This article reports that HD's Kansas plan will shut down in 2019 and move 450 workers to York, PA, citing price as the main reason for HD's decreased U.S. sales. But scroll down to the first reader's post. Alex makes the case that HD's problem is more generalized to all motorcycling because of the "fear factor" instilled by overcautious helicopter parents and overbearing spouses. And I agree. I know many people who secretly want to own a Harley and ride, but they're afraid. They're literally in the closet...or our version would be, "In the garage."
I know many people who are secretly "In the garage" and need some help to come out. Recently, my cousin looks at my Harley and says to me, "Man I have always wanted a Harley..." and his wife grabs his arm, pulls him away and says, "Your a Dad now, time to grow up." And he shrugs his shoulders walks away, defeated. WTF? Being a Dad used to mean modeling true American grit, and freedom, and adventure. Many of us grew up like the kid in this photo. I keep it on my desktop to remind me what an awesome adventure my childhood was. What happened to us, America?
I think my cousin and millions like him, are the new HD market. They have the money. They have the desire. What they don't have is permission.
Now I'm not saying we should tell our wives to F-Off. I love my wife and would be lost without her. But there's a way to respectfully communicate, show mutual respect, and still be your own person. My wife would never admit it, but she is attracted to the rebellious side of me. If I followed her orders I would never have joined the Marines, got my tattoos, purchased a home defense shotgun, or have a Harley in the garage. I know deep down she loves that part of me that is...well...a Man.
This thread is our opportunity to speak directly to HD CEO Matt Levatich with our suggestions for getting closet riders to come out so we can Make Riding Great Again.
As I see it, the problem is the wuss-if-ication of American men and women. A tactful marketing campaign to target the millions of Americans like my cousin is a start. He just needs permission to buy and ride.
C'Mon Willie G and Mr. Levatich. Get HD's brightest minds together and figure out how to give these tortured souls permission to break out of their hum-drum existence and start living life as the adventure it should be.
Harley has aimed a huge portion of their advertising resources at women. It isn’t working.
Yes, there are lots of women riders, but not enough to pull Harley out of its funk.
Harley is changing. They want people other than their solid base. They are aiming for the electric motorcycle crowd, they are aiming for city living millennials, they are going for other demographics.
The garages of the country are full of Harley’s that are never moved. It’s not permission to ride that lets someone buy a bike, then not ride it.
sounds like your cousin needs to stand up to his wife and grow a set. I have some friends as well as a cousin that also live with a wife or girlfriend that controls what they do. I myself am very fortunate that my wife understands my love or addiction for riding....I do agree with what you are suggesting. Harley needs to go back and regroup and find the love again that so many of us still hold on to. If I could get just three people a yr to believe and live my passion for motorcycles then I feel I have done my part.
I didn’t start riding until my youngest graduated high school in 2004. I regret the years of riding I could have had. But every time I pass a distracted driver with their nose in their phone, or just miss a deer, I think it was a good decision.
My boys both took the Harley riding course for free. One’s a veteran, one’s a flight medic. The single one bought a used Suzuki M50. The married with children rents sometimes, and I’m good with that.
I still think Harley’s are overpriced, and they should never have dropped the Standards.
Pretty sure HD executives don’t care what we think. Which is too bad, because I think HDF is free market research.
As much as I dislike saying it: Execs and shareholders don't make course decisions based on customer feedback or advice. They make it on the one thing which keeps them all in the game, and of course that's money. Sales. It's not even about how many bikes as much as it is about overall profitability and market share.
We speak best and loudest with our feet and our wallets. That's what they notice. And that's why we don't get what we want. We get what they think will sell.
In the new world order men are chihuahuas and women are pit bulls. Chihuahuas won’t ride a motorcycle unless it has an air bag, governed top speed of 20mpg, permanent training wheels, and they are fully encased in bubble wrap. Stick a game video game controller in their hand and they become hypothetical bad asses!
It seems to me that in order for The Motor Company to survive (yes, survive) what they offer must evolve with the needs/wants of their potential customers. They clearly did that when the knucklehead was introduced (as well as other times) - it seems like they are at another one of those moments.
It is clear that younger people (younger than boomers) have different requirements than us; Harley needs to figure out how (if) they can attract a substantial number of those folks. Period...my 2 cents.
My son is almost 25. He has a great job and does well. He has no interest in buying a $20-25k motorcycle. That's the difference between a base model Mustang and the top line model. If he wanted one he could own one. Or buy a used one which won't help the MoCo.
Things are just different. Both my kids are grown and on their own. Looking back, neither one ever had any friends that came to our house on a motorcycle. The interest simply isn't widespread with the younger crowd.
Choices made by the MoCo will never be determined by what is posted on these forums. Anyone who believes that....close your eyes and click your heals three times and head back to Kansas.
I have no doubts there will some reading this who will have to google what that means.
They seem silly now, but the "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" commercials apparently helped to create a lot of new riders. Perhaps because they made motorcycles seem non threatening and able to be used by anybody? Not everybody is a risk taker, or considers themselves to be 'bad', and has no reason to ride a motorcycle or wants to be a hardcore motorcycle rider.
I think a problem is that Harley's are too costly, and too much machine, for a lot of people. Especially beginners that have other things in life that interest them. Perhaps the 'street's would have been helpful decades ago to create new riders that are loyal to Harley?
02-04-2018, 07:03 AM
Let's Help HD Execs Make Riding Great Again
