Why is Harley riding on a decline?
#51
12-31-2017, 02:48 PM
They seem to be doing pretty on diversity already..
"It has helped make Harley-Davidson the No. 1 seller of new, on-street motorcycles among Hispanics in the United States, an important distinction as Harley broadens its market with sales to minorities and nontraditional customers.
Harley sells more than five times as many new bikes to African-Americans as its competitors and more than four times as many to Hispanics, said Shelley Paxton, Harley-Davidson's vice president of global marketing and brand."
http://archive.knoxnews.com/business...86031631.html/
"It has helped make Harley-Davidson the No. 1 seller of new, on-street motorcycles among Hispanics in the United States, an important distinction as Harley broadens its market with sales to minorities and nontraditional customers.
Harley sells more than five times as many new bikes to African-Americans as its competitors and more than four times as many to Hispanics, said Shelley Paxton, Harley-Davidson's vice president of global marketing and brand."
http://archive.knoxnews.com/business...86031631.html/
#52
12-31-2017, 02:51 PM
Bingo, finally.
Didnt want to ever agree with you on anything, but wisdom forces me to :^)
Forget the price, the speed and the reliability. It's all about the image.
Show me a HD dealer that a blondie jesus with a goatee and a vest and tattoos is not working as a salesman. The poster that talked about kids growing up on video games is making a lot of sense. None of them are going to identify with someone like that salesman when they grow up.
Harley was and is a life style, will be for ever. They will have to change name, like radio shack, and that still wont save them. They maybe sell out and become a smaller operation for a buyer. Not anytime soon though, it may take several more years and several more new versions and changes and killing off lines before they have to.
Didnt want to ever agree with you on anything, but wisdom forces me to :^)
Forget the price, the speed and the reliability. It's all about the image.
Show me a HD dealer that a blondie jesus with a goatee and a vest and tattoos is not working as a salesman. The poster that talked about kids growing up on video games is making a lot of sense. None of them are going to identify with someone like that salesman when they grow up.
Harley was and is a life style, will be for ever. They will have to change name, like radio shack, and that still wont save them. They maybe sell out and become a smaller operation for a buyer. Not anytime soon though, it may take several more years and several more new versions and changes and killing off lines before they have to.
#54
12-31-2017, 03:10 PM
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#55
12-31-2017, 03:15 PM
Road Warrior
People see what they want to see but the facts don't lie.
2016- Harley Davidson sold more bikes than Ducati, Triumph and BMW combined
Harley: 260,289
BMW: 145,032
Ducati: 55,451
Triumph: 56,253
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2017/01/1...ycles-in-2016/
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2...-profits-2016/
http://www.ducati.com/news/ducati_en.../4413/index.do
Harley down 2015 -> 2016
1.6%, 264,627 to 260,289
Ducati up 2015 -> 2016
1.2%, 54,809 to 55,451
Not exactly fitting the narrative OP is painting
2016- Harley Davidson sold more bikes than Ducati, Triumph and BMW combined
Harley: 260,289
BMW: 145,032
Ducati: 55,451
Triumph: 56,253
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2017/01/1...ycles-in-2016/
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2...-profits-2016/
http://www.ducati.com/news/ducati_en.../4413/index.do
Harley down 2015 -> 2016
1.6%, 264,627 to 260,289
Ducati up 2015 -> 2016
1.2%, 54,809 to 55,451
Not exactly fitting the narrative OP is painting
Honda sold over 17,000,000 (That's right million) bikes in 2016
Yamaha over 5 million
Last edited by rhino1250; 12-31-2017 at 03:17 PM.
#56
12-31-2017, 03:31 PM
https://www.hondaresearch.com/2016-h...16_US_0517.pdf
Last edited by ford13; 12-31-2017 at 03:32 PM.
#57
12-31-2017, 03:35 PM
And if motorcycle sales and registrations are rising why all the articles on the dying motorcycle market?
#58
12-31-2017, 03:44 PM
Road Master
Sure, but most of that is small displacement bikes, HD does differentiate they sell large displacement bikes. I think HD is building a plant in Thailand, maybe they will start making mopeds and 50cc bikes for the East there?
#59
12-31-2017, 03:50 PM
Yes, but there's also the Honda CBR300R and CB300F, Kawi Ninja 400, Yamaha YZF-R3, KTM RC390/390 Duke, etc. all in the $4500-$5500 range brand new. And even though they're the smallest in their families they are more than enough for an "only" bike for a lot of people. Harley has nothing in their range to compete here. The Street 500 is a lumbering overweight pig compared to these bikes.
How right you are. THIS
https://www.kawasaki.com/Products/2018-Ninja-400-ABS
is a lot of motorcycle for 5300 bucks. 5K even if you don't want ABS. It'll leave a 750 Street (of any sort) for dead. I've been riding since the 60s and even I'm thinking about one.
Last edited by Campy Roadie; 12-31-2017 at 03:51 PM.
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#60
12-31-2017, 04:06 PM
Grand HDF Member
Why is Harley riding on a decline?
Well..., it is cold as **** outside
=============
There will always be Bikers
As for the rest abandoning this gig - good F'n riddance - and about time
And should the moco go **** up - so be it
Bikers will always find a way to build something..., outta nothing - and be what they've always been
Ghost
Well..., it is cold as **** outside
=============
There will always be Bikers
As for the rest abandoning this gig - good F'n riddance - and about time
And should the moco go **** up - so be it
Bikers will always find a way to build something..., outta nothing - and be what they've always been
Ghost
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