[3] The song was written by Perry, Jacob Kasher Hindlin and its producers Charlie Puth and Johan Carlsson.

[15] Dani Blum from Pitchfork believed that Perry remains a "master at executing proven chart-topping formulas".

She praised Perry's vocals and deemed the track a "standard, breezy pop: a gently writhing beat".

[16] Mike Wass of Idolator wrote that Perry "switches it up with a soft and sexy bop" after "delivering a double dose of emotional pure-pop" with her previous singles "Never Really Over" and "Small Talk".

[19] John Dolan of Rolling Stone described "Harleys In Hawaii" as a "cute island R&B escapade".

He said that "Harleys in Hawaii" has been viewed extensively by a demographic that "the motorcycle maker has had a hard time reaching.