VICTORIA -- Just weeks after Harley Davidson unveiled its new electric motorcycle, some of the first orders of the bike have arrived on Vancouver Island.
According to Barnes Harley-Davidson Victoria, the Livewire bike, which arrived late last month, has been a hit with both employees and consumers.
The fully electric bikes, which feature 15-kWh batteries, offer a smooth and powerful ride that isn't available in other types of motorcycles, says the dealership.
"The big difference between this and what we’ve ridden in the past is how instant and how automatic the power is of an electric bike," said Steve Lesperance, a motorcycle sales consultant at Barnes Harley-Davidson Victoria.
"I’ve ridden bikes for almost 40 years and sourced some of my coworkers and never in our lives have we ridden a bike of this capacity," said Lesperance. "It’s not only about speed, it’s just how quickly you can actually move around without having to take and engage. You kind of forget about clutching, declutching, throttling. It’s just about pure fun and excitement."
Phil Rogers, a Vancouver Island resident, was one of the first customers to pick up a Livewire from the Victoria dealership last week.
Rogers, a veteran rider of 55 years, says the Livewire will be the 11th motorcycle he's bought in his lifetime and that he's excited to try it out.
"I sat on the test bike at one of the bike shows that they had it on, on a dynamometer roller, and I was impressed with it just as a static display," said Rogers.
"So if it performs anywhere close to what they say it will then I'll be really, really happy."
With nearly a dozen bikes in his collection, Rogers says that the electric motorcycle will present unique benefits and disadvantages compared to traditional gas-powered bikes.
"Different bikes serve a different purpose," said Rogers. "There's always range anxiety, especially where I live where you can put on cruise control at 110 km/h for two hours and not have to tap the brakes so there will always be that. I don't think that'll go away for a while."
"But [for] the Victoria area, I think they're ideal," said Rogers.
According to Barnes Harley-Davidson Victoria, the estimated range of the Livewire is 234 kilometres for city riding on a single charge. The motorcycle's battery can be charged at any station an electric car uses, and can fill up from 0 to 100 per cent in about one hour if attached to a fast charger.
"There's a bit of reluctance from diehard customers that we're used to until they go and ride the bike, then it's an absolute eye opener," said Lesperance. "Then it’s like me, you feel one with the motorcycle, the motorcycle engages with you in ways that none of our other motorcycles have seen in the past."
