By James “Hollywood” Macecari – Insane Throttle
Harley-Davidson is in far worse shape than any of us realized. I guess that would have to be the understatement of the year. Harley-Davidson director Jared Dourdeville resigned, citing concerns about leadership and “cultural depletion.”
The importance of Jared’s resignation cannot be emphasized enough. He’s with New York investment firm H Partners, which has a pretty good stake in Harley-Davidson. In his resignation letter he sited a number of concerns with the way Harley-Davidson was conducting their business.
- Poor leadership
- Cultural depletion
- Willingness of the Board and management to put the Company first
- Work From Home Policies
Harley-Davidson Chairman and CEO Jochen Zeitz
I’ve never seen so many people cheer a CEO departure than I have with Jochen Zeitz. Even the dealerships are cheering on the change.
“If you wanted to know the number of Harley dealers who are happy that a new CEO is coming in, the number is all of them,” said Binkert.
Let’s be completely honest here, why Harley-Davidson brought in a CEO like Zeitz was shocking to say the least. Zeitz had no experience whatsoever in the motorcycle manufacturing field at all. One of the pressing concerns many bikers and riders have is Harley-Davidson continues to bring in so-called leaders with no understanding of the culture.
This was highlighted by Jared’s resignation letter. ” Cultural Depletion.” That disregard came to a head last year when Robbie Starbuck, Insane Throttle and others launched a boycott of Harley-Davidson’s DEI culture. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t take a genius to understand you don’t want to incorporate, “Woke Shit,” into a company with the history Harley-Davidson has.
The culture of Harley-Davidson is about rebellion and freedom of the road, not mentally ill dudes who want to dress up like a woman. You would’ve thought Harley-Davidson got that message with the Bud Light Boycott. This ignorance of the culture that comes along with Harley-Davidsons brand started to dig a hole for the company.
Sturgis 2024 saw no people at the Harley-Davidson exhibits or events. Just like no-one wants to be caught drinking a bud light, no one wants to be associated with supporting a company like Harley-Davidson. Sure, you will always have the die hard supporters of Harley Davidson. The issue that the company is facing now is it disregarded the concerns of it’s core riders when it came to woke policies.
Zietz refused to pivot until it was too late from the woke ideology. Zietz didn’t understand this wasn’t Europe. Harley-Davidson is an American Company with die hard riders who believe in what it once was all about. To try and push European policies on this kind of company is going to fail.
The importance of Jared’s resignation cannot be emphasized enough- James Hollywood Macecari
It isn’t just Zietz who’s led Harley-Davidson down a loosing rabbit hole. The board itself is made up of the who’s who of woke ideology. Jared sights poor leadership not just from the CEO, but the other board members as well.
Cultural depletion
Something I think I’ll never understand- Why companies move away from that which made them successful. Harley-Davidson has been blessed with what other companies can only dream about, “brand loyalty.” It’s actually quite scary of how much brand loyalty some customers have for Harley Davidson. What other big company do you know where people get tattooed with their logos?
Harley-Davidson receives billions in free advertising a year from it’s core base. This includes social media, tattoos, word or mouth and more. Again, other companies would die for these types of benefits and loyalty. So why did Harley-Davidson throw all that away in my opinion?
It’s simple, they decided to get involved in cultural wars when there was no need to. But this is exactly what happens when you have a companies Board of Directors and CEO that have no experience with the brand. They don’t understand the culture that comes with Harley-Davidson.
You’re not going to win over any fans from the core base with your DEI bullshit. Instead, you’re going to push them to your competitors. I think that’s common sense, but apparently it’s not common sense to this current board of Harley-Davidson.
Zietz refused to pivot until it was too late from the woke ideology. James Hollywood Macecari
Step out of your comfort zone for new riders
The answer Harley-Davidson is looking for when it comes to new riders is staring it right in the face. You have to build a product that younger people want. Younger people want crotch-rockets (Race Bikes.) They want a motorcycle that is air-cooled, fast and sleek. They do not care for V-twins, something that you genius should’ve figured out by now. Do you geniuses even have social media? If you did you would see that crotch-rockets have their own subculture in the motorcycling scene.
Younger people view Harley-Davidson’s as a grandfather motorcycle. You’re going to have to give them what they want, not what you think they should have. I thought Harley-Davidson was finally waking up when it came out with the Pan America. But of course Harley-Davidson screwed the pooch and didn’t continue providing alternate options after the Pan America was a hit.
Harley-Davidson will always have it’s core base of riders. In order to survive as a company you got to get out of your little box. Come up with a 750cc motorcycle people like and can afford. Come up with a crotch rocket that younger kids can afford and customize. Again, your future is staring you right in the face but your ignorance won’t allow you to see it.
Harley-Davidson mulls selling it’s Financial Services
Harley-Davidson Inc. is reportedly considering selling its motorcycle financing division, Harley-Davidson Financial Services, for $1 billion or more. It looks like Harley-Davidson is finding out the hard way giving loans to people who can’t afford them.
One thing I could never understand was why Harley Davidson would rape their own customers. Most of the time the interest rates are through the roof. Sure, a person with bad credit can get a new bike. The problem is them keeping that new bike under the terms Harley Davidson gives them.
Harley-Davidson will always have it’s core base of riders. In order to survive as a company you got to get out of your little box. James Hollywood Macecari
Harley now has the problem of not having enough repo agents to get their motorcycles back. That’s saying a lot right there when it comes to how they’re doing in the finance department. It seems to me that Harley has done nothing but dig itself further into the hole with all it’s bright ideas.
I think it’s time for the company to have the, “come to Jesus moment.” Step back and acknowledge what is and what isn’t working. Get out of your little box and take a chance on new product lines that don’t traditionally fit the Harley Davidson model lines. Most of all, get rid of these Board of Directors and replace them with people who actually have experience in the Motorcycle world.
Let me know what you all think Harley can do to turn things around.
James’Hollywood”Macecari
Sources:
Harley Davidson leadership changes: Dealerships Happy
Harley Davidson mulls selling Financial Services
Harley-Davidson Board Member Resigns
Harley-Davidson goes woke and broke
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