Harley-Davidson Turnaround: The Back to the Bricks Plan
The Harley-Davidson turnaround plan, Back to the Bricks, follows a year in which global retail sales of new motorcycles fell 12% to 132,535 units, according to Harley-Davidson's February 10, 2026 results. Artie Starrs, who became President and CEO in October 2025 after leading Topgolf, calls 2026 a transition year, and the plan targets dealer health, a wider product range and clearer marketing.
Why did Harley-Davidson need a reset?
Harley-Davidson needed a reset because retail sales, shipments and dealer stock all moved the wrong way in 2025. The February results report global retail sales of 132,535 units, down 12%, and global shipments of 124,477, down 16%. The motorcycle business posted an operating loss of $29 million, and dealer inventory of new motorcycles ended the year down 17% from the end of 2024.
Axios reported that the sales decline was the fourth straight year of falling retail sales, which it put at 32% below 2021. Starrs described the company's response in the release as deliberate actions to stabilize the business, restore dealer confidence and align wholesale activity with retail demand.
What is Back to the Bricks?
Back to the Bricks is the growth strategy Harley-Davidson announced with its first quarter 2026 results on May 5, 2026. Powersports Business lists its parts as a more accessible product range, income from parts, finance and used bikes, targeted promotions with pricing discipline, wholesale shipments matched to retail demand, and better dealer profitability. The table sets each part against the evidence reported so far.
Part of the plan
What Harley-Davidson says
Evidence reported
Dealer health
Match wholesale to retail and raise dealer profits
Global dealer inventory down 17% in the second quarter, with 85% of stock now current model year, per Powersports Business
Product range
Add the H-D Sprint lightweight bike and bring back the Sportster in 2027, built on existing platforms
Second quarter company presentation says the Super Glide launch exceeded expectations and the Sprint and Sportster launches are on track
Marketing
Launch a new RIDE marketing platform
First quarter release cites a positive early reception
Sales channel
Send shoppers to dealers
Starrs said the earlier e-commerce strategy had not delivered the intended results, per a fourth quarter call transcript
What do the 2026 results show so far?
The 2026 results show North American retail growth in each reported quarter and softer results outside North America. Harley-Davidson's own second quarter presentation counts the quarter as its third consecutive quarter of year-over-year retail growth in North America, led by touring motorcycles.
The first quarter figures come from the May 5, 2026 results release and the second quarter figures from a second quarter call transcript. In the July 23, 2026 release, Starrs said Harley-Davidson was raising full-year guidance and cited market share gains. According to Powersports Business, he also said he expects domestic dealer profitability to double in 2026.
How is Harley-Davidson talking to riders?
Harley-Davidson talks to riders as members of a community, and it is testing a new RIDE marketing platform. On the fourth quarter call, Starrs said Harley-Davidson riders are "joyful, passionate, and community creators," and that the brand celebrates riders and the communities they build. The results releases do not describe the RIDE platform in detail, so its effect on sales is not yet measurable.
What risks remain for the Harley-Davidson turnaround?
The main risks are weaker demand outside North America and the pace of the new product launches. Second quarter retail in Europe, the Middle East and Africa fell 9%, according to the call transcript, and Starrs called 2026 a transition year. Motorcycle.com reported that second quarter motorcycle revenue rose 9% to $848 million and motorcycle operating income reached $72 million, up from $61 million a year earlier, in a second quarter report.
CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson told Axios in February that Harley-Davidson appeared to be using price cuts and incentives to slow its volume decline. The company's stated plan is pricing discipline, so price realization is a figure to watch.
What can brand marketers take from Harley-Davidson?
Brand marketers can take three checks from Harley-Davidson, each tied to a figure the company or its dealers reported.
Check
Harley-Davidson example
Figure
Fix distribution before the message
Cut dealer stock to match retail demand
Dealer inventory down 17% globally, 85% current model year
Widen the entry point without changing the core
H-D Sprint lightweight bike and the Sportster's return
Harley-Davidson's reset begins with dealer stock and product entry points, and the marketing message follows them. The next reported quarters will show whether North American growth holds as the Sprint and Sportster arrive.
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