Crickets

[Randy F]

Has anyone ever seen a millennial on a Harley?

My son rides one, though when he rides with others there are very few others his age.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

BTW @PHOENIX PHIL this is what Harley riding looks like in Minnesota this time of year;

You have to look at her beautiful eyes to see the big smile on @Just GinaView attachment 582299View attachment 582300

I do recall from my previous Idaho days......hopefully to enjoy again in the not too distant future.

 

[Aaron N]

Has anyone ever seen a millennial on a Harley?

Plenty, what’s the point you’re trying to make?

 

[Firebird]

No but if Tesla made a motorcycle. . .

 

[Red Leg]

Plenty, what’s the point you’re trying to make?

No real point. It is just that when I was growing up the typical Harley rider looked like James Dean. Today most seem to look like retired biker dentists or accountants.

A little dated, but the trend is pretty clear.

7. A graying market.​

The median age of the typical motorcycle owner is 47, up from 32 in 1990 and 40 in 2009. And although its sales are slipping, Harley maintains a 55.1% share of the 35 and older male rider demographic. However, more troubling for the industry is the decline in riders under 18, which has fallen from 8% in 1990 to 2%, and those between 18 and 24 from 16% of the total down to 6%. Where will the new bike buyers come from if the industry is not attracting these younger people?

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

No real point. It is just that when I was growing up the typical Harley rider looked like James Dean. Today most seem to look like retired biker dentists or accountants.

It could be argued that they still look like James dean given his current state…

 

[Aaron N]

No real point. It is just that when I was growing up the typical Harley rider looked like James Dean. Today most seem to look like retired biker dentists or accountants.

People who don’t have enough sense to realize they belong on a gold wing!

One thing about complaining about millennials, you guys raised us!

 

[Red Leg]

People who don’t have enough sense to realize they belong on a gold wing!

One thing about complaining about millennials, you guys raised us!

Trust me. Do-overs are a regular topic of conversation among Boomers.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

People who don’t have enough sense to realize they belong on a gold wing!

One thing about complaining about millennials, you guys raised us!

That’s right we’re Frankensteins monster

 

[Aaron N]

Trust me. Do-overs are a regular topic of conversation among Boomers.

As was the generation before that, and the generation before that and, well you get the point.

 

[ActionBob]

No real point. It is just that when I was growing up the typical Harley rider looked like James Dean. Today most seem to look like retired biker dentists or accountants.

A little dated, but the trend is pretty clear.

7. A graying market.​

The median age of the typical motorcycle owner is 47, up from 32 in 1990 and 40 in 2009. And although its sales are slipping, Harley maintains a 55.1% share of the 35 and older male rider demographic. However, more troubling for the industry is the decline in riders under 18, which has fallen from 8% in 1990 to 2%, and those between 18 and 24 from 16% of the total down to 6%. Where will the new bike buyers come from if the industry is not attracting these younger people?

I bought my first motorcycle when I was 9. 100cc Honda Enduro type that was way to big for me. But traded it for a Suzuki 2 stroke two cylinder steet bike by age 12. That thing would top out at 85 MPH in 6th gear. But do 90 red lined in 5th

To point out how parenting went back then, I was late to the field to take over for my dad driving tractor and was racing that street bike (that was mine, bought and paid for) when the front tire hit a rock and threw me over the handle bars with the bike landing on top of me (a scene to be repeated often, funny how the things always seem to land in the same place, on top of the driver). Busted the headlight out. Twisted the Forks, bent the handle bars. And my leg was badly banged up. Got the bike picked up, started and continued to the tractor where dad proceeded to kick my already sore ass for not only being late but also cracking up MY bike.

I could barely get on that tractor but managed and finished that field well after dark and snuck in to bed. That leg was swelled up and sore all summer. Dad never once asked about it or how i was doing....

Just part of that soft upbringing us Boomers had

 

[flying sailor]

Yep, was a gear head in school, all about motorcycles. Closest thing to flying that was why I did it. Joined the military, had more money then started flying lessons, then bought a plane. Living the dream. Got engaged, sold the dream. Still was a good trade at the time.

 

[ActionBob]

View attachment 582301

I'm hoping it's only a time out. I enjoyed the thread though rarely posted there as I don't have the global geopolitical knowledge base to formulate a coherent opinion. I did read most threads, though learned there was a name or two that I would only gloss over.

It was like Easter! Risen from the dead

 

[revturbo9967]

I'm a millennial, and I did ride Harleys for years...

I came to my senses and moved from motorcycles to classic cars. Spend twice as much money to be just as unsafe and take up 5x more room in the garage.

 

[flying sailor]

I'm a millennial, and I did ride Harleys for years...

I came to my senses and moved from motorcycles to classic cars. Spend twice as much money to be just as unsafe and take up 5x more room in the garage.

I like classic cars also, but I got hooked on easier to store things, like double rifles. Could have bought another airplane, but the doubles, oh boy! better than Raquel Welch in my opinion, which I highly respect!

 

[rookhawk]

No real point. It is just that when I was growing up the typical Harley rider looked like James Dean. Today most seem to look like retired biker dentists or accountants.

A little dated, but the trend is pretty clear.

7. A graying market.​

The median age of the typical motorcycle owner is 47, up from 32 in 1990 and 40 in 2009. And although its sales are slipping, Harley maintains a 55.1% share of the 35 and older male rider demographic. However, more troubling for the industry is the decline in riders under 18, which has fallen from 8% in 1990 to 2%, and those between 18 and 24 from 16% of the total down to 6%. Where will the new bike buyers come from if the industry is not attracting these younger people?

I bought a brand new heritage springer softail as part of my pre-life crisis in my early 20s. It was great fun, an inefficient, noisy, vibrating, gas guzzling engine to push me down the road in a retro way since it was a replica of a 1947 panhead. (e.g. James Dean)

Since then, HD kept pushing for the modern, obnoxiously loud, extremely high price "screaming eagle" death machines. They are modern, cost more than some luxury vehicles, and inspire no traditional aesthetic. That has hurt HD. As a knee jerk reaction to this graying market, they've now moved further into clown world by staking their future on e-bikes rather than combustion engines. Um...no.

They walked away from their retro / muscle car persona and the younger generations rejected both their 2010 and 2020 market strategies. Ironic, because gen Y and Z absolutely love muscle cars and are buying up new cars that pay homage to the same things I liked: Steve McQueen, Carroll Shelby, etc.

Harley's have become decidedly uncool.