Harley-Davidson is the biggest, most premier brand in motorcycles that’s ever been. Its name is one that reminds us of 1960’s rebellion and the sound of its pipes roaring incites a fiery in our souls.
However, today’s world is a far cry from the hippie-centric, free-spirited days we knew back then. Today’s youth are enslaved to smartphones, tablets and gaming machines. The technology that has propelled out evolution 10-fold, has also chained us to text messages and Facebook statuses. Meaning, we just don’t live as much in the “now” as we used to. And Harley-Davidson CEO, Matt Levatich, wants to find a way to appeal to youth again amidst the aforementioned climate.
Appealing to the youth is not without extreme challenges, as is capturing their attention. Levitates son ended up at Yale University and his friends were astounded that the son of such a prominently positioned executive at Harley-Davidson doesn’t even ride a motorcycle (he eventually did get his license).
Harley’s pricing in another issue. The youth can’t afford the bikes anymore. Their stock has suffered greatly because their competitors offer more economical versions of their bikes. Harley intends to look into changing where they purchase parts, but they aren’t going to make hasty, reactionary decisions.
