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Harley-Davidson Launches LiveWire as independent Electric Motorcycle Brand

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Harley-Davidson Launches LiveWire, the independent Electric Motorcycle Brand (www.livewire.com) MILWAUKEE (May 10, 2021) – Harley-Davidson, Inc. (“Harley-Davidson”) (NYSE: HOG) today announces the launch of LiveWire as an all-electric motorcycle brand. LiveWire is more than a motorcycle. LiveWire plans to redefine electric, delivering the best experience for the urban rider, with personality and soul. LiveWire creates a unique connection between rider and vehicle. Today, the next chapter in the LiveWire journey begins. Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson: “One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV. With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.” The first LiveWire branded motorcycle is scheduled to launch on July 8, 2021 and to premiere at the International Motorcycle Show on July 9, 2021. For more information and updates, register at livewire.com. Unique lineage: LiveWire draws on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson, capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector and the heritage of the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world. Motorcycles + beyond: with an initial focus on the urban market, LiveWire will pioneer the electric motorcycle space, and beyond. Virtual HQ: innovating by design and attracting industry-leading talent, LiveWire will be headquartered virtually, with initial hubs in Silicon Valley, CA (LiveWire Labs) and Milwaukee, WI. Marketplace: from launch, LiveWire will work with participating dealers from the Harley-Davidson network as an independent brand. An innovative go-to-market model […]

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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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Meteor 350 set to arrive in North America

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METEOR 350 TO ARRIVE AT NORTH AMERICAN DEALERS 349cc single-cylinder Meteor set to arrive at dealers in May Milwaukee, Wis (Wednesday, April 6, 2021) — The Royal Enfield Meteor 350, announced in late 2020, is set to debut at Royal Enfield dealerships across North America. Drawing on Royal Enfield’s rich history, the middleweight Meteor revives the iconic name given to its predecessor, which was released in the 1950s. The Meteor 350 pricing will begin at $4,399 for the Fireball. The Meteor 350 is a new design built from the ground up, created by designers and engineers based at Royal Enfield’s two state-of-the-art technical centers, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and Bruntingthorpe, UK. With a fuel-injected 349cc air-oil-cooled single-cylinder engine, the Meteor generates 20.2 bhp and 19 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Designed with a balancer shaft, the new platform gives a smooth and well-mannered riding experience, while retaining Royal Enfield’s “thump.” The Meteor 350 also features a twin downtube spline frame, a seat height of 30.1 inches and a curb weight of 421 pounds, making it an approachable and fun motorcycle for nearly any rider. “The Meteor 350 is a perfect balance of fun and style for any rider,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead-Americas. “Riders will have the opportunity to choose the Meteor 350 in three model trims: the Fireball, the Stellar and the Supernova, each with its own unique personality and styling. The Meteor displays Royal Enfield’s commitment to our global position as the leader in the middleweight segment, offering a diverse lineup of motorcycles to all riders.” The Meteor 350 will be available in seven color variations. The Fireball will be available with blacked-out trim pieces and pinstripe wheels, while the Meteor 350 Stellar will offer a passenger backrest. The Supernova will offer both a windscreen

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Rockstar Harley-Davidson donates $50,000 to local children’s charities

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On December 12, 2020, David and Charlyn Veracka representing the entire Rockstar Harley-Davidson family, presented a check for $50,000 to local children’s charities that are beneficiaries of the annual Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational golf tournament, now in its 24th year. Two years ago, the Veracka family added Rockstar Harley-Davidson, formerly Six Bends Harley-Davidson, a mega 54,000 sq. ft. motorcycle destination located off of I-75 and Daniels, to their growing list of motorcycle dealerships across the country. They have since purchased a home in Fort Myers and look forward to getting more involved in the Southwest Florida community. “We love children and enjoy supporting the community where we live, work and play,” said David and Charlyn Veracka. “Our family and the Harley-Davidson family feel it’s our responsibility to give back to our community and those in most need.” In 2020, many fundraising events were canceled due to the pandemic, which has placed a huge financial burden on local non-profits who rely on those funds to provide much needed services in our community. “Organizers thought long and hard about canceling the Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational for the first time in two decades because of the pandemic but quickly realized that it was more important than ever to go forward with the event,” says Scott Fischer, owner of Scott Fischer Enterprises and co-host of the event. “Non-profits need our help more than ever and we can’t let them down.” Thanks to the generosity of Rockstar Harley-Davidson, sponsors, and golfers, the 24th Annual Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational will go on as planned to provide essential funding to Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida to feed food insufficient children on the weekends throughout the school year; Paul Sands Memorial REIS Scholarship Fund at Florida Gulf Coast University to

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Harley’s ride with Hero may leave its dealers in the lurch

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by Lijee Philip from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Dealers point to the mid-sized bike Street, which accounted for 70-90% of sales in upcountry and metro markets and has been out of production for more than a month. Harley-Davidson, which exited India in September, may have firmed up a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Hero MotoCorp, but the fate of its 33 dealerships spread across metros and smaller towns remains unclear. Dealers point to the mid-sized bike Street, which accounted for 70-90% of sales in upcountry and metro markets and has been out of production for more than a month. A section of Harley-Davidson dealers said continuing with many recently opened showrooms may not be viable, especially in smaller towns and in metros including the National Capital Region and Bengaluru, which have several such outlets. “We would sell at least 20-25 motorcycles a month. Now, it is down to single digits. With no sight of Street coming back and the launch of a mid-size motorcycle from the Hero-Harley combine at least a couple of years away, dealerships feel they need to be compensated for the investments made or margins increased to sustain operations,” one of the oldest Harley-Davidson dealers said on condition of anonymity. “As stated in our earlier announcement, Hero MotoCorp will sell and service Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and sell parts and accessories and general merchandise riding gear and apparel through a network of brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers network in India,” a Hero MotoCorp spokesperson said in an email. “We don’t want to comment on anything further at this stage, as all specific details with regard to the transition process will be worked out in due course of time.” “We will get back as soon as we hear from the global team,” Harley-Davidson said. Dealers, still awaiting clarity from Harley-Davidson or Hero MotoCorp on the

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Why Harley-Davidson Closed Shop in India

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From Ground-Zero of a Marketing Failure Is there a market for big bikes in India? All the big names have dealerships here in India – Triumph, Indian, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda and now some Italian brands too. India is the world’s largest market for two-wheelers overtaking China. Motorcycles and scooters can be seen everywhere in every city, suburbs and villages. It is the most popular choice of transport for the common man. Why would one of the world’s most popular brands decide to shut shop in India after spending a decade building dealerships and relationships? Harley-Davidson came to India before Indian and Triumph set foot here. In a way their sales figures induced other motorcycle brands to sell their larger models in India. Before Harley-Davidson the Japanese giants Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki did not consider bringing their superbikes to Indian dealerships. They were content with their small commuter bikes and scooters selling in large numbers. So how does the trailblazer brand decide they don’t like what they have accomplished? The answers are complex and the answers may be closer to home in US of A than in India. CLICK HERE to read this Report on Bikernet. Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Harley-Davidson Dealerships Ranked #1 in 2020 for Responding to Website Customers

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from https://www.oaoa.com Associated Press | MONTEREY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 4, 2020– Harley-Davidson dealerships ranked highest in the 2020 Pied Piper PSI ® Internet Lead Effectiveness ® (ILE ® ) Industry Study, which answers the question, “What happens when motorcycle or UTV customers visit a dealer website and inquire about a vehicle?” Dealerships selling Indian motorcycles were ranked second. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200503005001/en/ 2020 Pied Piper PSI – Motorcycle / UTV Internet Lead Effectiveness Industry Study (USA) – Ranking by Brand (Graphic: Pied Piper) The study was completed before the appearance of the coronavirus pandemic, but in the aftermath of the pandemic dealer response to website customers has become even more critical. Pied Piper submitted customer inquiries through the individual websites of 6,012 dealerships between July 2019 and February 2020, asking a question about a vehicle in inventory, and providing a customer name, email address and local telephone number. Pied Piper then evaluated how the dealerships responded by email, telephone and text message over the next 24 hours. Twenty different measurements generate dealership Internet Lead Effectiveness ® (ILE ® ) scores, which range from zero to 100. 13% of dealerships nationwide scored above 70, demonstrating an extensive and effective website-response process, while 36% of dealerships scored below 30, showing failure to personally respond in any way to their website customers. The study found widespread industrywide improvement from 2019 to 2020, with the industry average ILE score increasing from 33 to 42. Brands which led the industry in improvement over the past year were Indian, Harley-Davidson, Polaris and Yamaha. Only three of thirty-three brands failed to increase their score from 2019: Club Car (Ingersoll Rand), Cub Cadet (MTD Products) and Arctic Cat (Textron). Nearly all of today’s customers first use their smart phone to shop before

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