According to the data, motorcycle riding is on the rise. There has been more Motorcycle registrations last year than years past ( surprisingly, more women).

Not Harleys. Why is that the case? The answer may be obvious, but interested to know your point of views.

 

They’re too expensive for the age group they’re marketing too. Not the best bang for your buck either

 

They need to make more than 3 types of bikes

 

I think motorcycles are being used for cheap transportation for younger people who can't afford Harley's and those in their 20's and 30's see them as recreational vehicles. There is plenty of competition for recreation vehicles though when you want a motorcycle, a boat, an RV, etc... a lot of my friends just buy dirt bikes and don't want to buy an expensive street bike just to have it sit for 5 months in the winter when they can have plenty of fun on a dirt bike at 1/4 of the cost and still be able to get a four wheeler, a boat, and a camper.

 

Price?

Ducatis are not cheap. How come their sales increased by 10% in 2016?

Nah, I dont think the price is the factor here. If the younger guys wanted to buy Harleys they would have. They would go to Sportsters that are smaller, and cheaper too. But didnt.

Correction: 10% Ducati increase was in 2015.

 

1. Harley's got the reputation of not being reliable compared to Japanese bikes.
2. Very expensive.
3. Being an old guys bike.
4. Heavy.
5. Slow.
6. A lot of people don't like and want to be associated with Harley bikers with the Harley look with the vest and patches etc. "You meet nicer people on a Honda".

 

these reason come to mind:
1. Harley doesn’t make sports bikes, dual sport, or off road bikes which capture a fair share of new bike sales.
2. Young riders are not into nostalgia. Won’t pay premium prices for old technology.designed to go straight down the highway.
3. Harley doesn’t make a decent entry level motorcyclea in the 250-750cc range. The new Streets don’t compare.
4. HD keeps discontinuing models Harley riders like to buy.
5. Older hard core riders are a dying breed and very small segment of new MC buyers. We rather keep and improve what we have. Younger generation doesn’t have the time or patience.
6. HD dealers use to treat their buyers like customers. Now they treat you like a number.

 

I've believed one of the factors that leads riders to other brands is the image. HD has spent years cultivating that 'bad boy' image which doesn't resonate with younger riders and those who are more pure 'motorcyclists'; pseudo-1%er, wannabe, pirate; we've all heard it when it comes to those riding HD.

HD sold its soul to that marketing image and for quite some time it worked, but as those who went in for the HD 'lifestyle' age and leave motorcycling they're not being replaced as rapidly; that image has become a weight around HD's neck and HD is viewed like a caricature of a motorcycle, it's not taken seriously. How can you actually be a 'bad ***' on a heavy, under-powered V-twin when there are state of the art, high horsepower technological marvels out there ready to roll off the showroom floor; nothing extra needed, just add rider?

The perception many hold of what an HD is will take time to die; hopefully before HD itself does...

 

"According to data" and then you don't cite the data

It's not just Harleys, it's the motorcycle market in general.

http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...117-story.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/12/mill...eys-sales.html

Historical data MC shipments from Harley
http://investor.harley-davidson.com/...ycle-shipments

2016: 262,221
2015: 266,382
2014: 270,726
2013: 260,471
2012: 247,625
2011: 233,117
2010: 210,494

Harley is probably doing the most out of all the brands to get new people into motorcycling.

 

Too expensive, really? - you can get

Honda Rebel 500 $6,099

Harley Street 500 $6,899
Sportster 883 for $8,699

18 year old buyers who are new to motorcycles aren't buying CVO road glides