ELECTRONICS The LiveWire brings to the table more than just an electric engine . Taking a big step away from the usual Harley-Davidson playbook , the dash is a TFT touchscreen which allows the rider to customise the ride and delve deep into the myriad of menus . The bike also helped debut Harley-Davidon ’ s next generation of rider aids – dubbed Reflex Defensive Rising System , or RDRS – which uses a six-axis inertial measurement unit to not only include cornering ABS and traction control but also rear wheel lift mitigation and a drag-torque slip control system which prevents the rear wheel from locking up under regenerative braking . With seven ride modes to choose from in total , including three completely customisable modes , the ride of the LiveWire can be tailored to suit the day . And , yes , the TCS can be turned off . And , yes , it does epic burnouts .
BRAKING Being quick off the line is nothing if you can ’ t stop just as quickly . Harley teamed up with the brake masters at Brembo for the LiveWire to provide the EV with the required stopping power to haul its 240kg mass to a halt . This comes in the form of dual , radial-mount , monoblock calipers clamping down on 300mm rotors , while the rear features a dual piston unit . The brakes worked very well even after multiple laps on the track , easily bringing the bike back down to ‘ normal ’ road speeds . The levers are not span-adjustable to suit different hand sizes , which we thought a little odd on a premium product such as LiveWire .
THE NOISE By far the biggest bug-bear of the Harley faithful is the lack of noise from electric vehicles . LiveWire is a little different from the electric cars you see zipping about the city . While the final drive is your typical Harley-Davidson belt unit , power is transferred from the electric motor to the front sprocket via a bevel drive system . Spinning its way up to the motor ’ s top rpm of 15,000rpm , the bevel drive creates a high-pitched sound in a similar vein to a F1 car as it blasts on by .
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