Harley-Davidson's Unprecedented Project Rushmore

Company Connect

Project Rushmore was the code name for a four-year effort by Harley-Davidson to connect with its customers. The Motor Company called the 2014 launch their largest and most important endeavor they had ever undertaken. The project directly connected riders to Harley-Davidson stylists and engineers in a bid to understand where to improve.

Iconic Ride

The project had a dual meaning. Jen Hoyer, Harley-Davidson’s U.S. Media Relations Manager, explained in a 2016 Ultimate Motorcycling interview, “First, it’s rooted in the monumental image of Mount Rushmore and its significance to so many motorcycle riders around the world as the iconic destination of a dream ride. It’s that kind of ride that really brings Harley-Davidson products to life.”

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Rush More

Hoyer continued, “Project Rushmore is also about the combined ideas of ‘rush’ and ‘more,’ representing the performance and features we have designed into these new motorcycles. Working with our customers, we’ve created motorcycles that allow us all to see more, feel more, hear more and of course, rush more. We wanted this era of Touring bikes to be distinguishable in terms of all the changes that we made.”

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Sales Bid

In no-nonsense terms, the project was about selling more touring motorcycles. In practical terms, the “customer-driven package of enhancements” was aimed at increased power, better brakes, improved ergonomics, upgraded infotainment with voice-recognition software, text-to-speech capabilities, and fresh styling. In addition, the 2014 touring models featured low-profile front fenders and lighter cast-aluminum wheels.

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Next Level

Harley-Davidson said that real-world rider feedback was critical in the project. Mark-Hans Richer, Senior Vice-President, stated in a news release at an August 2013 unveiling in Denver, “Project Rushmore is a pure expression of our relationship with our customers and a shared passion for riding motorcycles...from day one we’ve been focused on taking the total rider and passenger experience to the next level.”

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Touring Output

The findings were then implemented across the entire 2014 Touring lineup. This included the Road King, Street Glide, Street Glide Special, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Ultra Limited, Tri-Glide Ultra trike, CVO Road King and CVO Ultra Limited. Also, all of the non-CVO motorcycles received the High Output 103 cubic-inch Twin Cam engine, ABS brakes, and LED headlights.

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Cool Rider

Engine cooling was a significant outcome of Project Rushmore. Harley-Davidson introduced an air and liquid cooling system for the Ultra Limited, Tri Glide Ultra, and the CVO Limited. Circulated by an electric pump, liquid coolant was routed through the cylinder heads before heading to heat exchangers in the fairing lowers. Both gains in performance from a cooler engine and rider comfort were reported.

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Stop It

On the stopping front, all the new Rushmore models come with Reflex Linked Brakes with ABS. Available either as standard equipment or as a factory-installed option, the linked braking activates above 20 mph. When active, braking force is applied to both wheels if either brake is applied, while front to back balance is automatically optimized. The ABS helps to control the motorcycle in slippery conditions.

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Grail Change

One of the riskiest moves was to redesign the iconic Batwing fairing to reduce head-buffeting for the rider. Brian Nelson, the lead stylist on Product Rushmore later commented, “When we got this assignment, we knew that we were messing with the Holy Grail of motorcycles.” Nelson set out with the goal to “make a lasting design that was neither trendy nor trying to make a fashion statement.”

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Heritage Connection

Harley-Davidson had an ulterior motive with Project Rushmore. It was to maintain the heritage of their brand while moving it forward. This motive was timely as Polaris Industries was set to unveil the revived Indian Motorcycles brand. For now, Harley-Davidson still makes the best touring bikes in the world, something which is partly due to its ongoing customer connection.

>>Join the conversation about Project Rushmore right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

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