Harley-Davidson in China

[bikerdoc]

Harley-Davidson Confirms 500cc Model on the Way
Source: Gizmag (also on motorcycle.com)
Date: September 1, 2013

During its 110-year anniversary celebrations, iconic American manufacturer Harley-Davidson has dropped a couple of brand-twisting bombshells – firstly that it's building a 500cc learner bike, and secondly that an electric Harley is under serious consideration.

The Sportster, of course, is the current mid-capacity cruiser line in the Harley-Davidson range, with 1200cc and 883cc engine models. That's bigger than most sports-bikes, but not big enough to escape the ridicule of certain big-bore Harley owners (1400cc and upward) who seem to think 883cc isn't hairy-chested or noisy enough to be considered a "real bike."

And that's the market into which Harley-Davidson is planning to release a 500cc learner machine, ostensibly to replace the excellent 492cc Buell Blast which was scrapped, along with the entire innovative Buell brand, back in the depths of the global financial crisis in 2009.

Despite any flak new riders might face, the move opens up several new markets for H-D including restricted-license riders throughout Europe and Australia, and aspirational customers through India and Asia, where a cheaper, 500cc Harley would still be bigger than most things on the road.

HD's COO Matthew Levatich, speaking at the company's 110-year anniversary celebration in Milwaukee, said the as-yet-unnamed bike is "nimble, light weight, has a low seat height and supple throttle and braking. I’ve ridden it – it looks great, sounds great, it’s a Harley, and it’s priced right.

“We want to get it out as soon as we can, but it’s got to be right. New engines are complicated, and we’ve got to get everything right from a durability, reliability and confidence perspective. On the other hand, chassis and other things are a lot more straightforward.”

He also hinted that it would likely be built in India: "The American qualities of a Harley are very important to people,” said Levatich. “The literal ‘where does that shock absorber come from’ part of it is less significant, but it has to have the spirit and soul of America. We have Harley-Davidson factories in India and Brazil – can we leverage those facilities and expertise so it can get to the, for example, Indian consumer, faster?

“These are things we are becoming more open-minded to, but we understand the importance of ‘made in America’ – the American quality, spirit and integrity that matters to the customer."

And if a 500cc Harley-Davidson wasn't enough of a brand-twisting bombshell, Levatich went on to talk about the possibility of an electric Harley that ditches the combustion engine altogether.

“I am sometimes asked … whether there will be an electric Harley,” said Levatich. "People would say ‘hell no’. But why not: our engineers are quite intrigued with the idea of what an electric Harley would look like, sound like and feel like. And would it be visceral, would it be emotional, would it be luscious. And there’s a way to do that I believe, and it would be very exciting.”

Baby Harleys … electric Harleys … if Milwaukee pulls this off, it'll be a bigger shift in brand perception than when BMW shrugged off its old-man-bike reputation with the S1000RR.

[SabineHartmann]

"If I need to explain, you will never get it"
They will remember this sentence soon

[Lao Jia Hou]

More progressive developments within the motorcycle scene in China. Good to see.

Harley has started a Riding Academy in China. It is modeled on the highly successful Riders Edge program in other countries, which is now entering its 13th year.

Initially, the Academy will be a 2 day course. On the first day, riders will be given 125cc Suzuki GNs to learn/review basic handling techniques. On the second day, riders will move onto Harley 883 Sportsters. Price for the 2 day course will be 2,500 rmb, all inclusive.

There are plans for future course developments.



More detail here.

[TexasAggie]

Anything that helps bring legitimacy to everyday large displacement motorcycle riding in China is indeed a good thing.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Purposefully designed for the Asian / China market, the new 500cc and 750cc Harley Street models were officially launched at the Milan show. Strange that it wasn't launched at the Chongqing show last month. Perhaps because it won't arrive in China until 2015?



Lots of online western media picking up the story, but here is the WFT link (click). According to the western media, a decision was made during development to also sell the bike in the USA (where it will be manufactured), despite its originally intended Asian market.

[MJH]

I am surprised that it is water cooled.
I am pretty sure they plan on selling the Streets globally, with a focus on India.
Were they are being manufactured.

[Lao Jia Hou]

You're right MJH - built in USA for the North American market (Canada, USA & Mexico), but built in India for the rest of the world. Very interesting. I wonder if it will only be a final assembly in India, as HD is currently doing with a few of its products sold in India. Or, alternately, if the bike will actually be manufactured in India. If the latter, that would be a HUGE step for HD.

Re water cooling. The conventional air-cooled HDs are notorious for overheating. Recently, on its air-cooled bikes, HD has implemented an engine management system where the rear cylinder is shut down at low speeds, in stop & go city traffic.

Here is the official HD advertisement, on Youku:



and Youtube links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoMtLTHNvMY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5BztHvbEnk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msFh-lYAtBE

[MJH]

Great AD, cool bike.


I am kind of impressed….

http://street.harley-davidson.com/en_US

[ZMC888]

No mini XR?

[bikerdoc]

HD750.jpg

Hew Harley 750 and 500

First truly all-new Harleys in 13 years

Source: VisorDown News
5 November 2013

This is Harley-Davidon's new Street 750, due to debut today at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan alongside a 500 version.

Aimed primarily at emerging markets including India, they represent the first completely new motorcycle 'platform' from Harley for 13 years, with liquid-cooled engines.

The firm says they're built for urban environments, with 'nimble agility and the sound and look that lets everyone know they are genuine Harley-Davidson'.

Matt Levatich, Harley's President and Chief Operating Officer, said: “Both the Street 750 and Street 500 were designed with thousands of hours of input from young adults in cities around the world. This input guided both the attitude and capabilities of these motorcycles. They are proof that being customer-led continues to be a core driver of our product development process.”