Is Harley-Davidson Ready to Flip the Switch on the LiveWire?

From our sister site Insideevs.com come photos and a video clip of the Harley-Davidson Livewire, a proof-of-concept sportbike to be available for test rides at dealerships. The images show a compact roadster with what appears to be a cast alloy perimeter frame, belt drive, low-rise handlebar and a Star Wars-style front turnsignal and rearview mirror assembly.

The Harley spokesmen want it known that it’s not a stealth machine. “This will not be silent,” says Chief Engineer Jeff Richlen. Styling Manager Kirk Rasmussen likens the sound to a jet turbine. The LiveWire was teased a few years back, and has obviously been through considerable engineering and design stages for it to even be able to be put it into showrooms for test rides like the one in the video below.

Production models can’t be far off, and the two key factors in the marketplace, price and range, will definitely determine its future.The Cycle World test rider featured in the video had very little time on the bike, and not much to say beyond that it was an exciting development. Man, it would be fun to at least try it out.

“We’re excited about our future,” said Harley VP Bill Davidson, great grandson of founder William A. “We actually showed a prototype of the electric LiveWire and that project is alive and well. We don’t know yet when we’re going to introduce it but it is progressing well and we will eventually introduce it.””

Davidson was not forthcoming about the potential model range for Harley electrics, and the company has always kept future products close to the vest. But, judging by the images in the InsideEVs.com artcle, the Livewire isn’t just a cobby prototype, and may well see production within a year. Or so. Maybe.