EICMA 2018: Harley-Davidson LiveWire details unveiled
When Harley-Davidson first unveiled the Project LiveWire electric motorcycle in 2014, it had received a polarised response. The Harley traditionalists as it were, read leisure motorcyclists from its home in the US, had not been particularly enthused by the idea of a sleek electric motorcycle bearing the Bar and Shield logo. Four years hence, and Harley-Davidson has just announced that the LiveWire will be launched in 2019. That isn't even the new news - what will follow is a whole suite of electric motorcycles including two middleweight electrics in 2021 and 2022.
The Harley-Davidson LiveWire arrives next year. Whether it comes to India or not, that's a special motorcycle. When we rode it briefly on the roads around the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia, we were impressed by the automatic motorcycle's turn of speed and how nice it felt to ride. The 2019 Harley-Davidson LiveWire motorcycle is powered by a permanent magnet electric motor. The motor is located low in the motorcycle to lower the centre of gravity which in turn will offer better handling.
The 2019 Harley-Davidson features a RESS (Rechargeable Energy Storage System, or the main battery) composed of lithium-ion cells surrounded by a finned, cast-aluminum housing. It is also equipped with a small 12-volt lithium-ion battery that powers the lights, controls, horn and instrument display. Charging can be completed using the on-board Level 1 charger that plugs into a standard household outlet with a power cord that stores below the motorcycle seat. LiveWire can also be charged with a Level 2 or Level 3, DC Fast Charge (DCFC), through a SAE J1772 connector, (USA), or CCS2 IEC type 2 charging connector in international markets. All Harley-Davidson dealers who sell the LiveWire motorcycle will offer a public charging station with DCFC.
The electric powertrain acts as a stressed member within the aluminium frame to increase rigidity. It comes equipped with premium fully adjustable Showa suspension. The Showa BFRC-lite (Balanced Free Rear Cushion-lite) mono-shock rear suspension is complimented by Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork-Big Piston) up front. Taking care of the braking duties are the Brembo Monoblock front brake calipers gripping dual 300 mm-diameter disc. Also, it gets cornering-enhanced Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Traction Control System (TCS) as standard. Further, the LiveWire will come with seven different ride modes. Four will be standard and three will be customisable according to the rider's requirements.
In terms of design, the Harley-Davidson LiveWire gets a color touch screen TFT display located above the handlebar offers the rider a wide range of information. The display unit is tilt-adjustable. The TFT screen also allows the rider to access the interface for Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, music and more.
Harley-Davidson mentions that the all-new LiveWire will be on sale next year, and further details regarding pricing and pre-order process will be released in January 2019. We believe it will arrive in India in sometime in 2020.
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