a_retent
In memory of Trixie woo-woo
An article from the Wall Street Journal:
Harley Davidson takes a risky new turn to rev up sales
Harley Davidson takes a risky new turn to rev up sales
How does H-D stay relevant in a changing market?
- Thread starter Pio1980
- Start date
mmickk
What!!??....Wasnt me!
https://newatlas.com/bmw-motorrad-concept-r18-motorcycle/59847/
Interesting concept. I like it but can only imagine that it would end up being another overpriced cruiser.
Pio1980
AK Member
Harley-Davidson will make small motorcycles in China with a new partner
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/19/business/harley-davidson-china/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/19/business/harley-davidson-china/index.html
Global market diversification has long been a successful strategy for most every car and significant motorcycle manufacturer.
Better late than never to the party!
I think HD is struggling to sell new bikes for a couple reasons. One which has already been touched on already. The used bike market is saturated. More supply than demand. It’s like smoking. It use to be in favor and all the affluent did it. Then it was proven unsafe and basically taken out of bars, restaurants, airplanes & hospitals. It looks like finally the masses have discovered that riding a motorcycle is like smoking. Dangerous to one’s health. More cars on roads and more distracted drivers than ever. I think the sales figures will continue to dwindle. I’d love to ride a Ducati but my NP wife is smarter than me and won’t permit it. She has first hand experience with this matter!!!
Sometimes this younger generation is smarter than the previous generations….
Sometimes this younger generation is smarter than the previous generations….
Pio1980
AK Member
I can't say that I see as many riders now as in the past, but I do see a fair number. I've noticed that there's been a shift to two and especially four-wheel off-road vehicles at non-HD dealerships. I still ride at 77 years with the same anticipatory joy as a a kid going to Disney for the first time. When I no longer can trust my situational awareness, it'll be time to hang it up.
When I was a young motorcyclist (1960s) you never saw old people riding motorcycles, it was pretty much exclusively youngsters. Now, 60 years later, I see very few young people, VS greybeards like me, riding "street" motorcycles. I have no idea why this shift happened, but it surely did. The off road bikes (we used to call them "dirtbikes", anyone remember that?) are still mostly ridden by youngsters though.....
After riding two wheels for over 40 years, both in the dirt and on the street, I have sold all of my motorcycles. I do a lot of traveling for work and I see distracted drivers every day. People can not break themselves away from their phones. The dirtbike was the hardest to give up, but that WR450 was a beast and my nephews sold their bikes so riding alone at my age is probably not a good idea. We don't bounce back as quickly any more. Going to retire early in a few months and I don't want to spend the rest of my life paralyzed or drooling from a wheelchair. Or die before my time. Still have the four wheelers though. Can't give up all enjoyment.
BMWCCA
Addicted Member
Old thread revived but unresolved! 
As a rider of over 53-years, I still own eight motorcycles, though I ride less than I did and would not think of riding to work—even before my retirement just three months ago.
I do still enjoy riding and I live just a few minutes from where the Blue Ridge Parkway meets the Skyline Drive, so I have great and often uncrowded roads I can access without traffic issues. When I do ride I usually try to burn an entire tank of gas (200-miles) each outing. But my motorcycle purchases aren't going to help keep any manufacturer afloat. First, I only buy BMW and, second, my newest bike is over 20-years old and that one is going on the market this spring in favor of my older bikes—the newest of which is 30-years old.
As a rider of over 53-years, I still own eight motorcycles, though I ride less than I did and would not think of riding to work—even before my retirement just three months ago.
I do still enjoy riding and I live just a few minutes from where the Blue Ridge Parkway meets the Skyline Drive, so I have great and often uncrowded roads I can access without traffic issues. When I do ride I usually try to burn an entire tank of gas (200-miles) each outing. But my motorcycle purchases aren't going to help keep any manufacturer afloat. First, I only buy BMW and, second, my newest bike is over 20-years old and that one is going on the market this spring in favor of my older bikes—the newest of which is 30-years old.
A lot of it comes down to risk aversion. Falling off a bike is more survivable when your young than when your old. You heal faster too. When you ride in the dirt the chances for hitting the ground are much greater. If I took the same header at 60mph that I did in my mid 20's don't think I'd survive. I'd love to ride dirt again but a gravel rode is as far as I'll go now and I'd be picky about that.
When I had the MG California 1400 use to ride with a English guy that use to race and did the Isle of Man a couple of times. He did the homestead thing. Crappy road to get to his drive. Then you had an 1/3 of a mile uphill ride on a road that was bulldozed after you crossed a creek. Curve in the middle with washouts. He said you'll have to ride your Guzzi next time. Told him I wasn't riding a 8-900 pound cruiser up his drive. He thought I was a wuss. I thought it was knowing your limitations. Drove my Golf station wagon up it and it sucked with a car.
When I had the MG California 1400 use to ride with a English guy that use to race and did the Isle of Man a couple of times. He did the homestead thing. Crappy road to get to his drive. Then you had an 1/3 of a mile uphill ride on a road that was bulldozed after you crossed a creek. Curve in the middle with washouts. He said you'll have to ride your Guzzi next time. Told him I wasn't riding a 8-900 pound cruiser up his drive. He thought I was a wuss. I thought it was knowing your limitations. Drove my Golf station wagon up it and it sucked with a car.
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Chad Michael
Dissonant Rhino
One of the major mistakes made by HD: cutting ties with Erik Buell... they shot themselves in the foot.
H/D, in my eyes, dropped the ball when they dropped the Buell. The Buell Lightning, Blast, Ulysses, Firebolt. A great way to diversify the brand and dealerships, not to mention attracting a wider audience. I like the fact that Buells (of that vintage) used h/d motors. Sold right next to their 'non - diluted' traditional h/d line for those who like them. Got an opportunity to ride the original Buell Lightning back in '97 or so, and I loved it. Should have kept Buell bikes with HD motors in the showrooms right next to their legacy bikes.... Erik's bike designs offered performance and innovation.
H/D, in my eyes, dropped the ball when they dropped the Buell. The Buell Lightning, Blast, Ulysses, Firebolt. A great way to diversify the brand and dealerships, not to mention attracting a wider audience. I like the fact that Buells (of that vintage) used h/d motors. Sold right next to their 'non - diluted' traditional h/d line for those who like them. Got an opportunity to ride the original Buell Lightning back in '97 or so, and I loved it. Should have kept Buell bikes with HD motors in the showrooms right next to their legacy bikes.... Erik's bike designs offered performance and innovation.
Pio1980
AK Member
Harley-Davidson's 2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland Is One Of The First Electric Cruiser Motorcycles You Can Buy In America - The Autopian
Harley-Davidson's LiveWire releases one of the first electric cruisers. The $15,999 2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland is a 194 ft-lb torque beast.
www.theautopian.com
Pio1980
AK Member
It's fun to look at, and low enough for normal folk unlike most of the line, but the foot position isn't going to work for me at least.
HD never fully recovered from the '09 recession. Sales dropped pretty hard and stayed down. The picture hasn't gotten any better recently, 2023 saw a 10+% drop in sales. That being said, it's a tough economic climate right now and they're hanging in there. I don't think they're going away any time soon. Endless growth is not a realistic expectation, as long as they're selling bikes and not losing money they'll do ok.
Also, having the Livewire brand for electric bikes might help then a bit, but the prices are still high and the kind of people that are buying electric bikes aren't going to pay a premium for the name. We'll see.
The whole thing with Buell was kind of a mess. I know a few people that had them and loved them. But then again I'm a sucker for a twin cylinder sportbike (still miss my Ducati 748).
Also, having the Livewire brand for electric bikes might help then a bit, but the prices are still high and the kind of people that are buying electric bikes aren't going to pay a premium for the name. We'll see.
The whole thing with Buell was kind of a mess. I know a few people that had them and loved them. But then again I'm a sucker for a twin cylinder sportbike (still miss my Ducati 748).
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