A Quick Look at the Harley-Davidson Lineup

For over a century, the pulse-pounding throb of Harley-Davidson’s signature 45 degree V-twin motor has been the anthem of the open road. America’s two-wheeled crown jewel, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company has influenced generations of riders with a long line of motorcycles. Today,
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these motorcycles are represented by five different base series, which include the Sportster, Softail, Dyna, Touring, and VRSC models. Although they share many similarities, each has their own distinct personality and heritage.

Sportster Series (XL)
Intended for racing, the Sportster was introduced in 1957 and became Harley-Davidson’s original bad boy motorcycle. Smaller in stature and decidedly more sporty, the Sportster has become mount of choice for riders that desire an aggressive and nimble motorcycle. The Sportster series shares the same signature 45-degree “fork and knife” V-twin motor employed by the majority of the Harley-Davidson lineup. Although displacement sizes have changed over the years, current Sportster models are available with 883cc and 1200cc Evolution motors. Current variations of the Sportster include the XL883L Low, the XL1200N Nightster, and the dirt-track inspired XR1200.

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The news mostly has been bad for Harley-Davidson recently. The iconic American brand is selling a lot fewer motorcycles than it did in the giddy days of this decade, when some dealers charged more than sticker price for popular models.

The publicly owned company will cut about 1,100 employees this year and is looking for about $100 million in labor concessions from union members next year, according to published reports. Dealerships are closing throughout the country, and owners with multiple locations are consolidating.

But, if Harley-Davidsons are a hard sell, you wouldn’t have known it Saturday afternoon at the shop near downtown Fresno on Blackstone Avenue. The service bays in back were full. New bikes crowded the showroom and spilled onto a side street. Melissa Walters greeted a steady flow of regular customers by name.

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Harley-Davidson Inc. has named John Olin as its new permanent chief financial officer, effective immediately.

Olin, 48, has served as interim CFO at Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) since May 1. He has worked as Harley-Davidson Motor Co.’s vice president and controller since joining the organization in May 2003.

“John is a seasoned financial executive with domestic and global experience who is deeply knowledgeable about our business,” said Keith Wandell, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson Inc. “He has also demonstrated strong leadership in guiding our financial group as interim CFO.”

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