Full specs revealed on the 78 kW Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle

With the release of Harley-Davidson LiveWire quickly approaching, Electrek is in Brooklyn to take a first ride on the new electric motorcycle. And now we’ve just learned the full specs for the LiveWire. Read on to get all the dirt on this premium new electric bike.

Harley-Davidson LiveWire full specs

So far we’ve known that the LiveWire has a city range of 146 miles (235 km) and a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) time of around 3 to 3.5 seconds.

We also knew that Harley-Davidson’s first electric model would feature Level 3 DC Fast Charging that would top up the battery from 0-80% in 40 minutes or 0-100% in 60 minutes.

But now we’re finally getting the full specs out of H-D.

It turns out the LiveWire will feature a fairly large battery at 15.5 kWh. To put that in perspective, the largest battery offered by industry leader Zero Motorcycles is 14.4 kWh, giving H-D a slight edge. Though to be fair, the heavy bike and high powered performance mean that the range doesn’t quite match Zero’s best offerings.

The LiveWire’s battery pack is built from Samsung cells and comes with a 5 year, unlimited mileage warranty.

For those that don’t plan to make use of the Level 3 DC Fast Charging option very often, a Level 1 charger can be stored under the seat of the LiveWire. An overnight charge of between 10-11 hours is sufficient for a complete recharge.

Speaking of the power, the LiveWire is packing a 78 kW (105 hp) motor. Keeping with typical Harley-Davidson styling, the motor is prominently displayed on the bike. The designers went with a longitudinal design, placing the motor underneath the battery along the long axis of the bottom of the bike. That requires the use of a special 90º gear box to get that power to the belt-driven rear wheel. The gearbox also adds to the typical motor and belt whine found in most electric motorcycles, giving the LiveWire a distinct sound.

The 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) time has also been nailed down to a flat 3.0 seconds, with the next 60-80 mph (97-128 km/h) taking just another 1.9 seconds. The LiveWire’s top speed is 110 mph (177 km/h).

The motor and controller both share a liquid-cooling system, while the battery is air cooled. A dedicated air intake is located just below the faux tank and forces air past the battery’s cooling fins.

The LiveWire features a number of performance motorcycle parts including Brembo Monoblock brakes and Showa suspension.

The LiveWire motorcycle is equipped with the company’s H-D Connect technology that provides cellular connectivity to connect riders with the LiveWire through their phone. The iOS and Android apps include core functions such as turn-by-turn directions, ride planning, remote motorcycle systems monitoring, charge monitoring, dealer, and event locations, etc.

The app also transmits key vehicle health information and provides the owner with the reassurance of being able to remotely monitor the LiveWire security, including tamper alerts via the app and stolen-vehicle assistance.

Four different riding modes (Sport, Road, Range, and Rain) are available to allow the rider to select the proper handling and performance for different scenarios. Three more custom programmable ride modes are also available. Smart rider assist features such as traction control, anti-wheelie control and anti-lock braking are all included in the LiveWire.

Another previously unreported feature is that the LiveWire is hiding a USB-C charging port inside the front fairing just behind the headlight. It’s still easy to access for charging your phone, but would otherwise go unnoticed if you didn’t know to look for it.

While I’m not positive on this, the LiveWire might just be the first vehicle to feature a built-in USB-C charging port.

I’m not sure the USB-C port alone will make the $29,799 price easier to swallow, but the combination of high performance and high end components don’t hurt. And Harley-Davidson is planning a number of smaller, more affordable electric two-wheelers by 2023 as well. But for the LiveWire, I won’t truly know if the bike is worth the price until I can put some miles on it myself.

And fortunately, I will be taking the LiveWire for a first ride review on the Brooklyn Formula E track in a few hours and so make sure you check back to get my thoughts on how well it rides!