Harley Trims Motorcycle Shipments

[JayBros]

Article in today's WSJ reports Harley slashed its 3rd Qtr shipments by almost 40% year over year due to a glut of bikes. Company expects annual revenue to decline 14-16% compared with an earlier projection of 5-9% decline. It faces slack demand due to high interest rates and typical consumer wariness that comes in presidential election years. Article says a new line of well-received touring bikes, the company's most expensive, has not lifted overall sales. Company sold only 99 Live Wire electric bikes during the quarter. Polaris's quarterly results also show hard times for the power sports industry in general.

 

[JB62]

I still see more Harleys than anything else on the roads, and I'm a truck driver - everywhere I go, I see them. They have been predicting their collapse forever.

 

[Dasmoetorhead]

I still see more Harleys than anything else on the roads, and I'm a truck driver - everywhere I go, I see them. They have been predicting their collapse forever.

Yep! I agree with you. I'm 4,000 miles into our trip from E.TN to Nor-Cal with roughly 2,000 more to go, and all I have seen on I-26, I-24, I-70, and I-80 are Harleys. Not as many I've seen in the past, though.

 

[JayBros]

I believe the article is about HD primarily because of the way the American public is rejecting the cost of personal transportation vehicles, regardless of method of propulsion. When folks go looking for internal combustion powered vehicles and find that a "reasonably priced" cage is 47 grand, with interest rates the way they are the potential customer is unwilling take on the financial obligation. There are Tesla owners stuck with vehicles they would like to be rid of but are under water on the loans. Despite Harley cutting shipments, they did not change the company's projected year end loss of $105 - $115 million. The company's quarterly revenue fell 26% to $1.2 billion but was higher than some analysts projected, $970 million, and earnings per share of $.91 was 10 cents higher than anticipated. It's a tough business climate right now. The hogs are still out there in big numbers though; they're what I see most of on my rides.

An interesting aside, there is a front-page article in the same paper about how many Americans know inflation has slowed but folks are still really PO'ed about prices for a whole lot of things, like cars, groceries, houses, etc.

 

[JB62]

With the outrageous price of new Harleys, I really don't know how people can afford to buy one.
People are struggling money wise for food and needed items so buying a motorcycle is not happening. There are priorities in life and a new Harley isn't a priority.
I spent 30 grand on my new Spyder and was fortunate that I could afford it, but most people can't afford that kind of purchase. I did much praying about it before I bought it.

 

[bikerbillone]

Also read something about DEI, whatever that is.

 

[safecracker]

I just read an article that Polaris is in the same boat, on their atvs,suvs sales are down like 80%. They did not mention the Indian sales.

 

[JayBros]

Here's Indian's performance through August 2024:https://www.motorcyclesdata.com/2024/09/08/indian-motorcycles/http://

I'm still driving a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan I'd just as soon be rid of except for one factor, the cost of its replacement.

 

[Flier Tuck]

Part of the Harley problem may be that the UK and the EU have banned chrome on everything. Apparently you cannot even privately import a small part for your bike if it has chrome plating.

 

[JayBros]

Part of the Harley problem may be that the UK and the EU have banned chrome on everything. Apparently you cannot even privately import a small part for your bike if it has chrome plating.

I watch Royal Enfield just out of curiosity as I might be served with divorce papers if a two wheeler appeared in the garage, but I note accessory manufacturers for RE bikes present their products in mostly polished stainless steel when they're not painted black.