(Kansas City, Missouri) After decades of high sales and profits, conditions have changed for Harley-Davidson. Temporary layoffs are coming until inventory numbers prompt rehiring.
The Milwaukee-based manufacturer certainly is in better shape than its counterparts in the auto industry. However, some experts wonder whether Harley’s inability to attract more young riders will eventually hurt the company's financial performance.Am I reading that right? Harley-Davidson is going to copy the Japanese!
The median age of a typical Harley buyer now is 47. Twenty years ago it was 35.
"The customer base is aging, and that's not going to change," said Don Brown, a motorcycle industry analyst in Irvine, Calif.
"They've been helped by people who had this 'rah-rah, buy American' mindset. The younger guys don't care about that. Harley is going to have to build a different type of motorcycle to compete with the Japanese."
Oh, say it isn't so!
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