It looks like Harley was working on another electric bike in addition to the LiveWire. Going on sale in March, the Serial 1 is to be the first bike from a new division Harley is spinning off called Serial 1 Cycle.
The design and name are a reference to the first Harley-Davidson bike from over 100 years ago called “Serial Number One.” That’s it above, the glowing thing in the back. That original motorcycle’s design and name inspire everything on the new Serial 1, from its white tires to its brown leather saddle.
This was a skunkworks project at Harley, born out of a small group of engineers, according to Harley’s own press release:
Born as a skunkworks deep inside Harley-Davidson’s Product Development Center, the eBicycle project began with a small group of passionate motorcycle and bicycle enthusiasts working with a single focus to design and develop an eBicycle worthy of the Harley-Davidson name.
While Harley is happy to talk about the genesis of the Serial 1, it’s not forthcoming with specs. We don’t know how much it weighs. We don’t know how big the battery is, how powerful the motor is, or how long it takes to charge. We don’t know the expected price [ed. note: A lot]. All we get is a “coming soon” tab on the Serial 1 website.
From the pics you can clearly see the motor and the belt system (good for keeping chain grease off of your pants on the way to the office), along with what looks like a comfy sprung Brooks saddle (so you don’t have to wear butt padding like the Serious Cyclists riding on the weekends). But other than that, we got nothing. In Harley’s press release, brand director Aaron Frank thinks the new brand will be pivotal in helping Harley grow in the global e-bike business, which it estimates is going to grow six percent annually through 2025.
The dynamic, fast-growing eBicycle space is at the forefront of a global mobility revolution. The formation of Serial 1 allows Harley-Davidson to play a key role in this mobility revolution while allowing Serial 1 to focus exclusively on the eBicycle customer and deliver an unmatched riding experience rooted in freedom and adventure.
Can Harley pull it off? That remains to be seen, but that Harley is trying does make sense. The e-bike market can be lucrative. Trends show that in 2019, sales exploded, with regions like the U.K. being hot spots. If Harley can make the Serial 1 at a good price, it might be on to something.
