Harley-Davidson LiveWire production resumes after charging issue

Production of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire has resumed after engineers concluded the issue with charging that forced it to call a halt to construction was limited to just a single motorcycle.

A motorcycle that is already under close scrutiny amid flagging sales and narrowing profit margins for the iconic American brand, the Harley-Davidson LiveWire was dealt a serious setback earlier in the week when production was halted due to a problem with the bike’s charging system.

However, after rigorous testing of the ‘non-standard condition’ as it was termed, Harley-Davidson says this occurrence was limited to the particular motorcycle in question and wasn’t a broader engineering issue.

As such, production has restarted and sales can resume, with Harley-Davidson releasing a statement that said: "Temporarily stopping LiveWire production allowed us to confirm that the non-standard condition identified on one motorcycle was a singular occurrence,"

Harley-Davidson adds owners can now continue charging their LiveWire at home having advised to only do so as H-D dealerships while it investigated the problems.

Disaster averted for the Harley-Davidson LiveWire

It’s easy to underestimate just how devastating a fundamental engineering issue to affect production is to the LiveWire at a time when Harley-Davidson is struggling to drum up positive publicity.

Indeed, while glitches in new models isn’t exactly unheard of, the fact this was a problem with the charging mechanism – the LiveWire key selling point – is about as bad as it could have been for the American manufacturer.

Even so, stopping production altogether will reverberate and undo a lot of the hard work Harley-Davidson has done around marketing the model amid persistent reports of dwindling sales both in the US and abroad.

Indeed, Harley-Davidson is taking something of a calculated risk with the LiveWire, which is one of the first true electric motorcycles on sale, and while it is likely prepared for a slow uptake initially – which is reportedly what is occurring – it is hoping the market will eventually come to it as rivals begin to turn attentions to the burgeoning sector.

Then again, for a motorcycle that commands a hefty premium in terms of price – coming in at around £25,000 – quality control issues, whether it’s just on one bike or more, will sting harder.