As the Times Online newspaper points out, Harley-Davidson management thinks that the next generation (post-boomers, that is) is probably looking for something a little less, shall we say, traditional.

Lots of talk about the future here. Lots of conjecture. From the sound of it, Harley Davidson management is looking for new places to sell, and new people to sell to. A new generation of buyers...

Any changes will not happen quickly enough to compensate for the slide in domestic sales. The group is finding other ways to compete, splitting marketing into two, one concentrating on traditional, more mature Harley customers, as epitomised in last year’s Hollywood movie Wild Hogs, and the other aiming at young men and women riders.

[Tom] Bergmann [chief financial officer and head of strategy] said: “We know the next generation of riders is coming through. A lot of the product lately is meant to capture that generation.”

Harley-Davidson could use that generation right now.

Link

Is this a mistake? Will Harley-Davidson move away from the traditional models and towards a revamped model line-up in an attempt to capture greater market share among younger generations of riders, many of whom do not share the "Harley or nothing" viewpoint?

The aforementioned article also discusses international markets, including long-term prospects for selling Harleys in China... China?

Will Harley-Davidson traditionalists grow ever more dissatisfied with new directions?

Tough times, indeed!