2026 Harley-Davidson Deadwood

The Deadwood

Well, well, well, MotoReaders, it looks like Artie is making good on his promises, so far. The MoCo just released a new, at least in name, motorcycle and I have to say... I dig it. 

I'll admit that I'm a sucker for black motorcycles... always have been, but did the designers make the right choice by dipping into their usual bag of tricks for the 2026 Harley-Davidson Deadwood? Let's take a look and talk about H-D's new FL.

Black Is Beautiful

Out of all the bikes I've had throughout the years, the vast majority of them have been black. Sure, I've had a few that weren't, but let's be honest- as far as motorcycles are concerned- the only thing prettier than a black and chrome motorcycle, is a black on black motorcycle. Now, there's nothing wrong with having some color on your scooter, but there's just something about that deep ebony paint that evokes an, almost, emotional response. Needless to say, when I saw the Deadwood, it's dark and moody demeanor piqued my interest right away. The MoCo's new scoot comes in black, and if you don't like that, it also comes in black. Chrome? No. Brushed aluminum? Nope. But... for the folks that absolutely have to have a little color in their lives, the MoCo does offer the "Redline Collection"... which gives you the option of adding some, you guessed it- red (or oddly enough- blue and... black) trim pieces like timing and derby covers, footboards, gas cap, grip ends, brake pedal and shifter pegs for accents. 

Just Another Softail

At first glance, you might be asking yourself though- is it just another Softail? Isn't the Deadwood, basically, just a blacked-out Heritage, or a Slim with full fenders? Well... yeah, more or less. But, pretty much every Softail is "just another Softail." They always have been. A Fat Boy uses the same frame as a Heritage, a Slim, a Standard, a Night Train, a Deuce and so on- you get the point. Back in the day, before H-D killed off the Dyna and the Evo Sportster, there were several models in those "families" to choose from, just like their flagship Touring bikes, too. The frames on each of these lines are interchangeable within the family. For example, I have a friend that took a 2003 Anniversary Road King and made it into a Road Glide. He did such a good job with the conversion, that the only way that someone would know it wasn't a factory Road Glide, is by decoding the VIN. The MoCo has always used a common frame for a line of bikes, then trimmed each one out to make a different model, and it's a brilliant business model that H-D has used for decades, thanks to Willie G. Take 5 or 6 frame designs and upfit them with a variety of tanks, bars, wheels, seats, fenders, front-ends, etc., and you can make, exponentially, more options for new models. Artie Starrs seems to recognize the genius in this concept, which is evident in the new Deadwood and Super Glide, and he also sees the potential in it, which is also evident by his claim that they will be bringing back the Evo Sportster. There is limitless potential for improving revenue, by creating new models, trim levels and selling custom parts. 

Some folks might argue that the Deadwood is not a "new" bike, it's just trim. But, let's be honest for a minute- while anyone can customize a Heritage and turn it into a Deadwood... most people won't. Just like anyone can take a perfectly good anniversary Road King and make it into a Road Glide... but my buddy is one of the few people, that I know of, that actually did it... because that kind of customization takes a lot of time, money and work... work that most people can't, or won't, do themselves. Heck, most people won't even do their own oil changes, much less swap tanks, bars, wheels, exhaust, engine covers, etc. A lot of my beer money has come from doing, just that kind of work for folks. I'm not complaining, though- because their inability, or outright refusal, to work on their own bikes has kept my beer fridge stocked with the Champagne of Beers for a few years now.

Cool Bike, Cool Name

Deadwood, South Dakota is an historic city, known for its proximity to the beautiful Black Hills. It's the final resting place of Wild West heroes like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok and of course, it was the home of one of the country's first major gold rushes, in 1876. It might be a tourist trap now, but that doesn't change it's history or significance in shaping the West and that doesn't make it any less cool. My more clever MotoReaders may have picked up on the simile, there. The Wild West town of Deadwood, SD turned into a place that brings in thousands of visitors a year, to see and be a part of the town's history. They are drawn in by the mystique of the town, and the historical significance of it. The H-D Deadwood is a genius play on that concept. The Deadwood's model designation is FLHD, which is as brilliant as it is simple if you know the way the MoCo codes their bikes (click the link to learn). The H-D Deadwood, much like it's geographical namesake, seeks to draw people in to Harley-Davidson dealerships, and get them to spend their money on souvenir T-shirts, poker chips, jackets, parts, services, and of course, the ultimate goal- to sell them a badass, American made motorcycle backed up by 123 years of uninterrupted motorcycle building history. 

Riding In The Right Direction

The Deadwood's style isn't for everyone... but by offering another unique model, straight off the showroom floor, at a pretty reasonable price point, I might add... the MoCo is sparking new interest in the brand. Unlike the other guys, who are currently under new ownership, yet again, who have remained pretty stagnant in their, rather limited, lineup. Maybe Indian's new owners will diversify their lineup and, hopefully, even get out from under Uncle Polaris altogether, and actually build something new and fresh, but for now... that remains to be seen. Harley-Davidson's newest CEO, on the other hand, is actually listening to his dealers and customers, and is pushing the Company to give dealers bikes that will draw customers in, at prices they can actually afford to buy. The FLHD Deadwood is priced (just barely) below $18k and others in the Softail lineup start as low as $15k. The RevMax Nightster comes in at $9,999, which is a pretty competitive price for a great bike- I've ridden one and I can attest that it is a genuinely fun ride. While the pricing for the new Sprint and the, soon to be revived, Evo Sportster has yet to be determined, I'm guessing that the MoCo will most likely be able to put their name badge in your garage for well under $10k, very soon. The name of the game is building brand loyalty, and getting people to see that H-D has, hands down, the best dealer network of any motor vehicle company in the world, is a great way to start that ball rolling. 

Maybe the new Deadwood is just another variation of the same old concept, but hear me out for a moment- if a chef makes an award winning steak that brings customers in, why would he change the recipe? That makes no sense. The smart thing to do, instead, is to offer more things to the menu to keep people coming back, but the one thing that attracted them in the first place, has to stay the same... because that is what brought folks in to begin with. Consumers love consistency, and the 2026 Deadwood is about as consistent of a Harley-Davidson as any bike I've seen. It's simple, dark and cryptic, dripping with attitude and it has the perfect balance of modern enhancements and analog styling. 

Final Thoughts

Regardless of how you feel about the 2026 Deadwood, one thing is for certain, and that is that Artie Starrs is off to a great start with his "Back to the Bricks" strategic plan. I'm actually excited again about seeing what the newest CEO of our beloved Motor Company has in store for us. To be completely honest, for several years, I dreaded reading the news and going in to dealerships because it was obvious that dealerships were struggling with Jochen's "Hardwire" plan. While I've seen the Chinese-built X350RA (the Riding Academy bike that I'm fairly certain will eventually be re-badged as the Sprint) and I'm not really impressed with it, I am interested to see what the actual new Sprint will look like, and will be priced at. I'm also very excited to see what form, and price tag, the Evo Sporty will return to us in.

While we continue to wait on the XLs triumphant return, though, at least we get to see, and maybe even ride, a sexy new Softail model.

Until next time, MotoReaders... 

Ride Safe and Make Good Choices!

The Return Of The Sportster!

photo courtesy of Thunderbike

 
Sportster Fans Rejoice!

Harley-Davidson's new CEO, Artie Starrs, has confirmed it- the Evolution Sportster WILL return to the model lineup. Along with the Sportster's confirmation, he mentioned that the Sprint will debut with the Sporty, and he also hinted at the return of another touring motorcycle... the Road King, perhaps?

Zeitz Versus Starrs

Jochen Zeitz's plan to 'right the MoCo ship' was, basically, to save build costs by eliminating models that were lower priced, in order to focus production and sales on the big price tag bikes. The problem with his idea, is that, as Scott Bumpus told Artie Starr's when he met him- "most Harley-Davidson riders wear their names on their shirts." A, not so subtle, way of reminding the incoming CEO that the Motor Company needed to get back to their roots, and focus on the blue-collar, working class riders that have kept the brand alive for over 120 years. Jochen's plan eliminated the entry level bikes, and made it more difficult for bar-and-shield loyalists to be able to afford anything more than used bikes, or worse- competitor's bikes.

Artie Starrs is coming in strong, in my humble opinion. He has visited numerous dealers and learned what they have been struggling with. Artie seems to understand that the dealers are critical to the success of the Motor Company, as they always have been. By focusing on improving dealer relations, he is effectively opening the pipeline to actually move bikes. By bringing back entry level bikes, he is giving the dealers more options in order to move inventory, and giving the customers a variety of options to fit their individual riding styles and, more importantly, their budgets. The fact of the matter is, when a new rider buys a small bike like a Sportster, or the new Sprint, they'll ride that bike for a while until they get more comfortable, then they'll be right back in the dealership upgrading to a bigger bike. By giving dealers more options in the lineup, Artie is providing them the opportunity to increase revenue in bike sales, services and parts and accessories sales. 

Will The King Live Again?

Don't get me wrong, I like the new Street Glide and Road Glide, but I'm a Road King man at my core. I prefer a more visceral ride over the watered down, refinement that comes with fairings and infotainment systems. I like tank-mounted analog gauges and I like a simple, quick-release windshield. I've had a Road Glide and I rode an Electra Glide for several years... and they are both exceptional motorcycles, but I don't think it was a smart move for Harley-Davidson to remove the option of a Road King to customers like me. Truth be told, now that I've retired from my payin' gig, I don't see myself buying any new motorcycles, not for a while anyway. I have my Road King Special dialed-in perfectly to my tastes, so I'm not interested in trading her in on a new Road King, even if they offered one. But... let's play the "what if..." game for a minute, shall we?

• What if my 107ci M8 gives up the ghost early? It is sitting at over 41k miles, after all and I've heard a lot of horror stories about the first generation engines.
• What if, God forbid, my bike is destroyed in a crash? 
• What if it is stolen and not recovered?

If any of these things were to happen, and I survive the scenario, of course, thanks to Jochen's idiotic plan, I'd have to leave the royalty of the Road King, and settle for "Gliding" on the "Road" or "Street", or settle with buying a used bike. But, if Artie was hinting at the return of the Road King... then I wouldn't have to settle on anything other than exactly what I wanted. To be clear, he didn't specify which touring bike would return, but I would like to think that he was talking about the Road King.

 Sportster

So, apparently, I was wrong in my prior assumptions (what happens when you make an assumption?) and the MoCo did not sell the designs to SWM for their Stormbreaker motorcycles, although, I don't know how they are able to make a ripoff Sportster without any legal ramifications, but that's a story for another day. Today, I'm focusing on the fact that H-D is going to bring the Evolution Sportster back. Let me say that again, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company is bringing back an air-cooled Evolution powered Sportster. I don't know what model they are going to release, if it will be an 883, a 1200 or both, and I don't know how they are going to market it alongside the RevMax powered Sportster S and Nightster models, but damn... I am excited to see what they do. 

The reason I'm so excited about the return of the dual shock, Evo Sportster, is because it gives me hope. Hope that if they are bold enough to bring back this bike, maybe, just maybe... they will see the value in the Dyna lineup and reintroduce that family of bikes. I've mentioned it before, but I still get giddy over the idea of a 114 Milwaukee 8 engine stuffed into the small frame of a Dyna. I would love to see the return of the Wide Glide... now that is a bike that I would go to the dealer for.

Final Thoughts

I'm going to address Artie directly, here... not that he reads my humble little blog, but on the off-chance he does... here goes:

Artie, can I call you Artie? Artie, I appreciate your candor and how you openly admit that you weren't a "motorcycle guy" before getting the call from Harley-Davidson. I also appreciate how you acknowledge the importance of the H-D dealer network and how you seem to really understand who your core customer base is. I'm a Harley guy, I guess I have been since I was a kid, but it really bloomed in 2009 when I was finally able to buy my first Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Ever since that fateful winter day, I've had a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I've spent a small fortune on new motorcycles since then and I've peer-pressured more of my friends into joining the bar-and-shield club than I can count. Keep doing what you're doing. Bring some stability back to the brand. Harley-Davidson is unique in that the company has been in business, without interruption, for 123 years now. Unlike Indian, who has been bought and sold, over and over, and again this year. Those guys like to claim "since 1901" but their slogan really needs to be "established the first time in 1901..." I'm not a brand-basher, but every once in a while, I feel the need to give it back to the Indian Motorcycles crowd (just for fun). Bringing back the Evo Sporty is a bold move and, although I'm not a fan of the Chinese partnership for the Sprint, I understand the reasons for that choice. I do really hope that you'll also bring back the Road King and, while I admit this is probably a pipe dream, the Dyna line. Regardless of what hits the showrooms, I'll still be riding my Harley-Davidson motorcycles, wearing my Harley-Davidson attire and writing about the MoCo, all while hoping that you can undo the disastrous plan of your predecessor. 

Until next time, MotoReaders, it looks like we'll just have to wait and see what comes out of the 414... so in the meantime, you know what to do...

Ride safe, and make good choices!

Back to the Bricks

Back To The Bricks- A Return To Juneau Ave.

I'll admit that I have been pretty critical of a lot of the decisions being made by Harley-Davidson's executives over the past several years. I believe I've earned that right, after all, considering that I've given an obscene amount of money to the MoCo over the past 17 or so years. Don't get me wrong, I'm not critical of the company, but rather, some of the decisions being made by the suits in charge. So what about the latest strategic plan that was recently launched by our newest CEO? Let's take a look at what "Back To The Bricks" means, and how it might affect us.

More Roads To Harley-Davidson

Not all the ideas have been bad, for example- Matt Levatich's "More Roads To Harley-Davidson" was innovative and brought us the Livewire and the new RevMax engine powering the Pan America, the  Sportster S and the new Nightster. Truth be known, it was the first real new innovation from the Cream City motorcycle maker in decades. The downfall of that strategy was that it was terribly expensive... and the MoCo was already struggling financially. It's not that Matt's idea was bad, but it was a bit too broad and ambitious, and I don't think it quite factored in the costs of designing a new engine, tooling for the new models and the expenses of the tech in the new machines. The Livewire alone was a huge financial burden for Harley-Davidson, forcing them to price the all-electric motorcycles at a whopping $30 grand on the showroom floors. H-D purists weren't ready, and definetly weren't asking, for an electric motorcycles, and they damn sure weren't prepared to drop CVO money on a bike that didn't even look like a Harley-Davidson.

Hardwire

Enter the German. Now, I give Jochen Zeitz a really hard time, I know... but Jochen, if you're reading this, buddy... no hard feelings- jump on your bike, ride down to the Coast and let's have a beer. Seriously, you seem like a nice guy, but damn... what were you thinking with Hardwire? You were literally pricing H-D out of the grasp of its core consumer- the blue collar, working class Americans. 

Jochen's Hardwire leaned in to the concept that Harley-Davidson is, and should be marketed as, a premium brand. While one might think that this is a good thing, the problem was that his strategy leaned too far in to it- aiming to increase overall revenue by increasing the prices of the motorcycles and really focusing on the higher-end offerings like the CVOs, instead of entry or mid level motorcycles. Sure, the concept seems to work well for companies like Lamborghini, Ferrari and Bugatti... but the problem for applying those ideas to a company like Harley-Davidson, is that H-D was born and bred by the working class, for the working class, where the aformentioned companies were, and are still, built for the ultra rich. 

Jochen also saw an opportunity to cut overhead costs during the 2020 COVID pandemic, by shutting down operations at Juneau Avenue, and having everyone work remotely from home, instead. I'm sure that the original intent was to keep everyone safe from the, at the time unknown, illness that took our world hostage for months, but after seeing how much lower the power bill was at the historic site... well, let's just say that was an easy way to reduce some operational costs. It... sort of... makes sense, I suppose. Juneau Ave is a very large facility and, while it's a significantly historic campus, it is very old and I can''t imagine that it's very energy efficient. Jochen might have been able to save some money by turning the lights off, but the problem is that it's very difficult to maintain teamwork, company pride and camaraderie, when a few thousand people are working remotely- after all, how can a team win, when all the players are at different fields?

The Order To Return to Juneau

One of the first things that Artie Starrs did after taking over, was send out a company wide memo, ordering everyone that was working remotely to return to the "Bricks", the common nickname for the famous Juneau Avenue campus. Having everyone return to a central office was part of his strategic plan to get H-D back on course, and it's a great move, so I think it's kind of funny how some of the different media outlets are saying he was "forcing" them to return, like it's a bad thing. It's as if they are implying that the new CEO is doing something wrong by telling everyone that they have to report to the office again. Millions of workers, worldwide, have to report to an office, or a jobsite everyday- very few workers get to work remotely. It just makes sense for a few reasons- one in particular, is if Joe is having a problem with something, he doesn't have to try to call, Skype (is that still a thing?), or have a Teams meeting with Jill and Bob, and hope they're available, to get help. He can simply walk over to them at their workstations and ask for help, which is much more efficient. 

You may be asking why this efficiency is so important now? Well, for several reasons. First of all, efficiency equals money. Time wasted is money wasted and, let's be honest, over the past several years, money has been tight for the MoCo. Secondly, when your goal is to develop new machines, more on that later, everyone on the project needs to be present- the designers, engineers, mechanics, materials experts, and the product specialists. The same goes for the behind the scenes operators, too- the accountants, the human resources staff, the administrative assistants, and every other unsung hero working to keep the company running. When everyone is on site, including the bosses, then it becomes a work family again. A sense of pride in the company, the culture and the products will return. Leaders, good leaders, don't sit by the pool and tell everyone what to do- they lead from the front; they lead by example. If I worked for Harley-Davidson, I would be proud to ride my Harley-Davidson to work every day, knowing that it was designed at Juneau Ave, the engine was built a few miles away at the Powertrain Operations facility and that it was assembled into the big, gorgeous machine that it is, over at the Vehicle Operations facility in York, PA. It would also impress the heck out of me, if I saw the CEO of the company ride in on his own Harley-Davidson motorcycle. 

Leadership isn't granted by the title of CEO, leadership is earned from the people that work for you. A CEO has to earn the trust, and then the commitment of his, or her, people. The employees have to know that the CEO is going to do the right thing and that he will take care of the company, and also take care of them. This isn't exclusive to the CEO, either. This applies to everyone in supervisory and management positions in the company. Artie recognized that being able to see your supervisor every day, working alongside you and your team, is not just a good thing, it is mandatory for success. Back to the Bricks is more than just a power move by the new boss, it is an effort to restore a culture of accountability, company pride, and corporate success. 

Dealer Relations

Another aspect of Artie Starrs' strategy is to improve dealer relations and make them more profitable, which is an extremely smart move. As we've seen over the past few years, several Harley-Davidson dealerships have been forced to close their doors. I'm not trying to pick on Jochen again, but I can't help but think that those closures were, at least in part, his fault. One of the things I used to love about going into dealerships, was looking at the different models. When I first got into Harley-Davidson, my local dealers had, easily a half dozen Sportsters in different trims and colors, as many Dynas, and probably even more Touring machines. It was so easy to ride to the dealership on a Road King, and ride home on a Road Glide (yeah, that actually happened). It was also nice to go in, have a salesman introduce themself, then walk away to let me browse the bikes on my own, compared to the way most of them are now. 

While we were in Milwaukee last month, my son and I went into a few of the local dealerships. One was awesome- when my son and I walked in, the salesman greeted us, said "if you need anything, holler at me" then walked away. Super cool guy and if I had been in the market to buy a bike at the time, I would have bought it from him. Another, larger, dealership (I won't put them on blast here), swarmed us. Two different salesmen approached us from two different angles, like hyenas going in for the kill. One gave up immediately when we said we were just looking, but the other wouldn't leave us alone. If we walked away, he followed us. When he asked us where we were from, he immediately insulted our hometown. He tried to redeem himself after he realized what he had done, but to be completely honest, even though that shop had more inventory than the other, I still wouldn't have bought from them. Partly because of him and his insults, but also because I know that sales staff don't aggressively pursue potential customers on their own- they are directed to do that by their sales managers. They are directed to do that when the dealership is struggling. The other dealership had been around for a long time, had been well established and they were obviously doing well. The salesman was friendly, talked with us when we engaged him, then he let us look around and he didn't bother us. Even if I would have had to pay a few bucks more by buying from them, I would have just because I liked their style. 

When Jochen decided to start cutting models, reducing inventory to save money, redesigning the touring bikes and making them more expensive, dealerships that were already having trouble started struggling even more. With fewer bikes to draw people in, higher prices that scared off potential buyers or pushed them to bigger dealerships that could offer slightly better prices, and desperate owners forcing their staff to be overly aggressive to make sales and upcharge services, it created a recipe for disaster. When those dealers sought help from corporate- there was no help to be given, and they were forced to shut the doors.

Artie seems to understand the importance of the dealer network and knows that the dealerships are the places where potential customers, become Harley-Davidson customers. By recognizing the need for dealers to be successful, Artie's strategic plan should increase profitability for those independent representatives of the MoCo, as well as increase overall profitability for the company. It's a smart move. Another smart move is adding more inventory to the showrooms.

Return of the Sportster 883

SWM Stormbreaker V 1200

A major announcement this week, was Artie's claim that a new, air-cooled, 883 Sportster with flat bars, and a peanut tank will return in the 2027 model lineup. He is saying that it will be a "blank canvas for customization" and will come in around the $10k mark. Now, I'll be completely honest with you when I say that I have my doubts about how they are going to pull this off. The reason for my skepticism isn't because I don't believe him, but rather... the MoCo appears to have sold the rights to the air-cooled Evolution Sportster to SWM, who is currently building several of the 1200cc versions under the new name "Stormbreaker V". Unless, that is, the speculation that Harley sold the rights for the air-cooled Evo Sportster to the Chinese owned SWM isn't true. If our previous speculations were wrong, and SWM is, in fact, building a blatantly copied motorcycle, then Harley-Davidson has one hell of a lawsuit for copyright infringement on their hands. I've read that China doesn't have copyright laws, which is why they are able to make so many ripoff products and sell them for pennies on the dollar. But, while the Chinese company Shineray owns the controlling stock of SWM, SWM is located in Italy, which does have pretty extensive copyright laws in place. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out over the next year or so, if Shineray and SWM didn't pay for those designs.

More New Models?

Another exciting announcement from Artie this week was his claim that we will see "20 new models in the next three years." Sounds a bit like Matt Levatich's strategic plan, eh? This was something that I was excited to hear from Matt a few years ago, and the MoCo was able to get a few new models out before he was replaced by Jochen, but it was far from the goal. With the changes that Artie has made so far, I'm thinking that we might actually see a return of some of our favorites, as well as some all-new machines. We have been told that the Sprint, which is almost guaranteed at this point to be one of the Chinese made "X" bikes- the 350RA (the riding academy bike), or the 440 or 500 model. Artie has said that we will see the debut of the Sprint later this year, so we shall see.

I'll also tell you that I've noticed some other interesting things, too. Harley-Davidson corporate has been posting job listings in some interesting fields, such as toolmakers, designers and engineers for frame, exhaust, manufacturing, materials, and powertrain. At the surface, these might just look like the MoCo is replacing people who have quit (or been fired), but for the creatively speculative mind like mine, they could also indicate the MoCo's desire, or need, to get fresh people in, in order to design a new engine, frame, exhaust, etc. for an all-new machine. Positions like toolmakers, for example, could indicate that they need to create new tooling for new machines, after all, why would they need to re-tool existing models?  Toolmakers, for those of you who may not know, don't make wrenches and ratchets, they make the specific tools used to form parts, like fuel tanks, frames, engine cases, etc. The MoCo's need for new tooling, is a clue that something new is coming, whether it's a newly redesigned Road King, a return of a twin shock Dyna model or an all-new model like we saw with the RevMax bikes. Either way, it's pretty exciting.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I feel like things are looking up in the 414 and I have a gut feeling that Artie Starrs is gonna do great things for our beloved MoCo. I'm hopeful that we are going to see a resurgence of success. Maybe we'll some stronger dealers, improvements in overall quality, a return of some previously successful models, and maybe even some cool new models that will get more riders turned on to this iconic American company. Who knows, maybe I'm being naive and overly hopeful, but as we celebrate 250 years of American freedom, I feel like the best way to celebrate freedom and independence, is on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. 

I may be reaching here, but I have a feeling that we are going to see the Eagle soaring high, once again. I sure hope so, anyway. 

Until next time MotoReaders...

Ride safe, and make good choices!

Is the King Really Dead?

 

The King Is Dead

As I am writing this, I've got the sick riffs of Dave Mustaine and Megadeth playing in the background. The song- "Kill the King." Dave is growling the chorus, "Kill the King, the King is Dead, Long live the King (I am the King)" and I can't help but wonder if our newest Harley-Davidson CEO, Artie Starrs, heard this song and is taking it a little too literal?

There is no Road King for 2026

An indisputable fact, however, is that there is no Road King in the 2026 lineup. I'll admit, though, I sort of saw this coming over the past few years. I am, however, shocked to see the MoCo actually go through with killing off the Road King entirely like this. They slowly faded the FLHR out of the spotlight, hoping that no one would notice. Keen eyed motorcycle enthusiasts like yours truly, though... saw that the last year that a standard Road King was offered, was 4 (yes FOUR) years ago, in 2022. Each following year, they only offered the Road King Special (FLHRXS) to the civilian market, and the Road King Police (FLHP) to the boys in blue at police departments... right up until this year, that is. The bean counters in the Cream City decided that 2025 would be the final curtain call for their two biggest sellers- the extremely popular Police Road King and Police Electra Glide, opting instead to put all of their financial eggs in the new Police Road Glide basket. To add insult to injury for the hundreds of thousands of Electra Glide loyalists, they even killed off the whole Electra Glide lineage, in name only, choosing to fully invest everything into the Street Glide and Road Glide nameplates. 

Will the King return?

When the Street Glide and Road Glide models got their first major facelift in 2024, the biggest indicator, to me, that the Road King was in trouble was in the redesigned fuel tanks of the Street and Road Glides. The design team had decided to alter the tank design from the large, bulbous, classic tank that had been copied for decades by other manufacturers who were trying to emulate the timeless design of the Harley-Davidson tank. Instead, the design team decided to mimic the sculpted, angular design of their oldest competitor's new bike, the Indian Challenger. But not all of the Grand American Touring bikes got this new tank design, no... the last remaining Road King, the Special, still carried the original tank design. Not changing the tank was a red flag for me, mainly because the touring bikes always change together... but not this time.

What does this tell us, then? Is the Road King just getting a styling update? Can we expect to see a new, redesigned, Road King for the 2027 or 2028 model year? Will the MoCo marketing gurus convince Artie and the rest of the decision makers to file the Road King name into the archives, alongside the Electra Glide, Dyna, FXR, and so many others, and bring back the stripped down touring bike as another option under the Street Glide moniker... maybe call it the Highway Glide and give it a digital infotainment center in the tank console?

Or, will they kill it off entirely?

Has the MoCo become Model Killers?

Over the past decade, it seems as if the MoCo has developed a taste for killing off extremely popular models. Do you remember what they did with the Dyna? I wrote this slideshow article for Harley-Davidson Forums, in December of 2017. In the piece, I spoke hopefully... truly believing that the Dyna was only being updated, improved and prepared for a whole new generation of riders. I was wrong. The MoCo killed off the Dyna and, in just as poor taste as giving a new puppy the name of the dog that they had euthanised, they gave some of the new Softails names that once adorned the dual shock, powerhouse hotrods of the Harley-Davidson lineup. 

One could even argue that a few years later, they even did the same thing with the Sportster. When I wrote this piece, back in 2022, talking about the end of the Evolution Sportster lineup (yes, the Evo Sportsters had their own, full, lineup of submodels) in favor of the EPA inspired RevMax powered motorcycles- the Sportster S and the Nightster. One could argue, however, that the Sportster simply received a long overdue overhaul, but if that's the case, why didn't they update the original, instead of creating a whole new motorcycle? And... the better question- if the Evo Sportster was such a bad, antiquated, design... why didn't H-D shelve it, instead of selling the designs to this Chinese owned company, who is now selling them under their own nameplate? Go ahead, click the link... I'll wait here. I totally understand that the US and European Governments dictate emissions outputs from vehicle manufacturers, but damn... selling the Evo Sportster to SWM? That's just wrong. Before anyone says, "wait a minute... SWM is an Italian company"... yes, more or less. They are built in Italy, however, SWM is owned, and funded, by Shineray Group in Chongqing, China. The ironic part, is that they are being sold in the European and Asian markets... but Shineray is getting the profits of those sales. The question that begs an answer is, if the U.S. government said that no more air-cooled Evo Sportsters could be built and sold in the US, why didn't the MoCo just do what Shineray is doing and build them in Italy, and still sell them in those markets themselves? It would have been a win-win... European and Asian riders could get the authentic Harley-Davidson motorcycles without the import fees, and Milwaukee could keep their intellectual properties (i.e., the designs) and still make a profit from these incredibly popular motorcycles. 

Now, for 2026, we have also seen another model killed off- the Electra Glide. While they seem to have just folded the Electra Glide into the Street Glide moniker, the name carries significant history. 

FLH History

For those that don't know, the Electra Glide got its name from the introduction of the electric start option. The model designation was FLH, and looking at the bike, it looked like what most know as the modern Road King. But, the "Road King" model wasn't introduced until 1994. 

The original Electra Glide did not have a fairing as standard equipment. The iconic Batwing fairing, which could arguably be considered the most popular fairing design in the history of motorcycles, was offered as an option around 1969. It was so popular, that it became standard equipment in 1971, and the "King of the Highway" was an Electra Glide option in 1968, offering that big, lexan windshield, saddlebags and some other trim. 

As the fairing-equipped Electra Glide became more and more popular among the long-haul, cross-country riders, the MoCo recognized the market for an FLH based cruiser, that could handle a cross country ride as easily as it could cruise the boulevards around town and, in 1994, the King of the Highway option, found its own name, as a stand-alone model called the Road King. To the uninformed, the Road King and the Electra Glide King of the Highway might seem like the same motorcycle, but the easiest visual tell is the instruments- the Electra Glide models prior to the Road King have a large, unwieldy instrument "dash" mounted on the forks, whereas in 1994, the new Road King got its own gas tank, with a speedometer mounted in the tank console. This new design really cleaned up the forks and gave the newest FLH version a classic, cruiser look. Over the next few decades, the Road King saw several trim options like the Custom, the Classic, and most recently, the Special. 

While the Road King, Electra Glide, Street Glide and Road Glide may look different, their bones are the same. They all utilized the same frame, same forks, same swingarm and same frame geometry. The differences were found in the model specific pieces, like the fairings, wheels, tour packs (or lack thereof), trim and badges. Most of the parts, were interchangeable. For example, the Electra Glide, Road Glide and Street Glide models had fairing-mounted instruments, including fuel gauges, so their fuel tanks were interchangeable. The wheels, axles, engines, fenders, seats and a myriad of other parts are interchangeable among all of these Touring models. The Street Glide (FLHX) was little more than a more "custom" version of an Electra Glide that was introduced as its own model in 2006. Not many people know, however, that the original FLHX model designation was originally given to a special edition bike, created by Willie G in 1984, dubbed the Electra Glide Special and heralded as the "final Shovelhead" model.

What does it all mean?

I wish I knew. I've been to Juneau Ave. I've been to the Museum and I've walked in the vault. I know that the MoCo has been struggling for a long time, due to a combination of cultural, generational and economic changes that has taken place in our country over the past 20-30 years. I know that they have been forced to comply with stricter and stricter regulations and environmental restrictions. I know that as the founders and their ancestors have aged, died or sold their interests, the remaining investors have become less vested in the company and what it stands for, and more focused on how they can line their own pockets... even if doing so hurts the long-term stability of the company. Don't believe me? Jochen Zeitz's base salary before he was ousted, was $1.94 million dollars a year. Artie Starrs' starting base salary is $1.2 million per year. Their Chief Financial Officer is pulling over $575,000 annually, while their other CEOs are all pulling over a half a million dollars a year each, in salaries, not to mention their generous compensation packages.

Compare those salaries to their Principal Engineer's salary of, get this, $181,000 a year. This is the guy that's over their designs. Or, what about the blue collar workers, building the bikes? Well, the average operations workers are making under $100k a year. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand that a lineworker can't be given a half million dollar salary, and I know that a CEO can't be expected to run a multimillion dollar company for $150k a year, but look at the gaps for a moment. Let's pretend that Jochen loved the company, truly loved it like the founders did. Imagine if he had taken half of his salary and compensation package, and re-invested it back into the company. Would H-D be in the shambles it's in now? Let's also pretend for a moment that the other executives loved the company like the managers and executives did back in 1981. Imagine if, instead of trying to serve themselves, they decided to serve their company, and more importantly, their employees and their customers. Imagine if they sacrificed a fraction of their salaries, and invested it back into the company. I'd be willing to bet that they wouldn't be doing as many layoffs and terminations as they are now. I'd also be willing to bet that the salaries of all those folks that have lost their jobs at the MoCo in the past few months, pales in comparison to what the suits are earning. 

Final Ponderings

Who will save Harley-Davidson like the guys did, back on that fateful day in 1981? How can they expect to continue turning a profit, when they keep killing off models that are good sellers? Who are they listening to, before making these decisions? I would ask what they are motivated by, but I already know the answer to that one. 

I will say this, though- if I've learned anything from my time in Milwaukee, it's that EVERY person that I've encountered working for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company so far has spoken very highly of our new CEO. Everyone really seems to like Artie, even despite the layoffs of their co-workers. They have all said that he visits the facilities often, is very down-to-earth and friendly and is a very approachable guy. He's also doing some things that I, personally, really like- things like bringing everyone back to Juneau Ave and restoring the building back into a working Harley-Davidson facility instead of making the historic building into a damn farmer's market or whatever that nonsense was that Jochen was talking about doing to our beloved 3800 Juneau. 

Artie, if you're reading this (which I'm sure you're not, but IF you are), it seems like you're on the right track so far, at least with your employees. I'd like to offer you some advice, if you'll take it- don't forget us. We, the people of the Harley-Davidson community- the people that spend our hard-earned money on the company that was started over 120 years ago in a 10'x15' shed and now has a global following of dedicated, generational riders. We were raised on H-D, and we are raising our kids on H-D. We encourage our friends and family to join the H-D community. Listen to us. Follow the founders' examples and tune in to the people that ride the bikes, wear the leathers, buy the boots and the jackets, and the hundreds of thousands of t-shirts every year. It's safe to say that the people passionate enough to spend their money on the bikes, all the gear and even permanently mark their bodies with the company's logos, have taken a personal interest in the company that you now lead. We'll give you some good insights on what you can do to make the founders proud. We're all counting on you to bring the company back... and maybe even bring back some of our favorite bikes- like the iconic Road King.

Now, I doubt that Artie will get my little message there, and if Jochen is reading this- sorry if it seems like I'm beating you up, buddy, but you did sort of blow it back there, my dude. 

For now, my loyal MotoReaders, there's nothing we can do, so we just have to wait. Cross our fingers, hope for the best, and wait. 

Ride safe, MotoReaders.... and until next time...

LONG LIVE THE KING.

Wait, was that it?

The 2026 "Chapter 2" Reveal was a Flop

Well, Harley-Davidson's "Chapter 2" reveal of the 2026 models has come, and gone. But for those of us who have been waiting for something new... something truly new... it's safe to say that we are more than a little disappointed. 

For example, we've been waiting for the return of the Road King in models other than the Special, such as the Classic, Standard and maybe even a new take on the Custom, or maybe an actual Softail Standard (instead of a rebadged Street Bob). We've also been hoping to see some new models, like a sub $15k Pan America... or... oh yeah... the all-new $6k entry level cruiser they keep teasing us with. Yeah, we didn't forget about that one. But, after all the buildup over the past few months, all we got was more CVO models that most of us can't afford (or just don't want).

Let's look at todays numbers, shall we? 

Look, I love my Road King Special... and I have absolutely no plans to replace it, but it looks like the MoCo is still riding Jochen Zeitz's "premium brand" train and I'm here to tell you... it's a bad idea.

I bought my first Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a 2009 Road King Classic in my mid 30's. I bought it new, right off the showroom floor. It was expensive, sure... but by comparison to its Japanese competitors, it was reasonably priced for a "premium motorcycle." I don't remember exactly, but it was right around $19k for the upgraded "Classic" model. A base model was going for around $1500 less, I believe. An Ultra Classic Electra Glide in 2009 was just under $23k back then. By comparison, a 2009 Yamaha Stratoliner "S", which would be a fair comparison to the Road King Classic, had a price tag, just under $17k and the 2009 Honda Goldwing, similarly equipped as the Ultra Classic, was going for just under $24k. Since Polaris had not yet resurrected the Indian name in 2009... the only competing American machine was Polaris' Victory Vision Tour, which entered the conversation with an MSRP of just under $23k for the "Tour Premium" model. Opinions vary, but in my very humble one, the only motorcycle of these three big tourers that didn't look like it was beamed down from an alien mothership was the Harley.

The Ultra Classic name has obviously been sent to the archives, but the bike itself returns for 2026 as the Street Glide Limited. The MSRP of this machine sits awkwardly at $32,999. Meanwhile, the Goldwing Tour comes in at a smooth $29,500. Since Polaris has brought back (and recently sold) Indian since the '09 model year... their current competitor to the, fork-mounted fairing equipped, Street Glide, is the Roadmaster. The Roadmaster is offered with two, yes TWO engine options and five different models, with the MSRP ranging from $32k to $42k for the "Elite" model. Compare that to the Street Glide Limited, which only gives you two choices- $33k for the Limited, or a whopping $52k for the CVO.

Bad Business

I don't know what demographic the MoCo's sales and financial analysts are looking at to decide the new motorcycle pricing, but they are obviously confused, or simply overlooking, the core demographic of motorcycle riders in the United States (and abroad). Apparently, they had lunch with Indian's analysts at some country club full of old rich folks and came up with the misconceived idea that most motorcycle riding Americans are making over $200k a year. The reality is, the median income of American households is just shy of $90k a year. in 2009, that number was around $50k a year. I know what you might be thinking... the 2009 motorcycle prices reflect around 40% of the median household income, which is about the same for today. The problem with that math, is that it doesn't figure for everything else. Things like mortgage rates, the price of gasoline and the cost of groceries has nearly doubled since 2009. That means that most American households have, significantly, less "disposable" income. From the simplest perspective- making a product less attainable for the majority demographic, is just bad business. 

Harley-Davidson has been teasing us with promises to lower prices on current models, bring back some of our favorites, and even offer new, entry-level motorcycles. From what I've seen so far, the curse of Jochen lives on. I really want the MoCo to be successful, but they aren't listening to me (and by me, I mean us, the working class folks that make up the bulk of their annual sales). They continue to try to appeal to the "McMillionaires" who are living off their daddy's money or earning a living by degrading themselves in front of a camera, but the reality is, those folks aren't buying motorcycles. The people buying and riding motorcycles and immersing themselves into the motorcycle culture are who they've always been- the blue collar, working class people. 

Mr. Starrs... can I call you Artie? Great. 

Artie... let's talk, my man. I know you did some great things for Top Golf, but you have your work cut out for you with H-D. Harley-Davidson isn't a fad. It isn't a passing cultural trend. It's a legendary American Company, built on the blood, sweat and tears of the very men and women that it is ignoring now. The founders would, no doubt, be impressed with the technology and designs, but I don't think they'd approve of the, apparently ongoing, plan to price this iconic machine out of reach of the working man. Your true core demographic is still out here. The bullshit idea that we are getting older and starting to die off is imbecilic. Those so-called "market analysts" are wrong. Most of us are getting older, sure... but guess what? Our kids are adults now, making their own money, and they grew up watching their super cool parents ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles... and now they are riding them, too. They are, and will be, the future buyers of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.... as long as the eggheads don't price them out.

Final Thoughts

I still believe that Harley-Davidson is the best motorcycle on the market. The tech is getting a bit ridiculous, but they have to change with the times and I get that. The reality is there are other options, though. The Japanese motorcycle makers have withdrawn a few of their big cruisers from the market, but the ones in showrooms are big, powerful, dependable and relatively inexpensive. With Indian being under new ownership, we'll have to wait and see what their future is, but for now... they have some competitive offerings. Let's not forget about the Brits, Germans or Italians, either. All of the Europeans are eyeing the, actual, middle class motorcycle demographic that the fancy pants executives in Milwaukee have been (and apparently still are) forsaking. 

I really hope that we see some new, mid-year releases of new models for 2026. I really, really, hope that if they ever do release the "entry level, $6k motorcyle" that has been leaked as being named the (new) "Sprint"... that it is not that re-branded Chinese atrocity that they're using for the Rider's Edge classes. 

For now though, while we're all waiting for the next page in Harley-Davidson's book to turn, I'm going to go log some miles while the sun is up and the gas prices are down.

Until next time, MotoReaders...

Ride safe, and make good choices (this goes for you, too Artie).