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[scottt]

Rode with a large group of folks starting in 1989. Most of us purchased new HD'S on a regular basis. Today the vast majority have either passed on, moved on, generally stopped buying bikes and/or stopped riding. Nothing Harley can do about this, things happen when people age.

If I were in charge of HD, I would go all out with upgrading product. Make the 114" eight valve the standard big twin. Would cost very little to make this upgrade. Advertise "Largest most powerful standard V-TWIN Available". Next I would make sure everything built was of the highest quality. Third I would reduce production to one less bike than demand.

The last step would be to increase the R&D budget. Make sure Harley is building the best bike available for it's segment.

This would be the secret to success. When Harley buyers felt lucky to secure a new bike the company and dealers did well. Now the dealers are more like a car dealership. Trying anything to sell you a bike.

Just my humble opinion.

[CVOStreetglide]

Rode with a large group of folks starting in 1989. Most of us purchased new HD'S on a regular basis. Today the vast majority have either passed on, moved on, generally stopped buying bikes and/or stopped riding. Nothing Harley can do about this, things happen when people age.

If I were in charge of HD, I would go all out with upgrading product. Make the 114" eight valve the standard big twin. Would cost very little to make this upgrade. Advertise "Largest most powerful standard V-TWIN Available". Next I would make sure everything built was of the highest quality. Third I would reduce production to one less bike than demand.

The last step would be to increase the R&D budget. Make sure Harley is building the best bike available for it's segment.

This would be the secret to success. When Harley buyers felt lucky to secure a new bike the company and dealers did well. Now the dealers are more like a car dealership. Trying anything to sell you a bike.

Just my humble opinion.

.......and DOUBLE THE WARRANTY PERIOD. 

If you make good products and stand behind them the customers wiil come!

-- Make the M8 117" the standard motor platform for large and sport bikes.

-- Drop all of the Sportster Motors and replace with a M8 base motor. 

-- Provide the ability to order the largest SE upgraded motor direct from the factory with all of the necessary clutch and tuning components required already installed.

-- Provide the ability to order a bike online right after new model rollout and have it delivered to your residence within 30 days after order.  This will significantly improve the HD supply chain and inventory issues. Customers can continue to go to their local dealer as an option.

-- Provide the ability to lease new bikes like cars.

[Para Bellum]

-- Provide the ability to order a bike online right after new model rollout and have it delivered to your residence within 30 days after order.  This will significantly improve the HD supply chain and inventory issues. Cutomers can continue to go to their local dealer as an option.

Lots of good ideas in your post, but HD would be cutting their own throat if they cut-out the dealers...eventually dealers would go out of business, and lots of people wouldn't want a bike with no support system.

I especially like the idea of specifying the options to get what you want straight from the factory, instead of paying for two sets of handlebars, two engines, two seats, etc. (plus the labor cost!).  And I would jump on a lease program.

[moscooter]

What do ya mean..........we're dying off.......

[VaEagle]

Being a sort of long term member of this site I find it interesting how the same ideas keep coming up over the years and in general very little changes.
Just my own repetitive .02 worth but in order for Harley to survive in America they need to be ingrained into the younger generations psyche through loving memories with older relatives such as young rides with their father, mother, aunt or uncle etc. So that is more our burden to create the good times with younger people. Then younger people need to be unburdened by things like huge student loans so they can afford" life toys" like a motorcycle. Then Harley's burden is to make a reputation for making a turn key dependable bike that is affordable and no need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to get them to run right.
Several years ago before H-D started the build your own type of programs with Sportsters I and others suggested that since the CVO program was on the assembly line vs. separate builds that they should offer a dealer program to like mentioned above and have the factory build a truly one of kind CVO bike from info at a dealership. That way if you didn't want flames or skulls you didn't have to settle what someone else wanted you to have. I don't think the deliver to your house direct from factory system would work since there is more to setting up a new bike then just removing a cardboard box and removing from a pallet. It would require each delivery to be done by a mechanic with proper tools and fluids.
I bet the dealerships would hate a build your own on computer program since they would loose money on part sales and installation but I bet they would do better in the long run by not tying up the mechanics on parts installs but they could increase work on maintenance customers. How many times have you called a dealer for a tuneup and are told it would be a week or two before they could schedule you in for work? Think again of the new young biker, how welcome do they feel if they come by for a tuneup and are told to come back later?
With the aging of the typical US rider I wonder if H-D has sort of given up and looking at the global market instead and if they can get a strong market in India and China etc they can survive due to the smaller 500 and 750 size bikes?

[mark]

Being a sort of long term member of this site I find it interesting how the same ideas keep coming up over the years and in general very little changes.
Just my own repetitive .02 worth but in order for Harley to survive in America they need to be ingrained into the younger generations psyche through loving memories with older relatives such as young rides with their father, mother, aunt or uncle etc. So that is more our burden to create the good times with younger people. Then younger people need to be unburdened by things like huge student loans so they can afford" life toys" like a motorcycle. Then Harley's burden is to make a reputation for making a turn key dependable bike that is affordable and no need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to get them to run right.
Several years ago before H-D started the build your own type of programs with Sportsters I and others suggested that since the CVO program was on the assembly line vs. separate builds that they should offer a dealer program to like mentioned above and have the factory build a truly one of kind CVO bike from info at a dealership. That way if you didn't want flames or skulls you didn't have to settle what someone else wanted you to have. I don't think the deliver to your house direct from factory system would work since there is more to setting up a new bike then just removing a cardboard box and removing from a pallet. It would require each delivery to be done by a mechanic with proper tools and fluids.
I bet the dealerships would hate a build your own on computer program since they would loose money on part sales and installation but I bet they would do better in the long run by not tying up the mechanics on parts installs but they could increase work on maintenance customers. How many times have you called a dealer for a tuneup and are told it would be a week or two before they could schedule you in for work? Think again of the new young biker, how welcome do they feel if they come by for a tuneup and are told to come back later?
With the aging of the typical US rider I wonder if H-D has sort of given up and looking at the global market instead and if they can get a strong market in India and China etc they can survive due to the smaller 500 and 750 size bikes?

I think HD realizes (and has known for some time) the only way to make up for declining baby boomer sales is to sell more overseas and to attract women riders.  They have tried to draw more Gen X and Y riders to HD, with tepid results.  The MoCo is facing a "new normal" that will result in the sliming down of their company, product line, and the closing of some dealerships.         

[Road Dad]

Copy BMWs strategy. It works. HD is dead RIP

[Twolanerider]

Copy BMWs strategy. It works. HD is dead RIP

So it is ok to to share one's insights and offer commentary on the MoCo?  Good to know.

[Para Bellum]

So it is ok to to share one's insights and offer commentary on the MoCo?  Good to know.

Irony is lost on him.  The rest of us got it, though.   

[iski]

Irony is lost on him.  The rest of us got it, though.   

Yep. The vin diagrams help.   

[Toofast_28]

Copy BMW... So HD should start building cars to support their motorcycle business?   

[FlaHeatWave]

Copy BMW... So HD should start building cars to support their motorcycle business?   

It worked for Honda

[moscooter]

It worked for Honda

We all know that is not gonna happen, but any new manufactoring of any type,  (like BMW, Mercedes, etc.) should indeed be way South to negate the potential for (Union) related labor.  Labor unions are much like Hoovers/Electroluxs,  meaning they SUCK.  The extreme pricing we have all paid for H.D.s for so many years have largely been due to the enflated demands of (union labor)...................