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Harley-Davidson's Electric Bike Doesn't Sound Like Other Hogs

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And today's last word in business is -

(SOUNDBITE OF MOTORCYCLE)

MONTAGNE: That's the sound of the new LiveWire whizzing by, Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

It goes zero to 60 in four seconds and it looks mean enough to be a Harley. But there is something missing.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOTORCYCLE)

MONTAGNE: Missing is the sound of the iconic Harley rumble - so iconic that motorcycle manufacturer once tried to trademark it. So - how to describe the sound of Harley's new battery-powered bike?

PAGE DIERS: It's kind of the sound of a jet engine going by you really fast.

WERTHEIMER: Christine Paige Diers is the executive director of the Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame in Sturgis, South Dakota, home to one of the biggest annual bike rallies in the country.

DIERS: And I'll be interested to hear what it sounds like when it pulls up beside you at a stop sign.

MONTAGNE: Or a lot of them. Harley executives promised the LiveWire will sound different but good.

WERTHEIMER: And if not, you can always try putting baseball cards in the spokes. And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Our theme music was written by BJ Leiderman and arranged by Jim Pew. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.