The Electric Revolution: The LiveWire – Harley-Davidson’s Boldest Gamble (And How It Failed)

How Harley Went All-In on an Electric Future… and Ended Up Short-Circuiting

For over a century, Harley-Davidson built its reputation on two things: the unmistakable rumble of a V-twin and the rebellious culture that came with it. It was a brand that defined freedom, power, and a certain amount of bad decisions involving roadside dive bars.

Then, in 2019, Harley did something no one saw coming.

It unplugged from tradition.

Enter the LiveWire—Harley-Davidson’s first fully electric motorcycle. It was sleek. It was silent. It was fast. It was the most radical departure from Harley’s core identity since, well… ever.

And it flopped harder than a Sportster trying to keep up with a Hayabusa.

This is the story of the LiveWire—how it was developed, why it mattered, and why Harley-Davidson miscalculated so badly in its quest for the future.

The Idea: Harley-Davidson Tries to Predict the Future

By the 2010s, Harley had a serious problem:

✔️ The core customer base was aging – The average Harley buyer was pushing 50, and younger riders weren’t showing up at dealerships.
✔️ Emissions laws were tightening – Air-cooled big twins were facing increasing regulation, especially in Europe and Asia.
✔️ The electric market was heating up – Tesla was booming, Zero Motorcycles was carving a niche in electric bikes, and Harley needed a way to prove it wasn’t just an outdated, chrome-covered dinosaur.

So in 2014, Harley unveiled Project LiveWire—a futuristic-looking electric prototype designed to test the waters for a production EV. It toured Harley dealerships worldwide, giving potential riders a taste of what an electric Harley could be.

✔️ The reaction? Mostly confusion mixed with polite applause.

Harley’s most devoted fans weren’t sure why their beloved V-twin company was suddenly obsessed with electrons instead of gasoline. Still, the company forged ahead.

The Tech: What Made the LiveWire Special (And Expensive as Hell)

A Harley with No Rumble? Blasphemy or Innovation?

Mechanically speaking, the LiveWire was an absolute departure from Harley’s century-old formula. Let’s break it down:

✔️ Motor: H-D Revelation Electric Powertrain

  • A permanent magnet, liquid-cooled electric motor that made 105 horsepower and 86 lb-ft of torque.
  • 0-60 mph in 3 seconds, making it one of the fastest Harleys ever built.
  • A belt-driven system for smooth power delivery (instead of a messy chain).

✔️ Battery: 15.5 kWh Lithium-Ion Pack

  • A 146-mile city range (or 70 miles if you rode it like an actual Harley rider).
  • DC Fast Charging capable, going from 0-80% in about 40 minutes.
  • A curb weight of 549 lbs, making it heavier than a Sportster but lighter than a Softail.

✔️ Electronics & Features

  • A color touchscreen with navigation, ride modes, and Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Regenerative braking to recharge the battery while slowing down.
  • No clutch, no gears—just twist and go.

In a vacuum, the LiveWire was an impressive motorcycle—fast, well-built, and high-tech.

But there was one giant problem:

🔹 The price: $29,799.

Yes, Harley-Davidson, a brand struggling to attract young riders, released an electric motorcycle that cost more than a brand-new Road Glide.

The Launch: A Thunderous Silence

When the LiveWire hit dealerships in 2019, Harley was hoping for a wave of excitement from tech-savvy riders. Instead, it got…

✔️ Sticker shock – Nearly $30K for a bike that couldn’t do a full day’s ride?
✔️ Confusion from Harley loyalists – “Wait… so it doesn’t make any noise?”
✔️ Skepticism from EV riders – “Why would I buy this when I can get a Zero for half the price?”

Even worse, Harley barely marketed the LiveWire. Unlike Tesla, which built an entire brand around making electric vehicles cool, Harley just dropped the bike into dealerships and hoped for the best.

And then… disaster struck.

The Battery Recall Debacle

A month after launch, reports surfaced that some LiveWires were refusing to charge properly. Harley paused production while it investigated, which was basically the equivalent of shooting itself in the foot after already tripping over a curb.

✔️ Harley assured customers it was a minor issue.
✔️ The damage, however, was already done.

The LiveWire was now seen as both overpriced and unreliable—a combination as appealing as lukewarm beer at a biker rally.

Sales were abysmal, and by 2021, Harley had to admit defeat in its grand electric experiment.

The Aftermath: Harley Rebrands (And Tries to Save Face)

Rather than killing the LiveWire outright, Harley did something interesting:

✔️ It spun LiveWire into its own brand – Instead of being a Harley-Davidson model, LiveWire became an independent company focused on electric bikes.
✔️ It lowered the price – The newer LiveWire One was released for $21,999, a significant drop from the original.
✔️ It announced future electric models – Including a smaller, cheaper LiveWire S2 Del Mar, aimed at urban riders.

The problem? By this point, the damage was done. The LiveWire name was already associated with Harley’s misfire into the EV world, and riders weren’t eager to give it a second chance.

Why the LiveWire Failed (And What Harley Can Learn From It)

What Went Wrong: The Brutal Truth

✔️ The price was absurd – At nearly $30,000, the LiveWire priced itself out of the market before it even had a chance.
✔️ It alienated Harley’s core audience – No rumble, no gears, and a silent ride? That’s not what Harley riders want.
✔️ It didn’t attract new EV riders – Tesla owners and Zero riders saw it as too expensive, with too little range.
✔️ Harley didn’t market it properly – If you’re going to launch a game-changing electric motorcycle, you better tell the world about it—Harley barely made a peep.

What Harley Can Learn (If It Wants to Try Again)

✔️ Lower the price. – The $21K LiveWire One is a step in the right direction, but still pricey.
✔️ Improve the range. – 70 miles of spirited riding isn’t enough. Aim for 200+ miles to compete with gas bikes.
✔️ Embrace hybrid models. – A hybrid V-twin/electric combo could bridge the gap for Harley riders.
✔️ Sell the experience, not just the bike. – Make electric cool. Give it a story, a personality, and a culture riders want to be part of.

Final Thoughts: The LiveWire Was Ahead of Its Time (But That Doesn’t Mean It Was a Good Idea)

Harley-Davidson took a huge risk with the LiveWire. It was bold. It was unexpected.

And it failed.

But maybe, just maybe, it was the first step toward something bigger. Maybe Harley just jumped into the electric game too soon, at too high a price, without the right plan.

Because one thing’s for sure—the electric revolution is coming, whether Harley wants it to or not.

The only question is: Will Harley-Davidson get it right the next time?