POWER PLAY
FOR THE KIDS
Not only did Harley-Davidson have
the LiveWire and its two latest electric
concepts on show, but the company
also had two diminutive EVs on hand
for us to check out.
Dubbed the Iron 12 and Iron 16, the
two mini electrics from Harley are the
result of a little badge engineering
following the company’s buyout of
Stacyc electric bikes earlier this year.
Designed for use by small children
and including easily removable battery
packs and geofencing controls, the
little bikes are set to launch in the US
alongside the LiveWire priced between
$600-$1000 US.
Sadly for us, there is currently no
word on whether they will make it
down here for Kiwi kids to enjoy, but
I know I definitely want an Iron 12 for
my little Sprocket.
Unfortunately, it didn’t fit in my
suitcase for the trip home…
46 KIWI RIDER
Powering the LiveWire is a 15.5kWh battery
which is positioned at the centre of the bike.
In fact, the majority of the bike is visually
taken up by the battery. Interestingly, Harley
still uses a standard bike battery for powering
the accessories, which is located just in front
of the rear wheel, allowing for all the power
from the main lithium-ion battery to go to the
motor.
The motor itself – dubbed the “Revelation”
by Harley – runs along the base of the bike
and produces 106hp (78kW) and 116Nm,
both from zero rpm. That’s right, it makes
peak power and torque immediately. Power
is sent to the belt final drive via a bevel
system which in turn gives the LiveWire a
unique sound.
That sound, which is best described as
similar to a jet turbine engine, becomes
apparent when the bike is under acceleration
– and getting heavy on the throttle was hard
to resist with the bike reaching 100km/h in
a fraction over 3-seconds. As your speed
increases so does the whine from the bike
right up until you hit the bike’s top speed of
177km/h.
If you’re on the team claiming that LiveWire
is too quiet for urban riding and won’t get
noticed, that sound is reasonably noticeable,
and let’s not forget the LiveWire is equipped
with a handy horn (most bikes have ‘em don’t
ya know?) which is also useful for alerting
other road users to your presence.
Unlike traditional Harley’s, which for obvious
reasons are quite clearly ‘on’ once you’ve
pushed the starter, the electric LiveWire isn’t
quite so clearly switched on. As such, Harley
developed a special haptic feedback system
which is emitted by the bike to physically
signal the rider that the bike is on. It only
works at a standstill (if you’re moving it
should be pretty clear the bike is on) and
essentially is the result of the electric motor
producing a subtle pulsing of torque, kind
of like a heartbeat, which is designed to let
the rider know the bike has come to life
and is ready to ride. It is a weird sensation
when you first notice it but you quickly come
to appreciate it. Other indications that the
LiveWire is ready to ride is the sides of the
TFT dash will illuminate green as a visual cue.