Electric and Eco-Friendly Harleys for Earth Conscious Riders (Photos)
Harley-Davidson isn't exactly known for their eco-friendliness a lot of the time. Here's a selection of bikes to prove you otherwise.
1. Harley-Davidson Livewire
Harley-Davidson's Livewire project was an advance demonstration of sorts for the company's electric aspirations. Touring around a set of EV concept bikes, the Livewire bikes showed that Harley-Davidson's slick biking style could translate effectively into an electric context. Based on what we've seen, the initiative was clearly a success; shortly after the Livewire project was discontinued in 2015, Harley-Davidson announced they would see the release of an EV Harley within five years. The Livewire's fairly limited range still limited its retail potential as is, and Harley-Davidson has already confirmed that their wide-release electric will look considerably different. However, in terms of the way it has paved the way, we're sure to look back on it as an important part of the company's history.
2. Harley-Davidson Street 750
While the Street 750 is not designed with the primary intent of eco-friendliness in mind, when you compare it to the rest of Harley's roster it stands out for that respect. Most Harley bikes are thick and rugged; by contrast, Street 750 is designed to be as lean as possible. This city-centric approach to the 750's design philosophy gives it a special edge when taking efficiency into consideration.
3. Harley-Davidson Trunk
French designer Nicolas Petit put this natural spin on the Harley-Davidson bike. Calling this full-electric creation the Trunk, this concept distinguishes itself from other EV bikes largely due to its more earthlike style. Where most electric bike designs make a point of look as futuristic as possible, this bike means to fuse that high technology with a natural spin. The bike gets its name from the trunk of a tree, designed using the wood of the American sequoia tree for its seat as a way to link it in with nature.
4. The upcoming Harley electric bike
Harley-Davidson recently announced that they have plans to unveil a fully electric Harley bike within the next five years. The Livewire model, if anything, was a test in order to play the without making a wider-scale investment. Although it's definitely a strange choice for Harley Davidson with its fair share of criticism to boot, there's a lot of wonders where this new innovation might lead the company. The longest lasting and most successful companies generally chance a lot over time, of course, and in the case of Harley-Davidson, what seems like a weird-fitting choice now may be the way we see them a generation from now.
5. This cardboard Harley
The Harley-Davidson hog is the sort of creation designers would dream of having come up with themselves; you know, the sort of bike even casuals will be able to point out for its unique style. With the noble intent of wanting to put waste to good use, Kenny Scott, a design student from the University of Central Lancashire, put together this near-perfect cardboard approximation of the classic Harley bike. Harley-Davidson themselves may not have a wealth of green options under their belts yet, but with the promised expansion towards all-electric territory, it is something poetic to see the classic hog reinvented in this recycled glory.
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