By Andrew Court
I’m not proud of it, but I‘ve unfairly hated Harley-Davidson for a long time.
Growing up in Cincinnati, these were pretty much the only motorcycles you’d see. Frankly, their riders looked ridiculous, a bunch of dentists LARPing as rebels without a cause in tight, black leather more appropriate for a gay bar than the open road. The bikes had fringe and were covered in chrome.
Ducatis, sleek Italian race bikes, are what got me into riding. From there I’ve had a stable of Euro and Japanese bikes, but the one constant was my derision for the fabled American brand.
The thing is, I never actually rode one.
This July I borrowed a 1999 Dyna for a day, but I wasn’t expecting much. It had an engine the owner described as “agricultural,” Everything about it was old, all the parts were shaking, and you had to give it a little gas when you hit the ignition switch.
It was glorious.
Rediscovering Harley-Davidson
The long cruiser style was stable and comfortable. The bike effortlessly wafted around corners. A soul-stirring roar fired between my thighs, and the torque catapulted the bike forward. I felt like a real rebel and total bad ass leaning back, giving other Harley riders the wave.
The dentists were right all along; maybe I should’ve got those braces!
My realization is out of step with the mainstream zeitgeist as Harley faces both an aging demographic and lower sales. The average age of a Harley buyer is now 49, compared to 39 in 1990. By May of this year, earnings were down 20 percent from 2024. The current CEO, Jochen Zeitz, is leaving the company in ignominy. The former German fashion executive tried to pivot to expensive Livewire electric bikes while axing the entry-level staple Sportster. It didn’t go well.
But you shouldn’t count them out just yet; Harley has survived struggles in the past.
This iconic American motorcycle manufacturer started out as an underdog. Founded in 1903 in a small Milwaukee shed by William S. Harley and brothers Arthur and Walter Davidson, they had a small ball idea to motorize bicycles. At the time, Indian led the nascent industry.
Harley History
Harley incorporated in 1907, producing 150 bikes annually. In 1909 they introduced the V-Twin engine that became their hallmark. Still they lagged behind Indian, which was dominating on the track. Harley focused instead on durability and rider loyalty. The Great Depression nearly killed Harley-Davidson. In 1933, only 4,000 bikes were sold. Harley scraped by, leaning on its small but loyal customer base.
World War II proved to be a turning point. Harley supplied the U.S. Army with thousands of WLA “Liberator” motorcycles, proving their reliability under combat conditions. GI’s loved their bikes and scooped up Army surplus ones when they returned stateside. This is the genesis of Harley culture as we know it today.
Indian folded in 1953, leaving Harley as America’s last major motorcycle maker. Financial woes, driven by foreign competition, led to a 1969 acquisition by AMF, a conglomerate with no motorcycle expertise. AMF’s cost-cutting produced shoddy bikes, earning Harley the nickname “Hardly Drivable.” Japanese brands like Honda and Yamaha ate their lunch with cheaper, reliable models. By the late 1970s the company was in bad shape, similar to today.
They roared back in 1981 when a group of executives orchestrated a management buyout from AMF. They introduced lean manufacturing, inspired by Japanese techniques, and launched the Evolution engine in 1984, restoring reliability.
The Harley Owners Group, ground zero for the weekend warrior dentist rider, was founded in 1983. This gave the brand a more approachable image for those scared off of gang culture. Slowly, Harley worked its way back, emphasizing American heritage and customization. By the Bush era, sales were bumping with years-long wait lists.
Modern Challenges
The 2008 Financial crisis, however, hit Harley hard. They’ve never really recovered.
We are now in the throes of the great vibe shift, which I believe will benefit Harley. In dark mode, America rebellion and masculinity are cool, and nothing symbolizes this like a big, loud cruiser. As I write this I’m hanging out at a coffee shop in the heart of Brooklyn, Zohran Mamdani country. I see tattooed hipsters who would’ve bought a Triumph 10 years ago swinging a leg over a Harley. They’re falling in love with “California Club”-style bikes, like the Lower Rider S, which are more Sons of Anarchy than Sunday softball. These bikes are dialed in for performance, skipping a lot of the light-in-the-loafers chrome.
The biggest problem for HD is the excellence of the competition. Indian, their original nemesis, is making amazing bikes. Honda, with its Rebel Line, has taken over the entry-level market, which Harley abandoned. Buell, once part of Harley, is making a major comeback with the Super Cruiser that goes into production this Fall. This bike has serious horsepower that will blow Harley out of the water.
Harley-Davidson Throttles Into the Future
All of this competition is for a shrinking market. Motorcycle sales in the United States are down around 10 percent in 2025. Many question if Gen Z will get into motorcycles at all. Between 1983 and 2022, the number of 16-year-olds with even a car driving license declined from about half to a quarter. Young folks prefer Uber for transportation and electric scooters for fun.
In October of this year, Artie Starrs, the former CEO of TopGolf International, will take the reins at Harley. He’s got some great ideas like a sub-$6,000 bike to get young people into the hobby. But he’s also signaled a commitment to keep dumping cash into electric. I’m no MBA, but it seems silly for the CEO of Harley Davison not to be a motorcyclist.
I think that the culture can save Harley, despite their best efforts to fail. This is a great American brand that deserves to succeed.
