LiveWire owning a LiveWire is like...
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 465
Likes: 296
From: Grand Rapids, MI
With the R&D and technology in this bike, it is not a 15K bike. Not saying it is "worth" 30K, but definitely north of 15K. As I am a few months into ownership, dealing with the HD dealership that sold it to me and the typical HD crowd, I think this bike is with the wrong company. It is the most advanced motorcycle HD has ever built and has excellent handling. The dealership treats it as something that was foisted on them, no real excitement and actually have heard more negative comments from the sales staff (and some very ignorant comments - a sales guy was telling another customer that the throttle was very "twitchy" and the bike difficult to control. I jumped in, but decided to just let it go. Amazing ignorance!). It is a better bike than the Zero, but I sort of wish that Zero or Polaris would have built it because I have a sense there would be greater appreciation for what it is and support to go with it. I have a great bike with very poor dealer support and a culture that largely rejects the technological advancement this brings to motorcycling. It does not take away from the fun I have on it, but does give me the impression that HD will squander the position they have, Polaris will eclipse them, and then people will lament why HD is not keeping up.
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 11,460
Likes: 3,554
From: Idaho
...It is the most advanced motorcycle HD has ever built and has excellent handling. The dealership treats it as something that was foisted on them, no real excitement and actually have heard more negative comments from the sales staff (and some very ignorant comments...
EVERY SINGLE REVIEW that I have read was overwhelmingly positive. Great power, great handling, great tech, just a world-class example of current electric motorcycles. The only negatives, and they are stressed in every review, were cost and no Level 2 charging. Other than that, a terrific motorcycle.
What you are describing at your dealership is EXACTLY what they did with Buell: Not a Harley, we don't like 'em, stick it in a corner.
Pity.
Last edited by IdahoHacker; Aug 5, 2020 at 11:35 AM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 4,242
Likes: 3,127
From: Texas
Decades ago I worked in a computer store selling Apple products, and they would occasionally put out "spiff" programs. Sell an Apple IIC, we'll give you $100, etc. We sold truckloads of Apple IIC's when they had a spiff, and when they didn't have a spiff, we didn't care what the customer bought.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 4,607
Likes: 3,311
From: Virginia
Well If you have only ever ridden 900lb Harley Touring bikes, and you hop on a Livewire set to Sport Mode I could see how you would describe the throttle as "Twitchy" Sport bike riders would call it normal. But difficult to control? The computer does most of the work for you.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 300
Likes: 112
From: Iowa
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 465
Likes: 296
From: Grand Rapids, MI
The more I ride my LiveWire, the more I want to ride it. I have seen some really stupid comments comparing the decision to buy a LW vs a SG or RG....these are people who don't understand the natural environment of a LW. If I was in a rural mountainous area, I would probably think twice, but for suburban/urban riding (and flat geography) it is awesome. I have a 50 mile round trip commute to work. I mix highway with city streets (stop and go is the most fun), and I just plug it in when I get home and go at it again the next day. After work, my other bikes get a work out so I am rarely approaching even 80 miles in one day. So this is a bike to add to the collection, not be a sole ride b/c if you get the itch to jump on the highway for a long ride this ain't the bike (and neither was my R1200R for that matter)
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 116
Likes: 56
Owning a LiveWire is like dating a lithe and flexible emerald-eyed 20-something redhead
Most people want to tell you it's not a good idea... even when they've no experience themselves
The cost of ownership is high... but if you want to play, you have to buy in to the game
Ya gotta hang on... but you'll get to where you want to go as fast as you care to
Most people want to tell you it's not a good idea... even when they've no experience themselves
The cost of ownership is high... but if you want to play, you have to buy in to the game
Ya gotta hang on... but you'll get to where you want to go as fast as you care to
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 152
Likes: 41
From: Surrey, UK.
To which Zero are you comparing it. I've ridden the SR/F and it was fantastic. I've not yet tested the LiveWire and I will do, but I'm intrigued by why you think the LW is better?