In a news release to investors posted on May 10 , Harley- Davidson announced " the launch of LiveWire as an all-electric brand ." Initially , this might seem like a no big deal , ' nothing to see here ' story , merely a Mk II attempt to refresh stalled impetus into the 2019 launched LiveWire electric motorcycle . However , the key word here is " brand " - Harley is elevating LiveWire ( if that ' s the right term ) from a single , specific model to being an entire family of EV solutions - motorcycles and otherwise . In doing so , it is clear that it is seeking to capitalize on the one thing that was a runaway success when the LiveWire launch was finally confirmed two years ago - namely the hype and the brand profile that it generated . The multimedia success that Harley had with the LiveWire project was unprecedented , either for Harley or any other established motorcycle manufacturer ' s foray into electrification .

Of course , the profile had already been marinading for at least seven years by the time the first ' metal ' was being shipped to dealerships - Harley ' s first LiveWire unveil was in 2014 when it demo-toured the model around the United States , Europe and further afield . By that stage , there had been at least 24 months of intense

engineering and design work . Fast-forward to the HardWire , and the conventional playbook would see most manufacturers by now looking to jettison something that must still be a long way from providing any kind of positive return on investments . Especially in the context of a manufacturer that is taking a second drink from the well of strategic

realignment in just four years , but not so the iteration of Harley-Davidson we are seeing emerge in the 12 months since CEO Jochen Zeitz grabbed the handlebars . Instead , Harley is ' doubling down ' on its investment into the ' brand ' so far by positioning it ( Serial-1 E-bikes aside ) to champion all that will come out of Milwaukee in electric motorcycle terms in the months and years ahead . " LiveWire is more than a motorcycle ," says the release . " LiveWire plans to redefine electric , delivering the best experience for the urban rider , with personality and soul . LiveWire creates a unique connection between rider and vehicle . Today , the next chapter in the LiveWire journey begins ." Bold statements for a technology whose primary Achilles heel ( in all manufacturers ' hands ) is widely accepted to be the very fact that electric drivelines do not and likely cannot ever compare to the visceral

Continues on page 8 >>>

Important News # 1 & 2