2020 HARLEY-DAVIDSON
R I D E R E V I E W
P110
but also gives the bike a touch of elec-
tric personality. Our press bikes were
pre-production units, with one setting
for the electronic pulse, but the pro-
duction machines will have three pulse
options—soft, hard and off.
Our test ride through the hills sur-
rounding Portland lasted about 60
miles, so we didn't get to experience
just how far the LiveWire would go on
a full charge. According to Harley, the
bike will do 146 miles of city riding,
which drops to 95 miles in combined
city and highway riding, and finally 70
miles of use at a sustained 70 mph.
Given that we were engaged in rather,
err, spirited riding, by the time I gave my
LiveWire back, there was a registered
33 percent of charge left. I hesitate to
provide a range number until I've ridden
the LiveWire from full to empty.
A point of note is the LiveWire, unlike
something like the Energica Ego, will
not reduce power as the charge level
goes down. The available power at 100
percent is the same as at 19 percent,
for example, so the ride experience isn't
diluted based on the available charge.
Nice one, Harley.
To get your charge, you've got two
options, the first being the basic Level
One, which will take you about 12 hours
to go from zero to 100 percent charge.
This is what Harley feels most riders
will do, as they roll into the garage and
plug the LiveWire into the wall overnight,
much like a mobile phone.
There's no Level Two charging avail-
able for the LiveWire, but the engineers
have incorporated a Level Three/DC
Fast Charge system. This means you
can roll up to any DC station across the
(From top left)
DC fast charging
should have you
topped from fully
empty to 100
percent in an
hour. But if it's on
a standard house
outlet, you'll be
waiting a long
time. Styling is
subjective, but we
think H-D's done
pretty well with this
one. Cruise control
is standard, as are
the separate left
and right indicators.
Belt drive is near
silent in operation.
