Is Harley's New Low-Cost Beginner Bike What It's Been Missing? Probably

For a long time, we've discussed the premise that Harley-Davidson has been missing something. No, I'm not talking about its declining customer base (although I suppose, in a roundabout way, I might be). Narrowing the discussion to motorcycles in specific, though, the smallest things it currently offers as new bikes in 2026 are the Nightster and the Sportster S. 

I've ridden a Nightster, and while the heat shielding on the exhaust leaves something to be desired (it is HOT and may even burn you if you're a shorty like me, though there are accessory heat shielding options available that you can add), the riding experience is pleasant enough. But would I have wanted it to be the first thing I rode after I got my M endorsement years ago, though?

I would not have felt comfortable moving up to such a big bike right away. I know I'm one person, and every rider is different; likewise, I also know that there are plenty of riders who feel similarly, that there should be something in between a 125 and a RevMax. 

Naturally, most motorcycle manufacturers are hoping that you'll buy into their particular brand for life, of course. And to that end, many motorcycle manufacturers try to offer a little something for every type of rider, at every experience level. 

Not Harley, though. Or at least, not directly.

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Oh, it tried to bring the Street 500 and 750 to the States in the 2010s, but that didn't really work out well, for various reasons. As we've noted in the past, although it's struck what seem to be popular and lucrative partnerships with QJ and Hero (both for a variety of Asian markets), the only point at which any of those bikes has arrived on US shores has been for use in Harley's riding school. 

But after the riders attending Harley's Riding Academy pass their courses, that leaves them no comparable bar and shield options to go out and buy if they're in the US. It's either bump up to a Nightster, a Sportster S, or something bigger if they're buying new. Used bikes are an option, of course; but even then, small- and mid-displacement options aren't really Harley's thing. If you get super vintage, you might find something; but then there are a whole host of other challenges that a brand-new rider might not want to deal with just yet, when they're just itching to go out and get some miles under their belt.

Another important factor to consider is that the 2026 Harley-Davidson Nightster's MSRP is US $9,999. Once you add on all the extraneous fees you'll have to pay to take it home, it'll be a bit over $10K. Even if you're a dyed-in-the-wool Harley fan and you'd be perfectly happy with a Nightster, it'd be nice if there was something a bit less spendy right now, wouldn't it? Especially with fuel prices (and the prices of everything else) being what they are.

Gallery: LiveWire S4 Honcho

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Source: LiveWire

I'm Gonna Say Something Weird, But Hear Me Out

LiveWire is and isn't Harley-Davidson, I know. And a lot of hardcore Harley fans may want nothing to do with LiveWire. I get that.

Even though LiveWire is a child company, it's exclusively dedicated to making EV motorcycles, which many combustion bike fans (and particularly Harley fans) shudder and curse as anathema to everything they stand for. That's fine; if you feel that way, you don't have to ride them. Problem solved!

But for a certain kind of rider, the new LiveWire S4 Honcho might kind of almost make sense, particularly to keep newer, younger riders both actively and passively thinking about the Harley-Davidson family. Remember, there ARE young riders out there; it's just that most of them are riding electric dirt bikes right now. 

This right here, the S4 Honcho? This is a potential bridge.

It's probably not for the old-heads; that much is true. But with two options available (Trail and Street), both equivalent to 125cc gas bikes and both under US $6,000, ($4,999 for the Trail and $5,499 for the Street, respectively), it might be a good way to get new riders comfortable and confident enough to move up to bigger bikes. Or, you know, just enjoy as little city or trail bikes, which parent company Harley also doesn't have in its lineup.

Heck, it might even look like a reasonable option for old-head Harley fans to buy for their grandkids when they get too big for their StaCycs, which are also electric. In a sneaky way, if you're counting the StaCycs and the LiveWire S4 Honcho in the mix, it's almost like there is a bridge of sorts from childhood to full adult motorbike ridership.

At a certain point, then a rider looking to go bigger and more powerful with their next motorbike choices could, theoretically, choose to either go for a full-fat LiveWire option if they want to stay electric, or move on to a Harley if they want to try combustion for a bit. Or, depending on how the Dust Moto acquisition goes, maybe get even more hardcore into EV dirt riding down the line.

That's a truly ideal-world situation, of course; as I acknowledged above, there are lots of riders who have Very Strong Opinions against EV motorcycles, and so would never consider any EV-related moto path to be a valid one.

But it's not everyone, and that's important to remember, too. 

Will the S4 Honcho, with its dual removable, swappable battery setup offering a claimed 53 miles of range on a single charge, and able to go from 20 to 80% of a full charge in a claimed two hours, likely sell better in markets outside the US? I mean, probably. Other markets in Europe and Asia are a) more receptive to 125s in the first place, and b) have been much more receptive to EV motorbike options, period. So, that's kind of a no-brainer. 

LiveWire says it started production on the S4 Honcho (both the Trail and the Street) in May 2026, and it's expected to roll into dealerships sometime later this summer. It will be a global offering, and will be rolling out in authorized dealerships throughout the course of the year. 

In Europe, these bikes qualify for A1 license restrictions. They're still not quite on par with new combustion counterparts like the 2026 Honda MSX125, which retails at £3,999 in the UK, while the LiveWire S4 Honcho Street is £4,999. 

But the gap is closing, and the parity is getting closer. Is it close enough to make cross-shopping a viable option in markets where 125 sales competition is fierce? Unclear, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. 

To find out more, or to enter LiveWire's S4 Honcho giveaway contest (if you're reading this before July 1, 2026), you can head over to their website.