It's been almost a year since we last heard about Harley-Davidson's upcoming electric bike project, but based on what the company has been unveiling these days, it might just have been worth the wait! Harley-Davidson has unveiled a stunning new electric bike that is said to go on sale from March 2021. Also, the motorcycle maker has decided that the e-bike division will be a separate company from now on called Serial 1 Cycle.
First and foremost, it's a nostalgia game. Name Series 1 is a tribute to Serial Number One, the nickname of Harley-Davidson's oldest known motorcycle, produced in 1903. The design of the electric bike with with white tires, leather seat and handles and a stylish black frame but it should also resemble their first prototype, the original, if you will.
Harley hasn't offered any specs yet, so we can only guess about power, battery size, range, and price. Based on the photos, it could have a Harley-Davidson Serial 1 electric bike mid-drive motor, belt drive (preferably the Gates Carbon system, known for its durability), built-in battery, built-in headlights and taillights, and leather accents. It is more than obvious, however, that the Serial 1 is not one of the three prototype bikes that Harley showed at last year's EICMA motorcycle show in Milan.
Harley will thus enter on a very volatile market, where even giant bike manufacturers like Specialized, Trek, and Giant compete with fast-growing e-bike companies like Rad Power Bikes, Pedego, and X-Treme Electric Bikes. It won't be the first motorcycle brand to make the move, either: Britain's Triumph unveiled its prototype earlier this year, Trekker GT, and Ducati launched its first e-bike last year.
Car brands are also entering the market: BMW manufactures electric bicycles and motorcycles, Audi manufactures electric mountain bikes, Mercedes-Benz introduced the electric scooter, Ford bought the e-skiroi startup Spin, Jeep and recently introduced a powerful electric mountain bike.
Here's hoping the Harley does well...it definitely stands out with its timeless looks. Will it also meet its specifications?
