H-D: Painted into a demographic corner?

[The Veg]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/17/autos/h ... htm?hpt=C2

[Deleted User 287]

Oh God, they mentioned Mitch Daniels....how humiliating...

[Major Softie]

It's not like they haven't seen it coming. H-D is very aware of the problem. Both Buell and the V-Rod were tactics to branch out and develop a broader demographic. The V-Rod has irritated the faithful, and not sold well. They've given up on Buell: Buell developed a tremendous and unique product, but Harley dealers didn't seem to know how to sell them, or how to relate to the new demographic. Buell might have done better if they had not becoming the red-headed child of H-D (apologies to all the redheads out there - I think your sisters are really hot, or, if you are younger, maybe even your mom).

Okay, I think I've offended enough people now.

[Deleted User 287]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SorBWXCdMY

[KenHawk]

I dunno...

As much as I consider myself an "American Biker", its hard for me to sympathize with HD now that the times are changing for them. Harley abandoned their core buyers when they decided to sell to the yuppie crowd. There were so many of us who'd have bought American if they'd kept their bikes affordable and offered something modern and moderately sporty.

Yeah...! Like maybe a Buell that could challenge the Japanese and European bikes on the streets and in the twisties! How about that Harley? Thats what we asked you for but what did you do? You put the engine that Eric developed into that V-Rod abortion. Thanks a lot Harley!

I mean the hubris of those assholes.... Dropping Buell, just as their investment was going to finally pay big dividends. Buell's new Superbike was good looking, fast and ready for release, with an entirely new generation of riders ready to buy em. Now, all they have to offer the young guys is another updated Sportster and they've conned (Or forced!) Cycle World into devoting the entire latest issue to pushing HD's product. Sorry Cycle World, I won't be renewing this year. Not even at the special $1 per issue renewal rate and my two Airhead will last me till either theres no more gas to put in em or I'm dead, whichever comes first.

OTOH, staid old BMW introduces their new 1000cc crotch rocket and they're flying out the doors and winning races all over the planet and this is just their first year!

Screw Harley Davidson. They were looking in the mirror and praising themselves, when they should have been talking to riders. Not their own customers but to everyone else's customers!

[enigmaT120]

I liked this bit:

"Marlon Brando's 1954 movie The Wild One helped solidify Harley's image of hairy-chested rebellion, an identification it alternately embraces and spurns."

Brando was riding a little known Harley vertical twin model with fake Triumph badges, I guess?

[Garnet]

Brando was just ACTING like he was ridding a Harley.

Honda has been worried about the aging owners of bikes for many years now, and they have a WAY younger demographic.

[Deleted User 287]

Brando was just ACTING like he was ridding a Harley.

No, I think it is more like the Harley riders were acting like they were Brando.

[Major Softie]

I liked this bit:
"Marlon Brando's 1954 movie The Wild One helped solidify Harley's image of hairy-chested rebellion, an identification it alternately embraces and spurns."
Brando was riding a little known Harley vertical twin model with fake Triumph badges, I guess?

You know, even though he was on a Triumph, what they said is still true. The movie helped solidify that image, and Harley embraced that image; Triumph did not.

[Matt]

Good article,
HD has done some things right & some things wrong. They did such a great job of coming back so to speak. what they didnt do soon enough was attract the next generation of riders. Buell was a great idea but poorly executed, riders Edge was a good idea but again POORLY executed. I worked for HD for most of 2000, i was a general durability test rider. I worked on among other things the V-rod project. I got to see things from the inside.
HD new they couldn't maintain the pace they were on, they knew they'd eventually saturate the US market. One thing they did right but the US market complained about was diverting as much new bike sales into other and new markets world wide.
HD's still carry a lot of weight worldwide, you can still sell your good used big twin over seas for more than in the US.
Why HD went so far to push dealers into these million dollar boutiques is beyond me. BMW went down a similar path but is still growing especially in the US. BMW has somehow justified the huge pricetag and a younger demographic continues to buy BM's. HD products are now the old guy bike BMW's used to be. As Buell was killed off BMW was actually coming out with a killer sport bike. Riders Edge was a very good idea especially for Buell but the marketing was lacking(as is the curriculum) & somebody tell me why they made the Buell blast a standard or sport style motorbike when EVERYONE who would have supported the mark wanted a smaller cruiser??? HD kept pushing the price of a sportster up yet it remains a so called"bitch bike" by the masses of HD fans??? Notice now the lower priced Sportsters that are now on the market??? too little too late....Remember when the 883 hugger sportster was $3995??? & somebody tell me why a young rider would buy any Buell when they could walk out of any big 4 dealer with a 600cc sportbike that would simply KILL any Buell ever made for half the price? Also notice how the young loyal V-twin lovers out there went for hard tail customs instead of buying a new HD? These youngsters(JUST like the older HD buyers) weren't about RIDING motorcycles as they were about some bling in the garage and telling the world how hardcore they are through T-shirts stickers on they're CARS?!?. Machismo instead of miles....*sigh* , makes me want to puke. Ever heard a Hawg guy say something like...."I'd rather push a Harley than ride a honda"? Makes you wonder what draws these so called enthusiasts to motorcycles...
yes I'm ranting
Which points me to things like all the stickers & Tshirts you see out in public and NO Harleys in sight! My favorite is the toy hauler trailer with HD stickers 3 feet tall teling what they have inside the trailer but you rarely pass a out of state Hawg RIDER on your way down to Daytona bikeweek. HD should have gotten into the RV & trailer market ey???
Lately Hd has been slashing and burning trying to stay afloat. The old test facility in AL I used to work at? closed. They layed off thousands of employees & the only semi competitive bike they are currently selling(i think) is that low priced Sportster. & there are SO many other bikes out there that make a better street bike for half the price. NOw big twins worth half what they used to be clog the market & new big twins languish on the sales floor. SO...what does that mean?
not much BUT a good used low mile HD is a very good motorcycle & with low miles used bikes that are now bringing only $5-7500 bucks you can buy a HD product that will last you for decades at a reasonable price. & don't knock it. I know....a Evo or twin cam HD is not a turd, they are WAY over engineered and over built and most of the bikes out there are under ridden, they are easy to maintain and are about as reliable as a hammer. I know, me & the other test riders rode those test bikes like they were stolen...We put 80,000 miles on them for 3 shifts per day & they were only serviced as prescribed. When the test cycle was finished they were ready for another 80K but... then they were sent to the crusher...now HD products are now affordable to many more people & guess what? Harleys aren't cool any more! If more people would actually RIDE motorcycles then you could get a hell of a good commuter/touring bike at a bargain price. BUT NO! the harley guys got rid of the Hawgs & kept the SUV. these are the guys who touted how hardcore they were with a 5yr old 5000 mile bike & now that Hawgs aren't cool any more they just don't care any more.
One bike I didn't mention is the V-Rod. When I was riding them there were probably 50 or less total made & worth millions each. The forst generation of V-rods with the forward controls were the most uncomfortable bikes & running its 4 gallon tank out without a long break was a chore, they were plenty fast & had great handling till the ground clearance ran out but simply look IMO goofy with a rider on it. There is something VERY pleasant about horsing around on million dollar motorcycles and getting paid to do it...Only one guy died test riding a V-rod...
& the reason for the V-rod is it IS the future for HD. they cant keep making air-cooled bikes for much longer. In america its called EPA standards. thats why they stopped making airhead BMW's...
HD is shrinking while companies like BMW are growing.
another interesting thing i discovered at HD was more than a few of the engineers & test analysts owned Airhead BMW's & usually more than one.....the people designing HD's know quality
see y'all on the road.
matt