Guppytrash, I agree. However, the MoCo was between a rock and a hard place. Unless HD figures out a way to make more Baby Boomers, the future is the next three generations. I wonder if the MoCo, as you suggested, wouldn't have been better off buying another brand and using that nameplate to push an adventure bike and sport bike line. HD branding is a victim of its own success - it is forever associated with a certain type of design and rider. Much like Cadillac let itself become the car of the elderly and Kramer from Seinfeld cannot play another role.
So true and well said!
I think Harley would have benefited from buying another brand in many ways. Separate dealerships targeting the correct crowd for one.
Putting a young person motorcycle in a current HD dealership is much like trying to draw the local College kids to the local Bingo gathering.
On top of that, my guess is HD will think that they can charge a premium price for their new models and most likely the product will be inferior to the current brand X models.
I think a couple of things could really help.
1. The proper movie role for one of the new model HD's could turn these into an overnight success. Think: Top Gun and Tom Cruise on the Ninja or even better The Terminator and Arnold on the Fat Boy. Maybe even more effective than a movie role would be a spotlight role in an Xbox or Playstation game.
2. Harley needs to suck up some break even price points to make sure these are obtainable to the target generation.
I know that may sound ridiculous to break even or lose money on a product, but if they are truly looking to gain marketshare on a new generation it may take a few years of being more attractive than brand XYZ in price.
I just wonder if the marketing department is the same old crowd that HD has had in place to sell heavy metal. If so, time to start a new department with a completely fresh and new crowd.