When the Harley-Davidson Livewire was first released, it was met with a lot of praise and positive reception. It showcased a lot of features and aspects that seemed to be practical, effective, and efficient, as evidenced in many tests and in many rider reviews. However, there were a few aspects that were considered mildly impractical or detrimental. In addition, the $30,000 starting MSRP alone was deemed off-putting to a lot of potential buyers. At this point, the consensus is that while most features and aspects of the Livewire are a blessing, there are still a few minor drawbacks.

Read on to find more about the beneficial and the detrimental aspects of the Harley-Davidson Livewire.

Related: Harley-Davidson Is Making LiveWire A Standalone EV Brand

The Livewire Offers Smooth Performance

The Harley-Davidson Livewire has been nearly unanimously praised for its smooth performance. It has several modes, including Sport Mode, where acceleration is so fast that the bike reaches 60 MPH in only three seconds, with an increase to 80 MPH in just another 1.9 seconds. Further, the acceleration is completely smooth, lacking the bumps, uneasiness, imbalance, or instability typically expected.

The motorcycle has a top speed of 110 MPH, although that speed is generally not reached during a standard trip. The riding experience was deemed to be a combination of powerful, smooth, and controllable. A few of its features are responsible for the aforementioned characteristics, such as the Brembo Monoblock brakes, keyless operation, rapid-charging battery (only 40 minutes to charge), the Showa Separate Function Big Piston fork, and the Balance Free Rear Cushion-lite shock.

The Livewire was also praised for its attention to detail with both design and features, such as its auto-canceling turn signals or its sophisticated six-axis Bosch IMU. On top of that, the state-of-the-art traction control, anti-wheelie control are also praised for their inclusion and contribution to the bike's positive riding experience.

The Livewire Is Not Optimal For Long Ranges

While most riders use the Harley-Davidson Livewire for short drives in town, some people prefer to use it for longer trips, which is not an optimal function of the motorcycle. In the city, the Harley-Davidson LiveWire can travel for 146 miles on one charge. Its combined city and highway range decreases to 95 miles.

That said, considering after 146 miles the bike would need to be recharged, likely for 40 minutes, riders planning to travel more than that distance in one day would need to stop and recharge for one or more 40-minute periods, and they would need to factor in the extra time for the recharge.

So while the bike is optimized for shorter, city trips, it's not really recommended for longer trips, and there are motorcycle enthusiasts out there who like to bike across the country. They would likely be better off with a different model of motorcycle.

Related: This Is Why Making LiveWire A Standalone EV Brand Will Be Better For Harley-Davidson

The Livewire Gets High-Tech Connectivity

The Harley-Davidson Livewire has an advanced electronics system that is very connective and features some of the latest technology. The bike's liquid crystal touchscreen dashboard offers many functions and features, from playing music to giving detailed navigation at every turn.

Security alerts are also delivered to owners via the H-D Connect service to inform owners about battery charging progress and remaining miles on the current charge, as well as if the bike has been relocated, bumped, or moved. Its aluminum frame helps significantly decrease the weight while also offering more nimble handling.

The handlebar position is upright and the Showa suspension is also adjustable. The Livewire's 17″ Michelin Scorcher Sport tires also are optimal for the modern riding experience, and thankfully, they come standard.

The Livewire Is Excessively Expensive and Has Confusing Buttons

Unfortunately, the high price of the Harley-Davidson Livewire is a massive deterrent, and its many buttons and their functions often confuse riders. After all, a luxury experience and a prestigious item like this do not come cheap. As mentioned before, the starting MSRP is $30,000, which means a lot of riders are less likely to afford the bike, even when everything else about it looks appealing, enticing, and favorable.

The way riders have to position their fingers on various buttons to control certain functions is occasionally not user-friendly or automatically intuitive. Riders have stated that they prefer fewer buttons to consolidate various functions. Even looking at all the buttons on the bars can be overwhelming for the riders, although they also admit they do appreciate the plethora of options and features the Livewire has to offer.

Sources: electrek.co, biker.report, webbikeworld.com,