We’ve heard more than one whisper recently about how Harley–Davidson is courting a younger motorcycle audience.
While the company is taking things in small steps and not leaps or bounds, evidence is emerging that they’d be keen to get more younger customers even if their product line is not quite up to the task at the moment.
While Asphalt and Rubber report on market research companies who represent Harley–Davidson approaching young people at motorcycle events, what’s Harley really got at the moment that will appeal beyond some cool advertising (video after the jump)?The 2011 Harley–Davidson model range includes three new models in the form of the Sportster SuperLow, XR1200X (in the US) and the Road Glide Ultra.
The XR1200X is a sports model with some added performance with its 1200cc engine.
It’s new to the US for this year, having been previously available only in Europe; indicating that it was considered more suited to Europe’s sports bike culture than the American-Harley cruiser dream (for more information on the XR1200X in the US, check out Autoblog.
com).
The Road Glide Ultra is a hefty touring model and we won’t stop long on it because we can’t see anyone under the age of 50 buying one of these.
So far, recognised as the more interesting of Harley’s new introductions and perhaps the more suited to a younger audience as indicated in the video below, is the Sportster SuperLow model.
As the name suggests, this is a peg-dragging model but it’s really quite sleek and sexy-looking.
What’s more, as pointed out by HFL, this is not only the bike for youngsters but for young women and as its name suggests, it has one very low seat height – just 695mm off the ground.
What’s more, it’s not some pinked-up scooter designed for women to look hot on when they’re going to work wearing heels, although Harley hasn’t specified its intention towards woman in so many words.
The Sportster SuperLow is smooth, with a cool retro look.
While its still a heavy bike (255 kg wet), its design should give it a low centre of gravity and its riding position should make it easy to manoeuvre.
On the technical front, the SuperLow is fitted with the 883cc V-Twin Evolution with a 39mm Showa fork and adjustable rear suspension.
You get sequential electronic fuel injection and a maximum of 70 Nm of torque at 3,750 rpm.
The Sportster SuperLow, while still sticking to what you’d expect of a Harley ride style, is designed to be easier to ride with a smooth acceleration while cornering and at low speeds.
In fact, it has been based on the riding feel of the XR1200X and while a very different bike, the SuperLow mirrors the manoeuvrability of its sports companion in terms of steering, suspension and ride style.
As HD General Manager Jim Hoffman says:“The Superlow is a very different bike to the XR, designed with a completely different mission.
But the concept of obtaining a precise balance between the steering, tyre type and suspension is the same.
” So basically we get a cool-looking Harley with a practical, easy ride style that’s also cheap, costing between 8,900 and 9,400 euros depending on your choice of colour.
But what about its appeal beyond the bike itself? What exactly is its ‘mission’? As seen in the video below, the Sportster SuperLow still sticks to the American culture of life in wide open spaces; but this time around we’re watching young people who have rejected the modern stultifying culture of cosmetics and psychiatric treatments, and are going a little old school – taking to the open road.
It’s a very cool ad and one that includes lots of woman – young, pretty women riding their own bikes.
It’s probably just the kind of campaign Harley needs, but still that’s just one product in a line-up of a whole 32 models.
It’s a step in the right direction, but it hardly denotes a revolution.
Perhaps they should have used Marisa Miller more for the hot ad campaign than the retro military marketing campaign.
How much of past American dreams and icons will a younger public take on?