When he took over as CEO of Harley-Davidson in August last year, executive Artie Starrs had one goal: to recover the sales volume of the traditional American motorcycle manufacturer. Now, the company has announced its new strategy. The Back to the Bricks plan seeks to recover the company’s performance and generate profitable growth. And this involves putting new, cheaper motorcycle models on the market.
“The Back to the Bricks program builds on our core strengths and competitive advantages, leveraging the passion of our riders to generate profitable growth for the company, our dealers and shareholders. This next chapter in Harley-Davidson’s evolution is already underway,” CEO Artie Starrs said in a statement released to shareholders.
The main news is the return of the Sportster 883. According to Starrs, the motorcycle was the most requested by both customers and dealers. And it will return in the same way it stopped being manufactured: with the same Evolution V-twin engine that powered Sportsters from 1986 to 2022. The Sportster 883 hits the market with model year 2027 and a price in the range of 10 thousand dollars.
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Today, in Brazil, the cheapest motorcycle offered by Harley-Davidson is the Street Bob, sold at R$119,950. In the United States, it costs US$15,000. In other words, the new Sportster 883 would represent a saving of almost a third.
Another important news is the launch of a new family, Sprinter, which will be the future entry model for the American brand. Simpler, it will cost around US$6,000 and will be of great importance in emerging markets, such as Brazil. It would also represent Harley-Davidson’s entry into lower power segments.
The changes announced by Starrs during the release of the financial results show a shift in relation to the strategy adopted by the previous CEO, Zochen Zeits, who preferred to sell fewer motorcycles, but with greater added value. Retail sales volume has fallen 40% since 2019, and the brand’s audience is older.
With new entry options, the company wants to attract a younger audience. Today, those looking for a medium-displacement motorcycle end up finding models from Asian companies, such as the Indian Royal Enfield, which offer a retro look and a more affordable price.
