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Do millennials buy Harleys?

Author

William Rodriguez

Published Jan 11, 2026

Early Harleys, with their fat tires and swooping fenders, speak to motorcycle enthusiasts of all ages, but millennials seem willing to pay a bit more for them. In the last two years, Millennials have quoted prewar Harleys at values 19 percent higher than Boomers, 12 percent higher than Gen–X and equal to preboomers.

What is the average age of a Harley owner?

Harley dealerships are thriving. But there is another statistic associated with these legendary bikes that is startling, all the more so if you don't ride: The average age of a Harley owner these days is 44. In fact, more than eight out of 10 Harley owners are over 35; almost one in five is 55 or older.

Who is Harley-Davidson target market?

Harley-Davidson buyers are predominantly males, aged 55 and above. With a comfortable disposable income, they invest in these premium vehicles because they identify motorcycling as a passionate hobby of theirs. These consumers are ageing, however, and steadily outgrowing their interest in purchasing new bikes.

Are Harleys losing popularity?

Falling Retail Sales Around the World

From a high of 260,000 in 2006, Harley-Davidson's retail sales have fallen by about 40%. In 2020, Harley-Davidson shipped 180,000 'hogs', as its bikes are sometimes known, globally, representing a decline of 17.4% on sales for 2019.

Is Harley a luxury?

Everyone is going to have their interpretation for why Harley saw a turnaround when so many thought the company was done. I still believe the sales increase in North America comes from the motorcycle manufacturer embracing its premium appeal. Really, Harley-Davidson is a luxury motorcycle brand.

44 related questions found

Why are Millennials not buying motorcycles?

It appears they observed 5 reasons why millennials are buying fewer motorcycles, with the principal two reasons being college debt, and the fact that “millennials generally appear to be moving through traditional life stages later than previous generations.” They also cited decreased use of dirt bikes by youngsters, a ...

Why are Harleys not selling?

Harley-Davidson's image has grown old/obnoxious, whereas cheaper, faster and more stream-lined European hyper bikes, as well as elegant cruiser bikes like the one above, are more appealing to the younger generations. H-D's stock value plummeted 44 percent from 2014-2019, due to decreased sales.

How is Harley doing in 2021?

Following the huge fall reported in the previous year, when sales touched the lower out of last 20 years, in 2021 Harley-Davidson report a shy growth in the global registrations. Global registrations were 194.252, up 7.8%, the second worse results in the last 15 years.

Is Harley-Davidson losing money?

Analysts on average had expected a loss of 38 cents per share in the most recent quarter, according to Refinitiv. Harley's shares were up 14.5% to $41.36 on the New York Stock Exchange. The company continues to cater to its wealthier customer base.

How are Harley sales doing?

Harley's full-year revenue for motorcycle and related products was $4.5 billion, up 39% from $3.3 billion in 2020. Total revenue for 2021 was $5.3 billion, up 32% from $4.1 billion in the previous year.

Who is Harley-Davidson biggest competitor?

Harley-Davidson's major competitors are Triumph, Yamaha, Ducati, and Royal Enfield brands.

What is the brand personality of Harley-Davidson?

The Harley Davidson brand personality

Both freedom from mainstream concerns, and the freedom to travel in a brand-new way. This is supported by the unique bright orange colouring in the logo design, and the bold design of the motorcycles themselves, which are historically huge, chunky, and confident-looking.

Is Harley losing market share?

The company said its North American motorcycle sales were down 15% in the quarter and 18% for the full year. Worldwide, it exited 39 markets in 2020, and its bike sales were down 17% for the year.

Are millennials buying motorcycles?

According to a study by CDK Global Lightspeed reported in Powersports Business, Millennials purchased 43% of all off-road motorcycles over the course of the last year. This number is based on data from Dealership Management Software focusing on 109,000 new and used units sold between August 1, 2019 to July 31, 2020.

Do Harley-Davidson hold their value?

Resale value- Harley-Davidson motorcycles do provide a good resale value. However, when considering a resale, the depreciation rate comes into perspective. A brand new vehicle has a high depreciation rate as compared to a used premium bike. The initial years of a motorcycle face higher depreciation and wear and tear.

Do millennials ride motorcycles?

That, along with the fact that bikes are generally more attainable than cars and are relatively easy to store, makes them very popular among millennials. Yet misconceptions about young motorcycle collectors persist.

How many times has Harley-Davidson been bailed out?

Harley-Davidson tapped the facility on 33 separate occasions in 2008 and 2009. For how much? For a total of an amazing $2.3 billion. After all these efforts, all these interventions and tax-back loans, nothing could prepare the company to deal with a loss of its foreign markets.

Are Harley sales up?

For the full year 2021, Harley reported a 32% revenue increase and a record $415 million in operating income from its financial services division that makes loans to motorcycle buyers. The company's worldwide bike sales were up 8%, driven by a 22% increase in North America.

Are Harleys selling well?

In the North American market, Harley-Davidson is still showing a tough third-quarter (-9.5% compared to Q3 2019), but its 2021 is actually fairly strong overall, with a nearly 9% gain in sales compared to before the pandemic. Outside of the United States is a different story entirely, unfortunately.

Is Harley-Davidson owned by Kawasaki?

Harley Davidson acquired by Japanese owned Kawasaki Motor Company LTD. Milwaukee, April 1, 2014 — Harley-Davidson, Inc. (HOG) has announced agreement to be acquired by Japanese owned Kawasaki Motor Company LTD today, Tuesday, April 1, 2014 for an undisclosed sum.

Who sells the most motorcycles in the US?

This statistic represents the market share of major motorcycle brands in the United States as of March 2020, based on unit sales. Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson reached a market share of around 30 percent. Harley-Davidson is the number one motorcycle manufacturer in the United States.

Is the motorcycle industry dying?

The motorcycle industry is in a decline. And that means it is in a transitional point. Most manufacturers, dealers, suppliers have remained focused on these baby boomers, the older aging riders, instead of the new young riders.

Are motorcycles losing popularity?

The motorcycle category has been struggling for some time. Shares of U.S. market leader Harley-Davidson Inc. HOG, -4.46% have tumbled more than 25% over the past year, with U.S. retail unit sales falling for the past three years.

Are Harleys in short supply?

Or more specifically, a global shortage of semi-conductors. Thousands of these semi-conductors (also known as microchips) are needed to assemble one Harley-Davidson. The shortage of these microchips are a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its forced shutdowns of factories and suppliers.