No Surrender: Harley Needs to Get Back on (Flat) Track
It’s time for Harley-Davidson to make a proper return to its old stomping grounds. There’s loads of potential.
In March of 2019, Harley-Davidson celebrated the 50th anniversary of its iconic XR750. As the MoCo noted in the celebratory press release, “the XR750 is the winningest motorcycle in AMA Pro Racing motorcycle history” — and it didn’t just slay in the dirt. After all, this is the bike that Evel Knievel rode from 1970 to 1976, and his breathtaking jumps ensured even folks who weren’t racing fans know exactly what it looked like. In recent years, however, Harley has essentially surrendered the flat and left ground to its oldest nemesis — Indian. And I think it’s time for Milwaukee to get back in the game.
Now, I’m willing to admit I haven’t always felt so strongly about Harley’s dirt track program. In fact, just two years back, I wrote a post arguing that its demise was perfectly fine. And for the record? I still agree with most of the points I made. Because the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” theory of marketing ain’t what it used to be, and when it comes to visibility, flat track racing isn’t exactly Monday Night Football. This exciting, dangerous, and all-America competition remains a niche sport. But a couple of big factors have changed since I wrote that post.
First, the Hardwire Strategy, which followed the cost-cutting Rewire Strategy, appears to be paying dividends. Last year, third-quarter profits were up by over 12%, and even some independent analysts are starting to take note. So Harley isn’t exactly on the financial ropes the way it was a few years ago, when it was culling its product line of highly anticipated machines like Bronx streetfighter.
Second, a key part of the Hardwire Strategy involves “selective expansion and redefinition,” and the success of Pan America has proven that if Harley wants to enter a segment and be competitive? It can do it. Despite what the company’s many detractors might say, Harley is capable of building more than chrome-drenched cruisers.
So why not come into the scrambler market and kill it? Personally, I have been dying to see Harley come in and take on European competitors like Ducati and Triumph in this segment, and I think Hit could prove to be as big a win as the Pan America. Seriously, the designers should pull a page out of Triumph’s playbook — see the latest Scrambler — and go retro. They should make it look as much like the vintage XR750 as they can. Hell, figure out a way to make the headlight look like a number plate! Offer the first year exclusively available in Jet Fire Orange. Make it look like something you shouldn’t even be allowed to ride on the street. People would flip —especially if it outperformed the new Indian FTR Sport.
But while I’ve previously written that it would be OK for the MoCo to just make street bikes and forget actually taking checkered flags, I don’t believe that anymore. Harley’s record on the track is an incredible part of its heritage, and it feels like it’d be sacrilegious to just play off the XR750’s legacy and not back it up with present-day dominance. If you don’t agree, watch the video below, and see if it doesn’t make you want to see Harley come out swinging.
Photos: Harley-Davidson
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