Harley Livewire First Ride- The Future Or Just A Gimmick?

Plenty of combustion-engine-only diehards think the electric motorcycle is just a fad, but is Harley Davidson here to prove them wrong with the Livewire? The Livewire is Harley's first electric motorcycle and I got to take it for my first ride to see what all the hype is about!
What do you think- are electric motorcycles the future of riding, or will they die out in time?
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[@jasonshortphd]

I think these are amazing. I need the charging to be more standardized though. Around me there are a TON of Tesla charging stations, but this doesn’t use those. But it would be a great bike for a single day trip ride around the area. Not an only bike, but a fun bike.

[@MotoMengy]

I loved the Livewire when I test rode it, so much damn fun to ride. The short range coupled with a lack of public chargers is just so limiting, it's basically an expensive toy for riding around the home. Someday EV bikes will be common and everywhere, but that day is still a long ways off.

[@LifeOfBurch]

Agreed 100%! I’ll test ride one any chance I get, but the reality of owning one just doesn’t make sense right now.

[@tommays56]

The battery weight issues just don’t work out in comparison to a car

[@johnludmon7419]

The bike when it was released in the UK was 30K and 18 months later less than 50 are registered on the road which after dealership demonstration bikes and press bikes less than 20 have been sold to private buyers. The price killed it dead .The bike though is a blast to ride and would be ideal for my commute to work which is less than 20 miles but so would an MT 07 . If this is the future the price will have to be at least halved before people will start to move away from ICE bikes and possibly the range at motorway speeds needs to be doubled as well. Personally I don’t see it happening any time soon for me the livewire is a dead end brilliant design but no real market for it.

[@quoriwow]

Its definitely not a fad and will be the future for all ground vehicles.

[@marthaburcham3509]

I love how you referenced it as I was thinking it! Remembering the electric scooter that you had in middle school!

[@kickstandsup3986]

My gas powered bike also has a heartbeat at stop it’s called a fart

[@LifeOfBurch]

Lmao incredible 😂

[@markkingston9444]

I come from a land down under where I brought a orange Livewire face full of smiles as I ride and wonder cause she goes like a bat out of hells fire

[@cstephenson9223]

Nice color😁👍 it’s like the flat version of my 2012 Honda shadow spirit “candy orange flame”!

[@dinospumoni8860]

Would be cool for a commuter. I live 11 miles from work. Would be decent for that can charge at work and at home but still 18k. Idk, would have to wait till they hit the used market.

[@geneclarke2205]

Lets see, there's the Harley-Davidson Livewire with an MSRP of $30k then there's the new company LiveWire with the upgraded Livewire One at $22k but I believe LiveWire only has a handful of dealerships so far. Electric is the future but I'm putting my bets on Triumph's TE-1 project to come up with a better configuration and price point.

[@combatdeffective2121]

I took one of these out for Demo Days, and it made me think of a Star Wars speeder bike.

[@Dave-sw2dm]

If I were rich enough to have a livewire in the garage, I definitely would. I've ridden it twice now and it is an amazing motorcycle! I would be great for an after supper ride on the twisties where I live and the plusses are not having to stop at a gas station. Unplug, ride, plug back in.

[@L0L247]

That thing is fucking amazing. I want one but scared to ride it lol.

[@bigcheese7455]

I know people hate these but me as a younger generation kid thinks this is so cool. I feel like electric bikes are going to be so cool in the future but I will for sure miss the exhaust sounds. But the no shifting is pretty cool to

[@cstephenson9223]

I wonder when they will come out with exhaust for these so it can be louder😝🤪

[@ThePapapenguin]

Need to happen. Along with a fueling system. Oh, and most importantly, an engine.

[@peterwilliamson4296]

Be interesting to compare it with the Zero range of e bikes which are also awesome.

[@jeffrielley920]

Electric motorcycles have a range limit due to there just not being enough room to put larger batteries, as opposed to cars which seem to go farther each year, because they use the entire underside for battery storage. Unless battery technology improves, bikes will always be limited to local/city use. This is where electric trikes can come in. More room for more batteries and more range. An electrified Can Am Spyder should have double the range of a Livewire.

[@onskyk]

This last week in the UK we had a massive shortage of petrol (gas). In some areas no petrol station had any and the ones that had, had queues for miles. Just made me think how everyone with EV's were laughing coasting past.

[@jlrutube1312]

True but once they get everyone on electric then when the electricity goes out it will be the opposite experience.

[@MrCODEmaster00]

Supposedly the Honda Grom 2023 will be electric (said by skeptics, I don't think it's said by Honda yet) which will be nice since the 2022 Grom just straight up has some widespread issues with the chain/transmission or such. Only thing with the Electric Motorcycles is that this is the time you'll hear "loud mufflers save lives" since well, with no sound it's like to get hit/pedestrians and bicyclists can't hear you. *EDIT:* this is said to just say that yes, future of motorcycles will be electric, I expect motorcycle manufacturers will be mass producing electric options (if not all the models) by 2035 since car manufacturers are claiming by 2030 to have all electric.

[@Voltomess]

Will you do the test of Livewire 2? I mean the new Livewire ONE

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

One of the Harley dealers try to have an employee ride a live wire from one dealership in St Petersburg to the other dealership in Murdock Florida the bike died after 72 miles just this side of Sarasota. Ridiculously expensive boondoggle of a toy no practical purposes whatsoever $7,000 for a new battery and $800 for shop time to replace it and what the disposal fee is for 70 lb battery to shop couldn't tell me. And just like a power tool the batteries cost more than the tool they're attached to damn near.

[@johnriley8713]

This may be the future of motorcycles, but it feels like something “different”.

[@LifeOfBurch]

Agreed!

[@devme20]

Looks cool but my god the price.

[@LifeOfBurch]

Right?! You could get so many other cool bikes for that price.

[@devme20]

@@LifeOfBurch like a ducati... WAIT! the Triump rocket 3

[@joelrodriguez1602]

EV in cars and bikes is simply the future, whether you like it or not. Harley took a chance with this bike, which is great step from what the traditionally do. However, whoever wants a Harley badge in their bike, is not looking for an electric bike. The Harley crowd is middle age men with a macho complex and see electric as a joke to their manhood. Of course, I'm referring who those that rest their manhood on a bike (I don't have that issue, thank God). Summary, it's a hard sale for HD.

[@jlrutube1312]

What you say about Harley people is partly true but stereotyping an entire group leads to incorrect knowledge about them. Truth be told, Harleys are owned by a lot of different types of people. Plus Harley is changing. The Pan America and the new Sportster are starting to bring a lot of younger people into the camp. Personally, I own a Honda VTX.

[@alowais32]

Great video

[@LifeOfBurch]

Thank you! 🙏🏻🤘🏻

[@KingErnst16]

I want this bike so bad, but it's just too expensive for me

[@LifeOfBurch]

The price tag is deeefinitely hard to swallow! 😳

[@nchatmon94]

I like electric motocycles and I can't wait for them to be more mainstream. Controversial and I really like DCT bikes too.

[@malekfaisal5202]

hi burch, what do u rhink abt highway pegs, u think it should be nice for rebel 1100

[@misterblack6803]

Nice review. Just proves that there is a lot more to a motorcycle than performance. A big no from me and that's not a new petrolhead whinging. It looks like a scooter with attitude, sounds like ... well ... nothing and with the usual grossly over inflated Harley price tag (20k, really?). Design looks half finished. Seating position looks a bit odd, really aggressive stance on the bike which doesn't match the styling imho. I really do get the benefits of electric vehicles... my next car upgrade is going to be electric (the Mustang Mach-E AWD) my next bike .... definitely not electric. They still have a long way to go to match every other criteria of what a motorcycle is and what riding one is all about. With the PanAmerican they kinda almost got it right, this thing .... really wide of the mark. Like you said Mike a great vehicle for nipping around town ... but definitely NOT with that price tag ... a Lambretta/Vespa (at a quarter of the price or if you want to stick with electric bikes check out Super Soco bikes) would do the trick with a lot more style and on longer trips .... you said it yourself ... that things isn't going to cut it. Good review again!

[@LifeOfBurch]

Thanks man! VERY well said, and I agree with all your points! 🙏🏻🙌🏻

[@Rhaseanw]

Sweet ride would be great in NYC

[@LifeOfBurch]

I could see it being perfect for that! 🤘🏻

[@Von-by8xz]

The movie Tron was a jaw dropper for me when it came out 1980s. What do you service on these Ebikes

[@Von-by8xz]

And what's the cost and expected life?

[@Von-by8xz]

Also is it all- weather practicle?

[@1973Gerhard]

Service entails only changing the light bulbs

[@quietguy1948]

Weight???

[@jimmyonthedrug]

Here

[@LifeOfBurch]

My guuyyy! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@matthewbutler3513]

I dont see electric vehicles being our future. But thats another conversation. Atleast not powered by the traditional batteries anyway. As for the bike, it's terrible. IMO anyway. It's starting price was 30k as mentioned. It was never going to sell at that. Even the new version, under the livewire name, is still 20k... Again, not happening. It's biggest problem is the fact it's a harley. I dont think electric ANYTHING, appeals to that crowd. It's next thing, obviously its price. The other big factor, again its battery. Except this time, its the charging fact of it. I dont know anyone that would want to take a long ride, and then stop for several hours to "charge up".

[@bigchungus1030]

Cars probly cant hear u

[@MissyMalaprop]

Cars hit bikes with loud pipes... cars hit giant trucks... being able to see and hear doesn't stop idiot drivers.

[@centralvalleyvulcan6555]

🏍

[@LifeOfBurch]

🏍💨🤘🏻

[@VinzCassel]

What a nice Zontes, but the problem of this BMW is that looks like a Ducati. Anyways, Benelli done it once again!

[@VtuberLife]

i think thats the only harley that i like

[@LifeOfBurch]

It’s a cool bike for sure, but I could see myself owning a Pan America waayyy before owning one of these!

[@blackshuckthe3rd879]

It's not the future ?

[@tinman3586]

Gasoline powered vechiles are the future. 😀😃🙂

[@h3llb3nt]

Not when it runs out and synthetic fuel will be too expensive for the masses

[@tinman3586]

@@h3llb3nt When's that supposed to happen exactly? Been hearing that for over 50 years.

[@ZayBurd]

I’d make a solid bet that well over half the vehicles sold in the next 10 years are EV, it’s definitely the future

[@ZayBurd]

Ffs now I want one, it’s just too cool to not be interested in it

[@exo_sketch_2427]

Probably a good bike for people with medical problems.

[@marcmaz21]

Every single bike Harley sells is overpriced. Bring it down and watch things sell. You’ll make up the difference in T Shirt sales.

[@MissyMalaprop]

Zero has some nice bikes much cheaper... they don't have the Harley tax. Most people don't know about them, or don't want to buy something without a dealer nearby.

[@Damiv]

Electric bikes have no soul. Total waste of everything.