Harley goes e-cool with Serial-1 - a sleek, new electric bicycle inspired from the 1910s

Harley-Davidson has rejigged its portfolio in developing countries like India, having recently struck a deal with Hero MotoCorp to sell, develop, and distribute its bikes in the country, as a part of its Rewire strategy.

While most people associate the marque with powerful gas-guzzlers, Harley-Davidson has quietly planned its foray into the e-bike segment with the Serial 1, a sleek new electric bicycle that draws inspiration from some of the earliest Harleys from the 1910s.

The Serial 1 features fat white tyres, a sleek black frame, a brown leather seat, logos that light up, and a flexible brown chain. It will be available for sale in March 2021. It is the product of the Serial 1 Cycle Company, which was incubated in-house through its internal R&D programme. The venture is led by President Jason Huntsman, Vice President Ben Lund, and a few other Harley-Davidson veterans.


The company first showed off three prototypes of the Serial 1 at its Annual Dealer’s Meeting in August 2019. There is no word on pricing yet. Harley expects the e-bike market to expand significantly over the next few years, with demand for personal mobility solutions rising, especially those that are environment-friendly.

The market for electric bicycles was worth over $15 billion 2019, according to Harley’s press release. There is countdown on the company’s website that ends on November 18 – which is when pricing information is likely to be made public, and when it will start accepting pre-orders.