UPDATE: As of August 19, 2024 Harley Davidson has removed their DEI policies from their company. A statement made on Twitter announced their departure from the policies that caused all the backlash.
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The 84th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, held in South Dakota, recently took place amidst a social backlash of the iconic brand.
We reported a few weeks ago about a DEI crusader named Robby Starbucks who called out Harley Davidson for being woke.
This seemed to take a hold on the Harley Davidson community.
At that time, it was hard to see how the brand would be affected by the public release of the woke policies. After the report made headway in social media, many Harley Davidson riders stated they would no longer support the brand.
But, what about in real life?
Sturgis gave us a glimpse into what kind of impact the release of the woke policies really caused.
Videos and images were making the social rounds with people making comments about poor attendance and an empty Harley Davidson tent.
Has the awareness of the woke policies really impacted Harley Davidson?
According to the South Dakota Department of Transportation, Sturgis attendance is in fact down overall.
But, the numbers are not as drastic as some make it sound.
The reported daily attendance was:
- On Friday, August 2, 51,179 vehicles entered, which is down 1.5% from the previous five-year average.
- On Saturday, August 3, 55,127 vehicles entered, which is down 2.3% from the previous five-year average.
- On Sunday, August 4, 52,182 vehicles entered, which is down 12.7% from the previous five-year average.
- On Monday, August 5, 55,971 vehicles entered, which is down 5.1% from the previous five-year average.
- On Tuesday, August 6, 54,451 vehicles entered, which is down 5.2% from the previous five-year average.
While there is definitely a small decline, it does not necessarily represent a brand boycott.
It could also be a signal of a poor economic climate, health issues of its older demographic of riders, or a variety of other reasons.
Some online articles are using attendance at their homecoming event as another indicator of the backlash.
It was reported that about 60,000 people attended the event, a 25% drop from the 80,000 who took in the festival last year.
But, what these reports do not state is that the event moved from being every five years to annually.
So, this is not a valid way to estimate the impact of the backlash.
Overall, it does not seem the backlash is as large as the online media seems to make look like.
But, there is no doubt Harley Davidson riders are angry.
Motorcyclist and former outlaw gang member James “Hollywood” Macecari told Fox News, “Harley used the motorcycle clubs and used the loyalty of a lot of bikers for decades to build the brand. Then all of a sudden, if I walked into a Harley-Davidson dealership with my patch, they snubbed their noses, even though I probably made more money than half the owners.”
Bike shop owner Vinny Terranova added, “A Harley valued at $30,000 just a few years ago is now getting only $4,000,” Terranova said. “People don’t even want to be associated with Harley anymore.”
Of course, there is no way to validate that statement until Harley Davidson releases its earnings. Watching used motorcycle sales, I personally have not been able to back up that the losses are this large on used bikes being sold.
But there are also Harley Riders who are in it for the ride and not the politics. When one Reddit user asked about Harley going woke, he got some unexpected responses.
“Woke? Gone Bud Light? It’s a motorcycle either ride it or don’t.”
“What are you talking about? Turn off the News, go touch grass, and ride what you want. It’s a trip how many people want someone to tell them what they should think and do.”
So, it is clear that the view on Harley Davidson being woke – is a split issue. Some refuse to ride their Harley’s again – some are still all in on the brand.
A more recent tweet from Robbie Starbuck does indicate Harley Davidson is looking into things. It is reported to be an email sent from management to Harley Davidson employees about the recent media attacks.
I’ve just obtained a VERY interesting email that was sent by @harleydavidson to employees today about our stories exposing them for going woke.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 8, 2024
Harley says they’ve begun an evaluation of “policies, strategies and activities to ensure they’re relevant to our business.”
“The… pic.twitter.com/2jgkQcRhf6
Could change be coming in response to their policy backlash? Will Harley Davidson take the steps to pacify their most loyal customers?
After all the brand was the go-to for the rebels of the world. The loud pipes, speed, and thrills were all what they were known for. Even their own “wrecking crew” riders were considered rebels of the day.
Why would it not want to keep that tradition going?
This is a continuing story that we will look forward to watching unfold.
