Electric cars aren’t the only electric vehicle of the future. A lot of manufacturers are realizing that there’s a market for electric motorcycles. A lot of the big manufacturers are late to the party, however. Honda, Yamaha, and BMW are all planning to release a fully electric motorcycle in the next few years. However, while they are behind the times, these companies are ahead of the times (with one semi-exception).
While some purists will argue that it’s not the same without the noise a gasoline powered engine provides, it shouldn’t be the noise that attracts you to a motorcycle. You just want to feel connected to the road through your machine. These electric bikes provide that and in some cases near the top of the list, provide you with even more sheer joy than their petrol counterparts! So let’s begin taking a look at the best electric motorcycles available today.
Source: Harley Davidson
- Project Livewire – Harley Davidson
Range: 60 miles
Okay, technically this bike doesn’t exist yet. Yes, this is the one exception to being a production model mentioned above. It’s currently just a concept. But just because it’s a concept doesn’t mean it’s not worth checking out. So why is it on the list? There are two reasons for that.
The first reason this bike is on the list is the appearance of it. I mean, look at this thing. It is absolutely gorgeous! Harley Davidson created over 40 potential prototypes and concept bikes in their effort to create a bike that was electric but still said “Harley Davidson”. This meant they needed something that was futuristic but distinctive.
Source: Harley Davidson
The range was disappointing, but let’s be honest, it’s a prototype. When the Livewire project comes to fruition and the production model comes out, it will have a better range. This is important because Harley Davidson is giving a huge timetable for release. They’ve given themselves a 5-year window to release their production model from the testing from Livewire.
One of the most interesting things they are doing is that rather than releasing a bike with minimal research from consumers, Harley Davidson is instead putting their concept through the test. They have taken Project Livewire coast to coast and offer up the opportunity for people to test out the bike. They can ride it and check it out and give their honest feedback. Harley Davidson engineers are taking that information and trying to improve everything so that they can release a great electric bike on the first try. It’s really an approach that should be applauded.
The second reason this bike is on the list is it’s from Harley Davidson. No list of best motorcycles is complete without a Harley.
