Key Takeaways:
LiveWire, the electric motorcycle company spun off from Harley-Davidson, is making a bold move into the dirt, acquiring startup Dust Moto to crack the off-road market despite a year of significant stock price decline.
LiveWire Group, Inc. (NYSE: LVWR) has acquired the assets of Dust Moto, a U.S. startup specializing in electric dirt bikes, in a strategic move to enter the growing off-road electric market. The acquisition, announced on May 19, 2026, will see LiveWire advance Dust’s electric dirt bike platform towards production, leveraging its own engineering, manufacturing, and marketing scale. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"LiveWire pioneered the on-road electric motorcycle market, and this acquisition allows us to build on that leadership as we expand into off-road," said Karim Donnez, CEO of LiveWire Group, Inc. "Dust Moto is a strong strategic fit and an accelerator of our vision, bringing proven off-road insight that will contribute meaningfully to LiveWire’s leadership position in electric powersports."
The acquisition brings LiveWire into the rapidly expanding electric off-road segment, which is attracting riders with the promise of high torque and performance, combined with reduced noise and lower maintenance. Dust Moto, a pioneer in the U.S. electric motorcycle startup scene, was launched with the intention of offering an affordable, high-performance electric dirt bike. "Joining LiveWire marks an exciting next chapter in our journey," said Colin Godby, CEO of Dust Moto. "With LiveWire’s scale, resources, and global reach, we can bring our electric off-road bike to market with a worldwide audience and deliver an unmatched off-road experience."
This strategic expansion comes at a challenging time for LiveWire. The company's stock has declined 71% year-to-date, and it has been operating with a negative gross profit margin of -10% over the last twelve months. Despite these headwinds, analysts anticipate sales growth in the current year, building on the company’s 15% revenue growth. The acquisition of Dust Moto could be a key factor in diversifying LiveWire's product portfolio and addressable market, but the company's ability to successfully integrate the new assets and bring a competitive product to market will be critical. LiveWire has stated that it will share more information on the product launch in the second half of this year.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
