Quote:
Originally Posted by zsv650s
TBF Harley are damned if they do damned if they don't HD fans don't like new engine designs so stop buying and they can't get new customers because of the agricultural old engines maybe they should set up a separate make for sporty stuff.
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I agree. Harley are a victim of their own success - they wanted to sell a "lifestyle" and they have been very good at that. The trouble is when you need to change the product identified as part of that lifestyle nobody is interested.
You then have the issue that their demographic target is aging and the younger potential customer isn't interested in their Dad's "lifestyle" and, more importantly, can't afford it.
They have to keep trying though but I wonder whether they should dump the new V twin and head off in a new direction instead of trying to persuade people that it is still a Harley. Maybe do a reverse Lexus - Toyota wanted to go upmarket so they introduced the Lexus brand - I know it's made by Toyota but after all these years I think of it as a luxury brand.
Harley will always be associated with the 45° V twin and "potato - potato", they tried a 60° V twin before with the V-Rod and it wasn't accepted as a Harley.
Triumph were mostly associated with parallel twins with the Trident thrown in but now the triples have as much recognition as the twins.