HD Sales Decline....

[bassman]

NEWS - HARLEY DAVIDSON SPEAKS TO DECLINING BIKE SALES

The reasons for the slump in sales at H-D are not President Trump's fault.

Apparently the Baby-Boomers all have motorcycles. Generation X is only buying a few, and the next generation isn't buying any at all.

A recent study was done to find out why Millennials don't ride motorcycles:

1. Pants won't pull up far enough for them to straddle the seat.

2. Can't get their phone to their ear with a helmet on.

3. Can't use 2 hands to eat while driving.

4. They don't get a trophy and a recognition plaque just for buying one.

5. Don't have enough muscle to hold the bike up when stopped.

6. Might have a bug hit them in the face and then they would need emergency care.

7. Motorcycles don't have air conditioning.

8. They can't afford one because they spent 12 years in college trying to get a degree in Humanities, Social Studies or Gender Studies for which no jobs are available.

9. They are allergic to fresh air.

10. Their pajamas get caught on the exhaust pipes.

11. They might get their hands dirty checking the oil.

12. The handle bars have buttons and levers and cannot be controlled by touch-screen.

13. You have to shift manually and use something called a clutch.

14. It's too hard to take selfies while riding.

15. They don't come with training wheels like their bicycles did.

16. Motorcycles don't have power steering or power brakes.

17. Their nose ring interferes with the face shield.

18. They would have to use leg muscle to back up.

19. When they stop, a light breeze might blow exhaust in their face.

20. It could rain on them and expose them to non-soft water.

21. It might scare their therapy dog, and then the dog would need therapy.

22. Can't get the motorcycle down the basement stairs of their parent's home.

[cookiedough]

I think that applies to all motorcycles nowadays not just HD's.

I do not see ATV, motorcycle, snowmobile, and possibly UTV sales going up in next decade either and continually declining since not many under age 40 are into that kind of thing nor have as much disposable income.  Face it,  my generation growing up in the 70s and 80s are going way of the dinosaur and older generation in the 60s on up as well.

I swear both my kids now in college could NOT live 1 single day without a cell phone.  Plus, when driving around in a car,  they prefer A/C first  vs. just rolling the window down which I enjoy more so especially since not one of my cars in the 70s or 80s had A/C that worked very well. 

[f6john]

I don’t know about all brands but in the case of HD it seems every bike they have ever sold is back on the market every year or two. No need to pony up for a new ride unless that’s your thing when there are so many late model used bikes out there. About 5 years ago I stopped into the Harley dealer in Paducah Ky to look around and the salesman took me to an adjoining warehouse and there had to be 200 used Harley’s in there. Needless to say he was thrilled when I told him I wouldn’t be trading in anything.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I was at Deals Gap today on The Dragon US 129 you couldn't tell Harley was in trouble there I'm guessing 75 % of the bikes there was HD.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I was at Deals Gap today on The Dragon US 129 you couldn't tell Harley was in trouble there I'm guessing 75 % of the bikes there was HD.

plenty around here too

[John Schmidt]

Sure are plenty of HD's here in my new home in the Green Bay, WI area. I do get a lot of looks which I find amusing....a number of locals stop and look, say what a beautiful ride and "what the h is that anyway?"  A couple weeks back I pulled into the local Menards next to an HD you could have heard a 1/2 mile away. Before he got off he looked over and grinned then said "we don't allow inferior equipment here in Wisconsin." I just laughed as I pulled off my helmet showing a mop of gray hair and told him "that's hilarious coming from a guy sitting on a Harley." He busted out laughing and said "touche" as we walked into the store together. I've passed him on the street a few times since and always get a big healthy wave back.

One thing around here is they're nuts over round-abouts or traffic circles as some call them. Some are pretty tight turns if you're wanting to make a left cuz you have to go all the way around to exit to the left. Can't tell you how many times I've gone around one of those things and scraped the left peg. Been so long it startled me the first time until I realized what happened. My son-in-law was following me once and at our destination he got out and was laughing all while pointing at the left peg...then bent down to see how much had been scraped off. Apparently he was watching. Won't be long and I'll be doing something I've not done since I've owned the bike: winterize it. Then maybe not, the complex where I now live has a wide expanse of paving and I'm told it's cleared off completely after any snowfall. Apparently there's a few folks here that ride their bicycles around the area during the winter so it's entirely possible I'll be able to do so with the Valk. I have to walk a couple hundred yards to a community mailbox so maybe riding down there will be an option at times. Time will tell.

[old2soon]

            Here in the sho me when I go on P G R Missions maybe 85-90% of those that show up on M/Cs are H/D mounted. One or two of em had to try my old Phatt Ghurl. They Were disappointed after the try. Folks like us that still ride ain't gittin no younger and I don't see many young uns on tour bikes here bouts. The whole M/C industry appears to be on a down hill slide I M H O. RIDE SAFE.

[Jack B]

Won't be long and I'll be doing something I've not done since I've owned the bike: winterize it. Then maybe not, the complex where I now live has a wide expanse of paving and I'm told it's cleared off completely after any snowfall. Apparently there's a few folks here that ride their bicycles around the area during the winter so it's entirely possible I'll be able to do so with the Valk. I have to walk a couple hundred yards to a community mailbox so maybe riding down there will be an option at times. Time will tell.
[/quote]
I don't think that you will want to take your Valk out during the winter. It's not worth it, lots of salt is used in Wis.
I'll give you a call soon so we can finally meet up maybe this week.

[Oss]

The worse the weather the fewer HD I see

But the ones I see again and again when temp gets 40 or less are all waving back as the bmw riders

Nothing else riding around here and in the mountains then but me and them  The crotch rockets will all go to sleep within a month

[cookiedough]

Won't be long and I'll be doing something I've not done since I've owned the bike: winterize it. Then maybe not, the complex where I now live has a wide expanse of paving and I'm told it's cleared off completely after any snowfall. Apparently there's a few folks here that ride their bicycles around the area during the winter so it's entirely possible I'll be able to do so with the Valk. I have to walk a couple hundred yards to a community mailbox so maybe riding down there will be an option at times. Time will tell.

I don't think that you will want to take your Valk out during the winter. It's not worth it, lots of salt is used in Wis.
I'll give you a call soon so we can finally meet up maybe this week.
[/quote]

agree with Jack, not worth the risk of bike and rider for such short trips down the road and back.  Am afraid you will be winterizing sometime in November here in WI.  Last several years has been last weekend in November but then really should have done it weeks prior since the good days at end of November to ride are few and far between.    There are always a few days in December though that still look promising if sun comes out and light winds.

[Gizmo]

I live in Ottawa and winterizing is just a fact of life Nov-April
For those that do it too, have you noticed that the moment you finally get it all done, there's a break in the weather and you have to tie yourself to a chair.

I get my navigator to hide the keys until there's no chance of that happening.

[John Schmidt]

Guys, I figure if I pull the bags and the rack, then the rear end and pumkin and do a nice service on it all the while taking my time...that should kill some of the winter and keep me honest about cold weather riding. Then I'll probably pull the alternator for a good cleaning and inspection. For years I've been tossing around the idea of replacing all my gauges with just two that are about the same size as the OEM tach and speedo. What I have in mind is one of each as original, aftermarket from the automotive side, but within the face of each will be two additional smaller gauges. One large gauge would possibly have a temp and fuel gauge mounted near the bottom, the other would have oil pressure and battery. It would clean up the handlebar area and allow me to mount a radio or some other totally unnecessary item. Then next winter become a snowbird and go back to Florida for a couple months.

[F6Dave]

These are terrible demographics for the industry.  The median age of motorcycle riders in the USA:

 1990: 32
 2009: 40
 2017: 47

 Median age of Sturgis attendees in 2012: 58!

[Moonshot_1]

Seeing the same thing in Motorcycle groups as well. Even our local dinner ride group has rapidly gone down in attendance. Various medical reasons related to age mostly.

I know some who are of a younger age who did once ride regularly who now don't citing distracted drivers and hostile drivers.

Don't see a resurgence anytime soon.

[Wizzard]

younger generation is not riding because MOST of them are afraid to.

[Gizmo]

These are terrible demographics for the industry.  The median age of motorcycle riders in the USA:

 1990: 32
 2009: 40
 2017: 47

 Median age of Sturgis attendees in 2012: 58!

Hmm, I wonder what that's doing to our insurance costs.
You would think for the better...but it seems not.

[cookiedough]

These are terrible demographics for the industry.  The median age of motorcycle riders in the USA:

 1990: 32
 2009: 40
 2017: 47

 Median age of Sturgis attendees in 2012: 58!

Hmm, I wonder what that's doing to our insurance costs.
You would think for the better...but it seems not.

insurance costs will keep going up and up with or without cycle riders that is a fact.  How many have seen past few years insurance ever going down in price?  When I replaced my 2014 same identical tundra with an identical 2017 tundra my rates went way up with no justification nothing different besides color,  same body parts, etc.   The insurance industry never ever made any common sense to me.  Our 2014 santa fe is dirt cheap even compared to our 2014 sonata as well nothing makes sense.  If I downgrade my cycles from 6 total to 3, the rates go up as well costing me MORE to insure 3 vs. 6 cycles.  I argued that one to no end with Progressive and all they say is it is what it is.  So, if I sell some of the cycles next year, I will just not tell them that.

[F6Dave]

These are terrible demographics for the industry.  The median age of motorcycle riders in the USA:

 1990: 32
 2009: 40
 2017: 47

 Median age of Sturgis attendees in 2012: 58!

Hmm, I wonder what that's doing to our insurance costs.
You would think for the better...but it seems not.

insurance costs will keep going up and up with or without cycle riders that is a fact.  How many have seen past few years insurance ever going down in price?  When I replaced my 2014 same identical tundra with an identical 2017 tundra my rates went way up with no justification nothing different besides color,  same body parts, etc.   The insurance industry never ever made any common sense to me.  Our 2014 santa fe is dirt cheap even compared to our 2014 sonata as well nothing makes sense.  If I downgrade my cycles from 6 total to 3, the rates go up as well costing me MORE to insure 3 vs. 6 cycles.  I argued that one to no end with Progressive and all they say is it is what it is.  So, if I sell some of the cycles next year, I will just not tell them that.

I'm sure the cost of repairing high tech vehicles has something to do with it.  I was having a windshield chip repaired recently and talked about how complicated even auto glass has become.  Vehicles with lane departure warnings have cameras that need to be calibrated when glass is replaced, and automatic wipers often have rain sensors embedded in the glass.  The tech said this stuff has increased the price of a new windshield significantly, which has to be reflected in insurance prices.  Add all the other tech in a modern vehicle and there's lots more to fixing a fender bender than there used to be.

[Big Rig]

I was at Deals Gap today on The Dragon US 129 you couldn't tell Harley was in trouble there I'm guessing 75 % of the bikes there was HD.

Damn Joe, you were at deals gap Saturday...wish I had known. I would have looked for you. Was there as well. Did you do the charity ride? I made a donation, but did not do the ride.

Loved 441 to cherokee...and of course the skyway.

[old2soon]

         The health related issue thingy IS the WHY of me Not ridin near as much as I used to.  From the 2nd year of ownership of my Valkyrie til I unloaded in Aug of 16 12-14000 miles a year was what I averaged. I'm some where tween 3500 and 5500 miles a year now as a guess cuz I just got the speedometer repaired so it operates.  Far as I know no one in the group I ride P G R with has quit ridin but like me they have cut back on the ridin. I am NOT in the market fer a new scooter BUT if I were to replace Phatt Ghurl it Would be with a trike of some sort or another But Again-NOT a new trike. New just costs too cursed much in taxes insurance and tags.  Even IF i wuz flush with money-i ain't-still would NOT consider new anything-scooter or cage. RIDE SAFE. And as an aside and a P S-H/D wouldn't make the cut.