Why Electric Motorcycles Still Aren’t a Smart Buy in 2025–2026

 

When I purchased my 2024 Harley-Davidson LiveWire S2 Del Mar in July 2024, I was excited to be part of the next wave of two-wheeled innovation. Fast forward to December 2025, and I’m trying to sell it — with very little luck. After more than a year of ownership, plus watching how the larger electric motorcycle market has performed across brands like LiveWire, Energica, and Zero, I’ve come to a clear conclusion: electric motorcycles still aren’t a smart or practical purchase for most riders in 2025–2026.

Real-World Range Still Lags Behind Rider Expectations

Every electric motorcycle brand claims respectable range numbers on paper. But once you actually ride them in mixed real-world conditions, the story changes — drastically.

My LiveWire S2 Del Mar regularly fell short of its advertised range. Cold weather, highway speeds, aggressive acceleration, or even just running errands around town chipped away at battery life much faster than expected. And this isn’t unique to Harley-Davidson. Energica and Zero riders report the same issue. The past five years of electric motorcycle development simply haven’t delivered the kind of reliable, flexible range riders need for anything beyond predictable commutes.

On a gas bike, you fill up in minutes and ride without thinking. On an electric motorcycle, every ride turns into energy management.

Charging Infrastructure Still Isn’t Motorcycle-Friendly

Even with more public chargers popping up, electric motorcycles still face major logistical challenges:

• Not all chargers support motorcycle plug types or charge speeds.
• Stations are designed for cars, so bike parking can be awkward or blocked.
• You may arrive to find the charger offline — a bigger issue when you don’t have miles of buffer.

Home charging helps, but only for daily commuting. It doesn’t solve long-distance travel, weekend road trips, or the need to get back out quickly after a ride.

No Solid-State Batteries… Yet

One of the biggest reasons electric motorcycles feel “stuck” is the lack of next-generation battery tech.

Solid-state batteries were hyped as the technology that would fix everything:

• dramatically longer range
• faster charging
• safer heat profiles
• lighter weight

But as of late 2025, none of the major motorcycle manufacturers — not Harley’s LiveWire, not Energica, not Zero — are using solid-state batteries. Instead, bikes are still running on older lithium-ion technology that has essentially plateaued. Until solid-state becomes mainstream, electric motorcycles will continue to have range limitations, battery degradation concerns, and weight issues that hold them back.

The Resale Market Is Practically Nonexistent

Perhaps the most painful lesson I’ve learned is how poor the resale market is.

Dealerships won’t buy my LiveWire S2 Del Mar back at all. They simply don’t want used electric motorcycles sitting on their floors because demand is low and buyers are hesitant. Third-party sites aren’t any better — it’s a slow, tedious back-and-forth bidding process where lowball offers are the norm. Depreciation hits electric motorcycles far harder than comparable gas models.

That makes owning one feel like holding a rapidly-devaluing tech gadget instead of a durable machine.

The Tech Is Cool — But Not Mature Enough for Most Riders

Electric motorcycles offer incredible torque, futuristic styling, and a fun riding experience. But between range limitations, charging headaches, outdated battery tech, and the awful resale market, they simply aren’t a wise financial or practical purchase right now.

I loved the thrill of riding my S2 Del Mar… but trying to live with it — and now trying to sell it — has shown me that the electric motorcycle industry still has a long road ahead before it becomes a mainstream, reliable option.

Until manufacturers roll out solid-state batteries, expand dealer support, and truly solve real-world range challenges, electric motorcycles in 2025–2026 remain more of a niche novelty than a smart investment.