Harley Davidson Closing Plant Due to Declining Sales
 

Apparently the Baby-Boomers all have motorcycles. Generation X is only buying a few, and the next generation isn't buying any at all.
Here are the reasons why Millennials don't ride motorcycles:

1. Pants won't pull up far enough for them to straddle the seat.
2. Can't get their phone to their ear with a helmet on.
3. Can't use 2 hands to eat while driving.
4. They don't get a trophy and a recognition plaque just for buying one.
5. Don't have enough muscle to hold the bike up when stopped.
6 Might have a bug hit them in the face and then they would need emergency care.
7. Motorcycles don't have air conditioning.
8. They can't afford one because they spent 12 years in college trying to get a degree in
Humanities, Social Studies or Gender Studies for which no jobs are available.
9. They are allergic to fresh air.
10. Their pajamas get caught on the exhaust pipes.
11. They might get their hands dirty checking the oil.
12. The handle bars have buttons and levers and cannot be controlled by touch-screen.
13. You have to shift manually and use something called a clutch.
14. It's too hard to take selfies while riding.
15. They don't come with training wheels like their bicycles did.
16. Motorcycles don't have power steering or power brakes.
17. Their nose ring interferes with the face shield.
18. They would have to use leg muscle to back up.
19. When they stop, a light breeze might blow exhaust in their face.
20. It could rain on them and expose them to non-soft water.
21. It might scare their therapy dog, and then the dog would need therapy.
22. Can't get the motorcycle down the basement stairs of their parent's home.

https://i.postimg.cc/wMnDYqpH/1702834586555.jpg

A good chuckle. It would be funnier if it wasn't all true.

Do you have a link? All I found is back in June they temporarily shut down production at their York facility.

Making fun of other people isn't very becoming...there's probably a similar list for Firebird owners.

Sales have been in the shi$$er for awhile now.
And it's not a parts issue.

Something the world is in serious need of.
It's humor, lighten up Fransis.;)

Agreed.

Won't catch me on a donor cycle. I've seen way too many people get killed on them, first time was at the age of 5 where one lost control and wrecked in front on my house while I was playing in the front yard. He wasn't wearing a helmet. Not a pretty sight and he didn't make it. There's enough things out there trying to kill us on a daily basis, I'm not temping fate with my infamous streak of bad luck, especially with today's ignorant drivers.

I've lost more friends in car accidents than bikes.

To be fair you have probably known many more people who own automobiles.

"The chances of a fatality in a motorcycle accident are approximately 30 times higher than in a car.
Motorcycles have a staggering 80% injury or death rate, while car accidents remain around 20%."

"According to J.D. Power, the chance of a fatality in a motorcycle accident is 30 times higher than
in a car. The National Safety Council says the odds of a motorcyclist dying in accidents is 1 in 747."

I do know on average an automobile driver has much less respect on the road
for a motorcyclist than another car. I have lost a few friends in that manner.


Frank

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1702851134

It goes back to 2018...

https://archive.is/20180130143945/ht...ues-1517318419

Rode bikes, super-bikes for 50 yrs. of my 72 yrs. on earth.
Felt much safer racing-riding a bike till I didn't and quit.
Most killed on bikes don't know how to ride safely.
It really is a special skill most don't ever develop.
I'm sure Luck is also involved.

While still in high school I lost 8 friends in car accidents alone.
4 in a GTO that went off the road at speed and hit a tree.
4 in a GTX that lost control and hit a tree.

Most younger people don't seem interested in Harley's. My kids both had "crotch rockets", a Kawasaki Ninja 600 and a Yamaha YZF 600. I hated them riding them but it is their choice. They had them for several years, no accidents and both were Medics. They are both married with families now, so the bikes are gone.

My local dealer, the oldest in Michigan, Perry HD in Kalamazoo just shut down. Sad

The used Harley market is Harleys biggest competitor. The market is flooded with them.

I had a Harley bagger bike... I enjoy my big block side piped manual steering '66 Vette roadster more... so I sold the bike. Also had 1 too many drinks one day and ran off the road with the old lady on the back. I didn't wipe out... but it was a wake up..

I've had two. An 883 Sportster and an FXR. I love 'em but am too old for one now and if I went down the skin on my arms is so thin and subject to tearing I'd probably bleed to death before the medics got there. I went through the York plant in the 90s and that was a thrill watching a bare frame start at one end of the assembly line and go through men and women on both sides of the line bolting stuff onto it and then at the end they remove a finished Harley. To me they are beautiful things. I see incredible deals on used ones all the time on Craigslist and am really tempted. 71GP you're right about the used ones being their biggest competition.

I hate hearing the straight through pipes. Good.

Funny list. But I can think of at least 8 acquiantences under 35 hard core into Harleys. I've had a couple but just couldnt get into them.

Got out of Harley's Sportster at 21 yrs. old and got back in at 65 yrs. and I am pushing 74 yrs. now. Son picked up a 1969 xlch sportster that we restored and I have like I had in my day. A real throw back. Son's a Harley nut and enjoy's going to Milwaukee to tour the factory and talk to engineer's.

The 69 XLCH is a very desirable bike. I had a couple of ironhead Sportsters over the years. Rode a 1946 flathead for a few years, 70's Superglide, 90's Road King.

I've ridden my whole life, had just about every kind of bike. Wife and I both road raced, did Supermoto for 20 years, never broke a bone. Wore the right gear, knew what we were doing. It's not something you just throw a leg over and all of a sudden you are a motorcycle rider.

Stopped trying to convince people they are not that dangerous if you actually KNOW how to ride one ... but the "Murder Cycle" crowd are what they are, not going to change them.

I'm with you Gary. I'm pushing 76 years old and have a Sportster in Florida and a Tri-Glide in Wisconsin. Still enjoy riding both.

I'm not knocking bikes, I love Harley's and own one, I even have a 04 F250 Harley Davidson Super Duty. Just saying bikes offer no protection in a accident, most of it has to do with where you ride. On dirt at worst you get froggy and maim yourself, streets and highways on the other hand offer deeper lessons. Statistics speak for themselves.

I wouldn't care to count the friends lost to cars, most in the early days, some get lucky some don't, thing is all my friends drive for work and recreation. Over the years I've made allot of friends that ride, not near as many that drive, when they do crash, it's far more serious, killed or badly malled and take years to recover if ever. Do the math...

Harley Davidson will be around for years, as for people, some live and learn, some never get a second chance.


Frank

Edit - Yes! :D

But, are they numbers matching? :D

I've never owned a bike but I've driven them. My buddy had a V65 Sabre that was quite the beast in it's day, intoxicatingly fast. I was temped to buy one but realized pretty quick I'd probably die as my common sense was a little lacking back then. My understanding is the 1st 6 months of bike riding experience is the most dangerous.

Still, below is a funny read...