demography

Motorcycle dealers in Canada blame rising insurance for drop in sales

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by Gillian Francis from https://leaderpost.com “I’m not going to say it’s all because of SGI, but I’d say three-quarters of it is.” In just over three years, Robb Hertzog, owner of the Regina motorcycle dealership Prairie Harley Davidson (click here), estimates he’s lost well over $1 million worth of sales. “I’m not going to say it’s all because of SGI, but I’d say three-quarters of it is,” he said in an interview Thursday, adding that skyrocketing insurance rates for motorcycles are leading to a decline in the amount of customers he receives. Hertzog is one of many business owners in the motorcycle industry who have voiced concerns about the increasing expenses for bike owners. SGI is considering upping insurance rates again, by 15 per cent for insurance premiums greater than $1,000 and by $25 to $150, for those that total $1,000 or less, leaving businesses with increasingly dire prospects. “They just can’t afford to ride anymore,” Hertzog said. “My younger clients are just not getting into it because when your monthly rate is as much or more than your loan payments, it makes it very, very difficult.” Earlier this week, an SGI spokesperson told the Leader-Post that increasing fees are part of a plan to rebalance insurance rates. This would lead to an annual rate decrease for some types of vehicles and in an increase for vehicles like motorcycles that are perceived to have higher accident risk. A latest proposed rate increase is being reviewed by The Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel. Insurance rates for new models with large engines, like Harley cruisers, can range from $2,000 to $3,000 per year. While this is enough to dissuade individual motorists from buying, there is also a chain reaction that extends to other parts of the industry as well. Hertzog explained the number […]

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New Pan America motorcycle drawing national attention

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by Sarah Hauer from https://www.jsonline.com Harley-Davidson Inc.’s newest bike — a less expensive and lighter motorcycle — is drawing national attention as the company tries to lure new riders. Harley-Davidson’s Pan America is arriving at hundreds of dealerships now. “(The Pan America) is definitely not your dad’s Harley-Davidson cruiser,” New York Times reporter Mark Gardiner wrote. The Pan America is about $2,000 cheaper and 200 pounds lighter than Harley-Davidson’s most popular touring bikes. The base model of the Pan America is around 530 pounds and starts at $17,319. Pan America’s launch was delayed a year. The company held a virtual launch event in February. Kevin Duke, who writes about motorcycles, was impressed by his test ride of the new bike. “The news about Harley for the past couple of years has been quite pessimistic,” said Duke, the editor in chief at Thunder Press in the New York Times article. “With the older demographic aging out, there was no real hint at what the company could do to gain market share, but this really changes it. The new motor is that good.” The Milwaukee-based company has been trying to expand its customer base for years. The company experienced a steep decline in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. Motorcycle sales were up 9% worldwide for the company during its most recent fiscal quarter. That bump was driven by a 30% increase in North America motorcycle sales over the same three-month time period last year. Harley-Davidson launched its all-electric motorcycle brand LiveWire in May. The first motorcycle branded as a LiveWire bike is scheduled to premiere at the International Motorcycle Show on July 9.

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Harley borrows Detroit’s used-car playbook to pursue younger riders

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from https://www.channelnewsasia.com Harley-Davidson has decided the best way to get younger customers to buy a new motorcycle is to sell them a used one first. The Milwaukee-based company plans to roll out a certified pre-owned bike program, known as H-D Certified, adapting a strategy carmakers have been following for years to position well-tended used vehicles as a substitute for low-margin, “entry-level” new models. Harley’s embrace of used bikes is part of a new five-year turnaround strategy under Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz, and is the latest effort to expand the brand’s appeal beyond middle-aged and affluent riders. The 118-year-old American brand has been steadily losing US market share amid declining retail sales for six years. But the demand for used Harleys, which are less expensive, has remained strong. Some dealers told Reuters that pre-owned bikes last year outsold new ones by three-to-one. Melissa Walters, owner of a Harley dealership in Fresno, California, says the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increased demand for outdoor recreational activity, but dealers are hard-pressed to find bikes to sell to customers. “People are tired of staying home,” she said. “They want to go out and do something.” That sentiment was echoed by over a dozen dealers in six states. Data from industry consultant JD Power shows Harley was the most sought-after brand in the used big bikes market last year, boosting bets the certified program will draw in new customers. For Harley, it offers a way to build brand loyalty and attract new customers without engineering and manufacturing new lower-cost bikes, which tend to have lower profit margins. “We believe this program will drive Harley-Davidson desirability, increase sales and margins, and enhance the overall customer experience while supporting growth,” Zeitz told Reuters. Under the pre-owned bike program, which was revealed last month, Harley will certify

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Indian Motorcycle 2020 Sturgis Update

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Indian Motorcycle will be at the 80th Sturgis Rally. Due to the current circumstances, there will be no official owners ride or event. If you are planning to attend Sturgis, here are some additional details: Sturgis patch will be available at the dealership Demos will be available at the dealership and on Lazelle Street VIP Demos for owners will be at the dealership Owners that sign up for Elite Status at the dealership during Sturgis will get a special gift while supplies last Ride safe & we hope to see you at the Sturgis owners event in 2021! This year at the 80th Sturgis Rally, Indian Motorcycle has a VIP Demo Experience that is only for our owners. You have to sign up online before the event to reserve your spot. An invite-only VIP demo experience for Indian Motorcycle Owners. About this Event – August 7 to 15. Because you’re an Indian Motorcycle Owner, you’ve been invited to an exclusive VIP Demo Experience hosted by Indian Motorcycle at the Sturgis Rally. With this invite you get: – A thorough walk around of whatever model you choose to ride – A self-guided, one-hour demo ride – A special gift Date: VIP Demos are available almost every morning of the Sturgis Rally from 7:30 – 8:30am. *Please arrive early. Where: The Indian Motorcycle Sturgis dealership, 2130 Main St, Sturgis, SD 57785 To sign up for the VIP Demo Experience, click the green register button above to sign up for a motorcycle to demo (while they last). There is limited availability, so please RSVP quickly! When: Arrive 15 minutes early. Kickstands up at 7:30 am and return at 8:30 am. Bikes that are available to reserve: 3 – Indian Challengers 2 – Indian Chieftains 2 – FTR 1200s 1 – Indian Roadmaster 1

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Harley’s New Rewire Strategy Is A Bad Idea

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by Justin Hughes from https://www.rideapart.com Why refocus the brand on capturing a rapidly shrinking demographic? Earlier this week we reported on Harley-Davidson’s latest change in direction: to abandon some of their more ambitious ideas and focus on growing the core brand, with their core bikes, in the US. While models like the LiveWire, Bronx, and Pan America are already far enough down the pipeline to continue, beyond that we can expect nothing more than cruisers, baggers, and tourers from Harley for the foreseeable future. That’s too bad. As an amateur radio operator, I have often heard the derogatory joke that the average age of one who participates in the hobby is “dead.” Sadly, that is beginning to apply more and more to the average age of a typical Harley rider. There are always exceptions. I’ve had my radio license since I was 15, and I’m actually considering an 80s or 90s Harley for a future project bike. But even I have a bit of gray in my hair and beard, something you will see in the vast majority of Harley enthusiasts. We’re only getting older. From the investors’ perspective, I get it. They’re not in it for the bikes or the culture. They’re in it for the money, and especially these days the money isn’t there. Shareholder Impala Asset Management has been arguing for a while that a change in direction is needed, and chose to act during the recent management shakeup at Harley. While we hoped this might be good for Harley, it looks like they have chosen to take what it sees as the safe path, prioritizing short term profit over the long term survival of the company. Given the crazy economic condition of the world right now, maybe that’s the right choice for now. It’s not like

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Harley Davidson: The Road Only Goes Downhill

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Harley-Davidson delays its first $30,000 electric motorcycle after unexpected findings during final quality checks The company delayed the motorcycle after ‘non-standard conditions’ were discvoered during final quality checks Dealers had begun selling pre-orders of the bike in January Harley-Davidson had forecast shipping 1,600 bikes Harley-Davidson has delayed production on its first electric motorcycle, called LiveWire. In an email sent to dealers last week, the company announced it had found a ‘non-standard condition’ in its final quality checks but didn’t elaborate further. The LiveWire was officially announced for commercial release last fall with a planned price of $29,799. ‘We recently discovered a non-standard condition during a final quality check; stopped production and deliveries; and began additional testing and analysis, which is progressing well,’ the company said in a statement. The Wall Street Journal reported that the decision came after a problem with the vehicle’s battery charging was discovered. The manufacturer did not say when they planned to resume production. The company had already begun delivering models of LiveWire to dealers in September. The company had expected to ship around 1,600 bikes, or an estimated 1 percent of the company’s total big shipments. The LiveWire is said to go from 0-60 mph in three seconds and reach top speeds of 110 mph. Harley-Davidson recommends users go to dealers to charge the vehicle rather than trying to use standard electrical outlets in their homes. It is powered by a 15.5 kWh battery and has a 105 horsepower magnetic engine and a range of 146 miles city driving on a single charge. Harley-Davidson had told potential customers to charge the bike only at registered dealers and not in their homes. The bike was first shown in The Avengers: Age of Ultron as a sleek prototype ridden by Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow character. The LiveWire

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Motorcycle Makers Are Getting Hip to Women-Only Rallies

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Anxious to find new audiences after a decade of declining sales, the giants like Harley-Davidson and BMW Motorrad are finally taking notice of a self-made community. On Valentine’s Day, Sharry Billings posted a photograph on Instagram. Below the image of herself, her hair a red caramel and her smile open, she wrote: “I love you so much I wanna squeeze you!” The object of her affection? “All the motorcycles I have owned and will own in the future,” she explained. Alongside the photo of her astride a Harley-Davidson, she wrote that bikes “have changed my life, healed my soul, and brought me more love and friendships than I could have ever imagined.” Billings goes by @sistermother13 on Instagram, but the main account she oversees is @thelitaslosangeles. The Litas is a group she joined three years ago as a way to connect with other women riders in her city. She’s co-led the L.A. branch for two years. When she joined, it provided her with much-needed healing and camaraderie after her kids grew up and she got divorced. Billings had ridden as a teenager and into her 20s but took a hiatus later. “It was always in my heart,” she says. But when she was married with young children, “I thought it was a little too dangerous.” After the breakup in 2015, she found herself longing for escape. And adventure. “My prayer at the time was, ‘God, I don’t want to date.’ These men are not happening,” Billings says, laughing. “The first thing that came to my heart was the motorcycle I wanted. It was a Harley.” She bought the bike, took the ride. Then she joined the Litas. “I’m very grateful to have found my heart again,” Billings says. Founded in Utah by Jessica Haggett half a decade ago, the Litas

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