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).

MotoReview- First MFG Apparel

“If you’re not first, you’re last”  

                            -Ricky Bobby

Product Review- First MFG Co. "Downside Vest"

Greetings MotoReaders and welcome back to another MotoReview! Today, we are talking about the "Downside Men's Motorcycle Vest", SKU FIM693QLT in size Large. 

I bought this vest as an early retirement gift to myself... silly, I know, but it was sort of a symbolic gesture (I'll get into that later, in a separate post). I wasn't really in the market, but I got an email from FMC advertising a whopping 60% off sale, site wide. I was familiar with the brand, as I already have a couple of their lower-end vests for me and my wife, but for 60% off, I figured I could upgrade to a better, newer, one. The MSRP of the Downside is $309.99 (which is still lower priced than another vest I've been eyeing... which is listed for $350), but I'm cheap enough that I'll do without until the right deal comes up... and 60% off looked like the right deal. It shipped for free, so after taxes, my bank account was lighter by a mere $120! So what did I get for my money? 

First Impressions

Supple leather, incredible stitch work and a fit that almost feels custom tailored. This vest is probably one of the finest pieces of leather gear that I own... and I own a few. 

The first thing I noticed when it arrived, was that it was folded up, in a bag... I was more than a little worried that the leather would be creased or worse, be some cheap thin trash, instead. I was pleasantly surprised to open the package to the familiar and delightful odor of real leather. The vest has a nice weight to it, it's thick and the leather is supple... like buttery supple. It feels good to the touch. The satin liner is soft, smooth and seems to be a good weight of fabric.  Some satin liners I've seen are simply too thin and they tear and fray at the seams, but this one feels good. The inside of the vest has a velcro closure pocket that I use for my glasses and it has a snap-closure gun pocket that is accessible only when the zipper and snaps are open. Speaking of the zipper, this vest has a unique design that none of my other leathers have- a zipper closure with a snap-closure wind flap. This feature is great, because in the cooler months, you can zip it closed and then snap the wind flap to keep the cold out, and in warmer weather, you can leave it unzipped and only use the snaps OR... you can get vest extenders and get max airflow. On the outside of the zipper, behind the flap, there is another snap-closure gun pocket. The outside of the vest has two slash pockets and two chest pockets, both with snap closures. I opted for the blue stitching and blue liner and it looks great. The stitching is extremely nice and I can't find any flaws at all.

 The double diamond pattern covers the entire shoulder section- front and back, and the back panel is a solid, single piece of leather- which I prefer for looks and for protection. The vest is also perfectly designed for those who want to add patches to their vest, as the inner liner has several zippered openings to access the outer shell. It also has a well designed pocket for back armor, if that rings your bell. 

The Fit

As I said before, the fit of this vest is perfect. I used the size guide provided on their website, and ordered the recommended size (which is the size I normally wear, so the fit is true). One thing I hate, truly can't stand, is when you are wearing a jacket or vest that doesn't have a two-way zipper and it puffs out at the bottom while sitting on your motorcycle, making it look like you have a big, fat gut. I know, this may seem silly, but it's also uncomfortable, too... as the leather is being pushed up toward your neck. My favorite riding jacket, is the Harley-Davidson Badlander leather 3-in-1 from their 2009 collection, which is just a fancy way of saying that it's old (but I still love it). When sitting on my bike, I can adjust the bottom slide of the zipper to fit my lap so the jacket doesn't "poof" up. The First Downside vest does not have the two way zipper, so I was expecting it to disappoint me while sitting on the bike. As it turns out, FMC has figured out the right combination of zipper length to vest/snap length, because the zipper is shorter than, and offset from, the bottom of the vest by a few inches, which happens to be just enough to let the leather sit comfortably and naturally on the torso when the bottom snap is left unfastened. What's all this mean? It means that while I'm cruising along on the MotoWriter motorscooters, my vest isn't being pushed up into my neck... oh yeah, and I also look gooooood. 

Did I mention the feel? Good grief... this is honestly the best feeling vest I've ever worn. Truly, you've got to feel this leather. The leather is between 1 and 1.1mm thick, which is a nice thickness considering most leather jackets from H-D and other suppliers are between 1.2 and 1.4mm thick. As much as I love my H-D Badlander jacket (which has removable sleeves to make it into a vest), the leather is stiff by comparison to the FMC. That's not a complaint, mind you, just an observation. As seen in the picture, the Downside vest is paired with my Go Fast Don't Die zip hoodie. This has been a perfect combination for the mild Southern weather lately. 

The Cons

This is going to be short. I only started wearing this vest after I actually retired, so it's only been worn for the past 11 days, but... it's been on several rides already and I've put several hundred miles on it since the first of the year. So far, I haven't experienced any issues with quality, fit or comfort. It's still new, so if I do experience any issues in the future, I'll do a follow-up to this review. 

Brand Ambassador Influence?

You may be wondering, since my last post about becoming a brand ambassador for First Mfg. Co, if my review is being influenced by this little detail. Well, in the interest of full disclosure and complete transparency- the answer is a resounding "NO." First Mfg. Co did not reach out to me about becoming an ambassador, I reached out to them. I applied to them, several months after I bought this vest. I didn't get a special ambassador discount and I didn't get the vest for free. 

So why did I do it? Easy- I applied to be a brand ambassador for a couple of reasons- the first, I love this vest- the quality is outstanding and I fully believe in supporting businesses that offer great quality items for reasonable prices; and the second, as a brand ambassador, YOU get a discount using my code, so it's a win-win. This company sells a few extra pieces to help them keep the lights on and my MotoReaders get to save a few bucks off of good, quality, riding gear.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is this- if you're looking for a good quality vest, something that you can get with some customization (the Downside Vest is offered in several color options other than blue), you can't go wrong with First Mfg. Co. After seeing the quality of this vest, I saw that FMC was running another sale, so I recently bought my son a riding jacket since he didn't have any leathers (I'll do a review on that in a few months, after I've gotten some feedback from him). 

Let me be clear, I don't like wasting money. I dislike it so much, that I often won't buy something that I really like, just because I think it costs too much. My H-D jacket is a great example of this frugality. I remember seeing that jacket in 2009, when I bought my very first Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I also remember that it was close to, or over, $550. Yeah, I wanted it, but I didn't "$550 dollars" want it. I literally waited until H-D discontinued it, found one on eBay a few years later and bought it second hand from a good, reputable seller. I paid less than half of what it was new. Like I said, I'm cheap like that. Would I have bought this vest at the MSRP of $309.99? Honestly, probably not, not without knowing the quality first. Now that I have it and have seen it, worn it and ridden with it, I can tell you that I believe it's worth every penny (but if you can get a discount... and you can by clicking here, it's even better). If you don't like the Downside Vest, fret not because they have several other pre-made styles, and if that doesn't suit you, you can even build a custom vest with your choice of materials, custom colors and custom details. 

So go, my fellow MotoRiders... go get yourself something nice to start this new riding season with. Save a few bucks with the code Ride_Write_Repeat or just click here. As the weather warms up, look for me out on the road... I'll be the guy wearing a high quality, great looking, vest.

MotoReview- Unik Leather Gloves

MotoReview- Unik Int'l Full Finger Gloves

Greetings MotoReaders! As promised... I present to you, my review of the Unik International, leather full finger gloves (SKU 8163.00 in size Large). 

Let's get right into it... 

Customer Service

Before I review the gloves themselves, I want to be clear that these are not the gloves that I initially ordered. Shortly after placing my first order, I was contacted by their Sales Executive, Fawad Khilji from Dover, NJ (USA), who informed me that I would be getting a full refund for my order, as the gloves that I ordered had been discontinued and the order could not be fulfilled. But, Fawad was very friendly and helpful (and super fast on refunding my money), and within a few moments, and after a couple of emails, I found another pair of gloves to try. He verified that they had them in stock and in my size, then he had them sent out within an hour of placing the new order. As far as I'm concerned- that is first-rate customer service. 

The Gloves- First Impression

The gloves arrived quickly via UPS and upon my initial inspection, I was impressed. The first thing I noticed was the feel and smell of them. These are real leather, and they smell like it. Leather, coffee and the smell of bacon sizzling in the pan are some of the best odors to grace our nostrils, so it's fair to say that I was pretty happy smelling leather when I opened the bag, instead of the chemical odor that sometimes accompanies new gear. The gloves have a nice weight to them- they aren't cumbersome, but they are just heavy enough that you feel like they are made of good materials. The fingers have small perforations, which I would assume are intended for breathability. The holes are small, inline and don't detract from the look, but I'm not sure how much they will help in keeping your mitts cool in the summer- only time will tell on that one. The palm of the gloves have reinforced areas and the design fits my hands well. The reinforced areas aren't bulky and over padded like you find in some gloves; these feel natural when my hands are on the grips. The backside of the gloves feature 3 knuckle pads, which seem to be effectively placed and some reinforcement stitching across the flat of the hand, which, if I'm being totally honest (and I am), give the gloves a Mickey Mouse kind of look if you think about it too hard. While I don't know why they only put three, instead of four, knuckle pads on these gloves, the design works and I feel like the pads are placed in such a way that my knuckles would be protected in the event of a strike, and the gloves don't look silly or over-designed. 

A quick look inside the cuff and I noticed a label that said "Made in Pakistan" and a very nice, soft lining inside the gloves. The lining, made with DuPont Kevlar fiber was a happy surprise for me, since that wasn't listed in the description. A good weight leather outer shell with palm reinforcements, paired with a Kevlar lining means these gloves should offer pretty good abrasion protection, and the velcro adjustment strap at the wrist should keep the gloves from sliding off your hand, in the event of an unplanned slide. 

First Ride

On the website, one of the features noted is the "touch technology" in the fingertips and, upon initial testing with my phone... it seemed to work pretty well... until the first ride. Now, I don't seek out this feature on gloves since I intentionally try to avoid electronic devices while I ride my motorcycle. Having the ability to navigate a touch screen does help, though... as I just added a Quad Lock to my Road King, and I like to listen to music through my Sena while riding. For other folks, especially those riding the newest Harley-Davidson Touring bikes with giant touchscreen displays, touch tech in gloves would almost be a necessity. 

Donning the gloves for the first time, I noticed that the cuffs were a bit tight for my hand to get into them, but they fit extremely well once on. Getting a larger size might make putting the gloves on a bit easier, but then the glove would be too big, so I'm sure that they will break-in over time and with continued use. The fingers were a bit longer and fatter than I like (see photos below), but the reality is, there is no standard for finger lengths and widths, so in designing a glove, a company has to make the most logical size to accommodate most hands, so I'm not put off by this... I'm simply making an observation. The gloves felt good and I wore them all day, on a ride of just over 250 miles. 

The first thing I noticed when I stopped for gas, which was just a few miles into the ride, was that the "skin" on the index finger and thumb for the touch technology was already coming off (see photos). Again, this isn't a deal breaker for me, but I also don't have a touchscreen display on my dash either. For full transparency- I am currently running Avon Custom Countour grips on my Road King and stock levers. The grips have a textured surface, but the levers are smooth- neither of which should have abraded the tips of these fingers enough to remove this "skin", so I assess this to be a manufacturing flaw. Not great, considering this a featured selling point for these gloves. It didn't take long for the skin to be completely worn off, rendering the touch tech feature completely useless. 

Final Thoughts

For full disclosure- as part of being a newly chosen brand ambassador (which might get revoked after they read this review), I did get these gloves at a pretty decent discount. Not to mention, they were also listed on sale, for 50% off of their list price of $59.99. With tax and shipping, I had less than $30 bucks out of the bank account for these gloves, which is a pretty decent deal for a pair of genuine leather riding gloves. These gloves aren't perfect, and the touch tech was a bit of a disappointment, but I've spent almost as much for a pair of Mechanix brand gloves that don't offer a fraction of the protection as these and are made of synthetic leather-like materials, instead of real leather like the Uniks.

The bottom line? Well, for these, I say... to each their own. I can't in good conscience recommend these gloves to just anyone, but I can recommend them to anyone who doesn't need touch technology in their gloves. The leather itself is worth the price I paid for these gloves. Add in the knuckle protection, the reinforced palms, the quality of the stitching and the overall comfort and wearability of these gloves, $30 is a deal. With that said, my recommendation to Unik, is that they leave these on sale at 50% off until they can get that fingertip issue resolved, as I would be highly agitated if I dropped $60 for a pair of gloves that had touch technology only to see it flake off in the first 15 miles of the first ride with them. My other recommendation for Unik is that they drop the touch technology "feature" on the listing, and list the Kevlar lining as a primary feature, instead.

I'm sure that, with their exceptional customer service, I could have had my money refunded, or had the gloves replaced within a few days, but to be honest, I really don't care that much- I don't need touch tech and I didn't buy these gloves for that feature. I chose to buy gloves as my first purchase for a couple of reasons- first, gloves are relatively inexpensive compared to jackets, vests, chaps, etc. Second, gloves require complex stitching, the right combination of materials and the right design elements to make a quality product. Quite honestly, you can learn a lot about a company's quality control standards, material selections and design priorities based on a pair of their gloves. 

Overall, I give these gloves a thumbs up for quality of stitching, overall design and comfort. I rode all 250+ miles with these gloves on and my hands stayed comfortable all day. For the touch tech feature- if you specifically want, or need, touch technology to control or adjust your digital touch screen display, look for a different pair of gloves, but be prepared to pay significantly more for them. 

As I've said before, I'll never recommend a product or service to my MotoReaders that I wouldn't personally use, so if someone at Unik reads this review and decides that I'm not the best person to have in their brand ambassador program, then so be it. Until then, if you want to snag a pair of gloves, or any other leather gear from them, hit the logo on the right side of this page (or click here) to get 15% off of your order.

Stay tuned for more reviews... until then,

Ride safe and make good choices!

Wrenching, Riding and Retirement

Hello my loyal MotoReaders! It’s been a few months and if you’re a regular reader of my little corner of the ole interwebs, then you may be wondering what I’ve been doing lately, and more importantly, what I’ve decided to do.

Well, wonder no more my friends! For those just tuning in, I’ll refer you to some past posts here, here and here, so that you can get caught up. Go ahead and click those links and come back when you’re done… I’ll wait. 

Back already? Great! Now that you’re all caught up, let’s get into it. 

Retirement

I’ve made the difficult decision to retire from my payin’ gig. Not only have I made the decision, but I’ve also started, and finished, the whole process. I’m still on the books for now, as I use some extra  leave time that I had accrued because, if I don’t use it, I’ll lose it.

Now, before you ask, no- I’m not some old fart that’s near death and headed to the old folks’ home…I’m still “relatively” young(ish). I’m what some folks might call middle aged… but, as old as that may be to some of you young MotoReaders, I still have a lot of years left in me… at least I hope I do… but I digress. So, one question you may be asking is, “if you’re still young-ish, why are you retiring from your payin’ gig?” Great question… and to be completely honest with you all… I still have plenty of energy, strength and mental fortitude to keep doing it… but I’m tired. Exhausted is actually a better word. Mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. While my payin’ gig has paid the bills for nearly 25 years, it hasn’t always been easy. I won’t get into all of the details here, not now anyway, but suffice to say that the number one reason why I’m retiring….is as simple as this- because I can. I have served my time and I have reached the finish line. Sure, I could keep going (like a lot of others do), but for me- in the position I’m in, doing the work that I’m doing, it behooves me to know when to hang it up. Staying past my retirement date would just be pushing my luck and taking unnecessary risks- risks that the lovely Mrs. MotoWriter does not want me to take. If I were in a comfy office 5 days a week, it might be a different story… but with what I do every day… like the late, great Kenny Rogers once sang, “…you’ve got to know when to walk away…”. 

Riding

One truly awesome part of my payin’ gig is… er… was….getting paid to ride a motorcycle. Let me tell you- I had a lot of fun getting paid to ride Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycles for the past few years. My boss even sent me to Milwaukee to learn how to work on them… yeah, I have a pretty cool boss. So, you may be wondering (again), why would I leave a job that pays me to ride Harleys? Well, that’s pretty simple, too- when I retire, I’m still going to be getting paid… and I have my own Harleys that I can, and will, ride. Not to mention, I’ll have all the time I want and need, to be able to ride them. You see, riding for work, while a lot of fun, is still work. I like to use, what I call the “Donut Shop”, analogy for things like this. The Donut Shop analogy goes like this… I like donuts- they are fun to eat, heavenly to smell and they taste fantastic. But, I wouldn’t want to work in a donut shop, because I’d eventually get sick of eating them, sick of smelling them, and I’d get tired of making them. Working in a donut shop would eventually make me lose my appetite for those golden rings of goodness. Most of the time, if you try to make a living out of doing what you love, you will eventually grow weary of it, and your love of it will most likely begin to fade. Now, obviously, that’s not always the case… but why risk it? The other drawback to riding for work, is that I have… um, had…to work a lot more hours, and a lot more days and nights, than most of my peers. I’m not complaining, mind you, just explaining. By hanging up those motorcycle keys, I get to pick mine back up…and I get to go wherever I want, whenever I want.

I’ve already got a few trips planned, too so keep an eye out for me and say hello if you see me come through your town. First up- I’m planning a long-overdue trip to see my good friend and his wife. I’m also planning a motorcycle road trip with my first born son and I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my baby boy, and working on some long overdue projects. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to making up for a lot of lost time with the lovely Mrs. MotoWriter… whenever she is off from work, that is. Needless to say, the MotoWriter scooters are going to be racking up a lot of miles over the next few months. After that, who knows…maybe I’ll go back to work part time and get paid to ride (and wrench on) motorcycles again. 

One thing I do plan on doing for sure, though…is teaching new riders. Being an instructor for the past few years has given me an incredible sense of fulfillment. Seeing someone with little or no knowledge about motorcycles become a confident and proficient rider is an indescribable feeling! Just knowing that you have given someone the knowledge and confidence to operate a “freedom machine” is awesome. I’ve got a few job prospects for teaching motorcycle classes… but I won’t get into any of that just yet- we’ll have to wait and see if any of them pan out, first.

Wrenching

Several years ago, I wrote a slideshow piece for H-D Forums, about wrenching your own rides. I’ve always believed that wrenching on your own vehicles is the best way to learn them. An added benefit to doing your own work is learning how it works, and gaining the confidence to keep it running. Not to mention, you know it’s done right and, if you are competent, you get to save some money by doing it yourself. Now, not everyone has the time, ability, confidence, or competence to do their own work. Other people simply don’t want to, and that’s perfectly okay, too… because that’s where I come in. Now, this sort of happened extemporaneously, but…regardless of how it happened, I’ve found myself knee deep in working on motorcycles for other people lately. 

Because I have always worked on my own vehicles and had the tools and equipment to do it, I would occasionally have friends ask for help with their bikes. Fast forward a bit and my ability, and willingness, to work on motorcycles would lead to, as I mentioned earlier, my boss sending me to some classes in Milwaukee to make it official. After word started to spread that I was wrenching on the bikes at work, the personal requests started coming in. So far, in the past year- I’ve had five different motorcycles on my lift at home. A few were favors for friends, one earned me a couple hundred bucks, and another earned me a nice fat “I.O.U.” Not exactly the best business model, I’ll admit… but to be completely honest, I’m not trying to go into the business of motorcycle mechanics- I’m just trying to help some friends, and friends of friends, keep their machines running strong and safe. Not to mention, I find diagnosing, repairing and maintaining motorcycles to be a very enjoyable pastime. So much so that I recently bought a tire machine and balancer (MotoReview of those coming up soon) so that I can do even more maintenance work on scooters. Besides, having the ability to mount and balance my own tires is going to save me a ton of time and money… and being able to mount and balance tires for other folks… well, let’s just say that will hopefully help me pay for my new equipment.

So, what’s next?

Well, to be honest- I actually don’t know. But, I will tell you this… I’m too young and way too active to just be “retired” in the typical sense of the word. So, with that, I’m going to take a few months and get caught up on some long overdue projects and get a helluva lot of riding in. I’m most likely going to fix a couple (or a few) motorcycles and hopefully earn myself some beer money (I can’t pay for my High Life with I.O.U.s, after all) and I’m really hoping that I’ll be able to finish writing this (first) novel. After a few months of that, I suspect that I’ll most likely re-enter the work force and wait for Mrs. MotoWriter to retire so that we can do whatever kind of stuff that older retired people do.

Final Thoughts

Retirement is kind of scary, to be honest. Especially from the line of work that I’m leaving behind because you never truly leave it. But, after having coffee with some friends and getting some insight and wisdom from a long time friend and mentor of mine, I got the reassurance that I needed to go through with it… and feel good about it. In this life, we can make as much, or as little, money as we want or need. We can buy cars, houses, motorcycles and we can collect just about anything we set our minds to. But there’s one thing that is more valuable than all of that stuff combined and multiplied by a thousand- and that one thing is time. We have a finite amount of it, and unfortunately, the amount that we have left is totally unknown to us. When contemplating your own decisions in life, I ask that you weigh and measure those things that you seek, whatever they may be, not with the dollar amount of money that they may cost, but rather- with the time that they will cost you. How many hours of work will you have to put in, to earn enough money to buy it? Because that’s the true cost. 

I’m looking forward to writing those MotoReviews for you guys in the next few weeks, and I’m anticipating some bad, but hopefully a majority of good, days in my near future. In the meantime, please take a moment to look around you and be thankful for the blessing of a new day because, as I saw hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of times over the course of my, soon to be former, career… each day that we wake up with breath in our lungs is a new opportunity to change our lives for the better, because many, many, many people… don’t get that chance.

Until next time, my loyal MotoReaders… stay safe and make good choices! 

2026 New Model Lineups

It’s that time of year again and, while I’ve been super busy at my payin’ gig… I didn’t want to miss my chance to weigh in on the new model lineups from our favorite motorcycle purveyors. So, without further ado… let’s get into it, shall we?

First up… Harley-Davidson

The MoCo has teased us for months with the return of a name that many of us know from the past- the Sprint. The rumors of this “new” model being offered in the $6,000 price point has whet many of our appetites to see just what’s been going on in the R&D offices. Well, in their “Chapter One” release (well played, guys… well played), they dropped the first of what they are promising is going to be a whole new lineup. While I appreciate that they have some new colors and some slightly larger displacement engines, in my humble opinion- the first drop was a flop. No new models… yet, just some different versions of what we’ve already seen for the last couple of years. Don’t get me wrong, I like the new Street Glide and Road Glide designs, for the most part, anyway. I’m not crazy about the new hand controls or the digital screen as the only option for gauges, but I suppose this is what the market demands, so I understand that they have to keep up with the demands in order to stay relevant. 

I really, REALLY hope that the new Sprint isn’t the Chinese “X” bike that has just been re-badged for US markets. With everything going on in the world right now, and all of the tensions in the political communities, I’m afraid that a Chinese Harley-Davidson could drive many MoCo loyalists away… and that could be devastating for our new top guy, Artie Starrs. If you look on the H-D website… they are teasing us with the “chapter two” bikes, but none of the black cloth draped bikes are in the “Sport” category and the names of those that are teased, are more CVO models. I really hope this is just some tricky marketing, because unless H-D is planning to drop the prices (significantly), the vast majority of their customer base can’t afford to drop $50k on a motorcycle. I for one, wouldn’t (even if I could), because let’s be honest… while the Custom Vehicle Operations division does make some decent performance parts, most of the CVO bikes are gaudy looking. You know who buys CVOs? Guys like Jochen and Artie… and that rich old guy that lives down the road from you who wears a pastel colored polo shirt that is tucked into his khaki shorts (complete with belt) and loafers, who drives a Corvette to go golfing. The rest of us- the jeans and t-shirt guys that make up the majority of Harley-Davidson riders- would rather get higher performance parts at a fraction of the cost from aftermarket companies and are more concerned about buying affordable maintenance parts over… one more chrome cover that serves no real purpose other than reflecting the side of the ‘Vette as they sit in the garage. 

The marketing gurus in Milwaukee are dangling that proverbial carrot in front of our noses though, for the “next chapter” which is supposed to be revealed on January 14th of the new year, so we’ll have to bide our time and be patient to see what’s next. 

Next we have- Indian 

In an interesting turn of events (but one that I saw coming several years ago), Polaris has sold off Indian Motorcycles to a private investment company, Carolwood LP. This is really the biggest news out of Springfield with our beloved rival company. Look folks, I make no bones about it- I like ALL motorcycles, but I DO favor Harley-Davidson. I’ve been to Milwaukee several times, I drink Miller beer, Wisconsin cheese is delicious and while the Cheeseheads of the Midwest may not have invented the Bloody Mary, they sure did perfect it. With that said, I have loved those long, sweeping fenders of the Indians of old since I was a kid. I loved how Indian and Harley-Davidson always kept pressure on each other to advance and become better and better. But the last real Indian motorcycles were built in 1953. There were several attempts to resurrect the brand over the decades that followed, a couple of which were very promising, but the best chance they’ve had has been with Polaris as their adopted mother. To see Polaris file the Indian name in their 86 file, alongside Victory, just plain sucks. While I really hope that the Carolwood folks can breathe continued life into the company, my more realistic self suspects that Carolwood will join the ranks of IMCA (aka, Gilroy) and Stellican as failed resuscitators.

With all that said, there’s not a lot in the “new for 2026” lineup in the Indian camp, either. They, like H-D, have increased displacements a bit and are offering some new colors, but with the sell off… is any of that even going to matter? I suspect that most new buyers are going to stay away from their loan officers until the dust of Carolwood settles. Who can blame them, either? Nobody in their right mind would want to buy a $15-$30k motorcycle that might not have continued support for parts, warranties, repairs, etc. 

What about the other major brands?

I usually keep my eyes on the “other brand” horizon to see if anything really stands out. If anything really “popped” then I’d absolutely detail it here and give my thoughts, but in reality, no one has really broken any new ground for 2026, so until someone releases something new, it looks like this is the end of this post. 

What about this past 3 month hiatus, you may be asking…

As many of my loyal MotoReaders know, the last few months has been the second busy “season” of the year for my payin’ gig. But, as I’ve spoken about and eluded to in some recent posts and ponderings… that may be changing soon. I won’t get into that here, but I’ll keep you posted on any changes that may be taking place for your humble MotoWriter, over the next few months. If everything works out, you should be seeing a lot more activity on my little corner of the interweb. Maybe when H-D drops the curtain on their “chapter 2” reveal, I’ll be able to cover it in real time, instead of a week (or more) later. 

Regardless of what may come for 2026… I just want to take a moment today to say that I see how much my loyal readers check in, even when I’m not here, and I am truly humbled by the fact that you guys have checked in to my site to read my words, over 180,000 times, with over 21,000 site visits last month alone! When I started this blog over five years ago, I never imagined that it would have a worldwide audience.  So, from the bottom of my heart, I say “THANK YOU!” 

Until next time, MotoReaders… ride safe and make good choices!

Harley-Davidson Sprint

It’s that time again, folks! That wonderful time of the year when some manufacturers start teasing, and some start releasing, new models! It’s one of my favorite times of the year!

2026 Harley-Davidson Sprint

I haven’t heard much yet, but I just read that Harley-Davidson is about to release info on an all-new entry-level motorcycle, that harkens back to a previous time in their history. The new bike is set to be called the “Sprint”, after the popular model that they introduced in the early 1960s, after partnering with then, Italian manufacturer Aermacchi. 

These days, many people whine about the MoCo’s affiliations with other manufacturers building motorcycles for them, such as the Street 500 and 750 models, originally built in Bawal, India and primarily intended for the Middle Eastern market, or the all-new X350 and X500, built in China and primarily intended for the Asian market. But, our beloved Milwaukee, USA purveyor of fine motorcycles has not betrayed it’s American roots, far from it. They are a corporation that is surviving in a very challenging market… and they have been doing so since 1903. The reality is- survival is ugly sometimes. It often demands unconventional and, sometimes unpleasant, acts to be carried out, in order to be able to live, and in this case- produce motorcycles, another day. For example- guy that got trapped by a boulder while hiking and had to sever his own arm to be able to live another day. While I’m not suggesting that H-D cut off an appendage, here… I am saying that sometimes, in order to survive a struggling market, it requires a partnership that may not be the most popular with it’s traditional customer base. If, however, the partnership expands the customer base… and the company can survive another year, or five years, or a hundred years, then it was worth it. 

Beginning in the 1960’s, Harley-Davidson partnered with several companies, three of which in particular brought the MoCo through some of their  toughest times and helped them survive when many other American motorcycle companies were failing: Aermacchi and their small displacement motorcycles helped expand the Harley-Davidson name plate into the European markets and helped form a love for  Milwaukee steel overseas, that still exists to this day; Tomahawk Boats ushered in a new era of design possibilities and manufacturing facilities that gave us things like the Boat Tail Super Glide, hard side saddlebags, tour packs, and fairings for the immensely popular Electra Glides, Tour (and later, Road) Glides; and of course, the American Machine and Foundry company, quite literally, saved the MoCo from financial ruin. While none of these were probably very popular at the time, all served the greater purpose of helping this American institution survive and that, my friends, is the name of the game because once a company shuts down, if it ever does come back, it will never be the same as it once was. 

The Bike

Currently, there’s very little information about the new Sprint, except that it is supposed to be revealed to dealers this fall, but what we do know for now, is that it is expected be a small displacement, inexpensive and entry-level motorcycle. There’s still no word on where it will be built, but I suspect it will be manufactured overseas initially, or perhaps, built in the US of A, with parts imported from overseas plants. 

What I find interesting though, is I’ve heard so many people already bashing it, and bashing the MoCo for building an “entry-level” bike. Just yesterday, I saw a social media influencer (who I typically agree with on a lot of points), bashing the MoCo over the new Sprint and saying that all “we” want is a “new EVO” engine because the “EVO was the best engine ever built by Harley-Davidson.” The EVO was a good engine, sure… but ”the best”? I don’t think so, not by a long shot. Every engine that H-D has made through the years was the best, until it was replaced by something better. The Knuckle was better than the Flathead, the Pan was better than the Knuck, the EVO was better than the Pan and, yes… I’m gonna say it… the Twin Cam was better than the EVO… and I know that I’m about to get bashed for that one, but it’s true- I’d take a late model TC96 or TC103 over an EVO any day. BUT! Before anyone decides to start roasting me for MY opinion, let me remind you that everyone has their own opinions based on their own experiences… mine are no different. I’ve gotten great performance (and no oil leaks) out of the 5 different Twin Cams I’ve owned, while I had two different buddies that had “late model” EVO’s that coudn’t keep a seal between the jugs and the crankcase. Now, before anyone says, “well Mr. MotoWriter, why does S&S Cycles build so many EVO clones, then?” My simple answer is this- because 1. The patent ran out and they can, 2. They’ve had a chance to fix the problems and get it dialed in properly (I never said it wasn’t a good platform for a great engine) and, 3. They also make updated versions of the Knuckle, Pan, Shovel and M-8. One could argue that the reason they don’t build a Twin Cam, is because the stock H-D TC is already dialed in, easier to get and significantly less expensive than the others. 

As for the Milwaukee 8- I have a first generation M-8 107 on my Road King Special, and a 96” Twin Cam on my Dyna Street Bob… I’ve also had a couple of late model 103” Twin Cams and an early model 96”  and I will honestly say that, in my very humble opinion, the M-8 is a superior engine to the Twin Cam. I’ve heard horror stories about the first gen 107” M-8’s having issues with oil sumping, cam chest and oil pump failures and, maybe I’m just lucky or perhaps it hasn’t happened yet, but mine has not given me any issues with any of those components (like I said, not yet, anyway). Maybe it’s because I ride it like I own it, and like I am the one that is responsible for paying for it when it breaks, or maybe, I have just gotten lucky, I don’t know… but regardless, my opinions are based on my experiences, so I’m willing to acknowledge that others may be (and apparently are) very passionate about theirs, based on their experiences.

Regardless of where your opinion lands, I’ll disagree with my guy on the ole interweb socials and say that, while I’m not in the market for an entry-level, small displacement motorcycle- I think it’s great that the MoCo is thinking about their future survival and making adjustments to get new riders into the sport, and hopefully making some of them passionate loyalists to the brand so that hopefully, it will carry them through the tough times. 

What is “Entry-Level” anyway?

Easy- entry-level can be quantified in two words: size and price. Let’s face it- motorcycles are, inherently, dangerous and, in order to get someone on a motorcycle for the first time, you need to have a machine that isn’t too powerful, heavy and intimidating. Pricing is also incredibly important, as well, because you don’t want to have the perfect machine, but make it so expensive that it can’t be bought by someone who is just getting into the sport, especially when the competition is fierce in this segment. 

The new Sprint is expected to be around $6,000 US and I think that is spectacular. People won’t buy what they can’t afford anymore. When I bought my first new H-D, I was in my mid 30’s and, at the time, I honestly never thought I’d be able to buy a Harley-Davidson at all, much less a brand new Road King Classic. It was expensive and, in all reality, I probably shouldn’t have bought it because there were times that I struggled to pay the note, but it was worth it to me (and my lovely wife supported it, wholeheartedly), so I took the leap and did it. This new generation is different though- these kids now are very money-conscious and they are very conservative in the way they spend their money. I would venture to guess that the MoCo loses hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in potential new riders, because of the costs and availability of their machines. Not that a solid and sustained resale value is a bad thing- it’s not, however, by comparison, a new rider looking at the offerings in dealerships and in the used markets, could be easily put off of H-D by the prices alone. For example, a large displacement Japanese bike, like the Yamaha Stratoliner or the Honda VTX1800 can be had for under $6,000 used, compared to a used Harley-Davidson Road King or Street Glide that will cost you easily over $10,000 for the same or similar year models. That is because the import bikes simply don’t hold their value like the Harley’s do. Those are typical prices of large, heavyweight bikes, too… their smaller counterparts can be had for even less, where the smaller H-D’s are still pretty expensive. For example- a 2006 Yamaha V-Star 650, which is a very easy bike to ride, can be had for around $1,500, compared to a 2006 H-D Sportster 883 that is selling for around $3,000. Again, that’s the difference between resale values- and, while that’s a good thing for H-D owners, it’s not so great for the MoCo when you consider that most new riders will almost always opt for the cheaper bikes. And before you argue that comparing used bikes to new bikes is like comparing apples to oranges, I’ll remind you that the least expensive new Harley-Davidson in the current lineup, the Nightster, is priced at $9,999 before dealer fees, where the comparable Yamaha Bolt R-Spec, is sitting a clean $1,000 less, at $8,999. Does a grand make a difference to someone like me? Right now- not really… when I was first starting out- absolutely. Currently, Yamaha’s lowest priced “cruiser style” motorcycle is the V-Star 250 at $4,799… so, if H-D can enter the market with a bike with double that displacement, but not double that price, I think it’s a strong move for Milwaukee.

The fact remains that this new generation is looking at the overall value for their dollar and, let’s be honest, why would a young, new, rider buy a 2008 Road King for $9,500, when they could buy a 2008 Roadliner for $4,500? After all, the 2008 ‘Liner has a 113 ci engine compared to the 2008 ‘King’s 96 ci mill. It’s a dollar for displacement disparity that favors the Japanese bike. Brand loyalty is often born with a first motorcycle, too… so getting someone into the culture of Harley-Davidson is imperative to gaining them as a lifelong customer. Don’t believe me? How many H-D loyalists started out on one of those very early single cylinder bikes (like the Hummer or the original Sprint), or more currently, on a Sportster? The EVO Sportster is probably the most popular motorcycle ever built by Harley-Davidson if you go by how long it was made, and total units sold (and are still sold in the used sector, today). The EVO Sporty used to be very affordable, with many of the basic models selling for close to- you guessed it- the $6,000 mark, so it’s my belief that this new Sprint’s pricing is right on par with being a, potentially, very successful offering for Harley-Davidson. 

Final thoughts

Hopefully this new bike is well-built, has the American soul  of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, performs well and, unlike the failed Street models, is reliable and well designed. I think one of the biggest reasons the Streets failed so miserably, isn’t because they were small displacement and low priced, but rather, because of the design. They didn’t look like a Harley, they didn’t sound like a Harley and they were not well made, at all. While ole Jochen is out, and this new bike was developed and designed under his leadership, hopefully, it is more than just a re-badged Chinese bike (like the X-440 trainer bikes), and better than the absolutely awful Street that was born, and built, under former CEO, Matt Levatich’s leadership.

For now, we’ll just have to wait and see, though. As for me, I am choosing to be optimistic about the new Sprint. I’m hoping to see a new single cylinder, fuel injected cruiser (or maybe even a sportier version for the kids that like to go zoomy-zoomy), a sharp, distinctly American design, and more importantly- very well built, with high quality components.

Until then… Ride safe and make good choices, MotoReaders!

Well, This Won’t Look Good On My Resume’

As I get closer to finishing the current chapter in this book that is my life, I have begun the process of looking into what lies ahead for the ole’ MotoWriter. 

Now, if you’re a regular MotoReader, you know that it’s been a while since I posted anything. If you’re new to the site, you might discover that along with motorcycle-centric content, I also pepper in some life advice and do my best to send good vibes out to the world in hopes of encouraging my readers to live their best lives while being good, decent humans. 

Whichever is the case, don’t worry… I don’t have any plans of shutting down my site or putting down my metaphorical pen. After all these years of sending my words into the world via the internet, I’ve realized that, at least a few, folks like you around the world actually seem somewhat interested in what I have to say. With my little site recently reaching over 100,000 views world wide, I realize that even in my temporary absence, my loyal MotoReaders are still checking in. I appreciate you, and it’s an honor for me to be able to have a few moments of your very valuable time… so thank you, and worry not- the MotoWriter will remain in this story, and may actually get a larger part.

With all that said, let’s get down to the aforementioned resume’ comment. While I love writing this blog, it only pays in satisfaction, and I can’t pay my bills with that, so I’ve been seeking out my next payin’ gig. 

In my current career path, I’ve learned so very much, have achieved several goals and I have, hopefully, succeeded in helping some folks. I’ve dedicated nearly half of my life to making this world a little better place. I doubt that I’ll ever have the same level of job satisfaction in any other career, but every chapter must end, before a new one can begin and the sun must set, before it can rise again. Nighttime brings rest to the world, and the new day brings forth new opportunities to begin fresh. 

I’ve been intrigued by motorcycles for as long as I can remember. I’m fascinated by the diversity in the types of machines, the types of people and the bond that we all share. Being a “motorcycle person” trumps all other characteristics. Details like race, ethnicity, sex and any and all the other identifiers that our current world assigns to every one of us, become secondary to the distinct characteristic of “motorcyclist” or “biker.” Please excuse my language  for a moment… but I fu**in’ love that! 

It’s with this passion that I started writing for Harley-Davidson Forums and why I eventually started writing this blog. I have been a lifelong fan of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and, have been a loyal rider of these iconic machines for over 15 years, after I finally reached a point in my life, when I could actually afford to buy one. I’ve been to Milwaukee and I’ve stood where Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson stood. I’ve walked the same halls on Juneau Avenue, that generations of blue collar American workers designed and built these beautiful, soul inspiring, freedom machines. I’ve learned to work on them in the same classrooms where better mechanics learned to do the same and I’ve experienced the camaraderie of being a part of a worldwide collective of enthusiasts.

To hear that this company, this brand, this iconic representation of the great American culture is in such dire straits… is tragic. Harley-Davidson has endured through financial troubles, tariffs, embargoes, ruthless competition, poor leadership, misguided CEOs and more than a few bad designs, for over 120 years. Each time, however, the MoCo has been able to pull itself up and out of the tough times, by leaning hard on it’s most important assets- it’s loyal owners and followers.

Over the past several years, however, the leaders of our beloved Motorcycle company have made some grave mistakes… and they are just now starting to feel the affects of those poor decisions. So, at risk of losing any hopes of putting “Harley-Davidson Motor Company” as an employer on my resume’… I’m putting this out there for the world, and more specifically- the executives at Harley-Davidson to hopefully read:

YOU’VE LOST TOUCH WITH US

You allowed DEI and the “woke” culture to rust the iron of Harley-Davidson’s foundation. The “woke” culture and DEI practices are like salt on the roads of Wisconsin in winter. It helps to clear the path and expose what’s underneath, but the long term affects are rust and corrosion on the frames of your motorcycles that will eventually destroy the most crucial part that holds it all together. 

Like salt on the roads- “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” practices aren’t bad… but it must be done in moderation. I can tell you, that very few people actually care about how someone else is living their personal lives. The world we live in today is quite possibly the most inclusive that it’s ever been… that is, except for those among us who thrive on division- the people that dress and act bizarre, then get offended by others who react to their bizarreness; the people that get triggered by the lyrics from an old Christmas song from 50+ years ago, but then blast the most vulgar, misogynistic, lyrics from their car stereo, while driving past public parks and playgrounds.

When celebrities speak up and give their opinions on things… I just shake my head and ask WHO CARES WHAT THEY THINK? No offense to any of them, but why does the opinion of an actor, singer, dancer, etc… matter more than that of the guy that takes your order at your favorite restaurant, or the girl that makes your coffee in the morning? Because they can act? Or sing? Or dance? Or because they are wealthy? The simple answer is, their opinion doesn’t matter any more than yours… it’s just that you, or we as a collective society, seem to need some “publicly backed” validation for our own opinions. We have become a society of sheep… afraid of our own judgement. We feel like if Jim Carrey or Keanu Reeves shares our view on something, then it somehow carries more clout. It’s a ridiculous concept. Especially considering we don’t know who these people truly are, or even share similar lifestyles. I like a lot of both of these guys movies and have followed them for several years, but they don’t live the same life as me, and I’m guessing, most of you. I’m not saying they haven’t struggled financially, but I am saying that when they were starting their careers, living in their cars, waiting tables or playing hockey, nobody gave a damn about their opinion. It wasn’t until they became famous that everybody wants to know what they think about politics, religion, fashion or whatever. Keanu Reeves is a motorcycle guy… that’s about the only thing that he and I probably have in common… and our opinion on those are probably drastically different, by looking at the designs (and prices) of his Arch Motorcycles. 

Every company, every person for that matter, should try to practice diversity, equity and inclusion habits- recognizing the differences in people and appreciating the fact that our differences are what make us unique; treating each other fairly and not allowing personal prejudices and biases from affecting how we treat one another; and including people that are different from us to take part in the creation of advancement of a common goal, is something that good people, and good companies, do. But, like any good concept- someone put a title on it, claimed it as their own, new concept, and then started forcing extremist ideas down the throats of everyone, calling it “DEI.” The world got shamed into not being “woke.” Companies rushed to become “culturally sensitive” and the more they worked to change their “company cultures” and buy into this fabricated concept that someone else was selling to them, the more they lost. 

The fact is, that prior to the “DEI” initiatives, mandates and “woke” culture… the MoCo employed people of different races, sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, cultural backgrounds and, I’ll be willing to bet, that the vast majority of them worked well together, got along, got paid the same and felt that their diversity made them a strong workforce, felt that they were treated the same and felt included at their jobs. It wasn’t until someone from HR heard about this “new program” called “DEI”, that they started paying for the pamphlets, buying the programs and paying the DEI speakers to come in and tell people that they didn’t get along, because the DEI peddlers hadn’t “fixed them yet.” Yes, yes… DEI was being sold and the corporate hogs were buying. They forgot about the most important component of their companies… their people.

Harley-Davidson jumped into the DEI pool without floaties, and in doing so, allowed the company executives to drown the company in guilt-driven, detrimental behaviors, practices and policies. Policies, practices and behaviors that are contradictory to their core demographic of hard working, diverse, God and County loving Americans, and a whole world full of people who love, admire and respect the American culture. In trying to satisfy the DEI push into their brand, it backfired in the worst of ways- thousands of the brands most loyal enthusiasts felt insulted. Not because they were bigots, but because Jochen and his cronies insinuated that they were and shamed them for not falling for the “woke” political agenda that they were trying to force on them. 

To make matters worse- Jochen’s goal of making Harley-Davidson a “premium” brand… was inherently stupid and has cost the MoCo millions of dollars in sales. Harley-Davidson was already a premium brand… it had a diverse lineup of motorcycles that appealed to a large group of riders, and even though they were priced high, they were still (somewhat) attainable. Jochen’s goal, which has started to come to fruition, was to make them so expensive that only the elite (like him) could buy them. The MoCo execs chopped the lineup, focused on a few top-tier bikes and slowly raised the prices until they started becoming unattainable for the working class folks that have been buying and riding them for over 120 years. Honestly folks… I paid $35k for my wife’s SUV five years ago… and nearly $25k for my Road King Special, almost 10 years ago. Those numbers were, and are still, ridiculous, and they’ve only gotten worse as of the past few years. How can a motorcycle cost as much as a car? That is simply poor business practices. 

Then, to make matters worse, the boneheads decided to cut the entry and mid level models out of the lineup. The Evo powered Sportsters could be had for way less than $10k, and there were several models to choose from, that fit almost any rider’s style. The next up, and first to be killed off, was the mid-range, next step, Dyna family of big twins. Powerful, tight, fun motorcycles that were a bit bigger and added a few more options for the rider looking to step up a bit. Great motorcycles, but someone at H-D corporate decided that to would be a good financial decision to take a popular, good selling, item off the menu altogether. So, the decision was then made to take away a few popular options from the Softail lineup, but then rename a few Softails with Dyna names… and hope that no one noticed that they were paying more money… just to have a cool name like “Lowrider” or “Fat Bob” on their Softail. So, since the Dyna family (that consisted of several models to satisfy the desires of the diverse styles and personalities of Harley-Davidson big twin enthusiasts) had been cut, the obvious choice would be to add to the Softail lineup to make up the difference, right? Nope. The decision was made to cut popular models from the lineup, instead. The lineup of Softails consisted of a couple of models that carried Dyna names (Lowrider, Lowrider S, Fat Bob and Street Bob), and a Softail Standard (which was, and is, basically the same bike as the Softail Street Bob) the Heritage Softail, the Breakout and the Fat Boy. 

You may be saying, “OK MotoWriter, but what about the touring lineup?” Well… they cut it too. Incredibly popular models like the standard Road King, the Electraglide standard, Road Glide and the Electraglide were eventually severed from the lineup, and replaced with their more expensive counterparts- the Road King Special, The Ultra Classic Electraglide and the Road Glide Ultra… all of which will, after paying for tax, title, dealer set-up, freight, the sales manager’s lunch, the store manager’s bonus and the dealership’s power bill for that day, will set you back nearly $35k… yes… as much as you could get a nice, mid-range SUV for. 

Jochen’s plan to price Harley-Davidson out of business is really starting to take shape now. 

Oh, but what about the Sportster and the Pan America? Well I didn’t forget about them. The new Rev Max Sportster S and Nightster models seem to be pretty nice bikes. The Nightster is fun to ride, but it’s small… and starting at $10k for the base model and $12k for the “Special” which only offers slightly different styling, it isn’t a bad choice for a new rider that wants a Harley-Davidson… however, it’s Indian competitors give it a helluva run for it’s money, with a few models, and engine sizes, to choose from… all starting at the same price. As for the Sportster S… I’m sorry to those who like this bike, but at $15,999, it is terribly overpriced. In all fairness, I haven’t actually ridden one, I’ve only sat on one at the dealership, but after throwing a leg over it, I didn’t want to ride it… and for me, that is saying a lot, because I always want to ride a motorcycle… especially a new one that I haven’t ridden before. I do like the Pan America and while I think that they are priced a little high compared to their competitors, we will often pay a little extra for a brand we love and a well-established dealer network… call it the “Harley tax.”

Although the Pan America does create a new market of buyers and enthusiasts from the ADV crowd, that’s a niche group- not an entry, or mid, level market. The guys buying ADVs are older, middle to upper class riders who, while they can go off-road, will most likely buy these bikes for their upright riding positions, softer suspensions and more forgiving riding traits. The MoCo needs to focus on the younger guys and gals… the mid twenties to upper thirties folks that want fun, fast bikes that have some suspension, but are cool and still a little hardcore. Something that can be bought, built and customized for less than $15k. They need something to build off of, too… something like a comfortable entry level bike that they can get for $6-8k, then after a few years, trade in for the next size up for a few extra thousand. 

And as for the DEI bull crap- newsflash folks- motorcycle riders are the most diverse, equitable and inclusive group of people out there. Have you ever been to a bike night, seen groups of riders pass each other on the roads or been to a major bike event? People of every race, ethnicity, sex, social and economic background and sexual orientation are out there, waving at each other as they pass, talking to each other about their bikes, sharing stories from the road and donating their hard-earned money on good causes. Bikers and motorcyclists don’t need to be lectured about diversity, equity and inclusion… they need to be supported by the brands they love and spend their hard-earned money on. 

I know that Harley-Davidson is searching for it’s next CEO… and if the MoCo wants to hire a smart, down to earth, blue collar, guy that, with some good old fashioned common sense and American pride, will get the company back on track… I’ll be available for a very reasonable salary… but I won’t hold my breath, waiting for their call.