New Harley-Davidson: a maxi-trail, a Streetfighter and small-displacement motorcycles !
Revolution on the other side of the Atlantic: Harley-Davidson launches an ambitious development plan essentially focused on an unprecedented expansion of the range via a maxi-trail (yes!), A sporty roadster (yes, yes!), electric motorcycles (yes, yes, yes!) and even a small 250cc to 500cc motorcycle produced in Asia ! Explanations.
"More roads to Harley-Davidson". Understand: no more roads or access to Harley-Davidson. Remember this marketing slogan because it marks perhaps the most important and ambitious change of the Motor Company. The feat is no small feat for a brand so uncustomary to change since its creation in 1903 !
- MNC of 25 June 2018 : Harleys destined for Europe will no longer be manufactured in the United States
Faced with the decline in sales, the aging of its customers and – recently – the additional production costs caused by the protectionist measures of Donald Trump, Harley is planning strong, even radical actions. Ended the half-measures like the Street 750, supposed to spare the susceptibility of its historical clientele while attracting new "bikers" with an entry (and low) motorcycle produced in India.
This time the Milwaukee manufacturer is starting a real revolution that includes new business methods and a strengthening of its dealer network, but also and – above all – a large list of new models. Among them a "new 1250cc custom" below (well yes, you have to work on the fundamentals!) And other motorcycles in total rupture with the habits and the image of the brand…
Judge rather: Harley-Davidson confirms for example the arrival in 2019 of its electric motorcycle, which will be followed "by 2022" by other electrified models "lighter, smaller and even more accessible" designed to encourage "new pilots "to discover" new ways of riding ". This announcement formalizes in the short term an electric turning point hitherto hesitant since the presentation of the first electric prototype – yet convincing – .
Pan America 1250: the Harley-Davidson "GS" !
Another shocking announcement of this roadmap: the planned launch "in 2020" of Pan America, nothing less than "the very first Harley-Davidson Adventure Touring motorcycle" powered by a 1250cc V-twin! Yes, you read that right: a Milwaukee motorcycle with ground clearance maxi-trail road type !
Foolish ? Not that much: after all, Ducati has left its niche of radical motorcycle builders with its Multistrada trail, which is very successful across Europe. Maxi-trails being a growing category – driven by the success of the BMW R1200GS locomotive – what could be more logical to take a close look. Even when our name is Harley-Davidson.
The dice are therefore cast for H-D with this unprecedented Pan America and its silhouette, to say the least "mastoc". Between its rectangular Road Glide-style front part – with LED headlight protected by a bar -, its adjustable windshield accompanied by imposing deflectors in the low position, its wide handlebars dressed in handguards / indicators, its long silencer and its wide tiered saddle, this novelty does not flow into fluidity !
Even if Harley-Davidson specifies that it is a model in development – and therefore likely to evolve – this Pan America 1250 seems already ready to take the road … and the roads, thanks to its Michelin Anakee to big crampons and its sturdy metal shoe! Its central single-shock absorber with high travel and its inverted fork with sheltered divers, as well as its protection bars are part of the same logic.
Side part-cycle, the American brand is also going off the beaten track with a tubular frame of strong section and 4-piston Brembo radial calipers which cover two front discs. MNC also detects the presence of a large radiator in front of the twin, which suggests recourse to liquid cooling: not content with being unique, the Harley maxi-trail will also be transgressive in the eyes of the "guardians of the temple" !
Streefighter 975cc: the sporty Harley !
Here again, the first images unveiled by Harley-Davidson literally stuck the retina: the American manufacturer plans to launch "in 2020" a very sporty-looking roadster of the "Streefighter" type which will be powered by a new V-twin of 975cc cooled by water. Short and stocky, the machine looks like the old Buell fire.
This is not the first time that Harley has attempted a foray into the roadster category to seduce a more dynamic clientele – remember the 8, in particular – but this initiative goes much further visually. The chassis seems for its part quite close to the trail above: tubular frame, Brembo calipers, inverted fork and single-shock absorber.
The American brand does not disclose any technical data concerning its trail or roadster, nor on its new 1250cc custom mentioned above. But it nevertheless specifies that "complementary models will be added in these product segments by 2022".
Motorcycles from 250 to 500cc
Finally, the last important step in this recovery plan: the establishment of a "strategic partnership" with a manufacturer based in Asia with the aim of building a "small-displacement (250cc to 500cc) motorcycle there for the emerging markets of Asia". This is clearly an acceleration of the project launched with the Street 500 and 750, built in India for all markets except the United States..
- MNC of May 17, 2017 : Harley plans 100 new motorcycles in ten years
Moreover, Americans do not hide it: "this new product and its extended distribution are intended to optimize access for Harley-Davidson customers in India, one of the most important and dynamic markets in the world. , as well as in other Asian markets ", specifies the manufacturer.
It remains to be seen whether this new "small" Harley-Davidson will then be imported to other markets, and in particular in Europe where the generalization of the A2 motorcycle license gives all its relevance to motorcycles from 300 to 400cc..
The force of the war…
We recap: Harley intends to dust off its image and create nothing less than a "new generation of bikers" via motorcycles radically different from its usual production, including a maxi-trail and a sporty roadster. At the same time, the brand will "plug in" to electric mobility with its LiveWire and other concepts of "battery-powered" motorcycles similar to an electric bike below..
Fortunately, these announcements do not fall close to April 1, because many would think of a joke! But this project "More roads to Harley-Davidson" is on the contrary all that is more serious, as evidenced by the detail of its economic component and its hoped-for flourishing future prospects….
"This accelerated strategy will require significant investments to influence the trajectory of global business", explains HD, which intends to create "more value, stabilize and strengthen the current business and improve the Return on invested capital (ROIC) of the Harley -Davidson Motor Company ".
In case this is not sufficiently clear, the brand specifies that it wants to "increase revenues and profits and allow the company to pay more dividends to shareholders". In other words: to earn more brouzoufs, which is the objective of any private company !
Increase annual income … by a billion dollars !
To finance its ambitious "More Roads to Harley-Davidson" project, the Americans plan to use a well-known lever: to reduce costs. Hence the plan to establish itself more in India, to build more accessible – even popular – motorcycles at lower prices….
The brand also plans to reallocate "investments and resources", including operational investments "by 2022 from 450 to 550 million dollars and capital investments by 2022 from 225 to 275 million dollars. ".
In total, Harley-Davidson hopes that its development plan will generate "more than a billion additional annual revenues in 2022" (!) Compared to its fiscal year 2017. A very high target, at the height of the revolution that s’ get ready to experience the American brand.
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