'Is Harley-Davidson Over the Hill?'

[Jon Katz]

I recently wrote an article for the IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies newsletter about Harley-Davidson and its struggle to maintain sales during the bleak economy.

This story by MSN Money suggests the company has lost its appeal to younger riders. To read the entire story, click here.

[wesdavidson]

Has Harley ever had the young riders? Not in the last 40 or so years.

With the Chief of police, the prosecutor, the lawyers, the judge, the doctors, dentists, and accountants riding Harleys, the true renegades now ride GEELEY. The scooters now have the growth and youth markets.

The present Harley owners grew up on Honda 90's, Yamahas, and Suzukis, they like the IDEA of a Harley, when they got money they bought one.

The motorcycle market collapsed in the 80's due to high prices for admittedly good motorcycles. But the bikes were too good. When the under $1000 bike disapeared, so did the youth market. I think the the sales killer was the monoshock motocross bike, when you could not buy a street legal bike at reasonable cost, that would keep up, well it wasn't fun anymore. When it quit being fun and affordable, folks quit buying. Harley is now falling into that gap, the riders who learned in the 70's and before, have Harleys. The next group is on Geeleys right now. The question is, will Harley last until these kids want (great) grandpa's bike?

I have known a few kids under 30 who have purchased Harleys; one is an elfin 100 pound 22 year old girl, and wow can she handle her sportster! However in each case they purchased them after getting hooked by a parent or older friend. (the young ladies father has ridden since the '60's) Most of the under 30's that I have seen on Harleys were borrowing the bike.

Cost is the big issue, second is the dealer system, third is the size and ungainliness of those dinosaurs. I have 2 close friends who have owned multiple Harleys, both in their 50's, one has smaller bikes he rides more often - including Hondas and BMWs.

Harley had a youth market once, in the 50's they made a full line of scooters etc, and in the 60's they had a line of italian bikes they sold. Both lines died when badly beaten by Japanese bikes and bad management and marketing.


( I am no relation to the Harley Davidson company, though at one time I build a few bikes. I did resist the temptation to name a boy Harley!)

[Abogle]

I rode Kawaskis in the 80's Z1-Rs, LTDs etc


I like the look of a harley but am underwhelmed by their performance and handling when compared to a comparable japanese bike.

I am liking the looks of the new triumphs and the Thruxton 900 in particular, haven't ridden one yet.


My next bike will be a kawaski w650 - the look of an old Brit bike with the performance, handling and quality of the japanese.

Bottom line is that I don't mind riding a harley once in a while, I probably would never own one

[wesdavidson]

Stepson got 2 tickets from a friend to the Utah Grand Prix, Miller Motorsports Park may 17th. We went.

Lots of neat fast racecars. Lots of scooters in the pits. A couple dozen Ford Cobras parked around and in the museum, and about a hundred semi truck race transports. Probably only about 5,000 spectators. Not well advertised. Fairly new track.

Not a Harley in site, not a Harley in the parking lot.

2 hours down 2 hours back. Saw one Harley all day, a County Sherriffs deputy.