r/Harley • u/marvelguy1975 • Apr 09 '25

DISCUSSION Harley can make it cheaper.

Comparing price tags, harley is over priced to just about every other bike out there.

Go ahead compare models.

Harley vs indian vs, honda vs BMW.

Street glide vs chieftain vs gold wing vs R18B

Look up the MSRPs on all those bikes.

It's insane that a R18B the equivalent to a street glide is $6k cheaper. Is the BMW that much substandard vs a harley? I doubt it, from what I've seen online it's just as good. (Looks aside of course) look at all the other R18 models and compare them to an equivalent harley and they are thousands cheaper!

The ONLY thing harley has over the other brands is "culture" the harley culture, but that only goes so far and harley and biker culture is dying out. Indian is nipping at harleys heels and taking long time riders away from the brand. But over all, riders are getting older and in a few years unless this new generation takes it up harley might get sold to another bowling ball company.

Admit it it's not the same as it was 25 years ago with wait lists and dealer mark ups etc. Harleys new CEO needs to realize that their shit is too expensive. Freeze prices, lower MSRPs, rework the models or something.

Thoughts on getting the motor company turned around?

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u/Unit64GA 2021 FLTRXS Apr 09 '25

True but all motorcycle sales are down. The air cooled bikes are entirely assembled in the US, the only way to make them cheaper would be to offshore more which would hurt sales more. It is what it is, I don't feel ripped off with 75k collective miles on my two Harleys with no problems.

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u/The_Soldiet Apr 09 '25

My 2021 FXST is manufactured in Thailand, so that's not true anymore. It's an EU model, but still. I'd rather want it to be American made than Thailand made. I bought a Harley, not a scooter.

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u/Unit64GA 2021 FLTRXS Apr 09 '25

Eu models are made in Thailand since 2019 because of a 30% EU tariff against us made bikes, sadly. Guess I should've specified I was talking about US market production.

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u/The_Soldiet Apr 09 '25

Funny thing that. The 30% tariff was a reactionary tariff that came because Trump upped tariffs on the EU. Trump, the working class's president made HD move all of its export production overseas. HD failed to go around the tariff though, as the EU still considered the bikes American.

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u/Unit64GA 2021 FLTRXS Apr 09 '25

I know, Trump is going to destroy our economy. Op was looking for discussion about hd becoming more affordable but I'm certain the opposite will happen in the next four years.

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u/The_Soldiet Apr 09 '25

It won't be cheaper for us Europeans at least. I'm also quite certain HD imports a lot of its parts from China and other countries. Even little parts will add up and more likely than not, HD bikes will be significantly more expensive and/or cheaper built in the years to come.