made from premium components.

MSRP for the LiveWire is $37,250 in Canada, and Harley-Davidson says its first deliveries will happen this fall. Availability will be limited, so Harley-Davidson says you should order early, if you’re interested.

You can only order a LiveWire from a Harley-Davidson dealer authorized to sell the electric motorcycle. These dealers are in the process of having fast-charge stations installed, to make recharging more convenient for battery bike owners.

Press release

HARLEY-DAVIDSON® ANNOUNCES LIVEWIRE™ MOTORCYCLE CANADIAN

PRE-ORDERS OPEN ON APRIL 17th

  • Canadian pre-orders for the new LiveWire™ electric motorcycle open April 17th
  • First deliveries due fall 2019
  • Limited availability – interested customers are advised to order early
  • LiveWire™ accelerates to 110 kilometres per hour in 3 seconds, delivers 225 kilometres city range on a full charge and will fast charge to 100% in one hour*

(Vaughan, ON) April 16, 2019 – Harley-Davidson® has today announced that Canadian pre-order period for the all-new electric LiveWire™ motorcycle will open April 17. Interested parties can visit the Harley-Davidson website to discover their nearest authorized LiveWire dealer and place a pre-order deposit at their selected dealership. Only dealerships nominated as authorized Harley-Davidson LiveWire dealers are able to take a deposit and secure a pre-order motorcycle from the initial Canadian allocation. First deliveries are expected in fall of 2019.

“We’re really excited to announce that pre-orders for LiveWire will open in Canada on the 17th”, comments International Marketing Director Steve Lambert “We’ve had an unprecedented level of interest in the bike with so many people wanting to be first to get their hands on it. We’re looking forward to delivering the new LiveWire to those lucky owners in autumn. LiveWire is not only an exciting new product for the company, it is an incredible riding experience. We’re confident in its future and how it will help shape the two-wheeled electric vehicle market.”

The LiveWire represents the future of Harley-Davidson, bringing high-performance electric propulsion, evocative design, and cellular connectivity to today’s rider. The LiveWire’s H-D Revelation™ powertrain delivers extreme power in a seamless rush while the simplicity of operation allows the rider to focus more completely on the real thrill of motorcycling – the dynamic sensations of acceleration and motion. LiveWire can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/hr in 3.0 seconds and 100 to 129 km/hr in 1.9 seconds. The high-voltage battery provides 225 km of range city or 142 km of range combined, measured using the MIC City and MIC Combined use cycle at 70 mph. 

The LiveWire’s dynamic capability is maximized with a chassis which is designed to deliver nimble, agile handling for confident control on urban streets and a thrilling ride on curving backroads. Premium high-performance SHOWA® front and rear suspension is paired with an extremely rigid lightweight cast aluminum frame to give precise, responsive handling that makes the LiveWire model exciting to ride in any situation. Brembo® Monoblock front brake calipers further contribute to the precise control available and deliver a crisp feel for confident braking performance.

Completing the LiveWire’s riding dynamic is an Electronic Chassis Control (ECC) system that utilizes the cornering-enhanced Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS) and Drag-Torque Slip Control System (DSCS) to monitor and manage front and rear brake torque as well as motor torque to the rear wheel to enhance rider control and balance vehicle performance across diverse riding environments. The system is fully electronic and utilizes the latest six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and ABS sensor technology. The separate functions of ECC work together to give the rider more confidence and control in less-than-ideal situations.

LiveWire’s power is replenished through a number of charging options. An on-board Level 1 charger plugs into a standard 120-volt (or 240-volt) household outlet with a power cord that stores below the motorcycle seat. Level 1 RPH (range per hour) of charging time is 21 km for each hour of charging; the LiveWire motorcycle is expected to get a full charge overnight with Level 1 charging. Alternatively, a Level 3, or DC Fast Charge (DCFC), may be used to charge the LiveWire motorcycle through a SAE J1772 connector (CCS2 – IEC type 2 charging connector in European and some other international markets). All Harley-Davidson dealers who sell the LiveWire motorcycle will offer a public DCFC charging station. Level 3 RPH (range per hour) of charging time is 309 km for each hour of charging. That is 0-80% DC Fast Charge in 40 minutes. 0-100% DC Fast Charge in 60 minutes.

The LiveWire motorcycle is equipped with H-D™ Connect service, technology that provides cellular connectivity that can link a LiveWire owner with their motorcycle through their smart phone using the latest version of the Harley-Davidson™ App. H-D Connect Maxwell allows owners to connect remotely to their LiveWire motorcycle and allows for viewing of key vehicle health information. It also provides the owner with the reassurance of being able to remotely monitor their motorcycle’s security, including tamper alerts on the H-D app and stolen-vehicle assistance.

Leading in the electrification of the sport of motorcycling is part of Harley-Davidson’s comprehensive More Roads plan focused on new products, broader access and stronger dealers. LiveWire is one of many new products designed to unlock new markets and new segments and build the next generation of riders globally.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

11 COMMENTS

  4. I hope they do well. It’s not the kind of electric bike I am looking for but if Honda announces that their prototype dirt bike is going production, I will be first in line with my deposit. Surprisingly nobody has complained about electric bikes in this thread yet. Most people don’t like change. I recall lots of whining only a few years ago about how stupid fuel injection was when introduced on bikes. “I can fix carbs with my eyes closed and smell a bike running rich from nine miles down wind. Fuel injection is unnecessary techno crap brought on by enviro-weenies”. Now nobody complains about it. It just works. Someday it will be that way with electric bikes. They aren’t perfected yet by any means but someday you’ll wonder why anyone would want a bike that stalls if not warmed up and gingerly fiddled with an extra lever some old timers called a “clutch”, need to clean air filters, change oil, replace spark plugs, flush the coolant etc. Just twist and go. Focus on the ride, not on keeping the internal mechanical bits optimizing power from controlled fires burning within.

    • I do agree with much of what you are saying. The main frustration for me is cost, then range. I would also have to add a lower priority that the appearance of the machine does matter to me.
      Also the desire for the success of new technology, does not necessarily need to breed contempt for older tech. The idea of maintaining one’s machine is an activity many have found rewarding.

      • Range and cost are the biggest concerns for sure. For the range issue, there are probably only a handful of days each year that most people would ride beyond the range. That means most of the time it is charged at home. It is unfortunate that they only do level 1 and 3 charging, not level 2 which is possible for reasonably quick charging at home. For the cost issue, a Harley owner is saving immediately by not buying new pipes before it even leaves the showroom floor. The lower maintenance and fuel costs will lower the total cost of ownership as well.
        I enjoy working on my bikes but I prefer riding to maintaining. Is anyone upset they don’t need to adjust points anymore or that they don’t get to do the top end of their two-stroke every couple of seasons? You will still get to change chains or belts, tires, steering head bearings and wheel bearings.

        • While I agree with you that points aren’t missed (they weren’t that big of a deal to look after though), the grief of that two-stroke top end rebuild was very much offset by the thrill of a finely tuned machine coming on the pipe, from end clawing skyward.

          Back in the day, I had an RZ350, and RZ500. Sadly, I can’t afford to buy a 500 anymore, and the 350 is quickly going there too. I guess I’m not the only one that wasn’t bothered by the occasional top-end rebuild…

        • Many mention the low cost of charging electric vehicles at home. No one pushing electric mentions that at some point vehicle owners are going to have to start paying their share of road taxes. When that day comes it will be interesting how the government goes about collecting. Will there a ban on home charging or will owners be forced to utilize only chargers that report charging rate and duration to the regulating authority. Another method may be to collect based on distance travelled since the license validation sticker was last renewed.

Join the conversation!