EU death of the Sportster

Difficult to see where Harley are going at the moment; Sportster gone, all new planned models cancelled and all focus is on their softail and bagger models which are not selling as their traditional baby boomer customer base are dying off or are no longer buying bikes. I don't understand their business model at all.
 
As I've said in a few other places, I don't think the problem is with the bikes, it's with the customers and the marketing.

The M8 Softail is a good motorcycle, not just good for a Harley.

The bikes runs well out of the crate, so don't need all the Stage 1 nonsense to remove all the features needed to allow it pass noise regs. The braking, handling and suspension are good (as long as you avoid the ones with daft rear tyres), and the build quality seems pretty much spot on. In a world where full on sports bikes are falling out of favour and being replaced by bikes suited to a more comfortable and restrained pace of life, the bikes seem like a good fit.

Price-wise, with careful shopping, they are on a par with the likes of BMW and Triumph (when I was looking, a Harley Street Bob could be had for the same price out the door as a Triumph Bobber).

I suspect the image of the existing customer base isn't helping them much (unless you're an "outlaw" or an "accountant" and love obnoxiously loud pipes it's not the bike for you), and Harley are big on "lifestyle" which, whilst likely helping their merchandise sales, feels like it segregates HD from mainstream motorcycling.

I ride with the folks I ride with whoever made their bikes.

I could be way off the mark, but I think that Harley would do a lot better if they started selling their products as motorcycles rather than as a lifestyle.
 
I thought the softail standard looks like reasonable value and looks great ! Rather have that than a sportster.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/gb/en/motorcycles/softail-standard.html

RBW.

Gyp said:
As I've said in a few other places, I don't think the problem is with the bikes, it's with the customers and the marketing.

The M8 Softail is a good motorcycle, not just good for a Harley.

The bikes runs well out of the crate, so don't need all the Stage 1 nonsense to remove all the features needed to allow it pass noise regs. The braking, handling and suspension are good (as long as you avoid the ones with daft rear tyres), and the build quality seems pretty much spot on. In a world where full on sports bikes are falling out of favour and being replaced by bikes suited to a more comfortable and restrained pace of life, the bikes seem like a good fit.

Price-wise, with careful shopping, they are on a par with the likes of BMW and Triumph (when I was looking, a Harley Street Bob could be had for the same price out the door as a Triumph Bobber).

I suspect the image of the existing customer base isn't helping them much (unless you're an "outlaw" or an "accountant" and love obnoxiously loud pipes it's not the bike for you), and Harley are big on "lifestyle" which, whilst likely helping their merchandise sales, feels like it segregates HD from mainstream motorcycling.

I ride with the folks I ride with whoever made their bikes.

I could be way off the mark, but I think that Harley would do a lot better if they started selling their products as motorcycles rather than as a lifestyle.
Click to expand...
 
Lord Snooty said:
Difficult to see where Harley are going at the moment; Sportster gone, all new planned models cancelled and all focus is on their softail and bagger models which are not selling as their traditional baby boomer customer base are dying off or are no longer buying bikes. I don't understand their business model at all.
Click to expand...

Have seen how many new Harleys have been bought on here recently... fecking loads

Recent buyers getting emails to sell back due to demand - Trucky sold his RKS back ...
 
Harley are the biggest issue with the ‘premium’ aspect of the brand imho.

Poor service, shite warranty and an acceptance that shite is good enough, as long as you have some heritage.

Having said that, no bike has ever made me want to ride more than this one, it’s a hoot. Not good as bikes go, let’s face it, it only handles well when compared to a Harley, it only goes well when compared to a Harley and it brakes well....when compared to other Harleys. Compare it to a GS, Multisrada, any sportsbike, streetbike etc etc....well it’s pretty shite....that’s why it’s better to ride, because you have to ride it.

Modern bikes have all become far too good for the roads. Waiting along at 50% at 80mph, that’s just no ‘fun’.

Fun is ragging the life out of a 125 trying to hit a ton, racing a GSXR on a 600 bandit or a thumping single cylinder trail bike, abusing the Highway Code on a scooter riding it like a 17 year old on a promise.

What passes for ‘fun’ to most people now is barely a lifted eyebrow.

Harley need to sort their shit service out though.
 
I don't think this is the end of the world. I've never owned a Harley but I do think some Sportsters look nice (rarely straight from the showroom though).

However, if I was in the market I'd be just as happy with a used one - and there must be a great many out there with low mileages. So I suspect that people will be able to scratch the Sportster itch for many years to come.
 
twizzle said:
Instead off or as well as?
Click to expand...

Heart says as well as, but the wallet has run off screaming into the distance! I love the Heritage Classic, don't get me wrong. I like the fact that it's a tourer but you can remove the bags, pillion seat and screen, and it turns into a 'naked'. However, I'm in a quandry. I blame H-D Cheltenham because when I took the bike in to have a little warranty claim done they lent me a 2019 Streetglide Special 114 stage 1 they had just taken in on a part-ex. TBH, I was really impressed. Very smooth, really handled a lot better than I had been led to believe given that it is a fair bit heavier than my softail. I didn't find it any less agile and I really liked the looks.
What to do??:confused::)
 
Big Si said:
I blame H-D Cheltenham because when I took the bike in to have a little warranty claim done they lent me a 2019 Streetglide Special 114 stage 1 they had just taken in on a part-ex. TBH, I was really impressed. Very smooth, really handled a lot better than I had been led to believe given that it is a fair bit heavier than my softail. I didn't find it any less agile and I really liked the looks.
What to do??:confused::)
Click to expand...

Well, I'm just round the corner and quite fancy another Harley. I could pop into Cheltenham HD in the morning, and if I buy the Streetglide then you know you should have bought it. If I don't then you know you were right not to...
 
Gyp said:
Well, I'm just round the corner and quite fancy another Harley. I could pop into Cheltenham HD in the morning, and if I buy the Streetglide then you know you should have bought it. If I don't then you know you were right not to...
Click to expand...

You'll have a job, they sold it two weeks ago, the day after I rode it!:thumb I've checked their website and, apart from a CVO Streetglide,(£££:eek:) they don't have any more.:blast I would be interested in finding out how long the waiting is for a new one.
 
Big Si said:
You'll have a job, they sold it two weeks ago, the day after I rode it!:thumb I've checked their website and, apart from a CVO Streetglide,(£££:eek:) they don't have any more.:blast I would be interested in finding out how long the waiting is for a new one.
Click to expand...

Oh well.

Ah yes, they have 2 CVO Street Glide across the group; 1 in Cheltenham (2015 110) for £19k, another in Oxford (2020 117) for £30k
 
Flipfly said:
Harley are the biggest issue with the ‘premium’ aspect of the brand imho.

Poor service, shite warranty and an acceptance that shite is good enough, as long as you have some heritage.

Having said that, no bike has ever made me want to ride more than this one, it’s a hoot. Not good as bikes go, let’s face it, it only handles well when compared to a Harley, it only goes well when compared to a Harley and it brakes well....when compared to other Harleys. Compare it to a GS, Multisrada, any sportsbike, streetbike etc etc....well it’s pretty shite....that’s why it’s better to ride, because you have to ride it.

Modern bikes have all become far too good for the roads. Waiting along at 50% at 80mph, that’s just no ‘fun’.

Fun is ragging the life out of a 125 trying to hit a ton, racing a GSXR on a 600 bandit or a thumping single cylinder trail bike, abusing the Highway Code on a scooter riding it like a 17 year old on a promise.

What passes for ‘fun’ to most people now is barely a lifted eyebrow.

Harley need to sort their shit service out though.
Click to expand...

Can’t argue with that
One of the reasons I am enjoying the T700
It makes you ‘ride’ it and it’s got no modes
 
Gyp said:
Well, I'm just round the corner and quite fancy another Harley. I could pop into Cheltenham HD in the morning, and if I buy the Streetglide then you know you should have bought it. If I don't then you know you were right not to...
Click to expand...

Have you discussed this with the financial controller? If you haven’t then I suggest you start to display Covid-19 symptoms before she takes you shopping next weekend.
 
AndyB_11 said:
Have you discussed this with the financial controller? If you haven’t then I suggest you start to display Covid-19 symptoms before she takes you shopping next weekend.
Click to expand...

Don't worry Andy, it would have been stored in the other garage. She'd never know. Unless your financial controller grassed me up.
 
Doesn't look like the H-D mothership is bothering with any CVO's for 2021 either. (strike one of those from the wish list!)

It will be interesting to see if the oft forecast recession hits after furlough finishing and Brexit kicks in in the new year and there is a glut of nearly new or otherwise H-D's on the market. (Or any other makes come to that :nenau)
 
Gyp said:
As I've said in a few other places, I don't think the problem is with the bikes, it's with the customers and the marketing.

The M8 Softail is a good motorcycle, not just good for a Harley.

The bikes runs well out of the crate, so don't need all the Stage 1 nonsense to remove all the features needed to allow it pass noise regs. The braking, handling and suspension are good (as long as you avoid the ones with daft rear tyres), and the build quality seems pretty much spot on. In a world where full on sports bikes are falling out of favour and being replaced by bikes suited to a more comfortable and restrained pace of life, the bikes seem like a good fit.

Price-wise, with careful shopping, they are on a par with the likes of BMW and Triumph (when I was looking, a Harley Street Bob could be had for the same price out the door as a Triumph Bobber).

I suspect the image of the existing customer base isn't helping them much (unless you're an "outlaw" or an "accountant" and love obnoxiously loud pipes it's not the bike for you), and Harley are big on "lifestyle" which, whilst likely helping their merchandise sales, feels like it segregates HD from mainstream motorcycling.

I ride with the folks I ride with whoever made their bikes.

I could be way off the mark, but I think that Harley would do a lot better if they started selling their products as motorcycles rather than as a lifestyle.
Click to expand...

See now I couldnt agree less, we have a 1985 fxr my son a 10 year old dyna, put either of them against a friends brand new fatbob and the quality of the new bike is noticably worse than the older ones, just the quality of the casting on cast parts and the fact that a large number of the parts that were metal are now just "chrome" plastic and look like it. Over the years I have have had a number of harleys as I say still have one but I have had at least 2 new ones, I was in at riders and really disappointed in that there was not one in the shop I would have wanted to walk out of the shop owning, I would go sofar as to say that I actively disliked a lot of them. I think there is a problem with the range and that the people who did buy them are not any longer.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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