Harley's Electric Gamble: Does the LiveWire ONE Still Stand in 2025?
- Steve Chandler
- Oct 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 4
Back in 2019, Harley-Davidson dropped the LiveWire—the first electric motorcycle from a heavyweight manufacturer to roll into the mainstream. Love it or hate it, the move split opinion fast. Some called it sacrilege, others saw it as Harley finally shaking off the cobwebs and stepping into the future. Fast-forward to today, and the rebranded and refined LiveWire ONE still prowls showrooms across the UK, Europe, Australia, and the U.S. But here’s the real question: in a world where the e-moto market has shifted, can the ONE still hold its ground, or has Harley’s electric gamble already aged out of the fight?
Our test rider Steve Chandler, tells us what we need to know.
First Impressions
This week I was at Two Seventy Motorcycles to check out the LiveWire ONE. I have to say, it still looks great today. It happily sits with the other, newer bikes in the showroom with no hint that it's a six year old design. Jumping on board, it's a longer reach to the bars than I expected, especially compared to other models I've ridden, but still very comfortable and not unfamiliar enough to be a problem. This was easily dealt with by adjusting my position, and the ride was a breeze from then on.
Take-off is smooth and controlled, and the immediate handling gives confidence in the saddle. There are a few drains and potholes near the test centre, which I deliberately aimed for, and it handled these particularly well. It does a good job of absorbing the bumps, which immediately gives you the sense that you're on a quality, well set-up machine.
Power and Performance
Blistering. Like most e-motos. The ONE has excellent acceleration, it's smooth and easily controlled. In all fairness, it's a quick bike, roughly equivalent to my Yamaha VMAX, which is impressive. That's top sports bike performance.
Torque doesn't shy away, and the regen is well programmed. On some bikes, the regenerative braking can come on too strong or even too light. The ONE has a powerful system that feels like it will throw you forward, but it doesn't; it's subtle and not harsh. When I compare this to the engine braking on my Suzuki SV1000, the ONE offers equivalent stopping power without having to take a bow.
Handling and Feel
Very stable, well-balanced, and surprisingly nimble. The ONE is equipped with the rear brake in a familiar spot for ICE riders (left foot), which was a pleasure to have, but with the regen working so well, the brake didn't seem to offer much extra stopping power, so I didn't use it. It's always a plus when you don't have to service the brake pads so often. Having ridden e-moto for a while now, I'm used to the brake being on the left-hand 'clutch' lever, and after this experience, I think I prefer it there. You get much more dexterity with a hand than a foot, but I guess it's a personal choice. For riders converting from ICE, the foot brake will be a welcome addition.
One thing that stood out was how comfortable the bike rides. I honestly felt I could sit there all day, which I've done plenty of times on other machines. Numb-bum is no stranger to any rider, but here my rear-end was still working perfectly and there was much less 'shifting' to get comfortable.
Tech and Features
The dashboard is a bit basic, but that's how I like it. Speed, riding mode, and range are all easily accessible with a quick glance. I kept the bike in sport mode the whole time, which helped to qualify the range testing, which turned out to be quite accurate. The bike advertises 95 miles (153 km) range for combined use—or at an average of 55 mph (88 km/h)—which seems legitimate. In the first 15 miles on the road, it dropped from 87 miles (140 km) to 71 miles (114 km). With range anxiety being a thing that hits new e-riders hard, it's good to know you're not going to invest money in a bike that vastly underperforms in this metric.
I didn't get a chance to test the onboard charging, but the ONE offers a combination of standard 3-pin domestic sockets, public AC charging, and DC fast charging, using a CCS Combo connector for the latter. For DC fast charging, expect 0-80% in approximately 40 minutes and a full charge (0-100%) in about 1 hour. Slower AC charging at home can take up to 11 hours for a full charge depending on where you're located.
Spec Sheet
Motor: Revelation™ permanent-magnet electric motor
Power: 100 hp (75 kW)
Torque: 84 ft-lb (114 Nm)
Battery Capacity: 15.4 kWh
Charging:
DC Fast Charge: 0–80% in ~40 minutes; full charge in ~60 minutes
Level 1 (AC) Charge: 0–100% in ~11 hours
Range:
City: 146 miles (235 km)
Combined (city + highway): 95 miles (153 km)
Highway (55 mph sustained): 108 miles (174 km)
Performance:
0–60 mph: ~3 seconds
Top Speed: 110 mph (177 km/h)
Electronics & Features:
Ride Modes: Sport, Road, Rain, Range, Custom
Safety Systems: Cornering-enhanced traction control, drag torque slip control with regenerative braking
Display: 4.3-inch colour TFT touchscreen
Connectivity: Bluetooth, smartphone integration, navigation, voice/music via paired phone
Lighting: LED headlight, indicators, and rear light
Real World Practicality: does it work?
The Livewire ONE is a great all-around bike; however, it has some annoying traits, like the mirrors being too small. You can see the lane next to you easily, but hardly anything behind. This is not good news for conscientious bikers who like to know what's around them on the road. A simple fix would be to swap out the mirrors for some aftermarket versions, but that's not ideal after spending £18k on your new bike. Life-saver checks are definitely your friend here.
One particular gripe was the turn signal being on the right-hand side. This doesn't make sense at all, especially if you're in full throttle mode, twisting with just four fingers while trying to navigate your thumb up and around the turn button doesn't work. Thankfully, they are self-cancelling, but even that had me confused for a bit.
Final Thoughts
It's an excellent bike. I'd like to have one, but for the price-to-range ratio, I don't think I'd like to buy one. The ONE offers basically the same specs as the S2 Delmar, but with a higher top speed. However, the ONE is the premium offering, and for £18k, I'd want more range. Give it another 50 miles, and I'd take it, no questions asked. Of course, range is a personal choice based on requirements, but that's just my take. Is it still relevant today? Absolutely. For a bike that's 6 years out of development, it's definitely still in the fight.
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