Harley-Davidson CEO Steps Down After Sales Decline Due to ‘Woke’ Policies

Daily Fetched ^ | April 09, 2025 | Jason Walsh

[Red Badger]

Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz is set to step down from the company after years of declining sales, which many have attributed to his woke agenda.

The decades-old, world-famous company confirmed the news in a press release on Tuesday.

Zeitz oversaw the company’s recent sales decline, which ultimately resulted in a rollback of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

Between 2022 and 2024, motorcycle sales dropped in all but one quarter compared to the same quarter from the previous year, according to data from Harley-Davidson Investor Relations, via the Daily Caller.

In August, the company announced it would ditch DEI initiatives and restructure its Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs).

According to a post on SHRM CEO Action, the company described the BERGs as its “version of affinity groups and networks.”

Three of the BERGs — African American, Latina, and Asian — were labeled with racial or ethnic categories.

The reversal came after activist Robby Starbuck alleged the company “funded an all-ages pride event” that hosted drag queen story time, forced employees to train to be LGBTQ allies, and even dispatched white male employees to a segregated diversity training.

READ: VP JD Vance Issues Inspiring Message to Young Men: ‘We Want You Guys to Thrive’

Starbuck also said that Zeitz put his signature to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge.

Zeitz received backlash from the company’s customer base.

“Harley needs to stick with building bikes and leave the wokeness alone,” said Earnest Chapman, a 30-year Harley owner.

Another biker, 56-year-old Nick Randall, said, “I just can’t figure out why he was installed in that role if this is what is happening now,” adding, “They need to figure out a way to get rid of his ass.”

Zeitz appeared hell-bent on pushing his motorcycle company into wokeness, even declaring he would be transitioning their bikes to be all-electric.

He was so focused on environmental policies that he said he earned the moniker “sustainable Taliban” during a talk at the Zermatt Summit Foundation, a public interest group of business and other stakeholders.

Zeitz also slammed President Trump for withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords in 2017.

“Sadly with this decision the Trump Administration is choosing to turn its back on the rest of the world,” he said.

[Vision]

What a loser.

[Frank Drebin]

[FreedomPoster]

The real problem is how this was forced on all big companies by Blackrock, the big money center banks, and the like. THAT needs to be dealt with. You can’t fire Larry Fink. He needs to be called to account, among others.

[V_TWIN]

Other than routine maintenance the two I owned had zero issues.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

During summers in college, I returned to Milwaukee and worked as many seasonal jobs as possible (2-3) to earn money for the academic year ahead. In the summer of 1977, one of those jobs included doing inventory at the Harley-Davidson factory complex down in the industrial valley. Knowing nothing about Harley or its fortunes at the time, I knew something was very, very wrong from the disarray and imprecision of their parts warehouse. Tons of unlabeled stuff in huge dusty bins. This was before bar coding, but it was clear they had no accurate idea of what they had on hand. I left there after a week of counting with a not-too-optimistic view of Harley's future. That was about 2 years before their absolute nadir. Later, after Reagan's protective tariffs gave them some breathing room it was all success for essentially 3 decades. Hate to see nonsense like this distracting them. The electric bike is interesting, but at that price point, it is not going to be profitable. They need to understand who they are, who their customers are and what they want, and deliver it, not woke shizzle that absolutely none of their customer base is asking for.

[Myrddin]

I have a 2009 Fat Bob and 2008 Sportster. Both purchased used. The guy with the Sporty couldn't make his payments anymore. I paid off his balance and picked up the bike. The Fat Bob was sold by a woman in an HOA situation. I paid $12k used. On the way home, I stopped by the dealer where she had purchased it. All the maintenance records were there. It was a rental initially. It had been laid down once. The woman who sold it was the 3rd owner. I had lots of deferred maintenance to do on it. After getting up to safe standards, I rode it round trip between Pocatello and San Diego.

Current new prices are way too high at Harley. I may need to sell off some of my bikes if they turn out to be too heavy to handle after my cancer festivities last year. It's almost riding season.

[Red Badger]

My wife’s HD has ‘electrical’ problems..................

[The Duke]

Who could have predicted this?!?!

[Red Badger]

[RinaseaofDs]

Now do the BOD.

[Flavious_Maximus]

CEO Jochen Zeitz, is no doubt part of the zeitgeist. /spit

[cymbeline]

I looked at the new bikes. More feminine looking than tough looking. Too much color splashed over them.

[Red Badger]

My next new bike will be an Indian...............

[ridesthemiles]

WHEN I LIVED IN MILWAUKEE IN THE EARLY 60’s-—

THE BEST JOBS AVAILABLE & MOST SOUGHT AFTER WERE AT HARLEY DAVIDSON & FALK GEAR.

FALK GEAR MADE GEARS FOR LARGE SHIPS.

[Redleg Duke]

FAFO!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Motorcycle sales in general have been trending lower, mostly due to younger generations being less interested in owning them compared to in the past.

I loved riding but gave it up because I knew if I kept rolling the dice I'd eventually hit the jackpot. Knew a couple of people who did.

They don't call them donorcycles for nothing.

[lee martell]

I’m sure the riding experience was thrilling, but you are wise to keep in mind it’s a high risk way to have fun.
There is a similar saying that you don’t see a lot of Old, bold Pilots.

[vetvetdoug]

I don't understand HD. First they allow AMF to destroy the brand. They boot AMF and build back the brand and then hire a liberal woke Zeitz to destroy the brand again. Is HD a representative of the people in Wisconsin?

[ViLaLuz]

The LEFT seems incapable of learning even the simplest of things.
....................................

Because sociopaths live in a fantasy world of delusion.

[Red Badger]

I don’t know about the people of Wisconsin, but a CEO’s first duty is to the stockholders and they were pissed............