For the fifth straight year, Harley-Davidson was the number one seller of new street motorcycles (all engine sizes) in the United States to young adults ages 18-34, women, African-Americans and Hispanics, as well as Caucasian men ages 35 plus. The newly available POLK data shows that Harley-Davidson experienced a double-digit market share gain from 2008 to 2012 in the U.S. with these customer groups.
Harley-Davidson Chief Marketing Officer Mark-Hans Richer attributes the company’s success to its unique purpose. “We don’t just build motorcycles. We fuel personal freedom,” said Richer. “The desire for individual expression draws customers from all walks of life because it’s a universal, human value that transcends cultures, generations and history.”
In 2012, sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew in each of the company’s key U.S. customer segments.
Altogether, Harley-Davidson’s U.S. sales to young adults, women, African Americans and Hispanics grew at more than twice the rate of sales to Caucasian men 35 plus.
According to the Polk data, for street motorcycles (all engine sizes):
– Harley-Davidson attracts more U.S. young adults, ages 18-34, than any other motorcycle brand in the U.S., and in 2012 sold nearly twice as many New street motorcycles to young adults as its nearest competitor.
– The company sold more new street motorcycles in 2012 to women in the U.S. than all other brands combined.
– Harley-Davidson sold nearly half of all new street motorcycles purchased by African-Americans and Hispanics respectively in the U.S. in 2012.
“It’s more than an adage that almost no two Harley-Davidson motorcycles are alike,” added Richer. “The same is true for our customers. Members of our community come from all different cultures, backgrounds and generations, and their shared attitude about life is the tie that binds.”
Racism and Discrimination is alive and well I see ….. How come their not tracking Native Amercians? Are they all waiting to buy from Indian Motorcycle?
Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure!
The reason for this success is that more people just LIKE them. Great looking, reliable and fun to ride.. The “don’t I look good on my HD” factor plays a big role also.
Haters will hate but HD knows what it is doing and they do it better than everyone else.
Yeah, and what about Norwegians. Always getting joked about but not counted in sales reports. I’m calling the ACLU. . .
When you market out to everyone, you win. And you wonder why republicans didn’t win the election.
Great comment just above mine.
Cyril. they forgot to count the Franco-Americans!
I bet that the largest selling of anything, bikes or even pressure cookers, will have the best numbers within any typical demographic. OK so HD wins there. How the heck are they doing against specific competitors? One that interests me is Victory, the other major American made motorcycle. If HD is stealing market share from Honda, how are they doing against Victory, or do they just want to publish the “overall” results because they are losing in specific markets? O own a HD from 2 years ago and owned another model HD before that but am presently in the process of trading “up” to a Victory. Vic does not have the dealer sponsored advertising clubs that HD has but they are sure a force to be reckoned with in terms of bike performance and quality. They are also stealing market share from HD, which this article never addresses.
Marketing is marketing. This could also be read as “We could not include Asian’s and other minorities because HD would not have won this analysis” or something equally as telling such as “Victory percentage of increased CRUSHED Harley’s with the same demographic when viewed as GROWTH PERCENTAGE rather than over all number of units produced or…”
Yea, HD is king because … well, because they sell more because there are a LOT of lemmings out there. Yea, right! that’s the TICKET! Let’s get everyone to be a lemming and follow the heard!
Don’t get me wrong, I LIKE Harley’s and their riders. I talk to a LOT of them on bike nights who are coming over to check out my Ness edition Victory because it is different and very nice looking. I don’t see ANY people looking at the 8 IDENTICAL black Harley Street Glides that are right next to me in the line at those same bike nights.
To give credit where credit is due or to give the devil his due ……
The H-D marketing machine is alive & well
Easy to buy in, all that it cost is the price of your choice of H-D machinery,
and motor clothes
(which are the best riding clothing you can buy, regardless of where they are made)
and ashtrays and shoes/boots and bed sheets, ad infinitum, BOOM, there you go !!!!
When I’m asked by folks (& I’m asked a lot) who want a new (or a first) bike I tell them
Nowadays there are tons of great machines out there, all of them are about equal
and most have enough accesessories to make it anything yiou want it to be.
Examine what you want to do & how you want to ride
Do you want to be known as a person, “a stand up guy” regardless
or do you want to be defined by the machine you ride ????
It’s not discrimination…They are only pointing out growth and where it is comming from. It always strikes me odd that people are so willing to critisize Harley…110 year old AMERICAN made motorcycle company. Insofar as Victory is concerned, I’ve never ridden one. I’m very satisfied with my Road King. However, I wish them well. A little competition will only make both companies better. We will all gain. Hopefully better bikes at competative prices.
To Oldman47…I believe Harley is around 250,000/ 300,000 a year. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a number for motorcycles only from Victory. Anybody know?
You forgot asians
There are posts today that show Harley at approx. 270,000 bikes/yr. and Victory at approx. 62,000 bikes/year.
That is surprizing to here; “According to the Polk data, for street motorcycles (all engine sizes):
– Harley-Davidson attracts more U.S. young adults, ages 18-34, than any other motorcycle brand in the U.S., and in 2012 sold nearly twice as many New street motorcycles to young adults as its nearest competitor.” For years there were more sport bikes sold then any segment. I see more 18-34 yr olds on sport bikes then HD, they are cheaper. It is good to hear more of them are buying HD!! nice!
So much for the oft heard thesis of H-D being up shit creek because of the aging of their supposed target customer. How wrong can you be….
Hey Jay, just so you know, their are millions of H-D owners who don’t don’t fit your narrow profile of who H-D owners are. You sound like a real ‘know it all’.
HD has been very aware of the women’s market. They have been very supportive in all aspects and I have over 25 years of experience with them to show it. I’m so glad to see the so many more women riding every year. They have a lot to do with this. It’s no accident!
We’re all in this together , roll + eat bugs (:-)
I’m with Mike Corbin on this one, we’re all in this together; ride what you ride, and dig it.
Of course, if H-D had only excelled in ONE area, they would have advertised that, because that’s the nature of advertising; sell your strengths. And H-D is to be commended especially for reaching out to women riders.
Richard, thanks for posting the Victory numbers; 62,000 heavy cruisers is impressive! No wonder they can afford to take on Indian… On a related matter, I visited Dr. Rob Tuluie last week in England; Rob designed the original Victory chassis, and is now head of R&D for Mercedes F1. Amazing where you find bikers…