Tag Archives: Harley-Davidson

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson is out with two new Sportsters for 2018 as the company shoots for the introduction of 100 new models by the year 2027. Unwrapped today were the Iron 1200 and the Forty-Eight Special. Both have high handlebars and throwback styling. “Since its inception, the Sportster has offered …

MILWAUKEE – A massive recall of nearly 251,000 motorcycles built between 2008 and 2011 by Harley-Davidson is being implemented overs fears that the brakes might fail. More than 30 ABS-equipped models are affected, including Road King, Road Glide, Electra Glide,   Street Glide, V-Rod and Night Rod models. Nearly 175,000 …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson this morning announced that its Kansas City assembly plant will close. The announcement came in conjunction with a press release stating that the company’s retail motorcycle sales tumbled in 2017. U.S. sales dropped 8.5 percent from 2016, while worldwide sales dropped 6.7 percent. Harley-Davidson shipped 241,498 bikes …

Lost in the hyperbole this week of Harley-Davidson’s announcements of new 2018 models – “boasting show-stopping style and plush comfort” with its touring bikes – was the absence of any mention of a model that debuted in 2001 and continued in various forms through the 2017 model year. Missing from …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson tonight rolled out its 2018 model lineup that includes nine 115th anniversary models. The company also announced that the 2018 slate includes eight “all-new Softail models” and five new touring models. Among the tourers are three limited-edition CVO models and new blacked-out Street Glide Special and Road …

MILWAUKEE – It’s getting to the point that there’s barely a space where an ad cannot be placed. Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson has announced a new multi-year deal whereby its iconic bar and shield logo will appear in the form of a patch on the uniforms of Milwaukee Bucks’ players, beginning with …

MILWAUKEE – After laying off some 200 production workers last October, Harley-Davidson plans to eliminate another 180 permanent positions this fall in the wake of weakening sales of its motorcycles, the “Journal Sentinel” newspaper reports. The company said Tuesday that U.S. sales in the second quarter of 2017 were down …

HARWINTON, CT – Wintertime is normally the slow news period when it comes to motorcycles, not summer when new models are out, when rallies and shows are being staged, and when new roads and eateries are being discovered. Winter is the time for trial balloons and cockamamie suggestions, not summer. …

Labor unions representing Harley-Davidson workers in the U.S. are strongly criticizing company plans to open an assembly plant in Thailand. The new factory, set to open in late 2018, will build bikes from parts made at U.S. facilities. “Harley-Davidson has been the crown jewel of American manufacturing. Management’s decision to …

MILWAUKEE – Last year was a very, very good year for Harley-Davidson’s top executives, most notably President and C.E.O. Matt Levatich. His total compensation in 2016 was $9,350,303 – or nearly $180,000 per week ($179,813 to be exact). That takes in salary, bonuses, stock awards and more. This also means that …

HARWINTON, CT – There’s a saying in the news biz that “There’s no rooting in the press box.” It means that reporters – more specifically, sportswriters – should judge and report on events objectively and without favor. But I couldn’t help it last night when watching the Daytona TT on …

HARWINTON, CT – It has been a schizophrenic end to winter. Warm one day, cold and windy the next, with occasional rain or snow. One day I’m toasty while riding to New Haven to meet a friend for lunch, the next I’m shivering while hauling logs for the wood stove. …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson’s small Street models haven’t been robust sellers for dealers since their unveiling in November 2013, but the company’s belief in the need for a broad lineup that includes entry-level machines hasn’t wavered, and now comes another model dubbed the Street Rod that is a bit more sporty …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson today unveiled a new Road King derivation that lessens the chrome level in favor of black. “The Road King Special pounds down the boulevard like a gleaming locomotive rolling through a train yard at midnight,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson Vice-President of Styling and Design. “The Road King …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson saw its U.S. sales drop 3.9 percent in 2016, compared to 2015, with worldwide sales dipping 1.6 percent, the company announced today. A total of 161,658 motorcycles were sold in the U.S. last year, down from 168,240 in 2015. Worldwide, the company sold 260,289 motorcycles, down from …