When Harley-Davidson first introduced the LiveWire, I had two competing thoughts in my mind. From my initial testing at the Brooklyn Formula E track event, it was fantastic. The bike rode great, had plenty of power, its weight was well hidden, and it was really fun to ride, even if for very short periods of time. There was even a moment on the track when I and one of the engineers almost crashed when an FIA official stopped at the start/finish just outside the final blind turn, which we took at over 100 mph…
The second thought was, “Why is it so expensive?” At $30,000+, it was one of the most expensive production motorcycles. The general hesitance of EV adoption, combined with weak charging infrastructure and pretty terrible range, made the LiveWire a flop. Even after separating the company from the main Harley brand and lowering its price, no one bought it. And no one continues to buy it, as the motorcycle is still on sale today.
But a handful made their way into the hands of the public, hailed by early adopters and EV lovers alike. As such, and now six years old, some of these rare motorcycles are making their way through the used market and dealer auctions. However, some are not in the best condition, like the one that YouTuber Bikes & Beards bought for less than a tenth of its original price. The warning about that price?
He bought it built with bricks. well maybe.
Shawn, host of Bikes & Beards, is no stranger to LiveWire by his own admission, having tested it before. And given his extensive motorcycling knowledge, he’s quick to diagnose some of the main issues, including someone installing the wrong 12V battery and leaving at least one connector hanging out.
He installs a new lithium-ion 12V battery, which runs most of the standard systems, and the bike comes instantly back to life. But there’s still a problem, as the Level 1 charger that came with it isn’t talking to LiveWire, and won’t charge the bike. With a little Googling and some routine information, the shop boys believe the problem is in the internal converter that takes the AC charge from the wall and turns it into DC for the main battery. But the only way to test the theory is to take it to Texas Roadhouse.
Apparently, the shop in the Chinese butter bun making capital of the world has the only fast charger around. And immediately, they participate in everyone’s favorite game of “What app does this stupid EV charger take and why doesn’t it take a credit card like every gas pump?” They also deal with a screen they can’t see or use on the first charger, only to have their trailer backed up on the second charger. As you do.
SMH.
I won’t spoil whether they get it up and running, but I appreciate that they’re trying, because it shows that maybe there’s a future for normal humans wrenching on these EV motorcycles. That said, they were all nervous about the high-voltage systems inside, and I would be nervous too.
