HD sales in trouble because millennials don't like bikes

[Beetleman]

Kids just aren't interested in driving like they were when I was in high school. We had to make our 19 year old take his driving test, he flat out wasn't interested. We have other friends that have kids with the same view on driving, just not interested. That was totally unthinkable when I was young.

I think kids are tought to be afraid of every thing. You have to wear a helmet when you ride your bikes. Are you crazy, you let your kids walk around the block, what about strangers?! You let your kid play football, your the worst worst parent ever! You can't have passengers in your car, your just 17 years old are you crazy! The list goes on and on. Kids are just brought up in more of a safety bubble than I was. I'm not necessarily saying it's wrong, it has kept my kids safer, it's just different.

Riding a motorcycle can be pretty dangerous. Kids just aren't that interested in taking that kind of risk. I read an article that said that we should all buy motorcycles before they are outlawed and made illegal.

[CYBORG]

The secret might be that in our day we wanted the independence from our parents. Todays kids enjoy being driven every where they want to do, and seem to leave home and get out on their own

[SnoBrdr]

Kids just aren't interested in driving like they were when I was in high school. We had to make our 19 year old take his driving test, he flat out wasn't interested. We have other friends that have kids with the same view on driving, just not interested. That was totally unthinkable when I was young.

I think kids are tought to be afraid of every thing. You have to wear a helmet when you ride your bikes. Are you crazy, you let your kids walk around the block, what about strangers?! You let your kid play football, your the worst worst parent ever! You can't have passengers in your car, your just 17 years old are you crazy! The list goes on and on. Kids are just brought up in more of a safety bubble than I was. I'm not necessarily saying it's wrong, it has kept my kids safer, it's just different.

Riding a motorcycle can be pretty dangerous. Kids just aren't that interested in taking that kind of risk. I read an article that said that we should all buy motorcycles before they are outlawed and made illegal.

Might be where you live.

My gf teaches drivers ed at night and every class is packed and students are always turned away.

[CYBORG]

Ya, I'm probably looking at the group thru tinted glasses. My wife and I have her 34 year old son living with us. He don.t drive, or walk much,...or contribute much,....but I degress

[Oldboy]

Don't worry about HD. They will always be around. They are truly an American icon. They could probably survive on just selling clothing. I'd buy one if they worn't so darn expensive.

[japcrap]

Friend of mine recently got new phones for him and his Lady at 800 each!! I have bought numerous wings for less than that amount!! I think it is just lifestyle and priority choices.

Think this is also one of the reasons. Kids usually dont want what their parents wanted. I am an auctioneer and my company specializes in antiques. Believe me they dont want these anymore either. Many things were driven by the baby boomers that later generations cant sustain. When I think of HD now, I think its become way too trendy like Rolex watches and Jaguars. Once everyone has one, who cares, its not that special anymore. Plus I just cant picture these young blue haired he-shes riding Harleys, can you ?. Time to sell your stock

[Whiskerfish]

HD has been through lean periods many times throughout the last Century. They have buried and seen resurrected only to bury again any real US based competition. They generally make changes slowly but when they do it is with a high level of quality. Seems like it took forever for them to street the Fuel injection systems but those that have it love it. Judging from what I see in my town on a nice Sunday afternoon they are doing pretty darn well. So much brand loyalty it is hard to imagine any significant changes. They may take a hit but I seriously doubt they are in substantial trouble. As the millennial's age some at least will begin to appreciate their Fathers (and Mothers) values so I would not count them out of the bike scene.

[SnoBrdr]

HD has been through lean periods many times throughout the last Century. They have buried and seen resurrected only to bury again any real US based competition. They generally make changes slowly but when they do it is with a high level of quality. Seems like it took forever for them to street the Fuel injection systems but those that have it love it. Judging from what I see in my town on a nice Sunday afternoon they are doing pretty darn well. So much brand loyalty it is hard to imagine any significant changes. They may take a hit but I seriously doubt they are in substantial trouble. As the millennial's age some at least will begin to appreciate their Fathers (and Mothers) values so I would not count them out of the bike scene.

What really helped HD in the recent past was that HD Credit was giving out money to just about anyone who asked.

It seemed that everyone had a new HD until the crash in 08.

You see many, many HDs at the auction and they can't get back the money that is owed on them.

Plus owning a HD was always seen as the "manly" bike to have.

[SovietMike]

I'm a millennial and I guess I must be one of the few of my generation that works on their cars and bike, mainly because I don't trust other morons other than me touching my stuff, I still hunt, and gut my own deer. I also didn't go to college. But I work a full time and part time job to pay for my toys, but I do play video games and and do use my phone quite a bit but 97 percent of the time it because I'm on this site or looking for bike parts, and I'd love a harley but as it was said before they are expensive. I can't justify paying more for a bike than I did for all three of my current 4 wheeled vehicles combined, but a used goldwing that needs a little love to get back on the road I can do.

[77Gowing]

Enough! Each sucessive generation usually gripe about the new generations. I spect that this has been true through the ages.
When they went from scrolls to books I suppose the old school scrollers were at odds with the whippersnappers and their books.

[rcmatt007]

One last thing- more women riding motorcycles? TOTALLY a thing I can get behind. I still need a solid date, and if all things two wheels is a commonality I get get behind with an attractive female, I'm all for it.

when Redwood started riding her own bike (early 80's) it was very on-common.... I am glad times have changed. Harley also offers "Women only" riders edge courses.

And guys.... we all have priorities about how we spend money.... I was fortunate, in California the state University system was free when I went through

[propav8r]

Enough! Each sucessive generation usually gripe about the new generations. I spect that this has been true through the ages.
When they went from scrolls to books I suppose the old school scrollers were at odds with the whippersnappers and their books.

[rcmatt007]

heck.... I learned making divits in soft clay tablets

[Lucien Harpress]

You know, I DO give this forum credit. It took two pages before things really got heated. (I'm not being sarcastic here. As far as motorcycle forums go, with a demographic that leans... older, I expected things to go belly up much sooner. The fact they didn't is something I think is pretty cool.)

As far as HD going under.... (at the risk of causing further arguments) I mean, at the end of the day, it's a business model, meant to make money. If they're smart (and a company this old should be), they'll adapt to the changing market demands, or lose money. If this means changing the product or changing the demands of the market (harder, but doable), either way they come out on top.

Worst case scenario, they go out of business and 30 years later get bought out and re-introduced by Polaris....

[SnoBrdr]

You know, I DO give this forum credit. It took two pages before things really got heated. (I'm not being sarcastic here. As far as motorcycle forums go, with a demographic that leans... older, I expected things to go belly up much sooner. The fact they didn't is something I think is pretty cool.)

As far as HD going under.... (at the risk of causing further arguments) I mean, at the end of the day, it's a business model, meant to make money. If they're smart (and a company this old should be), they'll adapt to the changing market demands, or lose money. If this means changing the product or changing the demands of the market (harder, but doable), either way they come out on top.

Worst case scenario, they go out of business and 30 years later get bought out and re-introduced by Polaris....

You call anything in this thread "heated".

Now that's funny.