Harley-Davidson Looking To Put Japan On Trikes

14_FLHTCUTG_R14_FLHTCUTG_BThere are 80 million people in Japan with a car driver’s license. And since you just need a car driver’s license to ride a trike (categorized as a car), it’s a huge potential market for any 3-wheel manufacturer.

Japan is already Harley’s second largest market (5 million people hold a motorcycle license), but thanks to 2 decades of economic turmoil and to an aging population, 2-wheeler sales have declined each year during the past 26 years (2013 Harley sales in Japan are up 1%.)

To grow its market Harley-Davidson is now aggressively marketing the Tri Glide model sold in Japan at the price of 4 million yens, or about 39,000 US dollars.

6 Responses to “Harley-Davidson Looking To Put Japan On Trikes”


  1. 1 HD Rider Mar 6th, 2014 at 1:05 pm

    Even in Japan they realize that a Trike really isn’t a motorcycle.

  2. 2 Terence Tory Mar 6th, 2014 at 11:08 pm

    I’d like to know how a five foot nothing Jap guy dressed like a cop with a whistle in his mouth would actually steer this behemoth.

  3. 3 Kroeter Mar 7th, 2014 at 2:54 pm

    Just like the five foot nothing American guys dressed like bikers that I’ve seen riding them.

  4. 4 fuji Mar 7th, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    TT. FYI , When I was in Okinawa and Japan police were riding Ryuko motorcycles. Harley Clones

  5. 5 Jezza Mar 10th, 2014 at 2:22 am

    T.T. First off, your language is racist and cretinous. Oh and by the way, you know how it’s not acceptable to use the N word in regard to black folk, well neither is it acceptable to use the term Jap about Japanese folk. It is offensive and belongs to a different age.
    To answer your facile and ill considered question though, trikes and other “behemoths” are already popular in Japan. Ultras, and all their permutations are the biggest selling of the Harley models here. Harley Davidson is the No.1 selling heavy weight motorcycle brand in Japan and has been for years, and yes, as Kroeter kindly points out, Japan doesn’t have a monopoly on five foot nothing people. Incidentally for the shorter riders there are plenty of seat options which put the rider further forward and/or closer to the ground. Mustang make Japan specific seats, and K&H is a local and popular maker which specializes in seats for shorter riders.
    As someone who consistently sets himself up as mouthpiece and commentator on pretty much every subject discussed on this site, I’m surprised you haven’t heard of the concept of customizing a ride to fit the rider! Go figure!

  6. 6 Woody Mar 11th, 2014 at 9:09 am

    @Jezza – You have to consider the source. While your reply was well conceived and dispensed, it was far to much time dedicated to someone who hides in the bushes while throwing stones.

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Cyril Huze