XCR1250 Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Harley Davidson Speaks Out About Declining Bike Sales The slump in sales at H-D is not President Trump's fault. The Baby Boomers all have motorcycles, Generation X is only buying a few, and the Millennial s aren’t buying any at all. A recent study was done to find out why Millennial's don't ride motorcycles: 1. Pants won't pull up far enough for them to straddle the seat. 2. Can't get their phone to their ear with a helmet on. 3. Can't use two hands to eat while driving. 4. Don't get a trophy and a recognition plaque just for buying one. 5. Don't have enough muscle to hold the bike up when stopped. 6. Might have a bug hit them in the face and then they would need emergency care. 7. Motorcycles don't have air conditioning. 8. Can't afford one because they spent 12 years in college trying to get a degree in Humanities, Social Studies or Gender Studies, for which no jobs are available. 9. Allergic to fresh air. 10. Pajamas get caught on the exhaust pipes. 11. Might get their hands dirty checking the oil. 12. Handlebars have buttons and levers, and can’t be controlled by touch-screen. 13. Have to shift manually, and use something called a clutch. 14. Too dangerous to take selfies while riding. 15. Don't come with training wheels as their bicycles did. 16. Don't have power steering or power brakes. 17. Nose ring interferes with the face shield. 18. Would have to use leg muscle to back up. 19. When stopped, a light breeze might blow exhaust in their face. 20. Could rain on them and expose them to non-soft water. 21. Might scare their emotional support dog, then the dog would need therapy. 22. Can't get the motorcycle down the basement stairs of their parent's home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoughnut Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I don’t blame the younger gen., why spend 25k+ for a 75 hp rattle trap? Maybe they’re just smarter. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washedupmxer Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 2 minutes ago, snoughnut said: I don’t blame the younger gen., why spend 25k+ for a 75 hp rattle trap? Maybe they’re just smarter. It's a decent point but no they are just gayer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 They’ve never changed with the times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Harleys are just overpriced junk. There are a dozen here in the trailer park for sale right now. These old geezers cant even give them away. Nobody wants to ride the noisy rattling pieces of shit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said: Harleys are just overpriced junk. There are a dozen here in the trailer park for sale right now. These old geezers cant even give them away. Nobody wants to ride the noisy rattling pieces of shit. Yeah. You can get in Indian that has a lot more power, a lot cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin_dry Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Harley is in a tough spot. Their reliable customers want the old air cooled v twin with old school tech and just enough higher technology to keep it dependable. They tried developing a more modern bike with the v-rod. Nobody wanted it. Maybe the new electric bike holds some promise for urban areas. Their customer base is basically aging out and dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted February 2, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted February 2, 2020 1 minute ago, spin_dry said: Harley is in a tough spot. Their reliable customers want the old air cooled v twin with old school tech and just enough higher technology to keep it dependable. They tried developing a more modern bike with the v-rod. Nobody wanted it. Maybe the new electric bike holds some promise for urban areas. Their customer base is basically aging out and dying. THis explains it right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, spin_dry said: Harley is in a tough spot. Their reliable customers want the old air cooled v twin with old school tech and just enough higher technology to keep it dependable. They tried developing a more modern bike with the v-rod. Nobody wanted it. Maybe the new electric bike holds some promise for urban areas. Their customer base is basically aging out and dying. Yeah. And they get mad if they Harley even produces a bike outside that circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, spin_dry said: Harley is in a tough spot. Their reliable customers want the old air cooled v twin with old school tech and just enough higher technology to keep it dependable. They tried developing a more modern bike with the v-rod. Nobody wanted it. Maybe the new electric bike holds some promise for urban areas. Their customer base is basically aging out and dying. Yep. I liked the V-rod. I wanted one pretty bad for a while. 3 kids in college put a hold on that plan. Now Id rather have a cheap 500cc Buell Blast to rat rod out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodtick Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said: Yep. I liked the V-rod. I wanted one pretty bad for a while. 3 kids in college put a hold on that plan. Now Id rather have a cheap 500cc Buell Blast to rat rod out. Buell brings good money around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 2 minutes ago, Woodtick said: Buell brings good money around here. A Buell Blast can be had for super cheap here and in AK. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1jkw Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Seems we still have more older Harley riders here than all other types put together, there was a point where crotch rocket wheelie riders were gaining but don't see as many anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted February 2, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted February 2, 2020 1 minute ago, 1jkw said: Seems we still have more older Harley riders here than all other types put together, there was a point where crotch rocket wheelie riders were gaining but don't see as many anymore. Same here, but NH does have an older population Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I think Indian had small sales growth last year again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Member BOHICA Posted February 2, 2020 Gold Member Share Posted February 2, 2020 Harley’s and snowmobiles are going the same direction. They are just activities that don’t make much sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted February 2, 2020 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted February 2, 2020 Just now, BOHICA said: Harley’s and snowmobiles are going the same direction. They are just activities that don’t make much sense. Im sure the growth of wheelers and SxS's are coming at the expense of both sleds and bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Just now, BOHICA said: Harley’s and snowmobiles are going the same direction. They are just activities that don’t make much sense. When I was younger and of age.. it seemed people my age were willing to drop 6-8k on a new toy. But now that new toy is a lot more money. Lots of younger people on old sleds now, seems as though you don’t need a 16k snowmobile to put on 400 miles per year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1jkw Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 1 minute ago, steve from amherst said: Same here, but NH does have an older population We have an older population too, the younger ones seem to be really into coffee , micro breweries, pastel colored cars and kayaks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Member BOHICA Posted February 2, 2020 Gold Member Share Posted February 2, 2020 Just now, steve from amherst said: Im sure the growth of wheelers and SxS's are coming at the expense of both sleds and bikes. Motorcycles just don’t make sense anymore. Even old farts aren’t into snowmobiling anymore. Akiq for example flees the snow and stays away from it at all costs. Why go ride a bike or a snowmobile when they aren’t that fun??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford_428cj Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Too many idiots on roads looking at phone while driving cars. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmo Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I live about a mile from the freeway and the super bikes come out at night in the summer. Don’t hardly see them around during the day. Judging by the sounds they’re out there racing up and down hwy 53. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodtick Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 10 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said: A Buell Blast can be had for super cheap here and in AK. You are correct. The blast can be had for easy money. A few of the other models still bring good money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford_428cj Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 5 minutes ago, ACE said: When I was younger and of age.. it seemed people my age were willing to drop 6-8k on a new toy. But now that new toy is a lot more money. Lots of younger people on old sleds now, seems as though you don’t need a 16k snowmobile to put on 400 miles per year The cost is a big factor for sure. 15k for a sled puts it out of a lot of people's budgets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodtick Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Just now, Edmo said: I live about a mile from the freeway and the super bikes come out at night in the summer. Don’t hardly see them around during the day. Judging by the sounds they’re out there racing up and down hwy 53. They meet up at Woodfield and race up and down 53,90,and 355. The other big meet up is by the old post office down town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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