How about if you own a car that's insured your bike falls under the same insurance.

 

totally with you transam! im 22 and own an 06 fatboy...you don't grow into a hd! but than again im not your typical kid? i think its not what turns a kid on to a harley but what turns them away! no young guy wants to be walking around with a cap, a leather vest and some fingerless gloves. all the time see a guys like that who think they are the definition of a real biker even though they are just weekend warriors? but as for getting a younger crowd to purchase a harley forget about the streetbike idea!!! there are way too many company's out there that are making top of the line **** that buells cant even begin to touch. the sportsters are getting better and better so im sure thats helping...the movie idea? not too bad but as a young guy myself its not really gonna interest me to see a flick with some stock or even slightly modified bikes. young people want custom!! not the dumb *** occ **** but real cut chop and weld kinda mods. o yeah and the price thing, well that is just something that cant be avoided ......just my thoughts

 

I was 22 when I bought my Streetglide. Cost does turn away a lot of younger riders. But I have a few friends that ride street bike and they think all Harleys are for old men. I don't think HD will ever get over that persona.

 

I bought my first Sportster at 19 and saved a long time for it. Today's younger guys can do the same. The prices for used TC is reasonable.

The real problem is the focus has left the HD market, OCC made the chopper / HD craze go for years.

I also tend to believe most people are really sheeples and lemmings, they need to be lead , Just look at Sons of Anarchy, very BS , but it is something to watch, however unreal it is. I propose the first poster has it right, A TV show can reignite the interest with a good show.

I would propose a remake of something similar to " Then Came Bronson" only modernize it. perhaps a returning young vet, buys a Softtail and just wants to find himself, the riding and relationships he could find would be written to show what this fellow would /could come across in modern day America, throw in his military sense of right, a somewhat untamed streak in him along with a hole cast of different characters he could interface with from all crosses of life in America.

There could even be 2 brothers one a hard nosed ex marine on a WG and his officer USAF brother on a SG. That could built on 2 very different allies that come together through the trials they face in civilian life. All the while cruising on their Harley Davidsons. The masses would watch, and dream to be like them, just like my generation enjoyed the freedom of Jim Bronson. I know in 1969 I all but sealed my fate to get a Sportster as soon as I could, it took me 4 years, a couple of BSAs and I had my dream and I did begin to cruise America , at least what I could when I could and that was inspired by the TV show.

Maybe a part of the show could show how people need each other , relationships, laughing, crying, fighting and defending and dreaming all made possible as normal again. No super heros with fully autmatic weapons please. Perhaps even boy meets girl again. ( Solo seats ??? Where does the chick ride???)

It sure wouldn't hurt thats for sure.

I would also suggest using the old "Iron Butterfly" theme song " In the Goddavida" Simple and cool !

The young guys need to get their life, we had it so good, lets share.

 

All Harley needs to do is put a lower case i in front of everything and the 30 and under crowd will kill each other to get one.

You have iHarley-Davidson iMotorcycles
iFat Boy
iWide Glide
iUltra

You could sell iChrome accessories and iScreaming Eagle Performance Parts...

 

Most well thought idea I seen here, good answer!

 

Give all kids that come in the store one of these. Then when they get older they will want the real thing. Harley could copy what the Cigarette industry did and make commercials that appeal to young people like the Joe Camel ads.
Barney the Dino joins a 1% club, or Tele tubbies ditch there ufo's for a softail.











X

 

yup I gotta agree with what several have already said. They would need to heavily diversify, and build a much greater variety of machines from mini bikes, and dirtbikes, as well as sportbikes. Im afraid they took a step in the wrong direction by dropping buell. Sure the sales numbers were minimal as compared to their own brand name models, but now they even gave that up.

 

Call me an old man, but I sure don't like the direction the MoCo took when they demanded that the dealers create the Boutique atmosphere, and strayed away from the Biker atmosphere.

It wasn't that many years ago, that you could sit and talk with a wrench, you would share ideas over a "cold one"


You didn't need Hog to organize a ride, sitting at the dealer, and BS'ing with other riders, you would find common interest in a few, and off you would go.


Seems to me that it worked for 90 years, but starting with the 95Th anniversary, thru today, they have turned their attention more to marketing do dads, and changing the image of how they want the biker community to be viewed.


Produce a Classic bike, and judge dealers by their sales and service. Allow the dealers, to create the atmosphere which they think is best for them, and not force the dealers into multi-million dollar castles where profit is king.


Each executive of the MoCo should visit some independents, and figure out why so many Harley owners, would rather visit that shop, instead of the local Dealer.

 

That is a dam good idea, there! Hell yeah!, get'm think'n early!!