If you associated Harley Davidson with bearded, tattooed bikers and the need to get a second mortgage to pay for upkeep, you wouldn’t be far wrong.

Harley Davidson motorbikes are iconic and generally beautiful pieces of machinery. The high price tag and pain in acquiring parts can turn off riders from making the investment, and in my experience, many younger motorcyclists and bikers go for choppers or cruisers which are less of a financial burden – whether for parts or to provide the beasts with fuel.

So even if an electric Harley might not appeal to old school riders, perhaps the update could lure the next generation thanks to the lower costs of running them. However, there’s one main element which could ensure its popularity: it looks good.

Many prototype electric motorbikes not only are basically soundless – which in my opinion is dangerous if you’re riding – but leave much to be desired in the looks department.

One thing Harley Davidson does well is produce stunning bikes, even if it is an electric vehicle that sounds similar to a spaceship in The Jetsons.

As reported by SmartPlanet last week, Harley Davidson’s electric vehicle (EV) has been produced under the name Project LiveWire. While the specs of the motorbike remain sketchy, Harley Davidson announced the bike would be making its way across the U.S. to acquire feedback from riders.

The firm says that test riders will be offered beginning at the Harley Davidson of New York dealership Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a four-day show at the Harley museum in Milwaukee. Test rides will then be offered in Boston Friday to Sunday, and an event in Philadelphia has also been scheduled for July.

At least 30 dealerships will be visited in 2014, and Project LiveWire is set to include a ride down Route 66.