The legendary Wisconsin firm, Harley Davidson, is known for its loud motorcycles. During all the well-known gatherings of the famous motorcycle brand, the sound of the bike dominates the show. On June 19th, the firm presented “LiveWire”, an electric motorcycle, revolutionizing the brand. Is this a myth or a legendary technology?
The “LiveWire” project was launched by Harley Davidson in the United States. As the motorcycle is known for its noise, developers hesitated to install a different sound system. A motorcycle without noise is an unusual approach for loyal customers of the internationally known brand. In proposing this, Harley Davidson offers the interested customers to test the prototype and give their own opinion on the motorcycle. At the moment, the “LiveWire” tour is taking place in the United States before coming in Europe in 2015. Customer experiences are noted and are collected to feed the development of the electric bike.
Harley Davidson has not yet revealed the prototype’s technical data. So far, the motorcycle dealership revealed that the model is equipped with an engine of 74 PS and a speed point of approximately 150 km/h. In addition, the electric bike reaches 100 km/h in 4 seconds. Its charging time is of about 3.5 hours and the motorcycle has a battery life of 88 km in an “economy” mode and of 53 km in “power” mode.
The sound of the bike continues to be a major characteristic for the brand. According to Mark-Hans Richer, vice president in charge of marketing, the new project will replaced the current sound by the sound of a jet. The bike was developed to differentiate itself from the sound of other electric motorcycles and internal combustion engines on the market.
Customer reactions to the project “LiveWire” are diverse. Harley Davidson doesn’t compare the machine to an electric car but rather to an electronic guitar. By maintaining the traditional style of the motor power and power brakes in the electric motor, Harley Davidson describes the prototype as “a true Harley-Davidson” who is made for the roads and the city.
The American brand has been trying for some time to target new customers and this project is a good initiative. In this latest announcement, Harley presented a new unique motorcycle engine with a traditional small engine and less expensive than other models. What also changes compared to the other models is the reduction of CO² emissions. After 111 years of success, Harley Davidson aims to preserve the environment for another 111 years. Is this a new marketing method to attract new clients? If you are interested, you will have to wait for 2015 in Europe to try Harley Davidson’s new motorcycle.
Fabio MARTINS-CERQUEIRA
Étudiant en M2 Commerce électronique, passionné de nouvelles technologies, de sport et de tout ce qui touche au monde des communications/marketing.
