Harley's LiveWire spinoff reveals first product: The $21,999 LiveWire ONE

In May, Harley-Davidson announced LiveWire’s departure from the Bar and Shield stable to become its own brand, which unveiled its first model today: the LiveWire ONE. It’s basically the H-D LiveWire with a few minor changes and a massive price drop to $21,999. Owners may be eligible for a $2,200 tax credit, which brings that down to $19,799. A few states still offer incentives, too.

"As part of The Hardwire Strategy, we made a commitment that Harley-Davidson would lead in electric,” said Jochen Zeitz, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “We recognized the pioneering spirit and brand value in LiveWire for our community and took the decision to evolve the original LiveWire motorcycle into a dedicated EV brand. Today's LiveWire ONE builds on the DNA of Harley-Davidson but with the electric focus and ambition of the new LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson and LiveWire will continue to rewrite the motorcycle rulebook and we are excited about this next chapter in our legacy."

Harley’s LiveWire page is still visible, so I pulled up their spec sheet and compared it — line by line — to the new LiveWire ONE. These motorcycles are almost exactly the same, as far as I can tell, except the LiveWire ONE lost five horsepower and two foot-pounds of torque. Stranger still, it gained 13 pounds. (Maybe the 12-volt battery that runs the bike’s computer and keyless ignition was swapped from lithium to AGM or similar?) The snazzy orange and greenish-yellow paint options are gone, replaced by simple black or white, for now.

Is this good or bad news for the new LiveWire platform?

If the $29,799 to $30,149 price tag was the LiveWire’s biggest problem, then this spin-off may solve that issue by shifting the model downmarket to better compete with offerings from Zero and Energica. Evidently, Harley found the old price point to be unsustainable. The new pricing comes with financing and leasing options to reach a wider customer base.

How is the new LiveWire brand able to sell the same motorcycle for $7,000 less than Harley-Davidson? The realist in me wonders if the bikes will be engineered and designed domestically, but built outside the United States. Neither Harley-Davidson nor LiveWire has made any indication that ONE models will be built overseas, although there are plans to sell LiveWire motorcycles internationally by 2022. “LiveWire expects to benefit from Harley-Davidson's engineering expertise, manufacturing footprint, supply chain infrastructure, and global logistics capabilities... LiveWire will be headquartered virtually, with initial hubs in Silicon Valley, CA (LiveWire Labs) and Milwaukee, WI.” 

The other common criticism of the LiveWire was its range of just under 150 miles in the city or about 70 miles at 70 mph. The bikes’ identical spec sheets confirm that range has not changed but customers may feel better about the ONE’s specs in light of its 35 percent price decrease.

The reduced price also means a reduced dealer network, unfortunately. From LiveWire’s FAQ page, only authorized LiveWire Stores, not Harley-Davidson dealers, can sell and service LiveWire ONEs. LiveWire currently has stores in California, Texas and New York. They will not ship motorcycles beyond 50 miles from a store and their store locator won't show any results at all if you are more than 150 miles away.

I see one more concern that needs to be addressed, and that’s the LiveWire ONE’s stale design. Hand-me-down EV tech is one thing, but the ONE is a carbon copy of its predecessor, which already looked like the prototype we first saw in 2014.

What about the Harley-Davidson LiveWires sold between 2019 and 2021?

What kind of service and support can owners expect? The press release made no mention of the Harley-branded LiveWires, which may have more appeal than ever for fanatical Harley collectors and Jay Leno types. High-profile, low-production vehicles always carry a certain mystique. On the other hand, some current LiveWire owners may regret paying around $30,000 to be an early adopter when a new motorcycle that's almost identical, except for the brand name, is available for far less. There's also the open question of how resale values on the Harley-Davidson LiveWires will be affected. Will rarity make them worth more or will a less expensive twin make them worth less?

Fortunately for LiveWire fans like Felix Stellmaszek, who rode his LiveWire across the United States last year, authorized Harley-Davidson LiveWire dealers will continue to service Harley-branded LiveWire motorcycles.

LiveWire ONE debuts at the Progressive IMS Outdoors show at Sonoma Raceway in California on July 18. Orders open today on LiveWire’s website with deliveries starting in two to four weeks. 

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