There’s a new player entering the electric dirt bike market, though the name behind it will already be familiar to many riders. LiveWire, the electric motorcycle brand originally launched by Harley-Davidson, announced today that it has acquired the assets of electric off-road startup Dust Moto.
The move marks LiveWire’s first major acquisition and signals a significant expansion beyond its current lineup of street-focused electric motorcycles.
While LiveWire has spent the last several years building out its electric on-road offerings with bikes like the Del Mar and Mulholland, the company now appears ready to chase the booming electric dirt bike segment. That market has seen explosive growth in recent years thanks to lightweight, high-performance electric off-road bikes from companies like Stark Future on the premium side and smaller, more affordable imports like Sur Ron, Talaria, and others attracting everyone from motocross riders to suburban teenagers.
According to LiveWire, the acquisition will help push Dust Moto’s electric dirt bike platform toward production faster by combining Dust’s off-road expertise with LiveWire’s engineering, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities.
LiveWire CEO Karim Donnez framed the move as a natural evolution for the company, pointing to Harley-Davidson’s earlier success with STACYC, the electric balance bike brand for kids that Harley acquired nearly a decade ago.
The company says the off-road market is being driven by riders looking for high torque and strong performance combined with quieter operation, lower maintenance, and the simpler riding experience that electric drivetrains offer. That last point has become especially important in off-road riding, where electric motorcycles eliminate clutch work and gear shifting, making them more approachable for new riders. Well, unless you’re Honda.
Dust Moto CEO Colin Godby called the acquisition “an exciting next chapter,” adding that the two companies share a focus on American performance-oriented motorcycle design.
LiveWire says more information about the upcoming electric dirt bike will be released in the second half of this year.
Electrek’s Take
This sounds interesting for LiveWire, and the market makes sense. The company has already established itself as arguably the leading American electric motorcycle brand (even if that role doesn’t require huge sales figures), but the electric dirt bike market is currently where much of the excitement and growth is happening.
And unlike Harley-Davidson’s traditional heavyweight cruiser crowd, younger riders are increasingly gravitating toward lightweight electric off-road bikes that feel more playful, more accessible, and frankly more affordable. That also aligns with LiveWire’s vibe.
The big question now is whether LiveWire can deliver something compelling enough to compete with the increasingly crowded field of electric dirt bikes already flooding the market.
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