$29,799. When the LiveWire initial introduced in 2019 as a 2020 model bike, which is where Harley-Davidson priced it. I considered it was overpriced when it released, but after riding it I sort of understood. This was meant to be an innovative power go for rich early tech adopters, like the initial Tesla Roadster, but bikes. As it turns out all those sorts of riders both really don’t exist, or didn’t value the Harley-Davidson manufacturer the way The Motor Firm imagined they would.
As you probable know by now, Harley-Davidson has spun off the LiveWire model into its personal organization. The bike formerly recognized as the Harley-Davidson LiveWire is now the immediate-to-client LiveWire A person. While the bike is more or significantly less the exact as it was right before, but with up-to-date bodywork and a new decreased value. You can now get a LiveWire One particular for just $21,999, which is much more palatable.
Not only does that cost fall imply that new bikes are $7,800 much less than they were just two a long time ago, but it also usually means that employed 2020 products are out there on the next
hand current market for a song. Based on what I uncovered out in the getting system, absolutely everyone who touched this bicycle ahead of I did misplaced their ass on it.
Harley could possibly discussion this, but the above-built tech-weighty LiveWire feels like the sort of bicycle that price tag more to develop than it offered for. The first purchaser of this bicycle picked it up in 2020 on a finance deal at in excess of 30 grand soon after taxes and whatnot. As luck would have it, the original proprietor of this bike was actually at the dealership the day that I came to stop by. He verified to me that he traded the bicycle in very last August for $20,000 even, just after owning it for 18 months and putting just 1200 miles on the odometer. The seller I bought the bike from even admitted as a lot, and right after some negotiation made the decision it was well worth promoting the bicycle to me at a reduction just to get it off their flooring.
I ended up having to pay just under nineteen grand for this bicycle, this means not only was it additional than 10,000 pounds a lot less than it was new, but it was over a grand significantly less than the dealership paid out for it on trade-in previous August, and it is continue to three grand less than purchasing one particular from LiveWire. I walked in to the dealer on Saturday early morning, informed them a acceptable amount that I would be snug paying out for the bicycle, and when they wouldn’t appear down to satisfy me, I walked absent. They named me the pursuing Monday and said they would accept my supply. The deal was accomplished on Thursday, and I rode it residence. I couldn’t be happier.
I’ve been passively pursuing utilised LiveWires for the better component of a year. A current move across the state and a handful of heat put up-winter times experienced me pining for two wheels yet again, and the the latest sale of Radwood experienced my pockets topped up with a bit of fun cash. It was a best storm brewing that ended with me putting up rather than shutting up. I’ve beloved this bike given that the initially time I rode it in July of 2019, and vowed that I’d very own a single.
My small pact with myself for yrs has been that if I purchased a gas bike it experienced to be Radwood period, and if I acquired a new bicycle it experienced to be electric powered. I do co-run Autopia 2099, soon after all. So with my 1996 BMW R1100GS obtained previous summer time, and this new LiveWire in my everyday living, I have the fantastic two-bicycle option of my desires.
Alright, that is enough bragging. Why the hell did I obtain this?
I’ll confess there are nevertheless a good deal of bikes out there that I have not ridden, but I have been on very substantially every single kind of bicycle. Devoid of a doubt, the LiveWire is the most effective motorcyle I have ever ridden, bar none. It does not do every little thing for all people, but for my use scenario it is fairly close to excellent. It’s fast, exciting, moderately comfy, and has loads of variety for what I want it to do. If I need to have to go a lot more than 60 or 70 miles at a time, I can take my GS. I have carried out lengthy street excursions on a LiveWire just before. From time to time they go genuinely very well, and other occasions they go very improperly.
I’m not truly a sport bike fellow, as I want my speedy devices to be upright bare devices. I am the oldest man or woman writing for Jalopnik Dot Com these days, after all, so I like a relaxed riding posture. The LiveWire offers sub-3 next -60 times without the track-focused hunchback using posture. It is rapid sufficient that I can consider it to a bike keep track of day or two, but simple ample to ride that I can continue to operate it close to town as a commuter. Hell, I rode it in the rain right now, and it was as docile as a mouse.
Unlike my GS, this bike is not modified in any way, condition, or sort. This is a LiveWire that has lived a sheltered indoor life and looks showroom contemporary as a result. There isn’t so significantly as a scratch or blemish anywhere. That’s fantastic for me, if I’m honest. This bicycle is a blank slate, some thing for me to provide my touches to. I believe I need to have to purchase a tail tidy kit to get rid of the chunky seeking rear wheel address. I’ll probably also get a spare set of bodywork and a carbon fiber pillion delete panel to paint a wild coloration to give this bicycle a more robust visual visual appearance. The black is a minimal to demure for my tastes.
If I can figure out how to make it materialize, I’d also like to have the foot peg bracket re-made in a way that deletes the passenger pegs and the further metal supports for it. If I could just have the total issue end the place the rear master cylinder mounts, even though keeping the necessary power, that would be awesome. I will never trip will a pillion, mainly mainly because my spouse finds bikes terrifying. If I’m heading to experience a monoposto, just aesthetically it would be awesome to remove the vestigial passenger pegs.
As service components like the tires and brakes wear out, I’ll improve them with far more observe-centered elements, but they perform fantastic for now.
As gasoline rates proceed to be painful, and new bikes are selling with significant markups, I simply cannot propose a used LiveWire plenty of. You may even be ready to uncover one that was by no means registered with its initial factory warranty. I was chatting with Grand Rapids Harley up in Michigan about an orange bike with the 2-year factory guarantee (and 5-calendar year battery warranty) however intact. It was a very little abundant for my blood, but nevertheless fewer than a new LiveWire.
EVs really do not perform for anyone ideal now, but if you have a area to cost at residence or at function, this could be a good and enjoyable way get around this summer time. This is one particular of the ideal bikes of all time, if you question me. It didn’t make substantially perception at 30 grand, but down in this article beneath 20, it’s a no-brainer.
Battle it out in the comments if you want, I’m heading for a journey!