No one can deny to the new management of Harley-Davidson that they are not trying to save the company from financial disaster by all means. Your latest strategic plan “Back to the Bricks” not only tries to achieve the latter. Also do it by returning to the origins of the brand, recovering acronyms as iconic to its followers as Sportster or Sprint. Furthermore, both models would be destined to form that long-awaited range of access that the Yankee firm has been asking for for so long.
“Back to the Bricks” as a starting point
Just a few hours ago Harley-Davidson presented the financial and corporate strategy to follow going forward and analyzed the financial results for the first quarter of 2026. Artie Starrs, president and CEO of the Milwaukee firm, assured that “Having defined the motorcycle industry for more than 123 years, Harley-Davidson remains one of the most iconic and respected brands in the world.” And he is right.
Next, he made “Back to the Bricks” official, or in other words, his new business plan: “Back to the Bricks builds on our core strengths and competitive advantages, leveraging the passion of our riders to generate profitable growth for the company, our dealers and shareholders”Starrs pointed out.
He concluded by explaining: “This new chapter in Harley-Davidson’s evolution is now underway, and the initial momentum reinforces our confidence in the significant opportunities ahead. As we move into this new phase of growth, we remain committed to the craftsmanship and dedication that define our brand, while generating significant value for the company, benefiting our riders, dealers and shareholders alike.”
Back to the Bricks is initially based on five key pillars:
- Leverage Harley-Davidson’s competitive advantages and heritage
- Implement measures so that dealers double their profitability in 2026 and double it again by 2029
- Immediate measures to regain market share in areas where Harley-Davidson has an advantage including new motorcycles, used motorcycles, parts and accessories, and apparel and licenses.
- Solid financial position with prospects for higher free cash flow and EBITDA margin
- New management team offering innovative perspectives and institutional knowledge
Having said all this, the company aims to achieve operating profitability, before taxes, more than $350 million in 2027. And in order to achieve this, among other initiatives is to recover the Sportster acronym and the classic air-cooled technical configuration. A return to the origins “Back to the Bricks” with which they know they would win back old customers of the brand who never looked favorably on the modernization process in their mechanics.
On the other hand, work is also being done on the development of the new Sprint 2027. A model that a priori could be based on the well-known Hero X440 and would have a price of less than $6,000 within US borders. This would also become the gateway to the brand’s range. However, some international media such as Motorcycle do not have much hope that the final rate will end up being so tight.
In any case, there is no doubt that new winds are blowing within Harley-Davidson. The company seems to be aware of the challenges it faces in the coming years and its management team is already working to try to solve them in the best possible way. The recently presented “RIDE” platform or this new financial plan are a good example of this. We will soon know if with these initiatives they can get out of the biggest economic and corporate crossroads in their history.
