Overshadowed by the launch of LiveWire, the Harley dealer convention in Milwaukee in August also saw an update on another of Harley's 'More Roads' to electrification with the official unveiling of its planned line-up of electric bicycles.
Though seen here as "future concept" prototypes still, with no confirmed production and dealer ship date yet confirmed, the company is planning three models described as "two step-over city style e-bikes and one more step-through frame."
Harley says that these first electric pedal-assist bicycles are "light, fast and easy for anyone to ride. Designed to shine in urban environments, this all-new line of eBicycles is just one more example of how Harley-Davidson’s 'More Roads' initiative is actively working to inspire a new generation of two-wheeled riders around the world.”
Commenting on the apparent design and tech of the platforms, specialist electric vehicle blog Electrek said: "First of all, we see the standard e-bike parts. There’s a mid-drive motor down by the cranks, though it’s a bit blockier than I would have expected. That chunky down tube very well may be holding the battery, or it could be integrated into the brick above the motor.
"Either way, there’s not a ton of battery space on those bikes - along with the serious cycling saddles and lack of cruiser-style pedal forward geometry, that’s likely a hint that these will be pedal-assist electric bicycles that require some user pedal input to engage the motor, not throttle-only e-bikes.
"There appears to only be one brake lever on each electric bike, and while one brake lever is a standard affair for motorcycles, it’s pretty rare on bicycles outside of coaster brake cruisers - and it’s nearly unheard of on electric bicycles," perhaps hinting at a reverse pedal engaged foot brake, but Electrek says that "the hydraulic disc brakes we see on these bikes wouldn’t be optimized for that type of braking, so maybe there'll be a linked hydraulic brake system."
