The Harley Davidson Motor company has trouble in the board room after CEO steps down!

[tfburke3]

I have a dealership near me and like many other vintage enthusiasts also have a "modern " Harley only 25 years old.
They do my tires every five years or so and recently bought a new 1/2 price helmet when picking up oil.Nice people.
I hope they survive,but I think service is the bigger profit than sales.
Showroom packed with mostly 24 models and a few 25s.
Both weekdays I was there recently the showroom was empty of customers.
Tom

[EricOlson]

Whenever I travel I like to swing into dealerships to look around. Many have old bikes on display, and sometimes I can find an old timer that can talk about them with me. I also like to ask for a license plate frame with the dealership name on it, if they have them, to hang on my garage wall. Unfortunately, as others have said, the showrooms are usually pretty quiet and often half the sales floor is for shirts and bric-a-brac. Most also have a lounge and gathering area for riders, as well as hosted events. I hope they can hang in through these rough times. Not because I want to buy a new bike, but because I feel like many kindred spirits are drawn into the dealerships and I always enjoy the conversation and the atmosphere when I stop in. Here are some pictures from a few dealerships I've visited.

Harley Davidson of Sacramento in Sacramento California
20210825_125815.jpg

Kent's Harley Davidson in Abilene Texas
20231018_164243.jpg

Mathew's Harley Davidson in Fresno California. Check out the story on the model S
20180117_142947 with story.jpg

Historic Harley Davidson in Topeka Kansas. They have a large museum downstairs. I wish I could have spent more time there.
20150827_150139 resize.jpg

Dudley Perkins Harley Davidson in San Francisco California. Unfortunately, it looks like they are closed now after over 100 years
P8090729.JPG

[JoJo357]

Fantastic pictures~Thanks Eric. I can relate to your story above also. That's about where I'm at with the H-D Dealers currently. I look over the new line~up, pick up a catalog and some brochures and shoot the sh_t., but with business the way it is today, the sales people flock to greet me as soon as I walk in the door tripping over each other to try and make a deal, and i feel for them, because I believe most is based on a commission. But, one thing for sure, the personality and aura of the old dealerships are...'Color Me Gone'. It reeks of high dollar corporation, and impersonal aspects. I remember when the Motor company was pressuring establisher ancient dealerships to modernize or relinquish their ties with H-D. That was the beginning of the end in my opinion. But, the Motor Company 'Keeps on Trucking', which is Aok in my book. I hope they make it!

*Seems to be a misprint with the Model 1917 S article? Maybe 70,000 miles, but 700,000?!@#$$%. That is a round trip to the moon and back again!!!

*My daily work horse~1999 FLSTF last year Evo.
fullsizeoutput_3f79.jpeg

*M.A.D.*

[EricOlson]

*Seems to be a misprint with the Model 1917 S article? Maybe 70,000 miles, but 700,000?!@#$$%. That is a round trip to the moon and back again!!!

*M.A.D.*

I think you're right JoJo. I looked up the distance between Fig Garden and the old Sun Maid Raisin plant in Fresno. Going down Palm ave it looks like it would have been a little over 6 miles each way. If he worked there from the time it opened in 1918 until the time they moved it to Kingsburg in 1964, for 5 days a week, for 50 weeks a year (gotta give the guy a little vacation), then he would have traveled around 140,000 miles. That's a far stretch from 700,000!

On a side note, I really enjoyed looking up some of this info on Fresno as I grew up visiting my Grandparents in Kingsburg California in the 70's and 80's. I was there a lot and I can remember making raisins with my Grandfather on the roof of his house by laying out grapes on paper bags and letting them bake in the central valley sun. Great memories. Glad you pointed that out JoJo so I could take that trip down memory lane. Thanks.

[Steve Slocombe]

I visited the Harley dealership in Chambersburg PA last year on the way to Oley, and the first thing I saw was a grey trike priced at $42,000. There may have been one more visitor, a rack of Tee shirts, and a row of second hand machines. No-one has mentioned Indian yet. I think an interesting product line with a big company like Polaris behind them are giving Harley a run for their money.

[JoJo357]

I visited the Harley dealership in Chambersburg PA last year on the way to Oley, and the first thing I saw was a grey trike priced at $42,000. There may have been one more visitor, a rack of Tee shirts, and a row of second hand machines. No-one has mentioned Indian yet. I think an interesting product line with a big company like Polaris behind them are giving Harley a run for their money.

Good point Steve, in regard to Indian Motorcycles. But, it is same same as most established dealerships go. Here's a couple of point of views to chomp~on if so inclined.

*Indian Motorcycles - Data & Facts 2024<-----

*https://youtu.be/UrwD61BFlEo?si=euTkQfV6dFkktFp0. <-----


*M.A.D.*

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

Guys, don't get me started with Polarians. I have watched Phil Zangi, Gilroy and a few others drag the Indian name through the mud for the last 35 years. Remember the clone EVO Harley's with Lee Press-On nail fenders with an Indian sticker on the tank. Wow.

This is my favorite Indian shirt. Indian went out of business in 1953. The End.

DSCN4335.JPG

[JoJo357]

*M.A.D.*

I totally agree Deebs!
C7E9803A-E591-4BFB-ACC3-550040385C4A.jpeg
NOT

1E6D3758-47EE-4D57-9A80-3754512553D3.jpeg

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

dad-on-101007.jpg sddefault.jpg

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks JoJo. So in 2024 Harley-Davidson sold 151,000 bikes and Indian 24,800, so Harley is still six times larger than Indian. In 1937 Harley was able to brag that they had two thirds of all US motorcycle registrations in the 48 states, so times have changed a lot.

[duffeycycles]

Indian destroyed Victory not HD

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

As long as we are talking size.....


Honda the largest motorcycle company in the world.jpg

[KNUCK]

One more cool pic from the past. I owned this 1958 Pan for awhile even. 1972 photo.jpg

[micmac]

I bought a brand new 1981 FLHS from Charlotte, NC HD. I was given a leather jacket and chaps and three of those 20K t-shirts. I'm not sure they would give you a cup of coffee these days. I have no problem with them. I always have been and always will be an Indian guy. I bought the FLHS to have a more "Modern" ride for distance. I have no problem with Polaris Indians. I own a 2014 Chieftain with 85,000 miles. Never done anything but change oil and tires. I like to ride long distance and my '46 or '47 Chiefs are not conducive to a recovering Paratroopers back! I like them(Polaris) better than offshore brands, just me.I respect and acknowledge the viewpoint of others they are a knockoff. I don't care myself. I'm not trying to change anyones opinion. Just have another viewpoint. I have owned Springfield Indians since I was 15 years old, very close to 60 years now. When Uncle Sugar turned me loose I went to school at the University of Vermont and rode my '47 all year long when the road was dry, that or walk. I am saddened by anything American going down. I am a proud American. I don't drive around in a Toyota with an American flag on it. I just drive Chevy trucks and buy America whenever possible.

[T. Cotten]

...I don't drive around in a Toyota with an American flag on it.....

Thanks for reminding me, Micmac!

My '88 van has had a flag sticker since I got it, of course,..

But I must dig for one to put on my new '96 Camry.

I assure everyone, my ""loyalty"" to Toyota is purely a result of results, and not 'identity'.

Memories of my Datsuns arise sighs within me as well; Miss my Honda and Suzuki motorcycles more and more.

....Cotten