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2 Y 5 EA t R h
T H E # 1 B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E A M E R I C A N V- T W I N A N D C U S T O M M O T O R C Y C L E PA R T S I N D U S T RY
First quarter market share and
stock price gains in the U.S. as
reduced shipments help dealers
move MY 2016 carry-over inventory
arley-Davidson’s first
quarter 2017 results
paint a mixed picture of
the company’s fortunes.
Overall, their performance to
March 31 was no worse than the
factory had been forecasting
when reacting to the “new
reality” that their 2016 annual
results represented back in
January, with “First quarter U.S.
retail sales in line with our
projections,” according to CEO
Matt Levatich.
“We remain confident in our full-year
plan despite international retail sales
being down in the first quarter. We are
very pleased with our continued growth
in U.S. market share and the progress
our U.S. dealers made in reducing their
inventory of 2016 motorcycles in the
quarter.”
Harley-Davidson retail motorcycle sales
in the U.S. were down -5.7 percent
compared to the year-ago quarter,
driven by soft industry sales and the
company’s decision to reduce
shipments of model year 2017
H
motorcycles - a decision that appears to
have succeeded in helping dealers
focus on selling down their model year
2016 retail inventory.
Harley’s U.S. market share for the
quarter was 51.3 percent in the 601cc-
plus segment, up compared to the first
quarter in 2016.
Overall, international retail sales
decreased -1.8 percent compared to
the same quarter in 2016, resulting in
worldwide Harley retail motorcycle
grow international
to 50 percent
of sales
sales being down -4.2 percent
compared to the same period in 2016.
International retail sales were down
behind weak sales in Asia Pacific (in
particular, but partially offset by strong
growth in percentage terms in Latin
America). Retail sales in EMEA and
Canada were both down as they
competed against strong prior year first
This is 'El Lunes', a 2004 Sportster based 6th placed Freestyle entry
at the 2016 AMD World Championship by Racz Arpad Dorin
(Anarchy-Custom) from Cluj, Romania -
see more on pages 32 and 33 ...
TERM
IN
El Lunes
quarter growth of +8.8 percent and
+16.3 percent respectively.
However, at just -0.4 percent down,
their EMEA (mostly European) sales
have actually held up well in the context
of poor official “new model” first
quarter registration statistics in Europe.
Triggered by a rush in the final quarter
of 2016 to pre-register held-over Euro
3 compliant inventory (in advance of
the January 1 deadline for Euro 4 new
model compliance), reported first
quarter demand in Europe is being
artificially supressed as tens of
thousands of zero mileage pre-
registered motorcycles (from all
manufacturers) sat in dealer
showrooms with massive discounts and
incentives.
Following their 2016 fiscals, the
company started to cast its “long-term
strategy” as a ten-year plan – citing the
objectives it has set itself as
achievements to be realized through
2027. In doing so Harley has reiterated
the plans unveiled in January this year,
now adding more detail to the bones of
Continues on page 8 >>>
6th P
lace
MAY 2017
ISSUE #214
2017 SHOW
REVIEW
JOHN PARHAM RIP