American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson opts for a lighter design as it aims to expand its audience with the release of two new all-electric bike concepts suited to the city.

Designed to cater to both the urban commute and off-road rides, both models are lightweight, agile, and feature a fully electric powertrain that offers instant acceleration.

While one model has a more traditional, racer-like design reminiscent of a dirt bike, the other boasts a more relaxed, user-friendly aesthetic, akin to electric city-bikes.

The motorcycle giant wanted to harness it's signature style in a more nimble design, without sacrificing its characteristically powerful motor, but is yet to give either concept a name.

Harley-Davidson aims to attract a new, more modern-day audience with these latest concepts through ease of use. They have eliminated the clutch and gears, and instead introduced a "twist and go" throttle operation.

The bikes are powered by compact electric batteries that can be removed and "single-hand-carried" to the place the rider intends to charge it – which is done using a charging dock that plugs into any standard household power outlet.

If all goes to plan, the bikes would not require a motorcycle license to operate.

Together with the recent launch of its electric LiveWire motorcycle, these two concepts mark a new era for the motorcycle brand, which is geared towards electrification.

"As part of the push towards a different future, these concepts explore the potential of urban mobility and two-wheeled adoption," said the company.

"Both concepts bring Harley-Davidson's expertise in expressive two-wheeled experiences and push boundaries in design and technology," it added.

Working prototypes of the bikes made their debut at the 2019 X Games in Aspen, Colorado, which took place this year from 24 to 27 January.

X Games gold medalist Jacko Strong tested a prototype of one of the concept bikes during the games. "I think [Harley-Davidson] has met at a really great place between the mountain bike and dirt bike world," he commented.

"The power is amazing. It's definitely different to a gas motorcycle – it torqued from ground zero, so makes it much more user-friendly, and you don't have to worry about gears," added Strong. "It's just a whole lot easier and it was a whole lot of fun."

After four years running of dwindling sales for its flagship two-wheelers, the 116-year-old brand hopes that its refocus on more technology-driven vehicles could lead to its rebirth, supported by its newly launched four-year growth plan.

According to the firm, its goal is to "lower the learning curve and expand the opportunity to riders and aspiring riders everywhere in the process," in addition to offering "a thrilling riding experience that adds emotive moments to your daily life."

The company plans to release a full lineup of two-wheeler vehicles in the next few years, in a bid to establish itself as "the leader in electrification of mobility".

"The design language of these two concepts embrace their electric power-plants and put raw emotion into the equation of the future with unique silhouettes, form factors, and solutions," said the manufacturer.

The post Harley-Davidson's latest electric bikes are designed for commuters appeared first on Dezeen.

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