How can Harley Davidson appeal to younger riders? + Poll.

[Big Dave]

I'm over 50 and after reading this I think I need a Harley_ Davidson......dang, I can't buy them for under $3000 like old airhead BMW's.....bugger. Only accessories I have are slippers and a pipe.

I have a new Road King test bike currently. It's a fabulous cruiser style bike.
Goes, stops and handles very nicely. Big torque, smooth, and absolutely gorgeous to look at.
Doesn't need much in extras, maybe a slight de-baffle and a pillion backrest and I could ride the wheels off it. Like hundreds of thousands of owners already do.

Only thing you need to do is add a zero (and leather slippers) :-)

[Paul in NZ]

To appeal to younger riders? Um - what younger riders? You mean the ones on dirt bikes????

Seriously they would need a younger designer with a 'name' and an ability to produce something commercially practical.

[ducatilover]

To appeal to younger riders? Um - what younger riders? You mean the ones on dirt bikes????

Seriously they would need a younger designer with a 'name' and an ability to produce something commercially practical.

How 'bout a DC shoes edition, or a Kardashian special?

[scumdog]

How 'bout a DC shoes edition, or a Kardashian special?

Or have Justin Beiber or Milly Cyrus riiding one?

[ducatilover]

Or have Justin Beiber or Milly Cyrus riiding one?

You're a marketing genius! All the 12 year olds would que up with their pocket moeny.

Then they'd realise that Harleys are massively overpriced for a water pump with wheels

[Big Dave]

How 'bout a DC shoes edition

I don't do shoes. Just open minded observations. And yeah - no place for that shit here.

[Swoop]

Appeal to younger market?

Rebadge it as the iBike and put a keypad and display on the tank so they can txt/surf the interdweeb on it.

[avgas]

Kinda like what Buell did....

yes and no.

The harley "cost + gst + 5%" is about half the price of what new buells came out as.
I am not talking about spending $1M in R&D. I am talking about stripping down a harley to the core product then selling it.
Think more along the lines of bicycle with engine more than F16 that is permanently grounded.
Buells were great bikes - but it was like applying NASA technology to a CAT.
I am saying strip the CAT down to a monster truck.

[Flip]

One great reason I love Harleys is the spotty yobbos don't.

[scumdog]

One great reason I love Harleys is the spotty yobbos don't.

Amen to that!!

[Ocean1]

I am talking about stripping down a harley to the core product then selling it.

They're 99% styling excercise, there'd be nothing left.

[Zamiam]

If H-D ceases to exist all you sport yobbos would have nothing to aspire to.

[Smifffy]

Or have Justin Beiber or Milly Cyrus riiding one?

What an excellent idea. I wish I'd thought of it...

[st00ji]

im 32. always thought HDs were crap. old fashioned, slow etc.

been riding for about 5 years now, and these days i understand the appeal a bit more.

i guess i dont quite fall into the young rider category anymore, but that xr1200 thing is heading in the right direction i reckon. like the headlight setup in paricular.

do they still make them though? dont think i saw it in the 2013 lineup on their homepage. i'd consider one, but im sure the price would be prohibitive. they would need to not make that harley noise as well TBH :P

[BIG DOUG]

Yea I have an xr1200 + ride the shit out of it and I'm 52,but I also have HD's from 1951 up to the 2009 xr.Harley's are the smallblock chevy of the motorcycle world lol.