Air Cooled Harleys back in production.
Discussion
"Harley-Davidson confirm revival of air-cooled entry-level Sportster model"
Considering SWM with the stormbreaker 1200 managed to make it euro 5+ complaint and Harleys going up market bikes only has back fired a bit I'm not surprised
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2026/may/harle...
.
Considering SWM with the stormbreaker 1200 managed to make it euro 5+ complaint and Harleys going up market bikes only has back fired a bit I'm not surprised
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2026/may/harle...
.
cirian75 said:
"Harley-Davidson confirm revival of air-cooled entry-level Sportster model"
Considering SWM with the stormbreaker 1200 managed to make it euro 5+ complaint and Harleys going up market bikes only has back fired a bit I'm not surprised
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2026/may/harle...
.
If Enfield can build a 47bhp Euro 5+ air-cooled 650, Harley should be able to get c.65bhp out of the 883, I suppose.Considering SWM with the stormbreaker 1200 managed to make it euro 5+ complaint and Harleys going up market bikes only has back fired a bit I'm not surprised
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2026/may/harle...
.
The questions are how much work will they have to do (at least heads and cams?) and how much will the bike cost.
Every possibility that it will be US-only and too expensive.
HD have dug themselves into a huge hole that I doubt they will get out of. It'll be a slow demise but it's been happening for some time and there is nothing that suggests that'll change
HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/€ out of that market.
HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/€ out of that market.
black-k1 said:
HD have dug themselves into a huge hole that I doubt they will get out of. It'll be a slow demise but it's been happening for some time and there is nothing that suggests that'll change
HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/ out of that market.
I have to say I agree. The crazy thing is it's not like they didn't have options. I remember (was in the industry back then) that HD had a huge opportunity about 20 years back to dominate the female rider market. They were massively better in that area than all other brands (the gap in marketshare was huge). Low seat height, tough image, fashionable. Perfect.HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/ out of that market.
And what do they do...? -> kill off every model interesting to women.
NAS said:
black-k1 said:
HD have dug themselves into a huge hole that I doubt they will get out of. It'll be a slow demise but it's been happening for some time and there is nothing that suggests that'll change
HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/ out of that market.
I have to say I agree. The crazy thing is it's not like they didn't have options. I remember (was in the industry back then) that HD had a huge opportunity about 20 years back to dominate the female rider market. They were massively better in that area than all other brands (the gap in marketshare was huge). Low seat height, tough image, fashionable. Perfect.HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/ out of that market.
And what do they do...? -> kill off every model interesting to women.
If it doesn't have some resemblance to a 1936 Knucklehead, then it's not a real Harley.
I still think that they could have tried a Triumph-style "modern classic" Sportster with a retro makeover of the Revolution Max engine.
gareth_r said:
NAS said:
black-k1 said:
HD have dug themselves into a huge hole that I doubt they will get out of. It'll be a slow demise but it's been happening for some time and there is nothing that suggests that'll change
HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/ out of that market.
I have to say I agree. The crazy thing is it's not like they didn't have options. I remember (was in the industry back then) that HD had a huge opportunity about 20 years back to dominate the female rider market. They were massively better in that area than all other brands (the gap in marketshare was huge). Low seat height, tough image, fashionable. Perfect.HD sold an image based on bikes that were nothing special 50 years ago. That then means that any attempt to offer something "new" fails because those who want to buy the image won't touch anything new, while the new markets they need to attract don't want to buy an HD because all they sell is image!
Unfortunately for HD, the image purchasing market is dwindling, which is why they're trying anything to scrape the last $/£/ out of that market.
And what do they do...? -> kill off every model interesting to women.
If it doesn't have some resemblance to a 1936 Knucklehead, then it's not a real Harley.
I still think that they could have tried a Triumph-style "modern classic" Sportster with a retro makeover of the Revolution Max engine.
Bob_Defly said:
They should just do what Corvette did, and just ignore all of the old men. The C8 has been a big hit, even though all of the over 65 crowd said it wasn't a true corvette and that they would never buy one. (AI pic, but still true)
AI pic or not, that's EXACTLY how my neighbour looks. And he drives a green Corvette....But if HD are going to survive, they have to rip the plaster off at some point and seek out a new(er) audience for their products. Perhaps they should even consider an alternate engine option that isn't the same old V twin offering and look at where the mainstay of bike sales are heading these days...otherwise, I can't see them making it another 10 years or so...
As a Harley fan (and LONG time Sportster rider) I'm glad to see the return in some ways but at the same time do feel like the brand NEEDS to catch up with some modern tech in order to draw in new riders.
My issue with the 'new' sportster and nigthster isnt the engine - they are actually very nice and ride smoothly similiar to other more modern cruiser engines such as the Indian scout .... my issues are primarily the drastic design shift that feels like its trying to be a Japanese crusier brand, and the generally cheap and crappy finishing where it feels like they have cut corners to save pennies, for example the messy exposed cabling at the front, huge amount of plastics in the switch gear, and the ugliness of the hosing behind the radiator looking down from the riding position.
Harleys are a 'premium' brand where even the smaller new bikes easily sell for about £15K and somethign like a Fatboy running at £25K, as such things like cheap plastics and poor finish are not acceptable especially when others like Indian, Kawasaki, and even Morbidelli are producing bikes with similiar styling, better performance, more modern tech, at a similiar or lower purchase price.
Equally, eliminating the Sportster 883 and Street 750 wiped out the 'entry' level line that was (as close as Harley gets to being) accesible to newer riders, making less younger folk pick up the brand.
Whilst Harley could, and should, continue to feed to older "money whales" new softails, dynas, and glides every year to maintain that demographic (and those of us who grew up watching the Terminator and are aging into that demographic over the next decade or two), they also need to adapt and realise that they need to do something that is a bit more modern, handles well, has versitility, and is priced resonably to survive the way the market in the UK, Europe, and Asia is developing.
A new air cooled sportster in a significantly lighter frame, at 600cc, and with some modern tech could do very well here - would it appeal to me? No, but I'm not the market that Harley needs to attract to survive, they simply need to retain me and they can do that with something like the Sports Glide easily enough (especially as I'm very tempted to trade in the current 1200 superlow for one now that I don't need to filter through London day in day out anymore!)
My issue with the 'new' sportster and nigthster isnt the engine - they are actually very nice and ride smoothly similiar to other more modern cruiser engines such as the Indian scout .... my issues are primarily the drastic design shift that feels like its trying to be a Japanese crusier brand, and the generally cheap and crappy finishing where it feels like they have cut corners to save pennies, for example the messy exposed cabling at the front, huge amount of plastics in the switch gear, and the ugliness of the hosing behind the radiator looking down from the riding position.
Harleys are a 'premium' brand where even the smaller new bikes easily sell for about £15K and somethign like a Fatboy running at £25K, as such things like cheap plastics and poor finish are not acceptable especially when others like Indian, Kawasaki, and even Morbidelli are producing bikes with similiar styling, better performance, more modern tech, at a similiar or lower purchase price.
Equally, eliminating the Sportster 883 and Street 750 wiped out the 'entry' level line that was (as close as Harley gets to being) accesible to newer riders, making less younger folk pick up the brand.
Whilst Harley could, and should, continue to feed to older "money whales" new softails, dynas, and glides every year to maintain that demographic (and those of us who grew up watching the Terminator and are aging into that demographic over the next decade or two), they also need to adapt and realise that they need to do something that is a bit more modern, handles well, has versitility, and is priced resonably to survive the way the market in the UK, Europe, and Asia is developing.
A new air cooled sportster in a significantly lighter frame, at 600cc, and with some modern tech could do very well here - would it appeal to me? No, but I'm not the market that Harley needs to attract to survive, they simply need to retain me and they can do that with something like the Sports Glide easily enough (especially as I'm very tempted to trade in the current 1200 superlow for one now that I don't need to filter through London day in day out anymore!)
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