The lOOth Anniversary
Patricia A. Ryan and Thomas L. Wheelen
"The year 2001 was our 16th consecutive year of record revenue and
income, in spite of the weaker global economy,' said Jeffrey L.
Bleustein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc.
'Worldwide retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the fourth
quarter were strong with 12.9 percent unit growth over last year.'
"1 THEMEFILLEDTHEROOM AS THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE100TH Anniversary
Celebration met in preparation of the year-long event. It was a hot day
in mid-July, and committee members were planning the final stages of the
year-long 1O0th anniversary celebration of Harley-Davidson. The
culmination would entail an open tour starting in mid-August in
Portland, Las Vegas, Baton Rouge, and New York City and end in Milwaukee
on August 29,2003, in time for the three-day party and celebration.
Exhibit 1 shows the motorcycle routes for the participants. Company
officials were expecting upward of 250,000 to participate in the final
1O0-year anniversary party celebration. At the end of the meeting, the
committee discussed how to make the celebration one that Harley riders
would never forget while at the same time encouraging a new, younger
customer base to add to their aging baby boomer clientele.
History2
In 1903, William Harley (age 21), a draftsman, and his friend, Arthur R.
Davidson, began
Experimenting with ideas to design and build their own motorcycles. They
were joined by Arthur's brothers, William, a machinist, and Walter, a
skilled mechanic. The Harley-
Davidson Motor Company started in a lOxl5-foot shed in the Davidson
family's backyard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This case was prepared by
Professor Patricia A. Ryan of Colorado State. This case was edited for
5MBP and Cases in 5MBP-9th and 10th Edition. The copyright holders are
solely responsible for the case content. Copyright @2002 and 2005 by
Patricia A. Ryan and Thomas L. Wheelen. Reprint permission is solely
granted to the publisher, Prentice Hall, for the books, Strategic
Management and Business Policy-10th Edition (and the International
version of this book) and Cases in Strategic Management and Business
Policy-10th Edition by the copyright holders, Patricia A. Ryan and
Thomas L. Wheel en. Any other publication of the case (translation, any
form of electronics or other media) or sold (any form of partnership) to
another publisher will be in violation of copyright law, unless Patricia
A. Ryan and Thomas L. Wheelen have granted an additional written reprint
permission.
12-1
12-2 SECTION E
Exhibit 1
Map of Harley-
Davidson 100th
Anniversary
Celebration
Roadtrip, 2003
Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Source: www.harleydavidson.com.
In 1903, three motorcycles were built and sold. The production increased
to eight in
1904.ThecompanythenmovedtoJuneauAvenue,whichisthe siteofthecompany's
present
offices. In 1907,the company was incorporated.
In 1969, AMF, Inc., a leisure and industrial products conglomerate,
acquired Harley-,/
Davidson. The management team expanded production from 15,000in
1969to40,000motorcycles in 1974.AMF favored short-term profits instead
of investing in research and development and retooling. During this
time, Japanese competitors continued to improve the quality of their
motorcycles, while Harley-Davidson began to turn out noisy, oil-leaking,
heavily vibrating, poorly finished, and hard-to-handle machines. AMF
ignored the Japanese competition.
In 1975, Honda Motor Company introduced its Gold Wing, which became the
standard
for large touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson had controlled that
segment of the market for years. There was a $2,000 price difference
between Harley's top-of-the-line motorcycles and Honda's comparable Gold
Wing. This caused American buyers of motorcycles to start switching to
Japanese motorcycles. The Japanese companies (Suzuki and Yamaha) from
this time until the mid-1980s continued to enter the heavyweight custom
market with Harley lookalikes.
During AMF's ownership of the company, sales of motorcycles were strong,
but profits
were weak. The company had serious problems with poor-quality
manufacturing and strong Japanese competition. In 1981,VaughnBeals, then
head of the Harley Division, and 13 other managers conducted a leveraged
buyout of the company for $65 million.
New management installed a Materials as Needed (MAN) system to reduce
inventories
and stabilize the production schedule. Also, this system forced
production to work with marketing to create more accurate forecasts.
This led to precise production schedules for each month,allowingonlya
10%variance.Thecompanyforceditssupplierstoincreasetheirquality in order
to reduce customer complaints.
Citicorp, Harley's main lender, refused to lend the company more money
in 1985. On
New Year's Eve, four hours before a midnight that would have meant
Harley's demise, the company inked a deal with Heller Financial that
kept its doors open. Seven months later, amid
SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
The terms of the Board of Directors were on a three-year stagger system:
(a) The term
expiring in 2002 was Sara L. Levinson (51); (b) terms expiring in 2003
were Bleustein (62), Donald James (58), and James A. Norling (60); and
(c) terms expiring in 2004 were Barry K. Allen (53), Richard L Beattie
(62), and Richard G. LeFauve (67).
Directors who were employees of Harley-Davidson did not receive any
special compensation for their services as directors. Directors who are
not employees of Harley-Davidson receive an annual fee of $25,000 plus
$1,500 for each regular meeting of the board, $750 for each special
meeting of the board, $750 for each board committee meeting and a
clothing allowance of $1,000 to purchase
Harley-Davidson@MotorClothesTMapparel and accessories.
Pursuant to the 1998 Director Stock Plan, an outside director could
elect to receive 50% or 100% of the annual fee to be paid in each
calendar year in the form of stock based on the fair market value at the
time of the annual meeting. In 2001, each outside Director received an
option to purchase 600 shares of common stock.6
All directors and executive officers as a group (19 individuals) owned
4,311,178 shares
(1.4%). Jeffrey E. Bleustein owned the largest block with 1,785,993
shares, which was 0.5% ofthe outstandingstock.AXAAssurance LARD.
Mutuelleowned22,324,662shares(7.4%) and was the largest shareholder.
The company's mission statementwas asfollows: "Wefulfilldreamsthroughthe
experience
of motorcycling by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public
an expanding
line of motorcycles, branded products and services in selected market
segments."7
Top Management
Jeffrey E. Bleustein had been a director of the company since 1986. He
was appointed
Executive Vice President in 1991 and President and Chief Operating
Officer of the Motor
Company in 1993. In 1997, Bleustein succeeded Richard E. Teerlink as
Chairman and CEO.
Bleustein, a former Yale engineering professor, joined AMF in the early
1970s. In 1981, he joined Harley-Davidson. Thirteen Harley executives,
including Bleustein, bought the company in a highly leveraged buyout-$80
of debt for every $1 of equity-in February 1981.
"Before the ink had dried on our paper we were in violation of most of
our loan covenants," he said. His current stake, at less than 1%, was
worth $40 million.'
Exhibit 3 shows the corporate officers for Harley-Davidson and its
business segments-
Motor Company, Buell, and Financial Services.
The lOOthAnniversary Celebration
Forbes named Harley-Davidson its "Company of the Year" for 2001, and it
was selected by BusinessWeek as one of the nation's "Most Admired
Companies." Additionally, in 2001, it was named to Fortune's list of the
"Top 100 Companies to Work For" for the fourth time in five years. The
company unveiled its newest bike, the V-Rod, aimed at younger, affluent
riders with a list price of $16,995. The V-Rod was named Motorcycle News
"Bike of the Year" the same year. Retail sales of Harley-Davison bikes
were up 14.4% in 2001 in the United States. In Japan, Harley-Davidson
celebrated its 17th consecutive year of growth with retail sales up
10.7% in 2001. In 2000 and 2001, Harley-Davidson was the best-selling
heavyweight motorcycle in Japan.9 With all this going for the company,
they were moving to their year-long 1O0th Anniversary Celebration with
excitement, hope for the future, and satisfaction for past
accomplishments. The party was planned to be a year-long celebration,
from summer 2002, culminating in a three-day party in Milwaukee in late
August 2003.
All was not rosy for the century-old company. Harley-Davidson, which had
fought back
from near demise in the 1980s, was to face new rivals in the competitive
market, the aging customer base, and the lasting recession.;The
projected sales figures looked strong through 2003,
CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson,
3 Corporate Officers, Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Jeffrey L Blcustein
Chairman and CEO
James M. Brostowitz
VicePresident, Controller;and
Treasurer
and Secretary
James L. Ziemer
Counsel,
Vice President
Officer
and Chief Financial
Motor Company Leadership
Jeffrey L. Bleustein
CEO
Garry S. Berryman
Vice President, Materials
Management/Product Cost
Joanne M. Bischmann
Vice President, Marketing
James M. Brostowitz
Vice President and Controller
Roy Coleman
General Manager, Tomahawk
Operations
Ruth M. Crowley
Vice President, General Merchandise
William B. Dannehl
Vice President and General Manager,
York Operations
William G. Davidson
Vice President, Styling
Karl M. Eberle
Vice President and General Manager,
Kansas City Operations
Jon R. Flickinger
Vice President, North American Sales
and Dealer Services
John A. Hevey
Vice President
JorgeF;..FJidalgo
GeneralJ.1anager, Pilgrim Road
Operations
Timothy K Hoelter
Vice President, Government Affairs
Ronald M. Hutchinson
Vice President, Parts and Accessories
Michael D. Keefe
Vice President and Director, Harley
Owners Group@
Donald C. Kieffer
General Manager, Capitol Drive
Operations
Kathleen A. Lawler
Vice President, Communications
Gail A. Liane
Vice President and General Counsel
James A. McCaslin
President and Chief Operating Officer
Inc., 2002: The lOOthAnniversary
Steven R. Phillips
Vice President, Quality, Reliability,
and Technical Services
John Russell
Vice President and Managing
Director, Europe
Harold A. Scott
Vice President, Human Resources
W. Kenneth Sutton, Jr.
Vice President, Continuous
Improvement
Earl K. Werner
Vice President, Engineering
Jerry G. Wilke
VicePresidentand GeneralManager,
Asia/Pacific and Latin America Regions
Harley-Davidson Fina:ncial ServiCes
Leadership
Lawrence G, Hund
VicePresidentand ChiefFinancial
Officer
Donna E Zarcone
presidf;nt and Chief Operating Officer
Ellen Motorcycle Company
Leadership
Erik EBuell
Chairman and Chief TechnicalOfficer
Johu,<\. I;Ievey
President qndChief Operating Officer
( Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2001 Annual Report, p. 84.
but after the collectors' editions were sold. what would 2004 hold for
Harley-Davidson? It was losing market share to Japanese rivals such as
Honda Motors Co., seeing lower prices for some 11 older bikes that used
to trade at a premium, and facing a peculiar marketing headache stemming
from its upcoming lOOth anniversary. Buyers seemed to be hanging back,
awaiting 2003's collector-edition models.lO The coming year was less
certain. These were issues management wrestled with during the
celebration gala. One theme during the attention-getting celebration was
to gain new, younger customers to move Harley-Davidson into its second
century.
Harley-Davidson, the marvel ofMilwaukcc, which roared back from
near-ruin in 1986 to
dazzle investors and bikers alike with its marketing artistry, financial
savvy, and sheer mystique may be facing a patch of rough road.
Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.)
r A special kind of camaraderie marked the Harley Owners Group eRO.G.)
rallies and other motorcycle events. At events and rallies around the
world. members of H.O.G. came together for fun, adventure, and a love
oftheir iaachines and the open road, As the largest motorcycle
12-8 SECTION E
Exhibit 4
2002 Profile of
H.O.G. and BRAG:
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
H.O.G.-Sponsored Events: In 2001 H.O.G. continued to sponsor
motorcycling events
on local, regional, national, and international levels, including U.S.
national rallies in
Worcester, Maine, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as a special touring
journey
rally that took participants through Americana on legendary Route 66
from Chicago,
Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. The 11th annual international
H.O.G. Rally, held in
Saint-Tropez, France, drew tens of thousands of members.
H.O.G. Membership:AIly Harley-Davidson motorcyclist could become
a.member
of H.O.G. In fact, the first year of membership was included with the
purchase of
a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The number of H.O.G. members had grown
rapidly
since the motorcycle organization began in 1983 with 33,000 members.
There were
660,000 H.O.G. members in 115 countries worldwide\Sponsorship of H.O.G.
chapters
by Harley-Davidson dealers grew from 49 chapters in 1985 to 1,200
chapters at the
close of 2001.
A Snapshot ofH.O.G.
Worldwide members 660,000
Worldwide dealer-sponsored chapters 1,200
Countries with members 115
A Snapshot of BRAG (Buell Riders Adventure Group)
Created in 1995
Worldwide members 10,000
Number of clubs 55
Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2001 Annual Report, pp. 28-29.
in the world, H.O.G. offered customers organized opportunities to ride
their famed bikes.
H.O.G. rallies visibly promoted the Harley-Davidson experience to
potential new customers and strengthened the relationships among
members, dealers, and Harley-Davidson employees.
William G. Davidson, grandson of the Co-founder, biker to the core, and
known to all as
Willie G., dismissed the charge without quite denying it. "There's a lot
of beaners, but they're out on the motorcycles, which is a beautiful
thing," he says, noting that he had recently co-led a national rally of
Canadian H.O.G. groups with Harley's top executive, CEO Jeff
Bleustein.11
In 1995, the Buell Riders Adventure Group (BRAG) was created to bring
Buell motorcy-
cle enthusiasts together and to share their on-road experiences. In
2001, BRAG held a home-coming event in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Harley-Davidson plans to grow both organizations with new members and
chapters in the years to come.
Exhibit 4 provides a profile of H.O.G and BRAG clubs. As of 2001, there
were about
660,000 H.O.G. members in about 1,200 clubs. The newer BRAG club for
Buell riders num-bered 10,000 members in more than 55 clubs.
Europe/Middle East! Africa
In the European Region there were currently 381 independent
Harley-Davidson dealerships serving 32 country markets. This included
280 combined Harley-Davidson and Buell dealerships.
Buell was further represented by 10 dealerships that did not sell
Harley-Davidson
motorcycles. It had an established infrastructure in Europe, based out
of its headquarters in
CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The lOOthAnniversary
the United Kingdom, and it operated through a network of independent
dealers served by
eight independent distributors and by five wholly owned sales and
marketing subsidiaries
in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The
European man~ agement team was continuing to focus on the expansion and
improvement of distributor and dealer relationships through the dealer
development team, specialized training programs, retail financing
initiatives, ongoing product development, and coordinated Europe-wide
and local marketing programs aimed at attracting new customers. Other
initiatives included the development of information systems linking
European subsidiaries directly with each of the major independent
distributors and most of the dealers located in the subsidiary markets.
I.
\ Asia-Pacific
There were currently 240 Harley-Davidson outlets serving eight country
markets, of which I-} 82 were combined Harley-DavidsonlBuell dealerships
and 27 were service-only outlets. In addition, there were currently only
2 Buell dealerships. Management expected the majority of its growth
opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region to come from its existing
markets in Japan and Australia. Harley-Davidson would continue to
support its objectives of maintaining and growing its business in
southeast Asia, where markets had continued to stabilize over recent
years.
.,.
Latin America
This market consisted of 15 country markets managed from Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. The
Latin American market had a diverse dealer network including 28
Harley-Davidson dealer-f ships. Management planned to continue
developing its distribution in Brazil and Mexico, its two biggest Latin
American markets, as well as broaden brand management and marketing I~
activities across the entire region.
.t Canada
In Canada, there were currently 75 independent Harley-Davidson
dealerships and 1indepent standalone Buell dealership served by a single
independent distributor. This network I included 25 combined
Harley-Davidson and Buell dealerships, resulting in a total of 26 ~
Buell dealerships in Canada.
Business Segments
"Running a company is like riding a motorcycle. Go too slow, and you tip
over.Go toofast, and you crash. At the moment, Harley has a perfect
balance,""
Harley-Davidson operates in two principal business segments: Motorcycles
and Related
Products (Motorcycles) and Financial Services. The segments will be
discussed in that order.
Exhibit 5 provides financial information on the company's two business
segments.
Motorcycles and Related Products Segment
"The longer the waits, the more Wall Street loved Harley.
t The primary business of the Motorcycles segment was to design,
manufacture, and sell
premium motorcycles for the heavyweight market. It was best known for
its Harley-Davidson@
12-10 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Exhibit
(Dollar
5 Information by Industry
amounts in thousands)
Segment: Harley-Davidson, Inc.
A. Revenues and Income from Operations
Year Ending December 31 2001 2000 1999
Net sales and financial services income
Motorcycles and related products net sales
Financial services income
Income from operations
Motorcycles and related products
Financial services
General corporate expenses
Operating income
$3,363,414
181,545
$3,544,959
$613,311
61,273
(12,083)
$662,50I
$2,906,365
140,135
$3,046,500
$487,485
37,178
(9,691)
$514,972
$2,452,939
132,741
$2,585,680
$397,601
27,685
(9,427)
$415,859
B. Assets, Depreciation, and Capital Expenditures
Motorcycles and Financial
Related Products Services Corporate Consolidated
1999
Identifiable assets $1,058,934 $868,711 $184,432 $2,112,077
Depreciation and amortization 107,737 5,813 272 113,822
Net capital expenditures 162,071 3,565 150 165,786
2000
Identifiable assets $1,158,813 $856,961 $420,630 $2,436,404
Depreciation and amortization 127,085 6,012 251 133,348
Net capital expenditures 199,306 4,177 128 203,611
2001
Identifiable assets $1,385,932 $1,096,239 $636,324 $3,118,495
Depreciation and amortization 146,260 6,618 183 153,061
Net capital expenditures 285,023 5,193 165 290,381
Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2001 Annual Report, pp. 80-81.
motorcycle products, but also offered a line of motorcycles and related
products under the
Buell@ brand name. Worldwide motorcycle sales generated 80.0%, 79.4%,
and 79.7% of the total net sales in the motorcycles segment during 2001,
2000, and 1999, respectively.
The majority of the Harley-Davidson branded motorcycle products
emphasized traditional styling, design simplicity, durability, ease of
service, and evolutionary change. Harley's appeal straddled class
boundaries, stirring the hearts of grease monkeys and corporate titans
alike. Malcolm Forbes, the late owner of Forbes magazine, was pivotal in
introducing Harleys to the business elite in the early 1980s.15
The typical U.S. motorcycle rider was a 38-year-old male who was
married, had attended
college, and earned $44,250 a year. Based on data from the 1998
Motorcycle Industry Council owner survey, nearly lout of every 12
motorcycle owners in the United States was a woman.16 The average U.S.
Harley-Davidson motorcycle purchaser was a married male in his mid-40s
with a household income of approximately $78,300, who purchased a
motorcycle for recreational purposes rather than to provide
transportation and was an experienced motorcycle
CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The 100th Anniversary
Exhibit 6 Purchaser Demographic Profile: Harley-Davidson, Inc.
2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1990 1983
Gender
Male 91% 91% 91% 93% 93% 96% 98%
Female 9% 9% 9% 7% 7% 4% 2%
Median Age (years) 45.6 45.6 44.6 44.4 44.6 36.7 34.1
MediaIl household income
($000) $78.3 $77.7 $73.8 $73.6 $74.1 $47.3 $38.3
2001 Purchasers
41% Owned Harley-Davidson motorcycle previously
31% Coming off competitive motorcycle
28% New to motorcycling or haven't owned a motorcycle for at least 5
years
Source: Harley-Davidson Inc., Demographics.com.
rider.Overtwo-thirdsofthefirm's
U.S.salesofHarley-Davidsonmotorcyclesweretobuyers
with at least one year of education beyond high school, and 31% of the
buyers had college degrees (see Exhibit 6).
Buell motorcycle products emphasize innovative design, responsive
handling, and overall
tI performance. The Buell motorcycle product line has traditionally
consisted of heavyweight performance models,poweredbythe
1200ccV-Twinengine.However,in2000,Buellintroduced
theBuell Blast@,anewvehicledesignedspecificallyto
attractnewcustomersinto the
sport of motorcycling. This vehicle is considerably smaller, lighter,
and less expensive than the traditional Buell heavyweight models and is
powered by a 492cc single-cylinder engine.
"~\ The average U.S. purchaser of Buell heavyweightmotorcycles is a male
with a median age of 39, with a median household income of approximately
$61,600. Approximately 3% of all Buell heavyweight U.S. retail
motorcycle sales are to females. Internal documents indicate that half
of Buell Blast purchasers have never owned motorcycles before, and in
excess of 95% of them had never owned Buell motorcycles before. The
median age of Blast purchasers is 38, with over one-half of them being
female.
The motorcycle market was composed of four segments: standard, which
emphasized
simplicity and cost; performance, which emphasized handling and
acceleration; touring,
which emphasized comfort and amenities for long-distance travel; and
custom, which empha sized styling and individual owner customization.
Harley-Davidson presently manufactured and sold 28 models of
Harley-Davidson
touring and custom heavyweight motorcycles, with domestic manufacturer's
suggested retail prices ranging from approximately $5,695 to $24,995
(see Exhibit 7). The touring segment of the heavyweight market was
pioneered by Harley-Davidson and included motorcycles equipped for
long-distance touring with fairings, windshields, saddlebags, and Tour
Pak@ luggage carriers. The custom segment of the market included
motorcycles featuring the distinctive styling associated with classic
Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These motorcycles were highly customized
through the use of trim and accessories.
Harley-Davidson's traditional heavyweight motorcycles were based on
variations of five
basic chassis designs and were powered by one of four air-cooled,
twin-cylinder engines with a 45-degree "V" configuration, which had
displacements of 883cc, 1200cc, 1450cc, and 1550cc. The recently
introduced.V-RodTMhad its own unique chassis design and is equipped with
the new RevolutionTMpowertrain, a new liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder,
1130cc engine, with a 60-degree "V" configuration.
12-12 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Exhibit 7
2002 Motorcycles
Motorcycle Suggested Selling Price ($)
Product Line:
Harley-Davidson,
Buell Blastl 4,595
Inc.
XLH Sportster 883 6,145
XLH Sportster 883 Hugger@ 6,545
XL Sportster 883R 6,795
XL883C Sportster 883 Custom 7,690
XLM Sportster 1200 8,425
XL 1200S Sportster 1200 Sport 9,130
XB9S Buell Lightningl 9,995
XB9R Buell Firebolt! 9,995
XL 1200C Sportster 1200 Custom 10,040
FXD Dyna Glide Super Glider@ 12,490
FXST Softail@ Standard 13,870
FXDX Dyna Glide Super Glide@ Sport 14,510
FLHT/FLHTI Electra Glide@ Standard 14,710
FXDXT Dyna Glide Super Glide@ T-Sport 15,520
FXSTB Softail@ Night Train@ 15,575
FXDL Dyna Glide Low Rider@ 16,090
FLSTS/FLSTSI Springer@ 16,630
FLHR/FLHRI Road King@ 16,650
VRSCA V-Rod 16,995
FLSTF/FLSTFI Fat Boy@
17,100
FXDWG Dyna Glide Wide Glider@
17,215
FXSTD Softail@ Deuce
17,870
FLTSC/FLSTCI Heritage Softai1@ Classic 17,870
FLHTC/FLHTCIElectra Glide@ Classic 18,070
FLHRCI Road King@ Classic 18,310
FLTR/FLTRI Road Glide 18,520 ",-
FLSTS/FLSTSI Heritage Springer@ 18,615
VRSC V-Rod@ VRSCA 18,695
FLHTCUI Ultra Classic@ 21,065
Note:
1. The Buell Blast, Buell Lightning, and Buell Firebolt are manufactured
by Buell Motorcycle Company, which partuered with Harley-Davidson in
1993 and was purchased by Harley-Davidson in 1998.
Source: www.harley-davidson.com payment calculator schedule.
Although there were some accessory differences between the
top-of-the-line touring
motorcycles and those of its competitors, suggested retail prices were
generally comparable. The prices for the high end of the Harley-Davidson
custom product line ranged from being competitive to 50% more than its
competitors' custom motorcycles. The custom portion of the
Harley-Davidson product line represented its highest unit volumes and
continued to command a premium price because of the features, styling,
and high resale value associated with Harley-Davidson custom products.
The smallest displacement custom motorcycle (the 883cc Sportster@) was
directly price competitive with comparable motorcycles available in the
market. The surveys of retail purchasers indicated that, historically,
over three-quarters of the purchasers of its Sportster model either had
previously owned competitive-brand motorcycles or were completely new to
the sport of motorcycling or had not participated in the sport for at
least five years. Since 1988, research had consistently shown that
purchasers of Harley-Davidson motorcycles had a repurchase intent in
excess of 90%, and management expected to see sales of its 883cc
Sportster model partially trans
I CASETWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The IOOthAnniversary
lated into sales of its higher-priced products in the normal two-to
three-year ownership ~
cycle. Iii The major Parts and Accessories (P&A) products were
replacement parts (Genuine Motor I, Parts) and mechanical and cosmetic
accessories (Genuine Motor Accessories). Worldwide ~ Ii P&A net sales
comprised 15.1%,15.4%, and 14.8% of net sales in the Motorcycles segment
in ;~ 2001,2000, and 1999, respectively. 'j,!
Worldwide net sales of General Merchandise, which included
MotorClothesTM apparel !
and collectibles, comprised 4.9%, 5.2%, and 5.4% of net sales in the
Motorcycles segment in 2001,2000, and 1999, respectively.
Management also provided a variety of services to its dealers and retail
customers, including service training schools, customized dealer
software packages, delivery of its motorcycles, LI!an owners' club
membership, a motorcycle rental program, and a rider training program
that was available in the United States through a limited number of
authorized dealers.
tPresident and CEO's Comments17
Overview
President Jeffrey L. Bluestein said in the 2001 Annual Report,
It is a legacy forged by generations of people with a passion for
motorcycling, a commitment to honor and build on the past, and the
determinations to seek out new opportunities for the future.
.
In 2001, despite the global economic downturn, Harley-Davidson achieved
its 16th consecutive year of record revenue and earnings. Consolidated
revenue for Harley-Davidson, Inc. was $3.36 billion, a 15.7% increase
over 2000, while net income was $437.7 million, a 25.9% increase over
the previous year. As a result, diluted earnings per share climbed from
$1.13 to $1.43-a 26.4% increase. [see Exhibits 8 and 9] I
The venerable motorcycle company was anything but set in its
ways.18Consider Harley customer Bob Johnson, 52, Vice-President of an
Gren, Utah, maker of oil-industry tools. Back I in 2000, when Johnson
bought his Softail Fat Boy, he had to wait five months and pay $1,000
over suggested retail. Even then, he considered himself lucky: In Texas,
Harleys were i fetching $4,000 to $5,000 over list. But last December,
he snared an Electra Glide Classic for I$1,200 below retail and rode
away on his tricked-out $16,770 touring machine. "They had I1.
inventory, and they were actually discounting," he crowed.19
The customer waiting list for new motorcycles had shrunk from as much as
two years to I a matter of months. Dealer premiums that used to range
between $2,000 and $4,000 had disappeared for most models. Dealers were
grateful the company was playing the centennial to II the hilt. But the
question, said a dealer, was "What's going to happen in 20047" The
answer: 'I:jHarley needed to get ahead of the demographics curve with
new customers while somehow I keeping faith with its fanatical old ones.
If it didn't, the born-to-be-wild company would begin its second century
with profit growth that was doomed to be mild.2O
J New Bikes: The Buell and the V-Rod
I
Harley'snewV-RodwasintroducedintheLosAngelesConventionCenteronJuly12,200
1.
I More than 4,000 packed into the center for the company's long-awaited
announcement. The ~ cavernous room went black. The engines roared in the
darkness. Spotlights clicked on and followed two glinting new hot rods
as they roared onto center stage.21
:, Harley-Davidson deviated from its traditional approach to styling
with the introduction
of the V-RodTMmotorcycle. The new, liquid-cooled V-Rod, inspired by
Harley-Davidson's .drag racing heritage, combines the characteristics of
a performance motorcycle with the
12-14 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Exhibit 8 Selected U.S. and World Financial and Sales Information:
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
A. Motor Company Revenue, 2001
(Dollar amounts in millions)
Harley-Davidson Motorcycles $2,630.1 Parts and Accessories 15%
Parts and Accessories 507.3
General Merchandise 163.9
Buell Motorcycles 61.9 General Merchandise 5%
Other 0.2 Harley-Davidson
Total $3,363.4 Motorcycles
Buell Motorcycles 2%
78% Other 0%
C.Worldwide Parts and Accessories
and
General Merchandise Revenue
B. Worldwide
Motorcycle Shipments (Dollar amounts in millions)
(Units in thousands)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
2000 2001
General Merchandise
Exports
Parts and Accessories
Total Motorcycle Shipments
Export Percentage 27.3% 25.8% 23.5% 22.4% 19.9% 600
250 500
200 400
150 300
100 200
50 100
0 0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2000 2001
Year r
D.Operating Income
(Dollaramounts in millions)
ImiIIIDDIIBD...
..
ImmIIImBemJI 1mB Imm
$700
$600
$500
$400
$300
$200
$100
$0
Year
Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2001 Annual Report and 10-K.
CASE TWELVE
Hadey-Davidson,_.ary
InC.,2002,The1O0th
--!
Exhibit 9 World Registrations: Harley-Davidson, Inc. ~
I
Total
industry
~
Harley-
Davidson
Harley-Davidsonr market share
I 500
400
[ 300
200
100
A. North American 651+CC Motorcycle Registrations
(Units in thousands)
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
--"'mII---
lIIIlIIIm
50.0% 47.7% 46.2% 47.2% 47.2% 48.2% 47.2% 47.7% 44.6% 43.9%
1992-2001 North American 651+CC Motorcycle Registrations
Market Share
i
BMW3% Other5%
Harley-
Yamaha Davidson
9% 43%
Suzuki
11%
Ii
~
0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Year
1998 1999 2000 2001
" ,.
'I
['\
Total
industry
Harley-
Davidson
Harley-Davidson
market share
1992 1993
5.7% 6.1%
1994
7.1%
B. European 651+CC Motorcycle Registrations
(Units in thousands)
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
7.4% 6.8% 6.0% 5.8% 5.8% 6.8% 6.7%
Source:
350
2001 European 651+CC Motorcycle Registrations
300
250
200
150
uzuki
17%
100
50
0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Year
1998 1999 2000 2001
Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2001 Annual Report, p. 40.
12-16 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Exhibit 9 (continued)
C. Asia/Pacific 651+CC Motorcycle Registrations
(Units in thousands)
Total 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
industry n 69.2 63.1 62.7"
Harley-10.3 11.6 _12.2 l1li
Davidson
Harley-Davidson
market share 16.1% 18.7% 19.4% 20.1% 21.9% 16.4% 14.8% 18.5% 19.5% 20.4%
2001 Asia/Pacific 651+CC Motorcycle Registrations
70
60
Market Share
50
40
Ducati Suzuki
30 7% 13%
Kawasaki
20
16%
10
0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Year
styling of a custom.'2Liquid cooling allowed riders to rev a little
higher and hotter in each
gear, boosting acceleration. This was a giant step for a company so
stubbornly conservative that it had made only air-cooled engines for
100years;itsdesignersjust couldn'tbeartheidea of hanging a radiator on
the front of the bike. 23 The V-Rod was Milwaukee-based Harley-Davison
lnc.'s first truly new motorcycle in more than 50 years. A sleek machine
in the making for more than 6 years, the V-Rod was designed more for
speed and handling, unlike the company's immensely popular touring
bikes. The V-Rodwas one factor behind Harley-Davidson's strong financial
performance.
Harley-Davidson's Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Bleustein was well
aware of the popularity. He was on a local dealer's list, eagerly
awaiting the arrival of the V-Rod he had ordered a few months earlier.
24
As the company ramped up production, premiums on many models
disappeared. Chief
Financial Officer James L. Ziemer said Harley wanted to "narrow the gap"
between supply and demand in order to curb the long-standing-but
fast-diminishing-practice of selling bikes atapremium.'5The
newV-Rod's$17,000price taghad alsofailedto winyoungerbuyers.'6 To that
end, Harley had poured money into developing new, youth-oriented models.
The $17,000 Harley V-Rod-a low-slung, high-powered number known formally
as a sport performance vehicle and colloquially as a crotch rocket-was
meant for hard-charging youths. Harley had also tried to go young with
the Buell Firebolt ($10,000), its answer to Japanese sport bikes, and
the Buell Blast ($4,400), a starter motorcycle. But Buell, a subsidiary
Harley bought in 1998, had captured just 2% of the sport-bike market,
and Harley would make only 10,000 V-Rods in 2002. Bleustein insisted
that those numbers weren't the point: "These aren't one-shot deals.
These are whole new platforms from which many models will
proliferate."27
At the Detroit Harley-Davidson/Buell dealership in Center Line, Owner
Jim Loduca
commented: "This is the first time in 10 years that I've actually had
product on the floor available, but our sales are also up by 14 percent
this year. The company has watched this demand curve very carefully.
They are simply riding the wave. They know full well that it would be
Licensing31
Inventory
Marketing
CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The 1OOthAnniversary 12-17. .<,
'i'
I
catastrophic to saturate the market." He was also encouraged by Harley's
biggest product
departure in recent decades-the V-Rod muscle bike.28
Clay Wilwert, whose family has owned a dealership in Dubuque since 1959,
said, "But
guess what, as they rode it, they loved it. They said, 'Hey, this is
really cool that it doesn't
shake my hands asleep.' "29
Some Harley traditionalists say the V-Rod, styled to compete with
super-fast European
bikes, strayed too far from the company's all-American roots, which tend
to favor heavier
cruising machines. Dealerships sold them for several thousand dollars
over the $16,995 list price, and they're the talk of Bike Week.3O
Harley-Davidson endeavored to create an awareness of the
"Harley-Davidson" brand among the nonriding public and provided a wide
range of products for enthusiasts by licensing the name
"Harley-Davidson" and numerous related trademarks. Harley-Davidson had
licensed the production and sale of a broad range of consumer items,
including t-shirts, jewelry, small leather goods, toys, and numerous
other products (Licensed Products). It had also licensed the use of the
name in connection with a cafe located in Las Vegas. Although the
majority of licensing activity occurred in
the United States, Harley-Davidson continued to expand these activities
in international markets.
The licensing activity provided a valuable source of advertising and
goodwill. Licensing
has also proven to be an effective means for enhancing the corporate
image with consumers, and it provided an important tool for policing the
unauthorized use of the trademarks, thereby protecting the
Harley-Davidson brand and its use. Royalty revenues from licensing,
included in motorcycle segment net sales, were approximately $32
million, $31 million, and $26 million during 2001,2000, and 1999,
respectively. While royalty revenues from licensing activities were
relatively small, the profitability of this business was relatively
high.
There was the question about the inventory lag. In the past, there was
up to a two-year wait for a new Harley-Davidson bike. Current trends
predicted that the lag will drop to nearly zero, potentially leaving
inventory on the dealers' floor, a concept new to Harley-Davidson. "In
the end, there's more inventory out there," says Dean Gianoukos,
JPMorgan leisure-industry analyst. "The question is, is it because of
the economy? Because of people waiting to get the 2003's so they're not
buying the 2002 models? Or is it that, if you increase production every
year by 15%, you're going to eventually hit a wall?" He has a "long-term
buy" on the shares, JPMorgan's second-highest rating.32(See Exhibit 10
for Motorcycle Unit Shipments and Unit Sales for 2000 and 2001.)
Critics saw deeper problems for Harley. They said sales had slowed and
that Harley had
tried to mask the slowdown by pushing dealers to buy bikes they didn't
need-known as
channel stuffing-and allowing them to borrow to fund the purchases
through Harley's financial arm. Dealers may feel the need to take on
more inventory because their future allocations of hot models depend on
past purchases, analysts said. "There's no question there's a lot more
inventory on the dealer floor and the parent company has basically
shoved merchandise into the dealer network," said Doug Kass of Seabreeze
Partners, a hedge fund, who has sold shares of Harley stock short. The
company disagreed.3J
and Distribution34 "It's hard to put into words," said Joanne Bischmann,
Vice President of Marketing for Harley-Davidson. "We knew that
kicking-off Harley-Davidson's next 100 years was going to call for
something that couldn't easily be described in words, but would be an
unforget
12-18 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Exhibit 10
A.Motorcycle Unit Shipm~nts alld Net Sales: Harley-Qavidson, Inc.
Increase Percentage
2001 2000 (Decrease) Change
Motorcycle unit shipments
Harley-Davidson motorcycle units 234,461 204,592 29,869 14.6
Buell motorcycle units 9,925 10,189 (264) (2.6)
Totalmotorcycle units 244,386 214,781 29,605 13.8
Net Sales ($thousands)
Harley-Davidson motorcycles $2,630.1 $2,246.4 $383.7 17.1
Buell motorcycles 61.9 58.1 3.8 6.6
Total motorcycles 2,692.0 2,304.5 387.5 16.8
Motorcycle parts and accessories 507.3 447.9 59.4 13.3
General merchandise 163.9 151.4 12.5 8.2
Other 0.2 2.6 (2.4) (92.3)
Total motorcycles apd related parts $3,363.4 12,906.4 $457.0 15.7
B..2001Quarterly Motorcycle Shipments: Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 2001
Shipping days 60 64 59 62 245
Harley-Davidsonunits
Sportster 11,455 12,849 12,819 13,691 50,814
Custom 28,149 30,202 27,632 32,320 118,303
Tonnng 14,550 17,110 16,160 17,524 65,344 /
T'
Total 54,154 60,161 56,611 63,535 234,461
Domestic 40,210 48,018 45,071 53,616 186,915
International 13,944 12,143 11,540 9,919 47,546
Total 54,154 60,161 56,611 63,535 234,461
Buell units
Buell (excluding Blast) 1,593 1,757 1,878 1,208 6,436
Buell Blast 854 711 961 963 3,489
Total 2,447 2,468 2,839 2,171 9,925
-
Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2001 Annual Report, p. 42.
table Harley-Davidson experience for anyone who participated. We think
the Open Road
Tour fits the bi11."35
Marketing efforts are divided among dealer promotions, customer events,
magazine and
direct-mail advertising, public relations, cooperative programs with
Harley-Davidson/Buell
dealers,and,beginningin2002,televisionadvertising.In
1999,theHarley-Davidsonbegana five-year strategic alliance with the Ford
Motor Company that brought together resources to focus on a series of
technical and marketing ventures. Harley-Davidson also sponsored racing
activities and special promotional events and participated in all the
major motorcycle consumer shows and rallies.
The Harley Owners Group@, or "H.O.G.@", had approximately 660,000
members
worldwide in 2002 and was the industry's largest company-sponsored
motorcycle enthusiast
~, CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The 1OOthAnniversary 12-19 ;
.
organization. Harley-Davidson formed this riders' club in 1983, in an
effort to encourage
Harley-Davidson owners to become more actively involved in the sport of
motorcycling. The
E-commerce36
International
Distribution38
Buell Riders Adventure Group, or "BRAG@", was formed in recent years and
had grown to ;approximately 10,000 members. BRAG sponsored events,
including national rallies and I!i.rides, across the United States for
Buell motorcycle enthusiasts. !
Total expenditures on worldwide marketing, selling, and advertising were
approxi-\;
mately $203.1 million, $189.8 million, and $164.3 million during 2001,
2000, and 1999,
respectively.
Harley-Davidson's e-commerce capability had its first full year of
operation in 2001. Its
model was unique in the industry in that, while the online catalog was
viewed from the
Harley-Davidson web site, orders were actually distributed to the
participating authorized
Harley-Davidson dealer that the customer selected. In turn, the dealer
filled the order and
handled any after-sale services that the customer may require. In
addition to purchasing, cus-tomers actively browsed the site, created
and shared product wish lists, and utilized the dealer locator.
Sales37
Internationalsales were approximately$597 million,$585 million, and $537
million,account-ing for approximately 18%, 20%, and 22% of net sales of
the Motorcycles segment, during 2001,2000, and 1999,respectively.In
2001, Japan, Canada, and Germany,in that order,
repre-sentedthelargestinternationalmarkets andtogetheraccountedfor
approximately56%of inter-national sales. Harley-Davidsonended 2001 with
a 6.7% share of the European heavyweight
(651cc+) market and a 20.4% share of the Asia-Pacific (Japan and
Australia) heavyweight (651cc+)market.
The basic channel of distribution in the United States for its
motorcycles and related products
consistedofapproximately633independentlyownedfull-serviceHarley-Davidson
dealerships to which Harley-Davidson sold directly. This included 412
combined Harley-Davidson and Buell dealerships.There are no
Buell-onlydealerships.Withrespectto salesof newmotorcy-cles,
approximately 82% of the U.S. dealerships sold Harley-Davidson
motorcycles exclu-sively. All dealerships stocked and sold genuine
replacement parts, accessories, and MotorClothesTMapparel and
collectibles, and performed service for the Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
The company also sold a smaller portion of its parts and accessories and
general mer-
chandise through "non-traditional" retail outlets. The non-traditional
outlets, which are exten- sions of the main dealership, consisted of
Secondary Retail Locations (SRLs), Alternate Retail Outlets (AROs), and
Seasonal Retail Outlets (SROs). SRLs, also known as Harley Shops, were
satellites of the main dealership and were developed to meet the service
needs of riding customers. Harley Shops also provide replacement parts
and accessories and MotorClothes apparel and collectibles and were
authorized to sell new motorcycles. AROs were located primarily in
high-traffic areas such as malls, airports, or popular vacation
desti-nations and focus on selling the MotorClothes apparel and
collectibles and Licensed
' .12-20 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Products. SROs were located in similar high traffic areas, but operated
on a seasonal basis out of temporary locations such as vendor kiosks.
AROs and SROs were not authorized to sell new motorcycles. Presently,
there were approximately 65 SRLs, 50 AROs, and under 20 SROs located in
the United States.
Retail Customer and Dealer Financing
Management believed Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) and other
financial services companies provided adequate retail and wholesale
financing to Harley-Davidson's domestic and Canadian dealers and
customers. In Europe, HDFS provided wholesale financing to dealers
through a joint venture agreement with Transamerica Distribution Finance
Corporation. HDFS had exercised its option to terminate the joint
venture effective August 2002 and began serving the wholesale financing
needs of Harley-Davidson's European dealers at that time.39
Harley-Davidson Customer Base
" 'Fadsdon't havelOOthbirthdays,'boastsCEOJeffreyBleustein."4O
Harley-Davidson's customers were not what some people expected. They
expected
rough-and-tumble riders and did not expect that a good proportion of
Harley-Davidson riders were white-collar workers and executives who take
weekend relaxation on their bikes. Selected quotes from customers
follow:
"It's about an image-freedom of the road, hop on your bike and go,
independent living,
the loosing of the chains," said Dave Sarnowski, a teacher and Harley
rider from La Farge, Wisconsin!1
"The Harley people I know go to church, have jobs, shop at the mall,
just like everyone
else," said Angie Robison, 68, of Daytona Beach, who helps her husband
Joe run a motorcycle repair shop and Harley memorabilia/accessories
store. "I can wear my silks over here and /""-my leathers over there,
and I'm still the same person."42
"I worked at a computer all day for the city, and for me it's pure
relaxation. I wear the
leathers because they're protective."43
Impact of President Bush's Steel Tariffs Steel tariffs put in place in
2002 posed a threat to Harley-Davidson and other users of steel.
Sanctions were to "induce that party that would be subject to them to
bring itself in line"
with international trade rules, Spokesman Anthony Gooch said. "The best
way to avoid
them is to compensate," he said, adding that the tariffs would take
effect in May 2002. The IS-nation EU was protesting U.S. tariffs of as
much as 30% on some steel imports, which it said broke World Trade
Organization rules!4 Domestic steel buyers eager to circumvent the
three-year tariffs were sending lobbyists to make their case to the
President's administration.
Combine that with threats from Europe to retaliate against American
steel and
other goods-from Florida oranges to Harley-Davidson motorcycles-and the
result could
be loopholes big enough to drive a flatbed of cold-rolled sheet metal
through!5
Recession Resistance?
Harley had seen tremendous sales and stock price growth in spite of the
recession. However, some analysts questioned whether Harley-Davidson
would be hit by the deep recession the nation is facing, albeit later
than most U.S. companies. "For years, Harley-Davidson and the analysts
that cover the company have reported that the business is
recession-resistant. Given
~
CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The 1OOthAnniversary 12-21 \!
the recent changes in the economic and political landscape, this
assertion is being put to the test, and from what we can tell, is
ringing true. . . . Among 17Wall Street analysts tracked by Bloomberg
who cover the stock, 16 rate it buy and one hold."46But if the recession
persists, motorcycles, the critics say, are easily deferred purchases.
Harley's Ziemer said, "We always said we feel we are
recession-resistant, not recession-proof."47
Competition48 I
The heavyweight (651cc+) motorcycle market was highly competitive. Major
competitors were based outside the United States and generally had more
financial and marketing resources. They also had larger worldwide sales
volumes and were more diversified. In II addition to these larger,
established competitors, a growing segment of competition had emerged in
the United States. The new U.S. competitors generally offered
heavyweight motorcycles with traditional styling that competed directly
with many of Harley~ I: Davidson's products. These competitors currently
had production and sales volumes that were lower than Harley-Davidson's
and did not hold significant market share (see Exhibits ~ 11, 12, and
13.)
i
Exhibit 11 Worldwide Heavyweight Motorcycle Registration Data (Engine
Displacement of 651+cc)
(Units in thousands)
r ,.
I 2001
% Share
2001
Units
2000
% Share
2000
Units
1999
% Share
1999
Units ~
r North America! ,.A
l Harley-Davidson new registrations 43.9% 185.6 44.6% 163.1 47.7% 142.1
r Buell new registrations
Total cOmpanyregistrations
0.6%
44.5%
2.7
188.3
1.2%
45.8%
4.3
167.4
1.3%
49.0%
4.0
146.1
11 f Total market new registrations
Europe2
422.8 365.4 297.9
Harley-Davidson new registrations 6.7% 19.6 6.8% 19.9 5.8% 17.8
Buell new registrations 0.7% 2.2 0.6% 1.9 1.7% 2.1
I r
f
Total company registrations
Total market new registrations
Japan! Australia3
7.4% 21.8
293.6
7.4% 21.8
293.4
7.5% 19.9
306.7
f
Harley-Davidson new registrations
Buell new registrations
20.4%
1.0%
12.7
0.7%
19.5%
1.0
12.2
0.7%
2.5%
l.l
11.6
0.7
~ Total company registrations 21.4% 13.4 20.5% 12.9 3.6% 12.3
~ Total market new registrations 62.1 62.7 63.1
Ii Total
r
Harley-Davidson new registrations 28.0% 217.9 27.1% 195.2 25.7% 171.5
~ Buell new registrations 0.7% 5.6 0.9% 6.9 1.0% 6.8
r
Total company registrations
Total market new registrations
28.7% 223.5
778.5
28.0% 202.1
721.5
26.7% 178.3
667.7
~
Notes:
,i
1. Includes the United States and Canada. Data provided by the
Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). MIC revised its data for 2000. t2.
Includes Austria, Belgium, France,
SA
3. Data provided by JAMA and ABS.
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United
Kingdom. Data provided by Giral
.,
~ I Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., Form lOoK, p. 10.
12-22 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Exhibit 12
Market Share of 2001 2000 1999 1998
U.S.Heavyweight
Motorcycles
(Engine
New u.s. registrations (thousands of units)
Total market new registrations 394.3 340.0 275.6 227.1
Displacement
of651+cc)1
Harley-Davidson new registrations
Buell new registrations
Total company new registrations
177.4
2.6
180.0
155.1
4.2
159.3
134.5
-12
138.4
109.1
3.2
112.3
Percentage market share
Harley-Davidson motorcycles
Buell motorcycles
Total company
45.0%
0.7
45.7
45.6%
1.2
46.8
48.8%
-1A
50.2
48.1%
1.4
49.5
Honda 20.5 18.5 16.4 20.3
Suzuki 10.8 9.3 9.4 10.0
Kawasaki 8.0 9.0 10.3 10.1
Yamaha 7.9 8.4 7.0 4.2
Other 7.1 8.0 6.7 5.9
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Note:
1. Motorcycle registration and market share information has been derived
from data published by the Motorcyc1e Industry Council (MIC). MIC
revised its data for 1997 and 2000, and this table reflects tbexevised
data. Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc., Form IO-K, p. 9.
Competition in the heavyweight motorcycle market was based on a number
of factors,
including price, quality, reliability, styling, product features,
customer preference, and warranties. Harley-Davidson emphasized quality,
reliability, and styling in its products and offered a one-year warranty
for its motorcycles. It regards its support of the motorcycling
lifestyle in the form of events, rides, rallies, H.O.G.@, and its
financing through HDFS, as a competitive advantage. In general, resale
prices for used Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as-a percentage of prices
when new, are significantly higher than resale prices for used
motorcycles of competitors.
Domestically, Harley-Davidson competed most heavily in the touring and
custom segments of the heavyweight motorcycle market, which together
accounted for 79%, 78%, and 79% of total heavyweight retail unit sales
in the United States during 2001, 2000, and 1999, respectively.The
custom and touring motorcycles were generally the most expensivevehicles
in the market and the most profitable. During 2001, the heavyweight
segment including standard, performance, touring, and custom motorcycles
represented approximately 50% of the total U.S. motorcycle market
(on-and off-highway motorcycles and scooters) in terms of new units
registered.
For the last 14 years, Harley-Davidson has led the industry in domestic
(U.S.) unit
sales of heavyweight motorcycles. The market share in the heavyweight
market was 45.7% in 2001, compared to 46.8% in 2000. The market share
decreased slightly in 2001 as a result of the ongoing capacity
constraints, however, this share is still significantly greater than the
largest competitor in the domestic market, which ended 2001 with a 20.5%
market share.
Rider Training and Safety
"Increasingly, the motorcycle riders who are getting killed are in their
40s, 50s, and 60s,"
said Susan Ferguson, vice president for research at the Insurance
Institute for -Highway
Safety, which did the study!9Riders over 40 accounted for 40% of all
fatalities in 2000, up
CASE TWELVE Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2002: The 100th Anniversary 12-23
i Exhibit 13 Motorcycle Industry Registration Statistics (Units):
Harley-Davidson Inc.
u.s. and Canada
2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
651+cc volume 422,787 365,399 297,900 246,214 205,407
H-D volume 185,571 163,136 142,042 116,110 99,298
~
Buell volume 2,695 4,306 4,022 3,333 1,912
HDI total volume 188,266 167,442 146,064 119,443 101,210
I% change 651 +cc volume 15.7% 22.7% 21.0% 19.9% 15.1%
I 12.4% 14.6% 22.3% 18.0% 16.6%
I
% change HDI total volume
HDI market share 44.5% 45.8% 49.0% 48.5% 49.3%
I
Europe 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
f
651+cc volume 293,554 293,424 306,748 270,212 250,293
H-D volume 19,563 19,870 17,836 15,650 15,286
Buell volume 2,171 1,912 2,079 1,600 771
HDI total volume 21,734 21,782 19,915 17,250 16,057
Ij
% change 651+cc volume 0.4% -4.3% 13.5% 8.0% 11.4%
,r % change HDI total volume -0.2% 9.4% 15.4% 7.4% 4.6%
f, HDI market share 7.4% 7.4% 6.5% 6.4% 6.4%
~
Japan and Australia 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
~
l 651+cc volume 62,069 62,667 63,097 69,222 58,880
,
~ H-D volume 12,662 12,213 11,642 10,273 9,686
Buell volume 651 658 701 532 426
'IHDI total volume 13,313 12,871 12,343 10,805 10,112
i
% change 651+cc volume -0.9% -0.7% -8.8% 17.6% 57.4%
~
% change HDI total volume 3.4% 4.3% 14.2% 6.9% 20.8%
HDI market share 21.4% 20.5% 19.6% 15.6% 17.2%
Total
2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
651+cc volume 778,410 721,490 667,694 585,648 514,580
H-D volume 217,796 195,219 171,520 142,033 124,270
Buell volume 5,517 6,876 6,802 5,465 3,109
,:HDI total volume 223,313 202,095 178,322 147,498 127,379
~
% change 651 +cc volume 7.9% 8.1% 14.0% 13.8% 16.8%
% change HDI total volume 10.5% 13.3% 20.9% 15.8% 15.3%
HDI market share
28.7% 28.0% 26.7% 25.2% 24.8%
I:
Notes:
1.Dataprovided by R.L.Polk & Company (1991-1996), Motorcycle Industry
Council (1997-1998), Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council, Giral S.;\.,
AustralianJ3uteauof Statistics, and Japal). Automobile Manufacturers
Association.
2. 1'otalHDlvolume includes Portugal. 1'otal65l+cc volume does not
inclUde Portugal.
3. Tl1eseare actu::tlregistrations ofmototcycles. 1'l1e Harley-Davidson,
Inc., registrations are typically lower than actual sales due to the
tim. ing differences.
Source: www.harley-davidson.com.
from 14% in 1990. Part of the reason for the dramatic increase in older
bikers' deaths is the growing number of men and women over 40 buying
motorcycles, IIHS says.
In 2000, Harley-Davidson launched an instruction program called Rider's
Edge, run
through dealers. Rookies paid $225 or so for a 25-hour class. The
program had grown to 42 dealers in 23 states and graduated 3,800 riders
in 2002. Forty-fivepercent were women, 86%
12-24 SECTIONE Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
bought something, and 25% bought a Harley-Davidson or a Buell within
three months.
"Going into a Harley dealership can be intimidating," said Lara Lee, who
ran the program.
"We give them a home base and get them riding."5O
Motorcycle Manufacturing51
The ongoing manufacturing strategy was designed to increase capacity,
improve product
quality, reduce costs, and increase flexibility to respond to changes in
the marketplace.
Harley-Davidson incorporated manufacturing techniques focused on the
continuous
improvement of its operations designed to control costs and maintain
quality. These techniques, which included employee involvement,
just-in-time inventory principles, partnering agreements with the local
unions, high-performance work organizations, and statistical process
control, were designed to improve product quality, productivity, and
asset utilization in the production of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
The use of just-in-time inventory principles allowed it to minimize its
inventories of raw
materials and work in process, as well as scrap and rework costs. This
system also allowed quicker reaction to engineering design changes,
quality improvements, and market demands. Harley-Davidson has trained
the majority of its manufacturing employees in problem-solving and
statistical methods.
The company's management believed the worldwide heavyweight (651cc+)
market
would continue to grow and planned to continue to increase its
Harley-Davidson motorcycle production to have the capacity to sustain
its growth for units shipped. During 2001, Harley-Davidson began work on
plans for capacity expansion that would take place at two of the
existing manufacturing facilities. These plans included a
350,000-square-foot expansion at the York, Pennsylvania, assembly
facility and a 60,000-square-foot expansion at the
Tomahawk,Wisconsin,facility.Thecompanybeganits
investmentintheseplansduring2001 and continued to invest capital related
to these plans during 2002 and 2003. Based on the F"...
resultsachievedin 2001,the 2002 annualproductiontargetincreasedto
258,000HarleyDavidson units.
The manufacturing techniques employed at Buell, BMC, which were similar
to those of
the rest ofthe company,were designed toprovide cost control and quality
products in alowervolume environment. Its product development staff was
located in close proximity to the production facilities to ensure that
new product and model-year change activities were coordinated prior to
and during launch. The manufacturing techniques employed included
employee involvement with an emphasis on a highly flexible and
participative workforce. The new powertrain was produced at the
manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Missouri, through its joint
venture with Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany,formed in 1997.
Finally, Harley-Davidson operated an assembly operation in Brazil that
imported D.S.made components and subassemblies for final assembly in
Brazil. Assembling imported D.S.made components increased the
availability of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Brazil and reduced duties
and taxes, making them more affordable to a larger group of Brazilian
customers.
The facility, which had been operational since mid-1999, assembled
select motorcycle
models for the Brazilian market, with
2002volumeslessthan1,000unitsperyear.
Raw Material and Purchase Components52
Harley-Davidson has worked to establish long-term, mutually beneficial
relationships with its suppliers. Through these relationships,
Harley-Davidson gained access to technical and commercial resources for
application directly to product design, development, and manufacturing
initiatives. This strategy was resulting in improved product technical
integrity, appli
CASETWELVE Horley-David'on, Inc., 2002, The 1O0thAnnivc"a
cation of new features and innovations, reduced lead times for product
development, and ~ smoother/faster manufacturing ramp-up of new vehicle
introductions.
i! Harley-Davidson purchased all its raw materials, principally steel
and aluminum cast-
I~ ings, forgings, sheets and bars, and certain motorcycle components,
including carburetors, batteries, tires, seats, electrical components,
and instruments. It hasn't anticipated significant difficulties in
obtaining raw materials or components for which it relied on a limited
source of supply.
~; As part of its strategic plan for sustainable growth, the
Harley-Davidson Motor I
Company announced plans to move assembly of its Dyna Glide family of
motorcycles to
its facility in Kansas City, Missouri. All Dyna Glide models were
currently assembled in I York, Pennsylvania. "In our continuing efforts
to narrow the gap between supply and
demand, Harley-Davidson will relocate the Dyna line from York to Kansas
City,
Missouri," noted Motor Company President and Chief Operating Officer,
Jim McCaslin.
"The move is being made at this time to enable Harley-Davidson to more
fully utilizei these assets and increase capacity over time," said
McCaslin. The Dyna Glide family was
one of five families of motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson:
Sportster, Softail,
Dyna, Touring, and the new VRSC family. Dyna models represented
approximately 15%
iIf of their total production.53 Ultimately, Harley hoped to develop its
supplier web portal, www.H-dsn.com. Launched f in July 2000, it had
primarily been an accounts-payable network. Suppliers could log on and
review their accounts and do their own reconciliation. Harley's payables
department reported that since the portal was launched, it had seen a
90% drop in supplier phone calls from users.
'. In 2001, 83 suppliers were using the portal. They clicked in to
review shipping specifications ~ or access forms for product testing. In
2002, the site posted 12 months' worth of forecasted ~ volumes and
schedules for all suppliers. Also, H-dsn.com was expected to gain
transaction capabilities. This was especially helpful for smaller
suppliers that had been unable to hook up to Harley's existing EDI
system. "Our goal," said Cotteleer, "is to have the supplier doing their
own replenishing, using the site. They can see what our consumption
rates are, rather than trying to project based on historical
information."54
I Research and Development55
Harley-Davidson viewed research and development as significant in its
ability to lead the
market definition of touring and custom motorcycling and to develop
products for the perfor, mance segment. In recent years, it has
established a 218,000-square-foot Motor Company Product Development
Center (PDC), which is currently in the process of receiving a
165,000square-foot addition. It also owned and operated a
43,000-square-foot Buell research and development facility. The
innovative design of the PDC brought together employees from styling,
purchasing, and manufacturing with regulatory professionals and supplier
representatives to create a concurrent product and process development
methodology. They incurred research and development expenses of
approximately $80.7 million, $75.8 million, and $70.3 million during
2001, 2000, and 1999, respectively.
Patents and Trademarks56
r
Harley-Davidson owned patents that relate to its motorcycles and related
products and
processes for their production. It had increased its efforts to patent
its technology and certain motorcycle-related designs and to enforce
those patents. Management saw such actions as important as the money
moved forward with new products, designs, and technologies.
12-26 SECTION E Industry Two: Recreation and Leisure
Seasonality57
Regulations58
Trademarks were important to Harley-Davidson's motorcycle business and
licensing
activities. It had a vigorous global program of trademark registration
and enforcement to
strengthen the value of the trademarks associated with its products and
services, prevent the unauthorized use of those trademarks, and enhance
its image and customer goodwill.
Management believed the Harley-Davidson trademark and its Bar and Shield
trademark were each highly recognizable by the public and were very
valuable assets. The Buell trademark is well known in performance
motorcycle circles, as is the associated Pegasus logo. Management was
making efforts to ensure that each of these brands would become better
known as the Buellbusiness expanded.Additionally,the company uses
numerous other trademarks, trade names, and logos, which are registered
both in the United States and abroad. The following were among the
trademarks ofH-D Michigan, Inc.: Harley-Davidson, H-D, Harley, the Bar &
Shield logo, MotorClothes, the MotorClothes logo, Rider's Edge, Harley
Owners Group, H.O.G., the H.O.G. log
