who will replace the old guard?
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 795
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From: Douglasville, Ga
"if we look at just the heavyweight segment, in 2011, there's 4 points I'd like to make: number one, nearly half of all heavyweight motorcycles sold to young adults were Harley-Davidson's; number two, nearly 2/3 of heavyweight motorcycles sold to women were Harley's; number three, we also sold more than half of all of our heavyweight motorcycles sold to African-American customers; and number four, nearly 6 in 10 heavyweight motorcycles sold to Hispanic riders."
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 59
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From: detroit
the most bike dense area where i live is royal oak michigan. see lots of harley's on wednesdays and sport bikes on thursday nights. however, i did notice that a large number of younger riders were riding cafe racer-type bikes, older hondas and bonnevilles.
i think that the younger demographic, around 20's to early 30's, are really enamored of cafe racers and harley doesn't offer that. they may eventually graduate to a harley or other cruiser, but i don't think HD appeals to the younger, hipster, demographic...at least not yet. you never know. the hipster may decide that a bobbed harley is the thing if they decide that cafe racers are too mainstream.
i think that the younger demographic, around 20's to early 30's, are really enamored of cafe racers and harley doesn't offer that. they may eventually graduate to a harley or other cruiser, but i don't think HD appeals to the younger, hipster, demographic...at least not yet. you never know. the hipster may decide that a bobbed harley is the thing if they decide that cafe racers are too mainstream.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 887
Likes: 1
From: Spring, Texas
It is the same as it ever was! There will always be a steady stream of riders who "didn't appreciate Harleys" until they reach the age that you did when you first appreciated them.
Harley is not the average young mans bike any more and hasn't been for decades. I would almost bet $$ that the average age of a buyer for a NEW Harley is somewhere in the mid 40's. With the 30's and 50's groups not far behind.
But then again, I have no information to back this up just like you have none to back up you assumption that Harley is fading away and no new "Young Bucks" are stepping up into a new Harley.
Have no fear, there will always be a New Harley on a showroom somewhere until our current society crumbles away to socialism or communism.
Harley is not the average young mans bike any more and hasn't been for decades. I would almost bet $$ that the average age of a buyer for a NEW Harley is somewhere in the mid 40's. With the 30's and 50's groups not far behind.
But then again, I have no information to back this up just like you have none to back up you assumption that Harley is fading away and no new "Young Bucks" are stepping up into a new Harley.
Have no fear, there will always be a New Harley on a showroom somewhere until our current society crumbles away to socialism or communism.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,759
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From: Breaux Bridge, LA
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Joined: May 2007
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i'm not getting out of bed tomorrow.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 115
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From: Kalamazoo
I wouldn't say there are a ton of young guys out there. I had my first sporty at 24. I'm now on to a fatbob and 26. I only have a few friends my age that have anything close to a cruser. Of course i'm the only one who puts over 5K a year on my bike. Which isn't a that much I realize but it's still WAY more than my sport bike friends are doing. I do go to dealer events and hang with the "old guys" but i've never had a problem with that. I've found that those guys are more interesting anyhow. I figure my other buddies will figure it out eventually. A few of them are doing some over night runs with me this summer. I can't wait till they get off a sport bike after riding for 6 hours.
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,217
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A few weeks ago, I bought a new MacBook as a gift for someone. I had never been into an Apple store and was stunned at the number of people inside, and especially at the number of salespeople! It wasn't a big store, but it was PACKED, and you're right - most people in there were well under 30.
Needless to say, I left after just taking a brief glance at them & ordered online.
I don't exactally hang out in HD dealerships either, but it's a heck of a lot more fun to go there.