Harley Davidson Names Topgolf’s Artie Stars as New CEO
- Thread starter Vercingetorix
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That's not news to anyone who has been a Motorcyclist for any length of time. I have family who owned a Motorcycle dealership. But they, like every motorcyclist, saw the writing on the wall, and sold their dealership in 2016, when they were still able to make a good profit on the sale.
I have a bunch of friends who are still in the powersport industry. They are mostly surviving on SxS sales and service.
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This is a good video that does hit the nail on the head quite a bit, but he did leave out an important aspect to the “toxic culture”, and that is the toxic culture of the older generations being overly critical of younger generations as a whole. We see it all the time, even here on BITOG. Millennials/Gen Z can’t drive a manual, Millennials/Gen Z are whiny, entitled, and lazy, Millennials/Gen Z cannot write in cursive, and so on. It is not just newbie gatekeeping, it’s literally generational warfare.
The older generations are getting really upset that their favorite things/past times are dying off, but they didn’t do anything to foster a culture that makes people what to keep it around. He touched on it when he brought up the paintball thing. He literally got his kids to go do something because he made it fun for them and make them feel welcome. Nobody wants to hang out with someone’s dad/uncle/grandpa telling them how stupid they are for even existing.
If you know anything about Harley's, they aren't exactly "Dying off". They have the best Dealership network of any brand of motorcycle. There are more Harley rallies than any other brand of motorcycle. There are more aftermarket parts, and more used parts available for Harley's then any other brand of motorcycle. Does anyone think that's because Harleys are too "old school" and nobody wants them?. People will walk past a row of new metric bikes, to fawn over restored Harley Knucklehead or Panhead motorcycles. Bikes that are over 70 years old. And it's not just old timers. People won't be getting nostalgic over 40 year old Cheap mostly plastic metric bikes in the future. Mainly because only a handful of bike riders would want to waste the money on trying to restore a mass produced bike, that was cheap to begin with. Harley has always made motorcycles, for 122 years. Harleys were even used during wwII, against the countries that make most metric bike made today. They competed against Indian (not the same Indian motorcycle company in business today) for the contract, and lost to Harley. Harley never made lawn mowers, outboard motors, generators, heavy construction equipment, or cars. Some people cry about Harleys being too expensive, but will spend obscene amounts of money on a car that drops in value as your drive it off the lot. You can't blame the new guy coming in for Harley's situation today. When you think about how many motorcycle companies that have come, and gone since Harley made their first bike. I wouldn't be to quick to write them off.,,
--- I don't think anyone is implying Harley is Dying off - But there is significant DOWN SIZING- and alot of Leadership changing in the last 6 years has to tell you HD company officials are very concerned !!
Harley-Davidson Factory Closures in the Last 5 Years
Harley-Davidson has faced several operational challenges in recent years, leading to notable factory closures and production halts. Here's a breakdown of key developments:
Permanent Factory Closure
- Kansas City, Missouri Plant
- Closed: Summer 2019
- Reason: Harley-Davidson cited declining domestic sales and excess manufacturing capacity in the U.S.
- Controversy: Some employees believed the closure was financially motivated to support operations at Harley's newer plant in Bangkok.
⏸ Temporary Shutdowns
- York, Pennsylvania Plant
- Shutdowns: Two major production halts in the past year
- Reason: Parts shortages due to global supply chain disruptions
- Impact: Nearly 1,000 union workers affected; production was scheduled to resume after June 13, 2025.
Dealership Closures (Not Factories, but Significant)
While not manufacturing facilities, Harley-Davidson has also seen a wave of dealership closures:- Los Angeles Harley-Davidson (Fullerton, CA) – Closed October 2024
- Taboo Harley-Davidson (Alexandria, LA) – Closed October 2024
- New York City Harley-Davidson – Closed September 2024
- Several other large dealerships across the U.S. have shut down due to high operating costs and declining sales.
Then there's the business perspective, which is pretty darn important.
Harley-Davidson is in the middle of a full-blown slump. Motorcycle revenue dropped 60% in Q4 2024. Unit sales were down 53% from the same time in 2023. For all of 2024, global shipments fell 17%, totaling around 148,862 bikes. That's roughly 11,600 fewer than the previous year.
North America, Harley's biggest market, saw sales drop 13% in Q4 alone. The first quarter of 2025 didn't improve things. Global motorcycle sales fell another 21%, including a 24% drop in the U.S. The company's 2025 guidance? Withdrawn. Management said it can't make predictions due to "uncertain macroeconomic conditions and tariffs."
And Harley resale takes a huge hit... Companies rarely swap CEOs when things are going well...
Harley-Davidson is in the middle of a full-blown slump. Motorcycle revenue dropped 60% in Q4 2024. Unit sales were down 53% from the same time in 2023. For all of 2024, global shipments fell 17%, totaling around 148,862 bikes. That's roughly 11,600 fewer than the previous year.
North America, Harley's biggest market, saw sales drop 13% in Q4 alone. The first quarter of 2025 didn't improve things. Global motorcycle sales fell another 21%, including a 24% drop in the U.S. The company's 2025 guidance? Withdrawn. Management said it can't make predictions due to "uncertain macroeconomic conditions and tariffs."
And Harley resale takes a huge hit... Companies rarely swap CEOs when things are going well...
Lets not forget rampant inflation from early 2021-on.
Shareholders don’t care about rallies, meet ups, and nostalgia. HOG is a publicly traded company looking to return profits to its investors. HD is in the business of selling motorcycles, which unlike cars, is generally a luxury item or toy, and not a basic necessity. HD needs people to buy new bikes and right now for a variety of reasons that isn't happening.
My brother in law moved from sales manager in autos to powersports. He has had made more money then any auto sales /finance etc in powersports including marine, motorcycles and snowmobiling. No HD however has Indian as niche brand beyond normal Honda , Suzuki.
People are outright saying that Harley is dying off. And plants are closed for a variety of reasons, that don't always mean the company is folding up. Within 12 miles of where I live, 2 major automotive plants are gone. Knocked to the ground, and some other structures have taken their place. 1, the GM plant in Linden NJ. And 2, the Ford plant in Edison NJ. Those plants are gone, but the companies are still in business. Every car brand has had dealerships go out of business and that's just how things go. People adapt and move on. Every brand of motorcycle has had their share of disappointments. Making models that for some reason, just don't sell. And after a few years they get dropped from the product line. So after a while there is no more factory support for parts, and no aftermarket support. There are more metric bikes that fit that description, then Harleys. Harley has too many investors to just shrivel up and go away. They will find someone to figure out what the new way to make the needed changes in the motorcycle world. Pricewise, metric bikes aren't giveaways either. A new Goldwing or BMW will give you sticker shock. And what people want for used versions make people say, I could buy a new one for that much. So much for their resale.,,,--- I don't think anyone is implying Harley is Dying off - But there is significant DOWN SIZING- and alot of Leadership changing in the last 6 years has to tell you HD company officials are very concerned !!
Harley-Davidson Factory Closures in the Last 5 Years
Harley-Davidson has faced several operational challenges in recent years, leading to notable factory closures and production halts. Here's a breakdown of key developments:
- Kansas City, Missouri Plant
- Closed: Summer 2019
- Reason: Harley-Davidson cited declining domestic sales and excess manufacturing capacity in the U.S.
- Controversy: Some employees believed the closure was financially motivated to support operations at Harley's newer plant in Bangkok.
⏸ Temporary Shutdowns
- York, Pennsylvania Plant
- Shutdowns: Two major production halts in the past year
- Reason: Parts shortages due to global supply chain disruptions
- Impact: Nearly 1,000 union workers affected; production was scheduled to resume after June 13, 2025.
While not manufacturing facilities, Harley-Davidson has also seen a wave of dealership closures:
These closures reflect Harley-Davidson’s broader struggle to adapt to shifting consumer preferences, financial pressures, and supply chain vulnerabilities. The company is currently wrapping up its five-year turnaround plan, "The Hardwire," aimed at restoring profitability and brand desirability.
- Los Angeles Harley-Davidson (Fullerton, CA) – Closed October 2024
- Taboo Harley-Davidson (Alexandria, LA) – Closed October 2024
- New York City Harley-Davidson – Closed September 2024
- Several other large dealerships across the U.S. have shut down due to high operating costs and declining sales.
What Harley needs is the same re-do Toyota did with the Prius - but that might be a bit too late. Both the Prius and Harley had/have similar identity crises. The core Harley rider is fading away, they hit a wall with their bikes(except for the Pan America) and Harley makes more money off t-shirts than bikes.
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