Earlier in the year, Harley-Davidson announced that it would be releasing an electric motorcycle in the next 18 months. Many people scoffed at the idea, others said we’ve been promised such things before, but Harley doubled down. Executives at the American motorcycle giant said that many new models of motorcycle were coming. Now, we are starting to see that their claims were no bluff, but will these new bikes kickstart more sales?
The New Harley-Davidson
First on the list of new models being released by Harley is the LiveWire. You read that right, it is finally happening. The electric motorcycle that Harley has been teasing us with since 2014 is finally getting a production model. It will reportedly go on sale in 2019 and kick off a new range of electric Harleys. The company is also planning to release several electric bicycles as a part of its changing ethos.
The next unexpected addition to the Harley line up is the Pan America. This motorcycle is a straight up adventure bike the likes of the Ducati Multistrada and the BMW R1200GS. Though the bike in photos is a bit wide in the body, crash bars skid plates and an upright stance mark this bike as an ADV. Standard disc brakes, fairings and a high windshield mark this bike as a member of the adventure tourer segment.
The least startling new bike in this Harley line-up is the Custom. This cruise looks like a sleeked-out XR1200. However, it does seem to have a bit more unique flavor than other Harley models. It has a modern steampunk look with brass colored accents that give it a bit of stylish flare not common among Harleys.
The most controversial and jaw-dropping of these new bikes has got to be the Streetfighter. That’s right, Harley is going to try to build a sport bike again. This iteration is less track monster and more street naked than anything that came out when Harley mismanaged its Buell division into the ground. This new bike is liquid-cooled, with a single piece handlebar and a standard sized 17” wheel up front and out back. It is definitely a looker.
Another surprise that Harley announced is that three of these new bikes would all share the same modular engine. The Pan America and Custom will feature 1250cc versions of the engine, while the Streetfighter will get a 975cc version.
Now we just need to wait and see how the market responds as Harley releases these new motorcycle models over the next three years. If they perform well, this could be just what the bar and shield manufacturer was looking for to draw younger riders into the fold. Do you think it will work? Sound off on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and don’t forget to keep checking in with the attorneys who ride at Metier Law Firm for more updates.