Harley-Davidson's LiveWire is a more electric bike than I'll need

There is no lot I can tell you that after the 20 minutes I spent driving the first Harley-Davidson electric motorcycle this weekend during the Formula E race in Brooklyn, New York. I can tell you, however, that it is certainly more electric motorcycle than I would need.

This may not be the case for you, and if you have any interest, you should try to ride one at a dealership when they arrive later this year. There is a good chance my needs and wants are very different from yours. For example, I have a motorcycle license, but I do not own a bike. I love riding motorcycles and scooters (mostly electric) in New York City, but I rarely go out of town with them. I just do not spend a lot of time on the two wheels and the LiveWire – as exciting as driving – is faster and more powerful than what I'm looking for.

Any modern electric vehicle will feel fast when you accelerate from a dead point. But that's especially true for the motorcycles and scooters I've driven, like Zero's electric two-wheelers or the BMW C Evolution. The LiveWire is also fast, especially in Sport mode. But the others may get beaten once you're ready.

Whenever I went in one of the long straights of the Brooklyn Formula E circuit, I accelerated and was greeted with dizzying acceleration. What sets LiveWire apart is that acceleration almost never closes. With 50, 60 and 70 miles per hour on the small digital display located between the handlebars, the bike never lets go. If there had been more room to run, I would have probably done 100 kilometers to the hour before wondering if I really wanted to go that fast.

The LiveWire handled this gear with skill thanks to a pair of thick, thick tires that kept it glued to the asphalt. Finished). These tires managed the many tight and winding corners of the track, letting the bike lean further than I was comfortable.

What's funny is that I much prefer the look Harley-Davidson has chosen for LiveWire, especially when compared to the more urban prototype the company launched five years ago. It's more elegant and refined, and the fit and finish are the level you expect from a Harley-Davidson series bike. Curiously, the brand LiveWire is virtually non-existent. I could see people who did not know motorcycles confused it with a traditional bike.

The digital screen was responsive, the buttons were solid and nothing was flapping on the bike. The whistling of the electric motor sounded more crude than expected, especially considering that Harley-Davidson gave a lot of importance to creating a personalized sound for cycling a few years ago. This sound will certainly deter some people, although some people will probably come back once they have rolled.

LiveWire was clearly designed for dynamic driving – the kind I probably will never need. I would be interested in trying it in town and on the highway, especially to test the company's new claim, with a range of 140 miles, although the price of $ 30,000 is not a main quality. if That interested me. Driving Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle this weekend was a good reminder that motorcycle builders will build incredibly fast machines as they adopt and evolve electrical technology. Millions of runners will love it, but I will be happier with something more practical.