Harley Davidson Livewire Review - First Ride 

Very nice review, but, did you say Moto Legends let you borrow a customers phone mount, from a bike which was in for service? 😮

Not for me personally, not when you can get an energica eva ribelle with the new battery for less. Brilliant editing too, especially at the start

Thanks for this great review, I'm also going to watch part 2! I want to make a switch from combustion to electric myself. Currently I ride a 2008 BMW 1200 GSA

What bothers me now is that they still don't stick the rear brake up on the bars. The only reason it is where it is is because the clutch lever used to be in the way. Also what bothers me is not having 30 grand in my bank account but the Motor Co can't really fix that one easily.

Great first impressions review Bruce, thanks for sharing. Looking forward to part 2. Cheers

Lovely part 1 review. I am keen to see what real world range you achieve. Cheers.

Bruce ! Man you are converting me ( I hate to say it ) never seen one of these in the flesh but that was soo interesting to watch can't wait to see the rest . To me it looks like Harley seem to have it just right certainly in the styling ,the bike looks great not odd in any way . Ya done a good job as usual Cheers ! :)

I am loving the fact that from Motolegends, your Calimoto App took you on the same route albeit in reverse and in glorious sunshine to which I did the other day, putting some miles on my little Supercub :-)

I’ve been waiting for this to drop since your Instagram tease! Did not disappoint, I’m in love with this bike now🆒🔝🎬🎥👍🏻🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Very nice, Bruce! Leccy torque is addictive! 😎👍🏻

Gonna have to try one of these electric bikes. Looks like you honestly had a good old time with it. Good to see there's some decent people out there lending you the phone holder. All best matey.

I had self cancelling paddle indicators on either side of my 2004 BMW R1100S bars. Once I got use to them I prefered it. Great review Bruce. I need to get a demo ride on an electric someday

Howdy from California, Bruce. I enjoy your electric content, and you're picking up on a lot of the same things we talked about in our LiveWire review. One minor thing is you mentioned 4 hours AC charging in your infographic at the start. it's closer to 11 or 12 hours, as the onboard unit is just over 1kW in charging power. Cheers.

Great review Bruce...yeah a lovely machine for sure but unfortunately till the infrastructure allows ...it wouldn’t be satisfactory for touring ...because unlike “Long Way Up”..ordinary Joe wouldn’t have pre installed charging points along most routes ...(definitely not here in Ireland anyway !!). And then there is the price....you could buy an E- Renault Zoe for that with better range and obvious comforts.

Quality and interesting review, can’t wait for part 2

i need to have a go on one of those.great vid brucie..

What an awesome bike!!! Brilliant review Bruce! 👍

Looks a smart bike. Great info Bruce👍

Overtaking while crossed up spinning the rear... def a riding god moment! :D awesome stuff Bruce, looking forward to part 2 :-)

I do like the look of these

great review !

TL;DR There's a balance between low enough gearing to maximise low speed performance and not spinning the motor so fast it explodes. The speed restriction isn't as is commonly thought, to do with protecting the battery from over discharge rate. When you open the throttle all the way from a standstill, the motor isn't turning. The controller feeds the motor maximum amps. The torque is proportional to the amps going through the motor. So the motor makes maximum torque off the line. (*Not* power as its often said. At zero speed an electric motor makes zero power). Now at low speed it doesn't take much voltage to push those amps through the motor, but as we know, an electric motor and a generator are the same thing. If you just spin the motor externally it makes a voltage. (which is how you can have regen brakes) so the voltage applied by the controller has to keep going up to keep maximum amps going through the motor. On a dyno chart the torque is a flat line across the page and the power is a straight diagonal line. This is the constant torque phase. Power increasing, torque constant. At some point the voltage reaches the maximum that the controller can supply. (usually the pack voltage). From that point on, as the revs increase, and the back voltage from the motor increases, the amps that can be pushed through the motor fall. They fall in proportion to the rev increase. Power is revs x torque. As one rises, the other falls and power is constant. This is the constant power phase. Power flat, torque falling. As the battery only cares how much power is being drawn, and that's constant at any speed above about 1/3 of the maximum speed, a speed limiter doesn't change the maximum load on the battery. So the speed limit isn't there to protect the battery. So why have it... When you select the gearing on a powerful electric, you want it geared so that it will just barely wheelie off the line. If you gear it lower then you can't use full throttle and its wasted. Gear it higher and the bike is slower off the line. Geared like that, with a single gear there comes a speed where the motor is spinning so fast that it will fall apart (usually shedding magnets, but it depends on the design). You could put in a 2 speed gearbox, but if that's what you want to do, it's better (cheaper, lighter) to just make the motor bigger, so it makes more torque, so you can gear it higher and get more top speed. But a bigger motor can use more power, so then you have to have bigger batteries and controller... And then it's a different bike. And *that* bike will also need a speed limit to stop the more powerful motor falling to bits at high rpm.

Great feedback. Looks banging only part I'm not 100% on is the headlight and mount. But then again I haven't seen it in person. All for electrics however that harley price tag daaaaaaang. 🤘

Those bike intros are getting really good, cut to the beat and all....must be a real pain to edit, kudos 👌 I bet that takes the most time in the whole process 🤔

That looks like such a well sorted machine. I was concerned that the heavy retardation may have locked the rear wheel on the slimy roads, in the sportier modes ? That linear torque producing acceleration looked unbelievable 😎. Looking forward to the follow up 👍.

Good 1st part Bruce.

10/10 on looks .. what a stunner of a bike 👌🏻 ... shame there's no traditional harley sound though and tad expensive. Top review 👍

Really enjoyed that another good review 😎☝️ definitely think electric has its place in the two wheel world 🌍 my first electric motorcycle experience was 10 years ago on a early zero I’m as intrigued now as I was then 👌 keep up the good work can’t wait for the next one ☝️

Firstly mate, loving the new clobber looks good on ya, no more Homeless Bruce. Secondly the Livewire is changing my opinion of electric bikes, I've always thought other models look a bit off. Just my opinion.

Wonder if it gets oil leaks like most HD's 😂

That looks like a lot of fun. Good review, of a very interesting motorcycle. Odd watching you pull away,and there is no exhaust sound!

Nice video would love to try one...looks very nice and has some quality suspension and brake components however quite an expensive bike, Love the self cancelling indicators ‘I think all new bikes should have them’ I certainly need them haha. Also nice to be able to change rider modes on the fly, keep up the good videos take care and stay safe.

Awesome podcast with Nathan Millward !!!! One funny dude !!! Dinner would be nice what we haven CHICKEN 🐔 😂

Having done nigh on 100k in my electric car I can definitely say that I don't miss an engine. Saved thousands in diesel over the four year period, but sadly not enough to afford one of these. The price does seem mad tbh.

That speedo didn’t half move when you showed it accelerating. If you have the money and don’t need the range looks like a nice bike. I’d have one if I had a spare 30k to spend and not miss it.

Good morning Bruce, Thank you for the video a nice bike!! But a lot of money!! Take care and stay safe 👍😎🇬🇧.

Nice colour, looks snazzy. Too pricey, limited top speed, enormous indicators, charging issues as per usual. I still think we’re years away. Those roads looked shite btw! Glad you got round them safely

Great review Bruce and in the flesh it looks mint do you know how long the battery lasts not distance but in terms of how long before you have to get a replacement as it’s got a memory or doesn’t hold a charge for so long . Sorry bit technical I know 👍👍

Watching from America I had a heart attack thinking you were going against traffic.

Great interdiction to the Livewire have been watching the long way up and loving it but I would love to see them sell the modified version that they altered for Ewan and Charlie 🏍🏍🏍🏍🏍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

While I don't see electric as the future, but I think it could have its purpose. The HD is the only electric bike I would consider at this time but the price tag is nuts, however the point of being able to get one for free if you have your own business has really sparked my interest and I now know what my priority is this week - finding out how that is possible and seeing if I can get one. If you have effectively saved me £30k, I think I would have to get myself fully kitted out in all the TeaPot merchandise.

I'd love to give one a go but I don't even have a licence here in the USA. (Never got round to doing the test since I moved over) I miss riding me bike. I still think the two big hurdles for electric bikes is the price and range/time to recharge.

Very Dapper in your new Jacket Bruce :)

I wish it was a dry day, so you could give it all it has!

I’m 96th in the list now... need to get ‘back in’ and concentrate 🤣

Great review

I do like the look of this bike, but the price is the biggest stumbling block for me. This year I traded in a BMW F650GS for a Zero S. I love electric now and can't see me going back to ICE. I love it when I'm stopped at traffic lights and there is just silence. And the instant power when I grab a handful of throttle is so much fun :D I am always getting people coming up to me and asking questions when I plug in to a charging station. Most of the public seem unaware that electric bikes even exist. I'm waiting for one of the big manufacturers to bring out a compelling electric bike; I'd absolutely love a Triumph Tiger if it was electric, or a BMW GS. Zero do the Black Forest DSR but I want more range and DC quick charging. Nothing much appearing from out of Japan anytime soon either.

Really enjoyed the video first insight for me for an electric bike after dismissing them as i love engines as a GS ADV Rallye rider i can;t stomach the asking price sorry.

Well, I could drop 30k on a Honda Goldwing dct, or a Harley Livewire, no comparison for me, Honda every time. The way HD treated Million Dollar Bogan I wouldn’t give HD a penny anyhow.

HEY BRUCE! Will definitely watch this when I stop for my elevenses. When are we going to do a mini colab and get an awesome set of lights and horn on your GS?

Great vid

Oh wow. What helmet are you using in this video? I just bought a Honda Rebel, and I need this helmet

Nicely editied

Do you know if cali moto will work in the USA?

Loved your video, especially the reaction when you opened the throttle. I am however, fascinated by your visor and envious that you have the balls to wear it out in public. I always wanted one of these but was always led to believe that they were a no-no on UK roads. Having said that I can't find anything concrete on the legality of whether I can use one or not?

From.....£28,995...!!! and only 115 miles....thats the problem, it maybe a proper sorted machine but prices need to come down massively to appeal to the wider motorcycle fraternity

Top speed restricted cose of the energy sucked from battery, ie it would get hot fast, catch on fire etc

Do the brake lights come on when the re-gen kicks in? Just thinking to my police bike safety course when they mentioned that when engine braking you should make sure you use a bit of brake to put the light on to make sure people behind know you’re changing speed.

Harley Charley? Has a ring to it!

Would really like to try the livewire but nearly 30k is just too salty. From an engineering point of view with respect to cost, manufacturing etc I really struggle to understand why electric bikes like this are so much more expensive than petrol engines. Just from the perspective of the tooling required and tolerances needed in petrol engines I think Leccy bikes are ripping the piss out of consumers as they are so much simpler. Batteries produced in bulk aint that expensive either. Such a shame as I think there'd be a lot of early adopters...

How long to charge the bike at home Bruce? I'm not a fan of electric as yet, purely because of the range, or lack of it. If i wanted to go to Sussex from home, it's 255miles. Somerset 175 miles. Scotland 275miles.......and so on. Judging by your comments I would have to stop to charge at least twice in each direction. What are your thoughts?

At half the price it's still too expensive. The ashtray on the tank should come in handy when you're at a charging point!

Just out of interest, what’s the difference in weight between the battery and motor of the livewire compared to the battery and internal combustion engine of a traditional big bike?

Moto gp expert almost spat my coffee out lol lovely looking bike 30k hmmm not sure can't wait for the next part lol

Bruce, please get Harvey from two wheel review on the podcast!! He’s African story’s should be good😊

good review...

It'll be a good city bike to zip around on & good for the work thing.. Probably more suited to a smaller country for traveling!? But over here in Australia its kind of useless & the 50k price tag HD is asking is a joke.. I'm not against the technology btw ✌️

And I thought a Honda CB1100 was expensive that I am saving my pennies for. I just hope I have enough pennies put together before the Internal Combustion Engine is banned.

Could u do a lxr 125 review

Harleys are all about the sound. As they say, "nothing sounds like a Harley" Hmmmm!

Nice review as always, BUT the PRICE!!! Woolly Mammoth, 28995 pounds? That is $49872 CAD, you guys get shafted over there. The Livewire retails for $37500 CAD (government chips in $2000 CAD over here) and $30000 USD. I think H-D overpriced the bikes tremendously, I can't figure out why. They are not priced to sell to their customer base, it's more like: "look what we can do, we do not really want to sell them though". Not every dealer over here is allowed to sell them either, to my knowledge only dealers in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver can sell them. Harley Davidson, you are drunk - go home.

I have a feeling they limit the top speed to stop the motor from rotating to fast and causing damage. Might be completely off the mark there though.

Erm....£30k less £1500 is still £28,500. Nice looking bike but until the price halves it'll be a luxury novelty.

If this is making you consider buying a cheaper electric motorcycle remember never buy a Horwin Cr6 they are death machines and will fall apart within a few months and wont even do half the range that they tell you it can . I owned one and it didn't even last 3 months before completely breaking

I saw a test one in Sydney Australia. I heard it pass me 4 lanes over on a highway going in the opposite direction while driving a semi trailer. Is the motor actually as loud as it sounded at 100km/h?

You are a motoGP Star Bruce :))

Great looking bike but far to expensive. At what point did bike prices become equal to that of a car... Also, Calimoto is good but could be better. Mapping is sometimes dodgy and it does need an option to pop up on the screen to ignore a way point so that you can sort out on the fly.

29 grand for 115 mile range, come on Harley............ Bruce I would need to remortgage lol.

😎🏍💨💨💨👍🏻🇨🇦 be very interesting to try.

How comes you did go to our local Harley garage mate

Motolegends are a great bunch!

Imagine how long the range would be at 150mph! About 15 miles

I’m really not buying into electric bikes yet. Sure if you want one to go into work and do xx miles a day. Get home recharge sure. But for distance ? Exploration ? Watch the long way down with mcgregor and Boorman - it’s more like watching two blokes hunt for a power socket every 100 miles (and the batteries deplete differently in different climates and altitudes etc) rather than a video of sights and sounds and enjoyment. Also aren’t Harley in some kind of financial situation right now bringing the long term future of the company into question ?

Spoke to my accountant and a company vehicle is where you bend over and the Tax Man has his fun. Cheaper on tax to take 45p per mile for the first 10k miles

You could buy five Honda CB500 X bikes for the price of this. I rest my case. !!!

Million Dollar bogan will be spughing everywhere watching this 😂😂😂😂 hand it back quick . Nice bike and vid 👍👍

Beard trim ????

Does this bike have Metric or Standard hardware?

Needs a heavy breather and Vance and Hines 🤔😂

FROM £29,000? Really?

Something about a silent bike makes me nervous, loud pipes let everyone know you're there but this thing....maybe harley need to add an ice cream van theme tune so everyone can hear you coming!

Feels like it's only a Harley Davidson as a styling exercise.

You look scared riding it.... Like it's not properly under control? And it's very visible how poor the damping is. You can actually hear it in your voice in sports. Do it properly Harley... or not at all!!!

Until I have to, I'll never want an electric bike, its only for newbies and millenials, its not for bikers. Doesn't float my boat, for 30k you can buy a lot of bikes and quite a bit of petrol and no worries about going flat!! This is Harleys biggest mistake, next to the Pan America and trying to alienate riders by the way they treated MDB. Rip Harley Davidson.