2025 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide RR Preview

[rtbickel]

I think I will stick with $15,000-$20,000 new Guzzis,  if any, thankee.

[kingoffleece]

We are not then target market.

[Frulk]

We are not then target market.

Speaking Truth to Codgers. I distinctly remember a few years back the Motus being a subject of discussion on this board. The gnashing of teeth, banshee-like wailing and incessant snapping of suspenders when the astronomic sales price of $36,000USD was mentioned more than likely registered on numerous Richter scale monitoring locations.

Just the other day I saw an advertisement for a $248,000 Mercedes Sprinter van RV. That price range used to be the exclusive domain of class A motor homes. Now it appears to be the new norm for this category as several ‘panel van’ manufacturers are pushing products at that price. Prices are going up… ON EVERYTHING…get used to it.

Harley’s problem isn’t putting a $115K bagger on the showroom floor. Its a number of more complex issues exasperated by putting a European executive in charge with zero PERSONAL experience/background or in todays vernacular ‘lived experience’ in an American motorcycle sub-culture lifestyle. That, and his insistence on a 50-55% mark-up/ profit margin.

On Cycle Trader (CT)  I just saw a very clean low miles 2018 (I think) Motus for sub $13K. Considering the bikes performance capability that’s an absolute steal. I was mildly interested.

CT also had basically a new (700 miles +/-?) performance model for $26K….$10K less than the 2018 asking price of $36K.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Good news for Harley-Davidson is that the CEO is "retiring" and they're seeking a replacement, so there's an opportunity for turnaround there if they end up with the right leadership.

https://investor.harley-davidson.com/news/news-details/2025/CEO-Search-Process-Confirmed/default.aspx

[Alfetta]

IMHO...

Harley is going to have to become a boutique bike maker, lower volumes, higher end (and hopefully profits), just to stay alive.

Disposable income in the US is shrinking at a rapid rate. high volume production with low margins required massive capitol and therefore is a high risk.

[Dirk_S]

IMHO...

Harley is going to have to become a boutique bike maker, lower volumes, higher end (and hopefully profits), just to stay alive.

Completely disagree, respectfully. Part of the problem years ago was that they can’t make an inexpensive bike or reach other markets. Go back to that? I think they should continue to make those high end machines (in the U.S.), but learn to make everything else, and make it affordable, aka the Japanese of the 60s on up. Make a GOOD and affordable lightweight single, get it out on the market. Make a GOOD midweight standard and/or sport that competes with the others in performance and price, get it out on the market. Build up that catalog. You simply cannot lay claim to being America’s brand if you’re only going to put serious focus into one styling and market base. I think the problem is with the engineers/designers, marketing, and manufacturing tree. Build those cheaper bikes in India or Taiwan, Thailand, etc., and send them over here. Triumph can do it, no reason Harley can’t.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Harley does already do that for many of the "cheaper" models (Sportster, Nightster). The (current) RevMax bikes are technically made in Thailand. Final assembly at least. This can be confirmed by checking the WMI in their VINs. Harley-Davidson ceased final assembly of those models in the USA because they are the global market models, and Europe had imposed a retaliatory tariff against them since the USA had placed tariffs on EU steel and aluminum. Harley still wanted to sell them to Europe... so they moved their production to Thailand and now whether you buy one in EU or USA, it's assembled in Thailand and mostly kept out of the EU <-> US trade war.

I hope that under new leadership they reinstate the prior "More Roads to Harley-Davidson" strategy and follow through with bringing the Bronx model to market, as it had garnered a lot of interest. I'd like to see them bring back something smaller too, something in the same category as their prior Buell Blast and Street 750 which rarely ended up as "keepers", but were first bikes for many riders.

[Frulk]

Given HD’s track record with CEO’s it wouldn’t surprise me if Alissa Heinerscheid is next on deck.

[Alfetta]

Completely disagree, respectfully. Part of the problem years ago was that they can’t make an inexpensive bike or reach other markets. Go back to that? I think they should continue to make those high end machines (in the U.S.), but learn to make everything else, and make it affordable, aka the Japanese of the 60s on up. Make a GOOD and affordable lightweight single, get it out on the market. Make a GOOD midweight standard and/or sport that competes with the others in performance and price, get it out on the market. Build up that catalog. You simply cannot lay claim to being America’s brand if you’re only going to put serious focus into one styling and market base. I think the problem is with the engineers/designers, marketing, and manufacturing tree. Build those cheaper bikes in India or Taiwan, Thailand, etc., and send them over here. Triumph can do it, no reason Harley can’t.

Hummm....
well you may be right, but as an old dude, i have seen HD try that approach several times and fail, Not sure it's HD's failure or a "customer-cultural" issue. Last single the HD produced sold better as a coffee table once compressed into a cube.  It's a shame, but the bulk of their customers are staunch bunch of "this way only" club.

I think HD's best hope would be marketing "non-conventional" bikes under a new brand name targeting a new generation (similar to what is being done with the live-wire )  but with something more affordable and simpler.

but this kinda leads me back to my original statement that the "old school expensive big twins" market will be come the rich old-man bike (very limited shrinking market), and the new brand having to compete with the likes of Honda / Yamaha..  back to heavy capitol out-lay, lower margins, and higher risk...

But be sure to know
I hope the best for the brand, they like QUALITY and that's important, but more so, the US needs to grow its production base, not continue to place it over seas.

[blackcat]

"On Cycle Trader (CT)  I just saw a very clean low miles 2018 (I think) Motus for sub $13K. Considering the bikes performance capability that’s an absolute steal. I was mildly interested."

But you will need a donor bike because parts are an issue for those bikes.

[Moparnut72]

I don't want to take this thread further off track but the latest issue of Hot Rod has an extensive article on the motor.
kk

[mechanicsavant]

Why so cheap ? Heck , someone paid millions $ for a banana taped to a piece of wood ! And that person’s got the only one in existence. At what HD is asking , buy two & have a matching pair!!

[twowheeladdict]

I own my last Harleys so I have no dog in this fight.