There’s no denying that Harley-Davidson’s core audience has been aging out. And the motorcycle market has seen swings in styles similar to cycling. Gone are the days of choppers, say hello to scramblers. Just like how we said goodbye to 26″ wheels and now mostly ride 29ers, the times they are a changing…
While still appealing to motorcyclists who want a cruiser setup, Harley-Davidson has been actively branching out. We’ve seen it in their electric powered balance bikes, e-scooter and mountain bike concepts and now… e-bikes.
Yep, e-Bikes!
Announced today, Serial 1 Cycling Company is the new Harley-Davidson subsidiary developed specifically for the e-bike market. We’re not given many details about the new offering, just a countdown to November 16th when presumably we’ll see the unveiling of a full line of e-bikes. We also know that the bike(s) being revealed will be hitting retailers in the spring of 2021.
Being a division of Harley-Davidson it’s only natural to see parallels between Serial 1 and its parent. For instance, the name Serial 1 was given in reference to a nickname of Harley-Davidson’s oldest known motorcycle. And just like their parent company, Serial 1 aims to be a leader of innovation and performance in the e-bike world.
Why is Harley-Davidson launching e-Bikes?
Discussing the motivation for Harley-Davidson’s branching into e-bikes, Brand Director Aaron Frank explains, “When Harley-Davidson first put power to two wheels in 1903, it changed how the world moved, forever.”
“Inspired by the entrepreneurial vision of Harley-Davidson’s founders, we hope to once again change how cyclists and the cycling-curious move around their world with a Serial 1 eBicycle.”
Further leading to the decision to enter the e-bike market is the massive growth the segment has seen in recent years. The e-bike market was estimated at $15 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow more than 6% through 2025. It didn’t hurt that a group of motorbike and cycling enthusiasts at Harley-Davidson’s R&D facility had a vision of the brand one day making e-bikes. Stay tuned as we watch the countdown and release of all the new bikes!
