*Disclaimer - This is my opinion, I’m no expert in business or the motorcycle market, but I just wanted to share my thoughts.*
Harley Davidson recently advertised new concept models. They are an adventure tourer, a streetfighter, and a custom cruiser. While the custom cruiser still basically fits with Harley’s standard fleet, the others are a big change in direction. As it’s been noted that sales have been declining for a while, it makes sense to try to diversify the lineup. My fear is that these new concepts won’t ever have any kind of impact on the motorcycle market.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the looks of all of these concepts. I ride a Ducati Monster, which is basically the original factory streetfighter, so the Harley streetfighter model definitely intrigues me. However, I don’t think it has much, if anything, that would make me trade my Monster for one. I think adventure touring riders may say the same thing, “It looks cool but I don’t want to trade my Honda Africa Twin or Triumph Tiger for one.”
Also, I can’t see any current Harley customers trading up for one of these models. Think to the recently dropped V-Rod. It was a cool bike that had way more power than any other Harley, but it just wasn’t “Harley enough”. The streetfighter and adventure tourer are definitely not Harley enough.
I know it’s bad to present problems without solutions, so here is my suggestion. I think Harley Davidson should stick to what they’re known for, air cooled, push rod V-twin cruisers and touring motorcycles. They should also continue to push their electric motorcycle, the Live Wire. I think that bringing an electric bike that had great styling along with long range and the ability to charge quickly would put them in the lead for the industry, which could bring them a huge increase in customer base. That, in my opinion, would keep them in business for decades to come.
“We all learn lessons in life. Some stick, some don't. I have always learned more from rejection and failure than from acceptance and success.” - Henry Rollins
Harley Davidson recently advertised new concept models. They are an adventure tourer, a streetfighter, and a custom cruiser. While the custom cruiser still basically fits with Harley’s standard fleet, the others are a big change in direction. As it’s been noted that sales have been declining for a while, it makes sense to try to diversify the lineup. My fear is that these new concepts won’t ever have any kind of impact on the motorcycle market.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the looks of all of these concepts. I ride a Ducati Monster, which is basically the original factory streetfighter, so the Harley streetfighter model definitely intrigues me. However, I don’t think it has much, if anything, that would make me trade my Monster for one. I think adventure touring riders may say the same thing, “It looks cool but I don’t want to trade my Honda Africa Twin or Triumph Tiger for one.”
Also, I can’t see any current Harley customers trading up for one of these models. Think to the recently dropped V-Rod. It was a cool bike that had way more power than any other Harley, but it just wasn’t “Harley enough”. The streetfighter and adventure tourer are definitely not Harley enough.
I know it’s bad to present problems without solutions, so here is my suggestion. I think Harley Davidson should stick to what they’re known for, air cooled, push rod V-twin cruisers and touring motorcycles. They should also continue to push their electric motorcycle, the Live Wire. I think that bringing an electric bike that had great styling along with long range and the ability to charge quickly would put them in the lead for the industry, which could bring them a huge increase in customer base. That, in my opinion, would keep them in business for decades to come.
“We all learn lessons in life. Some stick, some don't. I have always learned more from rejection and failure than from acceptance and success.” - Henry Rollins
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