[EDoggN]

I am considering trading my Road Glide in on a LiveWire (I am a Tesla owner and all in on electric) but it has been hard to find answers to questions I have. Any help would be appreciated..

• Can you limit the charge of the battery? For example, can you limit the charge to 90% so you are not charging the battery to 100% all the time? I have learned from Tesla that battery degradation is hurt when you constantly charge to 100% of the battery capacity.
• Can you modify the bike settings from the HD App or is it ’read only’? Do all settings have to be made on the bike itself?
• I see the bike as navigation, I assume it gets its info from the phone HD App Navigation and cannot use Apple or Google Maps?
• Do the music controls work thru Apple Music (or other music service) or is this somehow read thru the HD App too?
• Can you update the firmware yourself or do you have to take it to Harley?
• Has Harley made any substantial updates to the firmware since its been released?
• Were you able to negotiate on price?
• Any credible rumors spreading around on the 2021 model?

I live in Indy and Level 3 charging options are limited. I am comparing this to a Zero SRS. The Zero is better ‘on paper’ in almost every aspect (level 2 charging, on bike storage, hp, torque, etc). But that LiveWire was frikn awesome to ride and I think it looks better. Can’t get it out of my head

Any help answering my questions would be really appreciated!

 

[Mac Mike]

I am considering trading my Road Glide in on a LiveWire (I am a Tesla owner and all in on electric) but it has been hard to find answers to questions I have. Any help would be appreciated..

• Can you limit the charge of the battery? For example, can you limit the charge to 90% so you are not charging the battery to 100% all the time? I have learned from Tesla that battery degradation is hurt when you constantly charge to 100% of the battery capacity.
• Can you modify the bike settings from the HD App or is it ’read only’? Do all settings have to be made on the bike itself?
• I see the bike as navigation, I assume it gets its info from the phone HD App Navigation and cannot use Apple or Google Maps?
• Do the music controls work thru Apple Music (or other music service) or is this somehow read thru the HD App too?
• Can you update the firmware yourself or do you have to take it to Harley?
• Has Harley made any substantial updates to the firmware since its been released?
• Were you able to negotiate on price?
• Any credible rumors spreading around on the 2021 model?

I live in Indy and Level 3 charging options are limited. I am comparing this to a Zero SRS. The Zero is better ‘on paper’ in almost every aspect (level 2 charging, on bike storage, hp, torque, etc). But that LiveWire was frikn awesome to ride and I think it looks better. Can’t get it out of my head

Any help answering my questions would be really appreciated!

Great questions and I'll try to help some. First you might find this interesting, I traded in my 2016 CVO Road Glide for my Livewire. My non motorcycle friends always ask how I could spend buying a 30k HD and I just tell them I traded in my 41k HD. LOL

1) The only way to limit the charge on the battery is to keep track of the charge on the HD app. I know Tesla likes to keep a charge limit of 80% to 90%. As far as I know HD has not made any statement on battery limits. I always charge my battery to 100%. The only statement made by Harley is to keep a 4:1 ratio on Level 1 to level 3 charging. So 4 hours of level1 to 1 hour of level 3. I'll post my complete history of charging at the end of this post.
2)The HD app is mostly read only from my use of it. The setting are easily done on the bike display.
3)The app uses Bluetooth to sync with your smartphone so you can see turn by turn info on the display or listen to Bluetooth headsets. Here is a good overview.

4)For music the current song is on the display but again you need a headset.
5) As far as I know there is no OTA updates yet
6) I have not been notified of any firmware updates.
7) I got my LW as soon as they were released so I paid MSRP. As for what are in at the moment with the COVID-19 lockdowns and all you may be able to negotiate on price. Won't huet to try.
8)No word or rumors on 2021 EV motos.

 

[EDoggN]

Thanks for the info! Very helpful! The lack of Level 2 charging is killing me!!!

 

[Mac Mike]

Thanks for the info! Very helpful! The lack of Level 2 charging is killing me!!!

The lack of level 2 is not that big a factor. Most of the riding most people do will require most of the charging done at home. As my chart shows most of my charges are done at home. If your going to do any long distance riding you'll want level 3 charging anyway. Get up to 80% from 0% in 40 minutes. An iron butt ride ( 1000 miles in 24 hours ) has been done in Europe which is not possible with level 2 charging. If level 2 is that big a factor in your decision on a Livewire I suggest you look at the Energica Ego.

 

[LiVE]

I live in a NE suburb of Indy and work downtown - 21 to 27 mile commute each way, depending on the route I take. I did a test ride tonight to check feasibility - only L2 chargers at work, so charging not really an option. Sounds well within the stated range so why the concern? Well, I can take pretty much all highway or lots of surface roads. I have found hwy mileage to be not so good.
starting from home with 100%, I ended up at my work parking lot at 84% charge after 21.3 miles and stated range of 89 miles. This was almost all "city" roads. Going home I had about 40% hwy and 60% city roads, and ended up with 58% charge and 61 mi range. However, on the ride home there were a few times where the speed may have exceeded 90 mph and there was a lot more hot dogging with the cars around me - the acceleration is just too fun. Which also made me realize that even when I think I am taking it easy on this, I am way more aggressive than on other non-electric bikes. From a stoplight, there is no good reason to be at 40mph by the time you have crossed the intersection!....but it does it with such ease!
Now with my mind at ease on being able to route to work that is safely within range, does not require at work charging, and allows me to blow off some steam on the way home, this LW just might have become my new favorite

 

[Mac Mike]

I live in a NE suburb of Indy and work downtown - 21 to 27 mile commute each way, depending on the route I take. I did a test ride tonight to check feasibility - only L2 chargers at work, so charging not really an option. Sounds well within the stated range so why the concern? Well, I can take pretty much all highway or lots of surface roads. I have found hwy mileage to be not so good.
starting from home with 100%, I ended up at my work parking lot at 84% charge after 21.3 miles and stated range of 89 miles. This was almost all "city" roads. Going home I had about 40% hwy and 60% city roads, and ended up with 58% charge and 61 mi range. However, on the ride home there were a few times where the speed may have exceeded 90 mph and there was a lot more hot dogging with the cars around me - the acceleration is just too fun. Which also made me realize that even when I think I am taking it easy on this, I am way more aggressive than on other non-electric bikes. From a stoplight, there is no good reason to be at 40mph by the time you have crossed the intersection!....but it does it with such ease!
Now with my mind at ease on being able to route to work that is safely within range, does not require at work charging, and allows me to blow off some steam on the way home, this LW just might have become my new favorite

Set up one of the custom ride modes for your commute to work. Less power and more regeneration. Even with less power you'll beat everybody at the stoplight. Since you have L2 charging at work plug up anyway. You'll be charging at the L1 rate but at least your charging. Remember to unplug as soon as you get to whatever level of charge you want. It is not a float charger so one can not just leave it plug in. Also once 100% is reached at a public network if your still plugged in after 10 minutes you will get bill for time until you unplug.

 

[LiVE]

I am considering trading my Road Glide in on a LiveWire (I am a Tesla owner and all in on electric) but it has been hard to find answers to questions I have. Any help would be appreciated..

• Can you limit the charge of the battery? For example, can you limit the charge to 90% so you are not charging the battery to 100% all the time? I have learned from Tesla that battery degradation is hurt when you constantly charge to 100% of the battery capacity.
• Can you modify the bike settings from the HD App or is it ’read only’? Do all settings have to be made on the bike itself?
• I see the bike as navigation, I assume it gets its info from the phone HD App Navigation and cannot use Apple or Google Maps?
• Do the music controls work thru Apple Music (or other music service) or is this somehow read thru the HD App too?
• Can you update the firmware yourself or do you have to take it to Harley?
• Has Harley made any substantial updates to the firmware since its been released?
• Were you able to negotiate on price?
• Any credible rumors spreading around on the 2021 model?

I live in Indy and Level 3 charging options are limited. I am comparing this to a Zero SRS. The Zero is better ‘on paper’ in almost every aspect (level 2 charging, on bike storage, hp, torque, etc). But that LiveWire was frikn awesome to ride and I think it looks better. Can’t get it out of my head

Any help answering my questions would be really appreciated!

Go talk to Chad at HD of Indy. Best salesman I've ever dealt with. Solid guy.
My recommendation is to just take the plunge

 

[EDoggN]

I live on the Southeast side of Indy and I work on the Northwest side (about 30 miles each way). Since most of this is highway miles...I think I would be cutting it pretty close. I need to take an extended test drive and try it out.

 

[LiVE]

Yup, that would potentially be tough. This morning I landed at work - 21.3 miles from home with 91 miles left on the battery - using a customized setting for range, but still hauls greater than anything else around me. Coming home I did some highway, but also hot dogged it on city streets. Got home with 61 miles range left after mostly sport mode. This is such an ideal commuter. You just look where you want to be, twist the throttle and you are there.

 

[Bobby77]

Welcome @EDoggN! When do you plan on making the switch to the LiveWire?

 

[EDoggN]

Love the bike...but having a hard time with not having Level 2 charging.