Harley-Davidson has unveiled its first prototype electric motorbike – Project LiveWire.

The sleek all-black electric prototype is a big change from the bulky hogs the famous brand has put on the road since 1903 and is part of Harley-Davidson’s strategy to future-proof the brand by augmenting the company’s ageing male baby boomer market with an appeal to younger buyers and women.

While other companies have electric motorcycles in development, none have created anywhere near the amount of buzz that Harley’s announcement has made – Harley-Davidson Australia’s Facebook page has been posting about Project LiveWire for the past week, igniting much discussion and debate among the company’s loyal fans.

Harley-Davidson Australia’s Marketing Director Adam Wright is one of the lucky few to have ridden the LiveWire and reckons the electric bike is a move in the right direction for the somewhat traditional company.

“This electric technology is rapidly developing and we will continue to evaluate and monitor this market opportunity. One of the objectives of Project LiveWire is to gain deeper insight into market expectations through the eyes of riders to better understand what matters most to them with this type of vehicle.”“Over its 111 years Harley-Davidson has reinvented itself on a number of occasions. We believe the time is right to launch this motorcycle into the public arena.” he said.

Harley-Davidson is currently touring the prototype around US dealerships, giving potential customers the chance to experience the ride. The feedback gathered will aid in planning production of the new electric model, and further tours are planned for Europe and Canada next year. While no tour has been announced for Australia as yet, Wright has not ruled out the possibility.

One high priority for the company will be to convince riders about the range of the bike’s battery and ensure them that the sense of freedom offered by the brand won’t be limited by the new technology. Its reported 160-kilometre range and three-hour recharge may be a bit unpalatable for traditional cruisers, but it is an area that will clearly be a focus for the company’s development brains.

Another unique aspect of the prototype is that it won’t have that distinctive exhaust pipe rumble – rather, riders will be thrilled by an electric roar akin to a jet plane taking off. Wright says it’s a “high pitched scream, that sounds like no other motorcycle I have ever ridden.” It’s a sound that doesn’t quite fit with the traditional iconography of steel, rubber, leather and petroleum the legendary 111-year-old American motorcycle manufacturer is famous for – but since Harley-Davidson is changing with the times, maybe its riders will too.

Click here to find out more and follow the progress of Harley Davidson’s Project LiveWire.