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Harley-Davidson Launches Certified Pre-Owned Motorcycle Program

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by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com Now at participating American dealers. Back in March, 2021, we first told you about the upcoming Harley-Davidson certified pre-owned motorcycle program on the horizon. As of April 19, 2021, Harley-Davidson Certified is officially supported by the Motor Company’s network of authorized Harley-Davidson dealers throughout the U.S. To be accepted into the H-D Certified program, pre-owned Harleys must satisfy a number of criteria for inclusion and undergo a comprehensive 110-point quality-assurance inspection will be conducted by certified H-D technicians. Additionally, dealers must ensure that any bikes accepted have zero open recalls or blocked VINs (one that’s invalid for some reason, for example theft or salvage). Bikes must also not have been in major accidents, and all scheduled service must be completely up-to-date. Other important considerations include: the bike must not be more than five model years old, should have under 25,000 miles on the odometer, cannot have aftermarket engine or transmission modifications, and also should not have any major chassis or electrical mods. What do buyers get out of the bargain? Each Harley-Davidson Certified pre-owned bike automatically comes with a 12-month limited warranty on both the engine and the transmission. If you buy one, you’ll also get a complimentary one-year membership in the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.). Buyers may also be able to participate in special financing offers that may be available at the time of purchase. For example, there’s currently an APR as low as 4.49 percent available for Harley-Davidson Riding Academy Course graduates. To qualify, you must apply for this financing within 180 days of graduation of your course, but that seems like it could save some new riders some money. To find out more information about the program and see what’s available, check out the official Harley-Davidson Certified Pre-Owned Motorcycles site. There’s also […]

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Harley-Davidson’s renewed focus on touring bikes drives upbeat forecast

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by Reuters from https://www.investing.com U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) on Monday reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its full-year forecast for sales growth, as its focus on bigger and profitable touring bikes boost demand, sending its shares up more than 8%. Since the middle of last year, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based company, which has struggled to grow sales for the past several years, shifted its focus to big bikes, traditional markets such as the United States and Europe, and older and wealthier customers. In February, the motorcycle maker unveiled a new turnaround plan that targets low double-digit earnings growth through 2025. The company said its retail sales, a measure of demand at its dealerships, surged 30% to 32,800 motorcycles in North America in its first quarter. Retail sales in Europe, Harley’s second biggest market outside the United States, slumped 36% to 4,900 motorcycles, due to the company’s decision to stop selling its smaller and less profitable Street or Sportster motorcycles and shipping delays as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said lower sales incentives and a cut in its selling, general and administrative expense lifted its motorcycle business operating margin by over 10 points to 18.5%. It now expects motorcycles business revenue to grow in the range of 30% to 35% in 2021, up from its prior estimate of between 20% and 25%. Harley’s net income jumped over threefold to $259 million in the quarter ended March 28, from $70 million a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, the company earned $1.68 per share, beating analysts’ average estimate of 88 cents per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. The company’s revenue rose to $1.42 billion from about $1.30 billion.

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Harley-Davidson hit with 56% EU tariff effectively blocking it from the EU market

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by Rick Barrett from https://www.jsonline.com Harley-Davidson hit with 56% EU tariff, an ‘unprecedented situation’ that will block the motorcycle maker from the market, CEO says Harley-Davidson Inc. has been slapped with a 56% European Union tariff on all its motorcycles, the company said Monday, effectively blocking it from the EU market. Harley said it would appeal the ruling scheduled to go into effect in June. “This is an unprecedented situation and underscores the very real harm of an escalating trade war to our stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic. The potential impact of this decision on our manufacturing operations and overall ability to compete in Europe is significant,” Jochen Zeitz, Harley chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement. Europe is Harley’s second largest market after the United States. “Imposing an import tariff on all Harley-Davidson motorcycles goes against all notions of free trade and, if implemented, these increased tariffs will pose a targeted competitive disadvantage for our products, against those of our European competitors,” Zeitz added. In 2018, the European Union placed a 25% incremental tariff (31% total tariff) on motorcycles imported into the EU from the United States. Under the latest proposal, the EU would place a 50% incremental tariff on U.S. motorcycles for a total tariff of 56%. The ruling would even apply to Harleys manufactured in Thailand, where the company had set up operations to get around the 2018 EU tariff. Monday, Harley posted a quarterly profit of $259 million, or $1.68 a share, up from $70 million, or 45 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose to $1.4 billion from $1.3 billion a year earlier. “The actions we have taken to reshape the business are having a positive impact on our results, especially for our most important North American region,” Zeitz said.

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10 Best Motorcycle Companies in the World

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by Qasim Aslam from https://www.insidermonkey.com Which big players are ruling the motorcycle industry? This article is going to tell you about the 10 best motorcycle manufacturers in the world right now. 10. Indian Motorcycle/Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) Polaris claims to be America’s first motorcycle company as it traces its origin back to 1901. It was established by an accomplished Bicycle racer George M. Hendee with the name of Hendee Manufacturing Company and established its first factory in downtown Springfield, USA in 1901. The company produced motorcycles for US Army during World War I. The name Hendee Manufacturing Company was changed to ‘The Indian Motorcycle Company’ in 1923. The company was closed in 1953 and several attempts failed to restart production until it was reborn with the name ‘Indian Motorcycle’ when Polaris Industries acquired it in 2011. It has over 300 international dealers in addition to a network of over 200 dealers in North America. Total sales of Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Slingshot in 2020 totaled 330,000 units. North America is the biggest market for them, where they sold 190000 units. Indian Motorcycle currently competes only in three segments of the motorcycle industry that are cruiser, touring, and standard motorcycles and so far they do not offer sports bikes. Their bikes are known for heritage-inspired designs, premium suspension, and beautiful styling. The most popular model of Indian Motorcycle is no other than ‘Scout’ as currently it is the finest cruiser bike in the motorcycle market. 9. KTM Industries AG Inhaber-Aktie (XSTU: KTMI.SG) KTM is currently the largest producer of motorcycles in Europe. The Austrian company which traces its origin from an engine repair shop in Austria made its first motorcycle in 1953. KTM went bankrupt in 1991 and was restructured in 1992. Now, KTM is jointly owned by Pierer Mobility AG

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Car and Motorcycle Companies Now Making Electric Bikes

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by Roy Furchgott from https://www.nytimes.com They see branding opportunities as the pandemic and a desire by cities to curb traffic propel e-bike sales to new heights. The transportation industry has seen the future, and the future is 1895. That was the year Ogden Bolton Jr. of Canton, Ohio, was awarded U.S. Patent 552,271 for an “electrical bicycle.” A century and change later, electric bikes have gained new currency as car and motorcycle companies like Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Yamaha have horned into the market with their own designs. While the pandemic has accelerated bike sales, the overriding attraction is that cities worldwide are beginning to restrict motor traffic. These companies are betting that e-bikes are the urban vehicles of tomorrow — or at least vehicles for good publicity today. “In the past 12 to 18 months, you have seen a lot of new brands come into the market,” said Andrew Engelmann, an e-bike sales and marketing manager at Yamaha, which has been in the electric bike business since 1993 and claims sales of two million worldwide. “We in the U.S. have not seen this new energy toward cycling since Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France.” Credit the coronavirus pandemic, which has ignited bike sales of all stripes, but none so much as e-bikes. While retail unit sales of bicycles from January to October last year were up 46 percent from a year earlier, electric bikes were up 140 percent. Measured in dollars, regular bikes were up 67 percent and e-bikes 158 percent — so don’t expect a discount. Those numbers, from the market researchers at NPD, do not include online-only retailers such as Rad Power Bikes, so sales may actually be higher still. Ogden Bolton aside, there is a historical connection between bicycles and motorcycles. Many early

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Harley-Davidson to cut hundreds of jobs as part of turnaround strategy

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by Rajesh Kumar Singh from https://www.reuters.com CHICAGO (Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) on Thursday said it will lay off 500 employees this year as part of new Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz’s efforts to revive the struggling motorcycle maker. As part of the overhaul, Chief Financial Officer John Olin will leave the company effective immediately. Darrell Thomas, treasurer, will become interim chief financial officer, it said. Harley-Davidson’s sales have been declining for the past five years in the United States, its largest market, as its baby-boomer customer base ages. The economic pain caused by the coronavirus pandemic has further dented retail demand. In response to weak sales, the Milwaukee-based company has cut production, leading to 140 job cuts last month at its factories in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The latest cuts are in addition to those layoffs, a company spokeswoman said. Zeitz, who took over in February, is hailed for turning around the Puma brand’s near-bankrupt business. His restructuring strategy, dubbed The Rewire, is aimed at making Harley a leaner and more nimble organization. It seeks to reset product lines, focus on the company’s core strengths and prioritize profitable markets. “Significant changes are necessary, and we must move in new directions,” Zeitz said. Harley said the measures announced on Thursday will lay the foundation for a five-year strategic plan to revive sales that the company expects to share in the fourth quarter. In all, the restructuring will eliminate 700 positions globally. It will result in a $50 million restructuring charge in 2020, including $42 million in the second quarter. While the overhaul is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Harley said it will likely cause additional restructuring charges in 2021. The company will provide more details of the financial impact in its second-quarter earnings report later this month.

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Harley-Davidson Announces Rewire Progress

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from https://motorcycles.einnews.com Harley-Davidson Announces Rewire Progress, New Operating Model and Leaner Organization to Drive Focus and Efficiency Milwaukee, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As part of its comprehensive efforts to rewire the company (The Rewire), announced in April, Harley-Davidson, Inc. (“Harley-Davidson”) (NYSE:HOG) today announced an overhaul of its global operating model, including a leaner, more nimble organization. Initial Rewire actions are expected to result in restructuring costs of approximately $42 million in Q2 2020. The company plans to share a summary of The Rewire, including additional costs and expected savings, when it releases its Q2 results. “The Rewire is progressing very well and substantial work is being done to eliminate complexity and get Harley-Davidson on a path to winning. Our new operating model is simpler, more focused and enables faster decisions across the entire company,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “We’ve taken a hard look at our entire set up, our spending, and how work is getting done, to align our operating model, structure and processes. We are building a strong foundation to drive a high-performance organization in the future.” Changes to the company’s operating model under The Rewire include all areas of the business globally, from commercial operations to corporate functions. Changes have also occurred in the company’s leadership, among them, Chief Financial Officer John Olin has left his role, with current VP Treasurer, Darrell Thomas assuming duties as interim CFO until a successor is appointed. “Significant changes are necessary, and we must move in new directions. I thank John for his commitment during his 17 years with the company and for his leadership during this critical phase of The Rewire,” Zeitz said. Overall, the streamlined structure requires approximately 700 fewer positions across the company’s global operations with approximately 500 employees expected to exit the

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Harley-Davidson Motor Co. chief operating officer Michelle Kumbier leaving company

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by David Schuyler from https://www.bizjournals.com/ Harley-Davidson Motor Co. senior vice president and chief operating officer Michelle Kumbier is leaving the company April 3, Milwaukee-based parent Harley-Davidson Inc. said in a regulatory filing Tuesday. As chief operating officer since October 2017, Kumbier oversaw the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer’s U.S. and international markets in addition to responsibilities leading product and operations. In the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) did not disclose a reason for her departure. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the filing. Kumbier is the latest high-ranking executive to leave the company in recent months. Those departures include former president and CEO Matt Levatich, a permanent replacement for whom has yet to be hired. Before adding chief operating officer to her responsibilities, Kumbier was senior vice president, Motor Company product and operations. In that role, she led a team of more than 4,500 employees worldwide to bring Harley-Davidson motorcycles, parts and accessories and general merchandise to market. Kumbier joined Harley-Davidson in 1997 in operations purchasing, and has since taken on roles with increasing responsibility in purchasing, strategic planning, new business development, and parts and accessories. Kumbier’s former product and operations responsibilities will be assumed by Bryan Niketh, vice president of product development of the Harley-Davidson Motor Co., who has been promoted to senior vice president of product and operations. Kumbier’s global sales responsibilities as chief operating officer will be assumed by acting president and CEO Jochen Zeitz. In another move, Harley-Davidson Inc. assistant general counsel Paul Krause, who has been serving as interim chief legal officer, has been hired for the role permanently. He’s also been promoted to chief compliance officer and secretary of Harley-Davidson Inc. A number of high-ranking executives have left the company in the span of

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At 70, Honda hits a milestone of 400mn motorcycles

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Honda currently produces a wide range of motorcycles, from 50cc commuters to 1,800cc models, at 35 facilities in 21 countries. Japanese automaker Honda has produced 400 million units of motorcycles globally since it had begun production in 1949 with its maiden Dream D-Type bike. According to the company, it achieved 100 million-unit milestone in 1997, and 300 million-units in 2014. In 2018, Honda exceeded an annual production of 20 million units for the first time in its history, and enjoyed strong support from customers in the Asia region and worldwide, it said. Honda currently produces a wide range of motorcycles, from 50cc commuters to 1,800cc models, at 35 facilities in 21 countries. Honda was founded in 1948, and began mass-production of motorcycles at its first overseas production facility in Belgium in 1963. Since then, Honda has expanded its production globally in accordance with its fundamental principle of producing locally where there is demand. Honda will continue to construct its development and production structure to meet rising demand, it said. Takahiro Hachigo, Chief Executive Officer, Honda Motor said, “For 70 years, Honda has provided to customers worldwide motorcycles that make life easier and enjoyable. As a result, we have achieved our 400 million-unit milestone. I am grateful to all of our customers, and everyone involved in development, manufacturing, sales and service of our products. We will continue to do our best to provide attractive products that meet the needs and dreams of our customers worldwide.” Honda would strive to realize its 2030 vision, to serve people worldwide with the “joy of expanding their life’s potential,” he added.

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Honda Rolled Out Its 400 Millionth Motorcycle Since 1949

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by Sabrina Giacomini from https://www.rideapart.com Honda is one of the few companies still active today that started its life as a motorcycle manufacturer. In 1949, newly-founded company rolled out the Dream D-Type, the firm’s first proper motorcycle. Fast-forward seven decades and Honda remains to this day one of the most recognized brand names in the industry. The company reached several important milestones in 2019, including the production of its 400 Millionth motorcycle. It looks like 2019 has been a good year for Honda. Not only did the company introduce several new bikes that received a lot of attention (Fireblade, CT125, Africa Twin, etc.), 2019 is also the year we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the birth of the Japanese superbike, a milestone set by the introduction of the Honda CB750 Four in 1969. To wrap things up on a high note, the company has now announced the production of its 400 Millionth motorcycle. Considering the manufacturer produces the best-selling motorcycle in the world, the Super Cub, it kind of makes sense. In 2017, Honda celebrated the production of 100 Million Super Cubs which means the model alone accounts for over a quarter of the motorcycles produced by Honda since its inception. For reference, it took almost 20 years for the company to reach its first 10M units produced. Motorcycles are now being produced at a rate of roughly 20M a year. How the times and the industry have changed! The previous turning point was reached in 2014 when the counter reached 300 Million. It took only five years to add another 100M to its records. India and Indonesia account for over 50 percent of that production (no big surprise there). What about the U.S.? It doesn’t even have its own share of the chart. It’s included in the “Other” slice

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