LiveWire Acquires Dust Moto
There may be no more money headed their way from 'parent company' Harley-Davidson, but that hasn't stopped EV maker LiveWire from getting "acquisitive".
Eschewing the dreadful track record that Harley-Davidson has where acquisitions in the 'EV Moto Space' are concerned, LiveWire has announced that it has "expanded further" into the electric off-road category with their own first acquisition Dust Moto.
With the S4 urban/commuting and additional U.S. Trail oriented 125 cc displacement equivalent LiveWire 'Honcho' electric minibike slated to launch on the S4 platform at some stage in the Spring of 2026, this is clearly designed as an acquisition that could lay a foundation for entry into the only other apparently and currently viable electric motorcycle niche.
The S4 Honcho will be a road-legal Street Model that qualifies for A1 licenses in the UK/Europe and M-endorsements. The U.S. Trail Model will be an off-road version that does not require a license. Both models will "feature lightweight, accessible designs" and be equipped with swappable batteries.
The Dust Moto acquisition is said to bring "deep off-road knowledge and expertise to LiveWire" strengthening its ability to "grow beyond on-road electric motorcycles and address a rapidly expanding electric off-road market that is being driven by riders seeking incredible torque and performance with the added benefits of reduced noise, lower maintenance, and an accessible riding experiences through simplified operation and single-speed drive."
It is said that the completed transaction will see LiveWire is advance Dust's electric dirt bike platform toward production, "leveraging LiveWire's engineering capabilities, manufacturing scale, and global marketing, sales, and service network to accelerate development and go-to-market execution."
"LiveWire pioneered the on-road electric motorcycle market, and this acquisition allows us to build on that leadership as we expand into off-road, continuing the journey that began with STACYC ten years ago," said Karim Donnez, CEO of LiveWire Group, Inc. "Dust Moto is a strong strategic fit and an accelerator of our vision, bringing proven off-road insight that will contribute meaningfully to LiveWire's leadership position in electric powersports."
"Joining LiveWire marks an exciting next chapter in our journey," said Colin Godby, CEO of Dust Moto. "LiveWire shares our fundamental DNA as an American brand focused on performance, innovation, and putting riders first. With LiveWire's scale, resources, and global reach, we can bring our electric off-road bike to market with a worldwide audience and deliver an unmatched off-road experience."
Eighteen months ago, Dust Moto announced that it was starting to take fully refundable $100 deposit pre-orders for its sub-100kg all-electric 42 hp/660 Nm torque 'Hightail' dirt bike. The design would feature a compact chassis, 4.4 kWh battery pack.
In December 2025 Alpharetta, Ga. Based Turntide announced that it was to supply critically important Inverter Technology to Dust Moto. A provider of high-performance axial flux motors, power electronics, and energy storage announced, Turntide stated that "its automotive-grade inverter has been integrated into Dust Moto's electric motorcycles" with Godby simultaneously slating Spring 2026 as a production start-up date. At the time of reporting the terms of the acquisition had not yet become public.
