Despite being unveiled less than a year ago, it feels like we’ve been waiting forever for LiveWire’s new S4 Honcho to reveal its official pricing and begin production. Today, we got both, as the Harley-Davidson spinoff pulled the last curtain off, revealing the final secrets behind the brand’s new low-cost electric motorcycles headed to streets and trails near you soon.
The new S4 Honcho is seen as LiveWire’s attempt to break into the e-moto market, dominated by small, affordable, and approachable electric two-wheelers with enough power and range for a good time, but modest enough to keep pricing reasonable.
The company has already shown us two versions of the bike, the S4 Honcho Trail designed for off-road shenanigans, and the street-legal S4 Honcho Street designed for commuter fun and urban riding.
Official pricing was just announced, putting the S4 Honcho Trail at US $4,999 and the S4 Honcho Street at $5,499. Those figures landed lower than some analysts had expected, especially considering the lofty launch pricing previously seen on LiveWire’s larger flagship electric motorcycles.
Both S4 models share similar performance and tech specs, including a pair of removable batteries totaling 3.5 kWh and offering an estimated mixed range of 53 miles (85 km), or a 20 mph (32 km/h) sustained range of up to 73 miles (117 km), with those figures determined using the somewhat optimistic World Motorcycle Test Cycle standard.
The bikes use an IEC 62196-6 charging connector and claim a 20-80% recharge time of 2 hours. The 120V charging is similar to most electric mini-motos, meaning a dedicated wall charger converts AC electricity into DC, similar to the charger for an electric bicycle. It’s a simple and low-cost (not to mention low-weight) solution, but it rules out the ability to charge via a local network of public Level 2 chargers.
That’s par for the course in this class, but it may come as a disappointment to those hoping to take advantage of nearby public charging stations.
On the other hand, though, it sure does make it easy to guerrilla charge at work on your boss’s dime when charging your motorcycle is effectively the same as charging your laptop.
With a top speed of 59 mph (95 km/h) and a 0-30 mph (0-48 km/h) time of 3.0 seconds, they pack enough performance for fun riding but aren’t exactly highway-screamers (though the Trail version shouldn’t see any highways anyway due to it not being homologated for public road use like the Street version).
As the company describes it, “With instant torque, rugged design, and punchy acceleration, S4 Honcho is made for errands, backroads, and everything in between. Whether you’re chasing first light at your fishing spot, or chasing green lights during your commute, Honcho keeps it fun.”
While the performance figures are largely identical, the main differences in the two bikes versions, other than street legality, are the physical dimensions and the warranty. The Trail bike weighs 253 lb (116 kg) and has a 29-inch seat height (74 cm), while the Street version weighs a bit more with its homologated gear, tipping the scales at 266 lb (120 kg) and with a seat height of 30 inches (76 cm).
The Trail version includes a one year unlimited mileage warranty, while the street version doubles that to a two-year unlimited mileage warranty.
The company also shared images on social media showing the first bikes coming off the production line and being packaged for shipping, meaning we should be hoping for deliveries coming soon this summer.
Starting at US $4,999 and $5,499 respectively, it’s apparent that LiveWire understands how price sensitive the mini-moto market is. Not only is the S4 Honcho competing against electric trail bikes like Sur Rons and Talarias, but also against established gasoline-powered mini-motorcycles like the Honda Grom.
Compared to both categories, the S4 Honcho comes in only slightly more expensive than its competitors, though it has a major leg up on both. For the off-road category, the S4 Honcho Trail is backed by a major national brand (LiveWire), which itself is backed by an even more major international brand (Harley-Davidson). For example, if my LiveWire S2 Del Mar ever needs service, I have a Harley-Davidson dealership down the road. If a Sur Ron ever needs service, you’re usually stuck watching a shaky YouTube video that some 15-year-old filmed on his phone.
And compared to street-legal mini-motos like a Honda Grom, the S4 Honcho Street has another major advantage: it’s electric. No one buys a mini-moto for the looks or the swagger – they do it for the convenience and cost of ownership. Those are two areas where electric motorcycles excel. Riders start every day fully fueled up, never have to seek out a gas station, and can spend literally pennies per week on electricity. Add in the major maintenance savings of electric drive, and you’ve got a seriously compelling case for switching from internal combustion to battery power.
With the S4 Honcho’s specs and pricing now fully revealed, there remains just one final question: Will anyone buy them? That remains to be seen, but if so, the S4 could be the saving grace LiveWire needs.
But I can at least tell you that they’ve likely got one sale already made, because I can sure see my name on a new S4 Honcho Street soon.
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