Harley-Davidson revealed their plans for the future through the reveal of their strategy "More Roads to Harley Davidson" which sees the American manufacturer exploring different segments of the motorcycling world.
In an attempt to please a larger customer base, Harley Davidson has been working on expanding its model lineup in order to please a larger, more different crowd of customers following after a steady decline in domestic sales. The first bike is an adventure bike called Pan America which will be powered by a 1,250 cc V-Twin engine that aims to tap into the market of large, SUV-ish motorcycles.
Along the beefy Pan America, Harley-Davidson has unveiled a brand new Custom which will share the V-twin of the former. The bike seems to be borrowing style cues from the famed Ducati Diavel, a power cruiser styling with an American twist.
The third bike is also another attempt to tap into the European market which seems to be all about the streetfighters now. The 975-cc Streetfighter seems to answer so many cries for a V-Twin bike of this aesthetic and riding style. Styled to be as aggressive as possible, we see Harley-Davidson expanding and trying out different designs languages. The American DNA of the bike is still easy to see but now it's dressed in a finely designed Italian dress.
The "Livewire" electric prototype is going into production in 2019 along with the unstoppable tendency of automobiles and motorcycles to turn to clean energy and leave fossil fuels behind. To reach customers in Asia, HD plans on releasing small displacement bikes from 250cc to 500cc which will be built from strategic partners in the region to avoid high costs and make them affordable for the local clientele.
What do you think of this strategic move from Harley-Davidson? Following the changing market and customer base of motorcycles, a company with such tradition had to adapt to changes in global customer base, urban infrastructure and availability of resources. The new models seem to be very well designed and we can't wait for their 2020 debut along with the 2019 debut of the "Livewire."
