So all this Covid 19 BS has me thinking about Harleys survival as a Company. Even before Covid the Company was having problems attracting new younger buyers to their market. Add the Virus in and it definitely makes for a sketchy situation.

I truly believe the key is going to be keeping the current base happy for a little while but most importantly luring in new fresh young blood. Unfortunately the new CEOs plan for building more expensive bikes and concentrating on the CVO line up and exclusivity is absurd.

Most folks that buy CVOs are older or have deep pockets. This plan is sure to fail. The younger crowd will never dish up big money for a bike and they are Harleys future.

Most young riders want an affordable bike that makes them feel a certain way. Something that makes them feel excited like a bike out of a movie dripping with sex appeal but at the end of the day doesn't make them broke. Look at the Low Rider S. Its selling pretty good considering the circumstances. If they can do even better then that and cheaper thats the true formula. Not over priced bloated CVOs. Those will die out with the Boomers for the most part.

Bikes like the RoadKing Special and Low rider S are a good start design wise for now but not good enough. They can do better. And they must lower the prices. Why would a young guy in this economy buy a Harley for $25k when the can get a bike with 160 to 200 horse power and can handle a race track for much less money? Unfortunately thats their train of thought and its not wrong. And I'm sorry to say but bikes like the new Softail Standard style wise are NOT the answer.

Harley coming out with the 128/131 engine kits is also a great step in the right direction. But again price is still an issue. How many young people have $23k for a RKS and then an extra $6k for the engine upgrade? Not many. Especially now. Now sell a new RoadKing Special stock with a 131 for $19,999 or Low rider S with the 128 engine for $15,999 and now you got something. And come out with new bad *** models with similar prices and power. And also have a line up with the 107 and 114 engines in the $12k range. That would be the true formula that saves Harley Davidson. They need to figure out away to do it and retool.

I hope someone at Harley hears this. Because this is the reality. Hire me. Hell even as just an adviser. I'll turn the Company around. Im 100% serious!!!! There's a lot more details and ideas that I have then just the tiny bit I talked about in this post. One idea that I have would be a game changer. Im even thinking about designing it and filling for a patent.

 

They need to upgrade the Sportster line and bring back the Dynas. The new Softail line is for the most part dog ugly . The new Streetbob and Softail Standard look like they just rolled off of Hondas assembly line . Harley can do better bring back an upgraded FXR with retro styling it would be a major hit.

 

I think the new Softails frame is good and the mono shock is superior to the out going Dynas but they need a better design team to create cooler better bikes out of it. Because I agree with you 100% that new Softail Standard and Street Bob are god awful ugly. Especially the gas tank.

 

It's too bad Harley isn't smart enough to come here and get all their problems solved by true experts!!

 

I don't know if your being sarcastic or not. But what they are doing now is obviously not working. Its time to actually listen to the people that buy their bikes. And unfortunately not to offend anyone but not the Baby Boomers. They need to look to the future if they want to Company to survive. And the future doesn't want $30k bikes and they want more bad *** designs that have soul and more power.

 

Not a baby boomer here, GenX. We’re still here and we still love our Harleys.
Millenials can wait in line for theirs.

 

Im a gen X as well. Ill be 40 soon. I promise if you seen some of my ideas of bikes they should come out with you would approve. Hell even a just what I mentioned above you wouldn't want a $19k RoadKing with a 131 engine?? And whats with the Standard RK and the styling? You like the studs on the seat and metal dressing around the fender? They can modernize it and clean it up nice. And come out with some really cool models and bring back some old models but redesigned. How about a 2021 Bad Boy totally modernized low and mean all blacked out with a 131 engine??? You wouldn't want that??? I would. They would sell like hot cakes.

 

They try to copy metric bikes why dont they build some retro styled bikes with the M8 motor ? All the metric bike companies did it with success. Im a baby boomer been riding since the 60's was in the market to buy a new bike after my Streetbob primary disintegrated. I dont care for baggers after that they dont have much to offer .

 

They probably should listen to their customers might help sales !

 

but surely riders are the experts, we have to like the bikes, the colors, the prices, the reliability. If HD want to keep going they have to change to suit their customers.