Harley-Davidson had several small CC bikes in the past. Do a little research on them. Fascinating!

 

Need more street 750s doing stunt shows

 

And now due to demand in the US going down they are closing the Kansas City plant.
http://fox4kc.com/2018/01/30/harley-...ummer-of-2019/
"We are launching a significant, multi-year manufacturing optimization initiative that is anchored in the consolidation of our Kansas City, Mo. final assembly operations into our York, Pa. final assembly plant. This decision was made after very careful consideration of our manufacturing footprint and the appropriate capacity given the current business environment. We are constantly evaluating capacity and our current U.S. capacity exceeds U.S. demand.

We anticipate an increase of approximately 450 full-time, casual and contractor positions will be added at our York facility, which will be expanded to support additional production. Specific details on expansion are still being developed."

Harley-Davidson President & CEO Matt Levatich said closing the Kansas City plant will eliminate 800 jobs.

 

Translation:

We're selling fewer bikes and need to reduce costs and overhead to maintain profitability.

 

 

Shouldn't the title of the thread be" Why is motorcycling in general on the decline?" It's an industry question not just a single brand issue. I've said before that living in a tourist rich area has afforded me a glimpse into the lives of the rich and idle. We don't have nearly the motorcycles going by that we had 5 years ago. Maybe riders are taking staycations closer to home. We're rural and don't normally ride in groups. So we know the tourists.

 

As a millennial asked me, "how do you check your texts when riding?" Despite laws banning texting while driving, Millennial's do not use voice control or even talk to each other on their smart phone, they text, tweet, Instagram and they are looking for the next social media as they have made these listed above, boring and passe. Making emojis larger and more colorful ain't cutting it.

If you want a millennial to ride, you need a way to separate them from their smart phone for as long as it takes them to do anything else. Self driving cars and Uber are their answer now. "What, you expect me to actually drive a vehicle?"

This is not a Harley issue. This is not a motorcycle issue. This is a life issue.

 

I don't know about other US states, but even with the great weather in California, I can hardly see motorcyclists using their bikes as means of transportation.

I see a lot of bikes out during weekends. But in my daily 70-mile commute, I would be lucky if I run into 10 other motorcycles. The weather was perfect today, and I ran into about 5 bikes in congested traffic.

Motorcycles seem to have become luxurious toys. They are not perceived as good means of transportation.

If more of us use our bikes as vehicles and show others that we save a lot of time and gas for our daily commute, maybe they will get on a bike. If they see motorcycles as expensive weekend toys, then they'd rather spend $15,000 to $20,000 on a car.

A friend of mine rides his Harley 60 miles per day, every day, for his commute. He can easily justify the costs to purchase his bike and to maintain it. In gas alone, he saves close to $2000 per year.

 

I agree totally with the first sentence above.


I'd like to agree with the second sentence, but it's probably wishful thinking in most parts of the country.


Probably dozens of reasons why bikes have become passé as daily transportation for all but a tiny minority. Weather issues. Safety issues. Related gear issues. The hassle factor. By far I think safety issues are the main reason bikes are falling into disfavor. We're a very risk-averse nation and culture. Drunk/drugged/texting/eating/distracted/ drowsy drivers make life hazardous. It's just easier to commute in a car...by far. And with today's reliance on connected technology, cars make that experience easier too.


I am one of those who looks at a motorcycle for myself as a 2-wheeled RV. It's an option in my life. I only ride for enjoyment. I'm willing to guess that 8/10 (or more) road bike owners only ride for pleasure the majority of the time.