VOL. 55 ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 13, 2018 P47
O
riginally debuted in 2014 as a
prototype to test the waters and
gauge the potential of an electric-
powered Harley-Davidson motorcycle,
the LiveWire was officially unveiled in
Milwaukee during the company's 115th
Anniversary this past Labor Day. Today,
H-D pulled the covers off yet again and
announced details and specifications of
its production-ready 2019 LiveWire.
Anyone who's ridden an electric
motorcycle knows how much instanta-
neous torque and power you get from the
moment you twist the throttle. Not only
that, there's no gear shifting and zero
chance of stalling, making the LiveWire a
great platform for introducing new riders
to motorcycling. It's all part of the Motor
Company's "More Roads to Harley-Da-
vidson" strategy to create two million new
riders here in the U.S. and build the next
generation of riders globally.
A permanent-magnet electric motor
pulls double duty, and not only powers
the LiveWire, but serves as a stressed
member of its otherwise aluminum
chassis. It's been positioned to provide
as low of a center of gravity as possible
to deliver nimble, agile handling both
on urban streets and twisty back roads
alike. A Showa SFF-BP (Separate Func-
tion Fork - Big Piston) front end is paired
with a Showa BFRC-lite (Balance Free
Rear Cushion – lite) rear mono-shock to
soak up the bumps, while dual Brembo
monoblock calipers with 300mm front
rotors handle the braking duties. A
cornering-enhanced ABS system and
traction control come standard.
The LiveWire's battery features a
RESS (Rechargeable Energy Storage
System) composed of lithium-ion cells
surrounded by a finned, cast-aluminum
housing. Charging is done via the on-
board Level 1 charger that plugs into a
standard household outlet with a power
cord that stores below the seat. For
quicker charge times, the LiveWire can
also be juiced up with a Level 2 or 3,
DC Fast Charge (DCFC) which uses a
SAE J1772 connector.
Love it or hate it, we look forward
to how Harley-Davidson's new models
will pave not only the Motor Company's
future, but that of motorcycling in gen-
eral. CN
