Purdue’s Mitch Daniels to test new Harley-Davidson all-electric motorcycle to kick off student recruiting event

Purdue University President Mitch Daniels will participate in a Harley-Davidson motorcycle ride through campus on Monday (Sept. 16) to test drive the new all-electric Harley-Davidson LiveWire motorcycle. LiveWire is the first and halo vehicle in a broad portfolio of Harley-Davidson electric two-wheelers across a spectrum of models and price points that introduce consumers to a new riding experience. (Image provided by Harley-Davidson Motor Company)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University President Mitch Daniels will participate in a Harley-Davidson motorcycle ride through campus on Monday (Sept. 16) to test drive the new all-electric Harley-Davidson LiveWire motorcycle. Daniels has owned and ridden motorcycles for nearly 50 years, including several Harley-Davidsons, but has never been on an electric bike until now.

“I’m a long-time and current happy Harley customer, and delighted that so many Boilermakers are a part of this great company,” Daniels said.

Following the Boilermaker Special, Daniels and three Harley-Davidson Motor Company leaders will depart from Westwood to drive along U.S. Highway 231, Cherry Lane, Northwestern Avenue and Stadium Avenue. They will arrive at approximately 9:35 a.m. at the Engineering Gateway to the Future arch near Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering. Purdue students, faculty and staff are welcome to be at the destination. Daniels and Michelle A. Kumbier, Harley-Davidson Motor Company senior vice president and chief operating officer, will make remarks to kick off a day of student recruitment and engagement activities with the company. The other two Harley-Davidson riders joining Daniels and Kumbier, are Jim Federico, vice president of engineering, and Bryan Niketh, vice president of motorcycle product development.

Following the ride, students can interact with LiveWire through the Jumpstart rider experience in which they will get to feel the transformative power of riding the all-electric motorcycle by sitting on a stationary bike and giving the throttle a twist. Students from the Engineering Ambassadors Symposium, which is comprised of automotive and electric student organizations, also hear from the Harley-Davidson leadership and recruitment team about the brand’s engineering and electric vehicle strategy and what it’s like to be an engineer at the company.

LiveWire is the first vehicle in a broad portfolio of Harley-Davidson electric two-wheelers across a spectrum of models and price points that introduce consumers to a new riding experience. Propelled by the immediate torque of the H-D Revelation all-electric powertrain, LiveWire is capable of rapid acceleration with just a twist of the throttle – no clutching or gear shifting required. Its debut highlights the company’s commitment to lead in the electrification of urban two-wheelers while building the next generation of riders through new products in additional motorcycle segments and broader access.

Harley-Davidson has more than 40 employees who are Purdue graduates, and Purdue is a tier 1 school for recruitment for Harley-Davidson. Purdue is also a key partner in the Harley-Davidson IGNITE Program, which consists of robust and formalized internship and co-op assignments, as well as full-time rotational development programs.

This ride is one of many events celebrating Purdue’s 150th anniversary. The Giant Leaps celebration is highlighting Purdue’s remarkable history of giant leaps, while focusing on what giant leaps Purdue can take to address the world’s problems.

Writer: Kelsey Schnieders Lefever, kschnied@purdue.edu

Media contact: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Chelsea Schwabe, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, 414-510-7023, chelsea.schwabe@harley-davidson.com

Note to Journalists: Space will be reserved for news media photographers and videographers to have a good view of the motorcycle riders when they arrive at the Gateway to the Future arch. Additional broadcast-quality b-roll of the ride will be made available after the event. If reporters are interested in attending or the b-roll, contact Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu