HarleyDavidson

Watch Tesla Model S Plaid vs. Harley-Davidson e-motorcycle drag race

By Matthew A. Garcia 2 weeks ago

A Tesla Model S Plaid lined up for a drag race with a Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle earlier this week in the first known case of this EV matchup.

The race was brought to us by the YouTube Channel Tesla Plaid Channel, whose owner frequently takes his Tesla Model S Plaid to the races.

We’ve actually seen a race between a Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle and a Tesla before, but last time it was a Tesla Model 3 Performance.

In that case, the LiveWire bested the Model 3, though it was certainly a close race.

This time a LiveWire is taking on a much more powerful Tesla, and it’s doing it on a shorter 1/8th-mile track.

Take a guess at who won, then check out the video below to see for yourself. Keep reading below the video for the spoiler.

As you can see, it wasn’t a particularly

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Harley-Davidson is spinning off its electric motorcycle brand

By Matthew A. Garcia 1 month ago

Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle brand, LiveWire, will be spun off as a separate publicly-traded company next year.LiveWire will still be 74% owned by Harley-Davidson and its financial results will be reported along with Harley’s, but it will have its own stock trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “LVW.” The new company will go public in the first half of 2022 through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, according to Harley-Davidson. Taiwanese motorcycle company Kymco is also investing in the new company and will own a 17.3% share.Video above: Harley-Davidson struggles to rev-up sales with its electric motorcycleThe spinoff gives LiveWire an enterprise valuation of nearly $1.8 billion. Harley-Davidson’s overall current market capitalization is about $5.8 billion.LiveWire currently offers just one model, the $22,000 LiveWire One. The 100-horsepower bike has a range of 146 miles in low-speed urban riding and 70 miles in higher-speed … Read More

Harley-Davidson to take electric motorcycle division LiveWire public via merger with SPAC

By Matthew A. Garcia 1 month ago

Harley-Davidson Inc.
HOG,
+0.29%
said Monday its LiveWire electric motorcycle business will go public by merging with special-purpose acquisition corporation AEA-Bridges Impact Corp.
IMPX,
-0.30%
in a deal with a pro forma enterprise value of about $1.77 billion. The company’s stock is expected to list on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker “LVW.” “LiveWire plans to redefine motorcycling as the industry-leading, all-electric motorcycle company, with a focus on the urban market and beyond,” the company said in a statement. It will have about $545 million in cash to accelerate its go-to-market model and invest in new product development and manufacturing. LiveWire will have two strategic partners — Harley-Davidson and KYMCO, a global powersports company headquartered in Taiwan. LiveWire was first established as a separate division at Harley in 2019. The company is also making STACYC, an all-electric balance bike for kids. Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz will remain as

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Harley-Davidson Defies Expectations and Supply Chain Woes

By Matthew A. Garcia 3 months ago

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) got a warm welcome from the market after reporting third-quarter financial results that roared past analyst expectations, but clouds remain on the horizon. 

Topping the year-ago quarter’s performance was an achievement because last year was such a strong one after dealerships reopened following the pandemic lockdowns. Yet sales remain below 2019 and supply chain issues are a problem that could snarl the motorcycle market.

Motorcycle rider on Harley-Davidson Pan American.

Image source: Harley-Davidson.

Hardwired for growth

Harley reported a 29% increase in motorcycle revenue for the period, hitting $889 million, while total revenue was up 17% to $1.36 billion, beating analyst expectations of $1.14 billion. Adjusted earnings of $1.18 per share easily trounced the consensus estimates of $0.77 per share.

The motorcycle maker credited selling more motorcycles and more profitable models for the better performance. It underscores Harley’s “Hardwire” strategic plan, which was implemented by CEO Jochen Zeitz to narrowly focus the company’s efforts

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