New Harley's

[Jack B]

The new Harley's look great for a matter of fact they don't look like Harley's at all, I like them.

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/2020-harley-davidson-streetfighter-preview

[Earl43P]

I wish them much success.
Although I'll likely never own one, their market dominance is good for the entire motorcycle industry, from mechanics to accessories markets.  I admit to admiring their style and finish.

However, here is where I think their effort will "go off the rails"....

Skeptics are likely to suggest Harley risks alienating core consumers, or diluting its legacy position, by trying to attract new riders.

Veteran industry consultant Robert Pandya said Harley’s identity is both its strength and its liability. Appealing to a non-Harley consumer will require a top-to-bottom company re-education.

“If you’re trying to draw a new young customer or a female customer, you might win them with the marketing campaign but lose them when they walk into the shop, unless there is a real overhaul,” Pandya said. “Everyone in the entire organization has to buy in on the marketing message. That’s asking a lot.”

[Beardo]

As a former sport bike rider, I’ll say most of them are interested in converting gasoline into horsepower and torque, not just noise. If Harley’s 1000cc sport bike has less than 100 hp, I can’t see it selling. Will likely just tick off their base who like to dress up like pirates to ride to the bar.

If they have decent performance, I wish them well and look forward to maybe taking one for a rip on a demo day when they come out.

[¿spoom]

Looks like the "New Buell", and that is probably going to thrill almost nobody. Is it going to smoke a similar displacement Ducati? It better at least be equal, or cost half as much. All kidding aside, Harley is losing domestic buyer for two simple reasons,
Cost.
Perceived quality.
When you've made the same basic engine type for decades, people expect it to be flawless. It ain't by a long shot.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Looks like the "New Buell", and that is probably going to thrill almost nobody. Is it going to smoke a similar displacement Ducati? It better at least be equal, or cost half as much. All kidding aside, Harley is losing domestic buyer for two simple reasons,
Cost.
Perceived quality.
When you've made the same basic engine type for decades, people expect it to be flawless. It ain't by a long shot.

That's not what any of the Harley riders I know expect. Image seems to be #1

[Crackerborn]

V-rod II would be my guess. Why make a reliable power plant when it is not in the "bad-a$$" image?

[Oldfishguy]

Indian is putting into production the flat track bike they have been racing very effectively for a few years now.  Tested and proven.  Competition is good.

https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/ftr1200/

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

If they build one with V Max performance and Valkyrie comfort and dependability I'll be interested.

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

H-D is getting into the adventure bike market, too. There's just as much competition there, so it better be good, and the price better be right.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-vehicles/pan-america.html

[Valker]

My local dealer basically ignored the Buells and V-Rods. Wouldn’t take them in on trade or work on them. They won’t work on a bike that is over a certain age even. I don’t see them jumping on board here either.

[¿spoom]

V-rod II would be my guess. Why make a reliable power plant when it is not in the "bad-a$$" image?

The bike in the link doesn't resemble a V-Rod's at all.

[Jess Tolbirt]

how bout this one?
https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/new-sportster-2020-harley-davidson-1250cc-custom-preview

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/first-look-at-harley-davidsons-2020-pan-america-adventure-bike

[LTD]

the Harley adventure bike is great! the biggest critics will be other Harley riders probably just like they did to the vrod

[¿spoom]

Sportster is interesting, but they need to fire whomever is in charge of headlamps. That person already destroyed the new Fat Bob  

[Crackerborn]

The bike in the link doesn't resemble a V-Rod's at all.

I was not refering to looks. The V-rod was considered the red headed stepchild of a "real" Hardly even if it out performed every other thing HD makes. I had two and the forward controls on one made it almost comfortable for longish trips under 300 miles. Ear plugs were a must for anything over 25 miles on both. I lost money on both since they weren't really a Harley on the resale market.  

[Hooter]

the Harley adventure bike is great! the biggest critics will be other Harley riders probably just like they did to the vrod

The VRod power plant was German engineering that's why it was heavily criticised.

[¿spoom]

The bike in the link doesn't resemble a V-Rod's at all.

I was not refering to looks. The V-rod was considered the red headed stepchild of a "real" Hardly even if it out performed every other thing HD makes. I had two and the forward controls on one made it almost comfortable for longish trips under 300 miles. Ear plugs were a must for anything over 25 miles on both. I lost money on both since they weren't really a Harley on the resale market.  

Got it. You may be right. In some respects I feel the VRod was the bike nobody was asking for, yet burned up the funds that could have been used to expand and improve the existing line at the time. Maybe with that money, the waterhead models wouldn't have been such a poorly executed embarrassment. Then there's cutting out the back jug for heat management-genius.

[Disco]

Good to see them thinking outside their self-imposed box.  These may not be successful, but continuing to do what they've been doing won't be, either.

Just think where they might be today if the Nova project hadn't died on the vine.

https://thekneeslider.com/harley-davidson-v4-nova/

[Jess from VA]

I see these efforts of HD as too little, too late, and very likely too expensive and not competitive (with the new segments; ie sport, dual sport).  I wish them (and most all American companies) well. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I see these efforts of HD as too little, too late, and very likely too expensive and not competitive (with the new segments; ie sport, dual sport).  I wish them (and most all American companies) well. 

Maybe, I don't know enough about manufacturing or marketing. But, I do know many (myself included) who thought HD was outdated 50 years ago. They seem to have done just fine without my input. I think the general buyer for Harley's looks at their purchase much differently than you or I do.

[Serk]

They seem to have done just fine without my input. I think the general buyer for Harley's looks at their purchase much differently than you or I do.

The problem for Harley is that the people who are willing to pay extremely high prices for 100 year old technology are getting older and dying off and/or stopping riding.

Younger people who are or will be the future motorcycle buyers don't care for such stuff as much as their fathers and grandfathers did.

If they don't adapt and find something that younger people are willing to buy, they're doomed.

[Alpha Dog]

This is stepping outside of their comfort zone and the competition is brutally good and priced fairly well.   No Harley driver that I know of, and I run with a hoard of them, would ever consider these bikes.  They have to convince this niche market to switch to these Harleys and get new riders to come on in, and this will be a daunting task.  I do wish them well.

[¿spoom]

Good to see them thinking outside their self-imposed box.  These may not be successful, but continuing to do what they've been doing won't be, either.

Just think where they might be today if the Nova project hadn't died on the vine.

https://thekneeslider.com/harley-davidson-v4-nova/

They'd be out of business if they'd gone ahead with the Nova Project. They did not have the funds to do both the Nova AND update the then current Shovel. They did the right thing choosing the Evo, instead. There were some cool things about the modular design of the Nova, particularly the way it could easily have been made into a 6 or 8 cylinder, and there was some mild interest in it as a generic car engine. They had to make a choice, and they chose correctly. Think the VRod wasn't accepted? Image the "Harley Magna" hitting the showroom! A metric-looking bike at a time when metrics were being dropped from cranes and dangled over bonfires. BTW, the green Nova bike is still in Milw.

[hubcapsc]

They'd be out of business if they'd gone ahead with the Nova Project.

Yeah... I didn't know about the Nova Project, but the Evo era was when
you had to wait in line to buy a Harley at retail + 30% ...

-Mike