Indian mayority stake sold

[Petrus]

Polaris has sold its stake in Indian to an L.A. based private equite firm.

HD´s situation may be even more tricky. Their new CEO is a specialist in prepairing/reorganising companies for sale.

Whatever the consequences for the owners(hip) of the thus branded motorbikes, these are issues we do nót face with a BMW cruiser.

 

[LBV]

We don't face them because there will be no more R18 cruiser from BMW it appears. Either 2025 will be the last year or will it be 2026?

 

[MilwDave]

CEO comparisons
Indian = OEM, Dealer, Aftermarket experience
Harley Davidson = Shies, Pizza, Golf experience

I know which one I’m betting on.

 

[Petrus]

We don't face them because there will be no more R18 cruiser from BMW it appears. Either 2025 will be the last year or will it be 2026?

The company, dealer network and all stays the same stable platform. Continuity of support.

 

[Petrus]

Back to the Indian and Harley companies.
The respective choices of CEOs are imo more indicative of the future for the brands even though neither can be compared withe the BMW executive fortress.
Indian has a motorcycle guy whereas HD has not. What their brief from the executives is, remains to be seen as is what will happen with the companies 5 -7 years down the road.
I thínk Indian will get a boost and a stronger still competitor, whereas Harley will respond less astute to the technical and marketing challenges.
I also would not be surprised if bóth were to be sold off (agaín) at that point in time.

Mind, executive/investor manipulations need not necessarily affect owners whereas management, like a CEO, doés.

 

[Petrus]

After a long weekend of ´annalising´ on the internet...
... I think even just the topic title is more accurate than most writings.

Obviously it all remains to be seen, but I think the crux lies in two things.
1. HD marketed themselves into a corner with their american freedom thing, whereas Indian has a lot more freedom to play with their image.
2. The Indian CEO is a motorcycle guy with deep insight into HD and thus in what is holding them back whereas the HD CEO is a shuttled in manager.

All in all I think that by this shares shift the Indian leadership has been given ,ore funding to develop the brand.
The nagging thought is that the main shareholder is a real estate developer and Indian plants are prime real estate but then why attract a motorcycle guy mónths ahead of the deal?
Interesting times ahead for the motorcycle world as even though it is mainly an american thing not affecting BMW or Ducati sales in Europe p.e., the two and especially HD áre a huge chunk of worldwide motorcycle image.

 

[BAD MIKE USA]

and, what about HONDA? BMW, Indian and Harley aren't even in the top 10 in numbers produced worldwide. Honda is by far #1. Niche manufacturers?

 

[Petrus]

and, what about HONDA? BMW, Indian and Harley aren't even in the top 10 in numbers produced worldwide. Honda is by far #1. Niche manufacturers?

Honda are up there with some Indian and Chinese illustrating my point. Even though HD are a huge thing in the image of motorcycles, in world wide in sales they are an also ran outside of the US.

 

[BAD MIKE USA]

I love my niche 2021 BMW R18 CLASSIC FE.

 

[Petrus]

I love my niche 2021 BMW R18 CLASSIC FE.

well, it does not figure anywhere near important on my list of priorities but it sure is a bonus feel good when you receive positive responses about the bike.

Totally off topic though
Again; although on the ww sales tables, neither of the two US heritage brands is a top runner, the image thing só cultivated by HD sure is of major importance for the motorcycle world.
If you want a parallel it is like Vespa in the scooter world. It is not a top seller ww but it ís THE most important scooter image.
As such the developments with HD and Indian are important for the motorcycle industry.

Two last examples:
- Royal Enfield is outselling the two americans with a difference. Also the bikes are not anywhere near going for the same customers. Yet the two latest RE models are a 350 single and a 650 twin bobber. Without the american bobber thing they would not exist.
- Near Madrid (and elsewhere in Europe) there is a motorcycle manufacturar assembling 125 to 300 cc. V twin HD sportster clones. They sell very well. From accross the street the average bloke will see them as a HD. This would not exist without the image thing.



As a side observation, the 1953 movie The Wild One has been a crucial fundament for the cultivation of the biker image, of HD identity. The hilarious bit is that our heroe Marlon Brando rode a Triumph Thunderbird 6T