The Wide Ranging Appeal of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

Many people would characterize the fanaticism of Harley-Davidson owners as being akin to that of members of a cult. But is that such a bad thing? A much quoted authority on cults, BJ Bueno, defines a cult as “people being people, doing what they love and feeling part of a community of people who feel the same way.” What better way to define the more than one million people who count themselves as members of the “Harley-Davidson Family”?

Since 1903, when William S. Harley and his partners Walter and Arthur Davidson produced their first motorcycles in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Americans have been in love with “Harley Hogs.” Their love affair only grew stronger with the company’s launch of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) in the later 1980s. The company’s leadership formed the group -— which now consists of more than 900,000 members worldwide -— in response to the company’s sagging fortunes during the 1970s and 1980s. Initially developed as part of a marketing strategy to revive the company’s sagging fortunes, HOG became one of the largest and most successful focus groups in the history of American business. Today, HOG members and members of its affiliate organization, Buell Riders Adventure Group (BRAG), form one of the world’s largest social groups with a common motto, “To Ride and Have Fun.”

The original image of the Harley owner -- the white male renegade of the American open road -- is undergoing quite a metamorphosis these days as a more diverse crowd is finding freedom, adventure, and camaraderie on Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Women comprise one of the fastest growing segments of Harley owners: women account for one in ten new Harley purchases. The company is also reaching out to younger riders; over the past ten years, the average age of Harley owners has been getting younger with the introduction of its “Dark Custom Collection.” The “Dark Custom” collection features less chrome and other ornamental embellishments typical of previous Harley-Davidson models and features lower pricing to make the Harley experience more affordable for a new generation of riders.