The Electronic Age – Here comes a new ELECTRIC motorcycle from Harley-Davidson

Ask any guy in India, especially in North India and Punjab, as to what constitutes an ideal guy. And you’re bound to get atleast the following answers to be predominantly prevalent  –

• Moustache
• Well Built Body
• Guzzles Whisky / Beer
  and last but DEFINITELY not the least –
• Bike – preferably riding a Royal Enfield Bullet like Akshay Kumar in Namaste London!

That being said, when it comes to Cruiser bikes, no one and I mean no one at all, can dispute that the one brand which almost everybody would have heard of, even if not seen personally, has to be the Harley-Davidson. This iconic brand is an unmatched legend and in a league of its own when it comes to bikes. However, when one imagines a Harley in their mind, one of the first things that pops up is that uniquely loud and gurgling sound that the vehicle spits out in its characteristic way and a long heavy body.
Now, just try and imagine the same powerful and sleek body, with a similar engine throbbing between your legs, and zipping through the countryside at about 148kmph – only, on an electric bike! Yep, you read that right – an ELECTRIC motorcycle. This is exactly what has just been introduced by the folks over at Harley-Davidson USA.

In the words of Mark-Hans Richer, Senior Vice-President at Harley-Davidson Motor Company, “It’s an expression of individuality and iconic style that just happens to be electric“. This statement is quite visible in this exquisitely beautiful and impressive new idea for this age-old behemoth of motorcycle makers. Having said this, I’d also recommend that you not to hurry, crack open that bottle of champagne just yet, as Harley-Davidson says that they do not aim to put the model into production very soon. Initially, they shall only roll out the bikes, on a tour, to a select few customers (invites-only basis) in USA and  later on to Canada & Europe. Based on the customer feedback they receive, they shall decide what to do next. Still, the fact that one of the leading motorcycle manufacturers is even attempting to address the growing demand for electric vehicles seems quite a win for all you environmentalists out there.

This silent hogs promises to go up to a top speed of 92 mph or 148 kmph. Whilst the guys behind this new bike seemed quite reluctant to share any further details, they claim that it zips from 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds. Despite this paucity of information, Wired claims that the bike is powered by 74bhp, has a range of 53 odd miles on a full charge of around 3.5 hours. As these figures have not elicited a response from the company as yet, they can only be confirmed later on.
Yet, despite all the naysayers shouting themselves hoarse over this new project, one has to admit that this is a radical turn for a company which is still quite firmly ground to its roots. As the company says, “We share the same promise of freedom and the same desire to expanding – that’s the inspiration behind Project Live Wire ”