Harley Davidson CEO is done

[Cruizin]

Harley's CEO supposively stepped down last Friday, but its more likely that the Board voted him out after continuous years of declining sales. 

 

Harley has new lower priced models coming out, but will it be enough to save them? The Livewire is not selling. $29,000 for an electric bike that doesn't go very far does not turn a company around. They should have released their streetfighter bike first, and held on to the Livewire until later when production costs comes down and battery range increases. 

 

People don't want $29,000 motorcycles.  People dont want 800 lb bikes, either.  They want bang for the buck bikes under $12,000 that produce power and reliability.  These are things that Harley doesnt know much about. 

 

You know who does know a thing about power and reliability? Erik Buell.  And they had him at their full Disposal but would never let him build the bikes that HE KNEW we wanted. The bikes they did produce with Buel names on them, they were not the bikes that Erik wanted to build. They were half measures at best, his designs were scrapped often and redesigned the "Harley Way". 

 

Harley Davidson should bring Erik Buell back and name him chief designer and brand ambassador.

 

Have him redesign that horribly ugly and Heavy ADV bike and add some thought to the other new bikes they are releasing. His name alone will bring people to the showrooms and if they let him build HIS designs, his bikes will sell. 

 

Then, they should have him design a Race bike and fully support a Moto GP program. As crazy as that sounds, they need a presence in Moto GP and Superbike to get over their past history of horrible, heavy, crappy bike production. 

 

But, they won't do any of the above. The new acting CEO comes from a long history at Puma. A sporting clothing line, at best. 

 

Harley-Davidson President and CEO Matthew Levatich Steps Down - Cycle News

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Board of Directors Appoints Board Member Jochen Zeitz as Acting President and CEO.

 

[Tazmool]

I think HD needs to close down/reboot, maybe be resurrected a decade later as a completely new, modern, affordable motorcycle company with a new outlook on operations. 

Some years ago, I was at a harley dealership, just looking around (it was a huge dealership, beautiful building, lots of stock)  not a single bike on the floor was even remotely appealing to me, not the styling, not the archaic technology, not the super heavy weights, and definitely not the prices.   

 

The only bike that HD was teasing at the time that did peaque my interest just a little, was the live wire prototype that was making rounds, however after hearing the specs, and what HD was focusing on regarding that bike?  the sound....  really?!?  not the range, weight, cost, handling, ergonomics...??   

When the live wire did come out, $30k usd..... 

really..... 

I laughed..... 

 

Tazmool

[bth2]

harley would't be missed by me. they have never appealed to me. a company always living in the past.expensive ,old technology.

 

[Louis]

Harley is heading in the right direction, with an adventure bike and an electric model. Looks like the Pan America model is uber cool if you are Homer Simpson  bet it weighs more than Goldwing .

30k for an electric bike? Who's the target market? 

[Idarex]

The Harley demographic is aging out.  No "road map" or "new Harley" or engineer or ambassador is going to save them.  They should stick to clothing and forget about motorcycles.

[tenerecanada]

A take from a great channel: