Dust Moto isn't exactly a household name, but here at RideApart, we've known that crew for a while now. The all-electric dirt bike startup has been making the rounds for the last few years, slowly gaining momentum as it's worked toward delivering its first dirt bikes, the Hightail.
We were actually the first media to get behind the bars of the group's prototype, albeit in my backyard and at low speeds so as not to wreck the company's one and only prototype at the time. And it was a good prototype. A little green around the gills, as it were, but the bones of the machine were that of something that had a lot of potential.
But in the interim, Dust Moto has been pushing and pushing and pushing, and apparently, it caught the eyes of Harley-Davidson's LiveWire EV brand, as the two companies just announced that LiveWire would be acquiring Dust Moto and integrating its Hightail into LiveWire's lineup.
And that's big news for a number of reasons, most interestingly of them being that something like Dust Moto's Hightail is something the brand has needed since day one. But there are also questions, comments, and a few concerns given the track record of Harley acquiring EV brands and startups. So let's get into what's going on, what this could mean for LiveWire's future, and the possible pitfalls that surround the merger.
LiveWire's press release states that its acquired all of Dust Moto, including its people and assets, and aims to make LiveWire's expansion into the off-road market all the more real. If you'll recall, LiveWire also makes the S4 Honcho mini moto that comes with knobby off-road tires, and the light, fire-trail-ready S2 Del-Mar. But the group just doesn't have a model for the hottest market around: EV dirt bikes. And that's where Dust Moto's acquisition comes into play.
"The acquisition [of Dust Moto] strengthens LiveWire’s strategy to grow beyond on road electric motorcycles," states the LiveWire press release, adding, "and address the rapidly expanding electric off road market, which is being driven by riders seeking incredible torque and performance with the added benefits of reduced noise, lower maintenance, and an accessible riding experiences through simplified operation and single speed drive."
And that "rapidly expanding electric off-road market" is one being driven by today's youth, something LiveWire and Harley-Davidson desperately need to do.
EV dirt bikes are now the real entry point for many getting into motorcycling. They're relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain (a parent's dream), and are more easily learned, i.e., you can get on one and get comfortable riding one in the span of a few days, as they're not unlike a bicycle in many respects. As is the case, they're a perfect introductory motorcycle for The Youths, a segment that Harley has struggled to capture in recent decades.
Interestingly, I've been petitioning Harley to build an EV dirt bike for literal years for this exact reason, as you can only rely on an aging and declining demographic for so long. Thankfully, they've finally taken my advice.
"With the completed transaction, LiveWire is advancing Dust’s electric dirt bike platform toward production, leveraging LiveWire’s engineering capabilities, manufacturing scale, and global marketing, sales, and service network to accelerate development and go to market execution," adds the release. That said, no timetable as to when we'd see or be able to buy the Hightail was given, though the statement adds more information will be shared in the back half of the year.
Now, here's where I need to add that we've been down this road before with Harley, and it hasn't ended well. The easiest comparison is Alta, the EV dirt bike startup that Harley-Davidson bought and killed in short order. It was, and still is, fresh in many people's minds, and represents Harley's inability to see the forest for the trees. So while there's still DNA of Alta in LiveWire, many are still sore at the brand for buying something almost everyone loved and then shuttering it.
There's also the whole Buell of the situation, as Harley-Davidson as a whole just can't quite seem to figure out how to manage offshoots of its own company. Though, to be fair, it's struggling to do so with the core business, too.
And that leads me to the LiveWire of it all.
It's no secret that LiveWire is burning cash. Like, just setting it on fire and throwing it up into the air. Despite selling five different models, it's still selling under 1,000 motorcycles a year. And both Harley and the feds (under the Biden administration) have pumped hundreds of millions into the company, but each has little to show for it. And there have been rumors that new CEO Artie Starrs has plans to shutter the company due to those grave losses.
But to be fair, this could be the Hail Mary that saves LiveWire from extinction. Again, the company needs a shot in the arm. Harley needs to capture the youth market. And each needs something that gets people talking about their respective brands. Dust Moto's Hightail could be that for each. And from my initial test of the Hightail, I liked it a lot. Even in its prototype specification. So if LiveWire can get it to production, and get it out to the public with a solid price point, they'll have the hit they absolutely need.
Fingers crossed.
