2025 Harley Davidson Model Predictions

Summary

In this video, the host speculates on Harley-Davidson's future motorcycle lineup, focusing on potential changes to the Softail series and touring models. With the 40th anniversary of the Softail and a possible new gauge system, the host predicts updates to modernize the line. Discussions include the possibility of a facelift for the Limited and Road Glide Limited, and the potential introduction of a street-focused Pan America model. The host also considers which models might be discontinued due to slow sales and the impact of the touring bike price drop.

Takeaways

• 🕒 The video discusses the possibility of changes in Harley-Davidson motorcycle models, particularly around the midyear and end of the year.
• 🎨 Harley-Davidson is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Softail, hinting at a potential special edition or changes to this model line.
• 📉 The Softail lineup is perceived as stale, with the Low Rider S experiencing a slowdown in sales, possibly due to more competitively priced Touring models.
• 🛠️ The presenter suggests that a new gauge system, similar to the Sportster S, could modernize and enhance the Softail lineup.
• 💸 There's skepticism about a price drop for Softail models, but a slight reduction could make them more appealing, especially in comparison to Touring bikes.
• 🛣️ The Road Glide and Street Glide models might receive a facelift rather than being discontinued, despite speculation about their future.
• 🏍️ The Tri Glide and RG3 models are expected to get new fairings, aligning with the modernization of Harley-Davidson's motorcycle designs.
• 📉 Certain models like the Softail Standard and Road King Special are predicted to be discontinued due to slow sales and close competition from other models.
• 🏁 There's a potential for a new Pan America 'Street' model, influenced by the customization trends and performance seen in the Hooligan class racing.
• 🔮 The video concludes with speculation on future models, including a possible Street-based Pan America, based on current trends and historical patterns of model development at Harley-Davidson.

Q & A

What is the significance of December for Harley-Davidson models?

December is significant because it's when carryover models are revealed, providing clues about which bikes will not receive changes other than color updates.

Why might Harley-Davidson not release a midyear bike this year?

The speaker speculates that the absence of a midyear bike could be due to the company's strategy to streamline offerings under the Hardwire program initiated by the CEO.

How does the Softail lineup's staleness affect sales?

The Softail lineup has become stale, leading to decreased sales, especially with the Touring bike prices coming down, offering a closer price point and perceived better value.

What is the author's opinion on the future of the Softail lineup?

The author is skeptical about a brand new Softail model but suggests that a new gauge system, similar to the Sportster S, could add excitement and modernize the lineup.

Why might a price drop for Softail models be unlikely?

A price drop is considered unlikely due to the close pricing to the Touring models, which offer more features and are perceived as better value.

What changes does the speaker predict for the Limited and Road Glide Limited models?

The speaker predicts a facelift for these models, including the possibility of new fairings, rather than them being discontinued or replaced by customizable versions of the Street Glide or Road Glide.

Why does the speaker think the Tri Glide and RG3 models will receive new fairings?

The speaker believes these models will get updated fairings to modernize their look and because Harley-Davidson is unlikely to continue producing the Rushmore fairing for anything other than parts.

Which models does the speaker think might be discontinued?

The speaker thinks the Softail Standard and Road King Special might be discontinued due to their close pricing to other models with more features and slower sales.

What is the significance of the St models for Harley-Davidson?

The St models were introduced as a performance bagger option, born from King of the Bagger race bikes, offering a taller sit and bigger engine.

Why does the speaker believe a street-based Pan America model might be introduced?

The speaker notes a trend of Pan America customization towards street biking, Harley-Davidson's investment in the model, and the company's history of creating models based on customer modifications.

What does the speaker think about the future of CVO St models?

The speaker is unsure if CVO St models will continue, but they believe they might stick around for at least another year due to Harley-Davidson's investment in the model.

Outlines

00:00

🏍️ Speculations on Harley-Davidson's Midyear Bike Release

The speaker begins by expressing their anticipation for Harley-Davidson's potential midyear bike release, despite it being early for such discussions. They note the absence of a carryover model by December, which traditionally signals unchanged models aside from color. The speaker also points out the lack of a midyear bike announcement in September, which is unusual. They speculate on the possibility of a special Softail model due to the 40th anniversary of the Softail and discuss the Softail lineup's stagnation. The speaker, a fan of the Low Rider ST, observes a slowdown in sales, attributing it to the competitive pricing of Touring bikes. They suggest that a new gauge system, similar to the Sportster S, could revitalize the Softail lineup by adding modern features like built-in navigation and ride modes. The speaker is skeptical about a price drop but believes a slight reduction could boost sales, especially for models like the Low Rider ST, which is close in price to Touring bikes.

05:01

🛠️ Predicting Changes to Harley-Davidson's Touring Lineup

The speaker continues by discussing potential updates to Harley-Davidson's Touring lineup, specifically the Limited and Road Glide Limited models. They address rumors of these models being discontinued in favor of customizable options from base models like the Street Glide and Road Glide. The speaker doubts this due to the current engine guards not being compatible with the Limited's features. They predict a facelift for these models instead, using up the last of the Rushmore-style fairings. The speaker also speculates on the possibility of the Tri Glide and RG3 models receiving new fairings, modernizing their look. They express their preference for the Batwing fairing and predict that it, combined with integrated turn signals, would appeal to many customers. The speaker then discusses bikes they believe might be discontinued, such as the Softail Standard and Road King Special, due to their proximity in price to more feature-rich models and a shift in customer preferences.

10:02

🏁 The Future of Harley-Davidson's Performance and CVO Models

In the final paragraph, the speaker delves into the future of Harley-Davidson's performance-oriented models, particularly the ST models like the Road Glide ST and Street Glide ST. They question the持续性 of these models given the decline in sales and the fact that they are now only available as CVO models. The speaker suggests that Harley-Davidson might continue to produce the CVO ST for another year due to the significant investment in its development. They also touch upon the potential for a new Street-focused Pan America model, drawing parallels between the customization trends they've observed in the Pan America community and Harley-Davidson's history of releasing models that align with popular aftermarket modifications. The speaker concludes by acknowledging the unpredictability of Harley-Davidson's future releases and invites viewers to share their thoughts on the matter.

Keywords

💡Softail

The Softail is a line of motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson. It is a key model for the company, celebrating its 40th year in production as mentioned in the video. The term is central to the discussion as the script speculates on the future of this model line, including potential updates or discontinuations. The video suggests that the Softail lineup might be 'spiced up' with new features to revitalize interest, indicating its importance to Harley-Davidson's motorcycle offerings.

💡Carryover models

Carryover models refer to motorcycle models that are carried over from one year to the next with minimal changes, usually limited to color options. In the context of the video, the speaker is using the availability of carryover models as an indicator to predict which bikes might not receive significant updates, suggesting a method for forecasting Harley-Davidson's product strategies.

💡Midyear bike

A midyear bike typically refers to a new motorcycle model introduced by a manufacturer in the middle of the model year, rather than at the start. The video script raises questions about whether Harley-Davidson will release a midyear bike, speculating on the implications for the company's product lineup and strategies.

💡Hardwire program

The Hardwire program is an initiative by the CEO of Harley-Davidson aimed at streamlining the company's product offerings. The video discusses how this program might influence the range of motorcycles available, including the potential for discontinuing certain models to focus on a more refined selection.

💡Gauge system

In the context of motorcycles, a gauge system refers to the instrumentation used to display information such as speed, RPM, and other vital data to the rider. The video suggests that updating the gauge system, particularly to include modern features like built-in navigation, could be a way for Harley-Davidson to enhance the appeal of their Softail models.

💡Rushmore style fairings

Rushmore style fairings are a specific design of motorcycle fairings that were introduced by Harley-Davidson as part of the Rushmore Project in 2013. The video speculates that these fairings might be phased out in favor of a new design, indicating a significant change in the aesthetic and possibly the functionality of certain Harley-Davidson models.

💡Tri Glide

The Tri Glide is a specific model of Harley-Davidson motorcycle known for its three-wheel configuration. The video discusses the potential for this model to receive a new fairing design, which could modernize its look and appeal to customers, highlighting the importance of design updates in maintaining a motorcycle's market presence.

💡Street Glide

The Street Glide is a popular touring motorcycle model from Harley-Davidson. The video script mentions the Street Glide in the context of sales and customer preferences, noting that it offers a perceived better value compared to other models like the Low Rider S, due to its features and price point.

💡Bagger race

A bagger race typically refers to a type of motorcycle racing that involves bagger-style motorcycles, which are characterized by their large, touring-oriented designs. The video connects the development of certain Harley-Davidson models, like the St models, to the bagger racing scene, suggesting that the company's product development is influenced by performance trends in this niche racing category.

💡Pan America

The Pan America is Harley-Davidson's adventure touring motorcycle model. The video speculates on the potential for a street-oriented variant of the Pan America, based on trends observed in customer modifications and the company's historical tendency to respond to market trends with new model offerings.

Highlights

Discussion on the possibility of a new Harley-Davidson model being released in December, based on carryover models.

Speculation about the absence of a midyear bike release and its potential impact on the market.

CEO's initiative to streamline Harley-Davidson's product offerings.

Celebration of the 40th year of Softail production and its significance.

Analysis of the Softail lineup's current market staleness and sales trends.

Comparison of the Low Rider ST's initial success with its current sales performance.

Impact of Touring bike price reductions on Softail sales.

Skepticism about the introduction of a new Softail model and suggestions for improvements.

Proposal for a new gauge system similar to the Sportster S to modernize the Softail lineup.

Discussion on the potential for a price drop for Softail models to boost sales.

Concerns about the aging Low Rider S model and the need for innovation.

Speculation on the future of the Limited and Road Glide Limited models.

Opinion on the possibility of the Limited models being customizable through dealerships.

Prediction of a facelift for the Limited models and the potential for new fairing styles.

Belief in the modernization of the Tri Glide and RG3 models with updated fairings.

Prediction that the Softail Standard may be discontinued due to its proximity in price to the Street Bob.

Concerns about the Road King Special's sales and its potential discontinuation.

Discussion on the possibility of reintroducing the Road King Standard.

Analysis of the sales performance of the CVO Rad Glide ST and its potential future.

Speculation on the potential development of a street-based Pan America model.

Observation of the trend in customizing Pan America models for street use.

Prediction of a potential Pan America ST model for the 2025 model year.

Mention of the potential leak of information about upcoming models and the importance of staying tuned for more updates.

Transcripts

this is easily my wildest prediction to

date but stick around to the end of the

video and I think you'll see that I'm

not as crazy as I'm going to sound at

first now 3 and 1/2 months may seem a

little bit premature to start having

this conversation but hear me out

December that's when we get our

carryover models which gives us a big

clue on the bikes that are not getting a

change other than the color now another

thing that I found strange was it's the

middle of September at the time of

putting out this video and we still

don't have a midyear bike now are we

even going to get one this year the very

popular CEO of Harley-Davidson has

started this hardwire program to dwindle

down the offerings from Harley-Davidson

and kind of refine them streamline

everything so do we even get a midyear

bike and if we do does Harley just kind

of ride it in so let's start with the

soft tales and I want to start there

because Harley Davidson is celebrating

their 40th year of the soft tail being

in production so it's possible that the

midyear bike will be some kind of

special soft tail but even if it's not I

think that we can all agree the Softtail

lineup has gotten a bit stale now I am a

big big fan of the low rider St and

still am but let's be honest there was a

lot of Buzz around that bike when it

came out sales did really good in the

beginning uh you go to your local Harley

dealership and they are all over the

sales floor so that tell tells you that

sales on those things have slowed down

and I think one thing that csed that is

the Touring bike prices coming down kind

of bridge that Gap where they're a lot

closer in price than they were

previously for a little bit more money

you get something on the touring chassis

that people perceive as a better value I

would have to agree I don't necessarily

care about having the music in the

fairing but it is a really nice

comfortable platform that kind of does

it all now other than a brand new model

which I'm just very skeptical that we're

going to see don't get me wrong I would

love to see a brand new soft tail I'm

just skeptical that that happens other

than that what can Harley-Davidson do to

spice things up for the soft tailes now

one thing that I've been calling for for

a while now is a new gauge system

something like on the Sportster s and I

know a lot of the older crowd doesn't

like that they still want the analog

Speedo and RPM gauge but I think moving

into the future all the other

manufacturers are already doing this

Harley-Davidson is kind of late to the

dam

which is standard practice for

Harley-Davidson now in their defense

usually when they bring something they

do get it right in in these regards if

you put that Sportster s gauge on the

soft tails now you have built-in

navigation you have all these other

features you could also integrate ride

modes with that those are two features I

think would be a huge benefit to the

soft tael lineup to kind of wake those

up and add some excitement to that line

now the other question is could we see a

price drop like we did with the touring

bikes I'm kind of skeptical of that but

as I said with like the low rider St

it's just so close to that touring bike

money I think if they brought it down

just a little bit it would be appealing

again let's say 20 grand instead of the

I think it's $22

$23,000 I think that 20 grand price

point but then you have to take the low

rider s which I'll be honest big fan of

that bike as well it's very long in the

tooth it's time to shake things up and

do something different on that

motorcycle so let's move on to our

limiteds you have the limited and you

have the Road Glide limited now I've

seen a lot of videos recently with

people speculating that those bikes were

going to go away completely and then you

would just buy a Street Glide or a Road

Glide and you would build that into your

limited I'm a little unsure of that just

because of right now as it stands with

the current engine guards on the touring

bikes you can't just Mount lowers onto

that bike so yeah you can get the King

tour pack put the lights and it do all

the stuff and you are at like a $6,500

difference if you want a limited versus

if you want a street or Rog Glide so I

do think you could do it financially and

make it make sense uh I think that would

be a dealership thing obviously I think

you would handle all that at the dealer

and maybe Harley is looking to do that I

for one just don't see it happening that

way I think what we're going to get is a

facelift on those bikes I think

Harley-Davidson was probably a using up

the last of their inventory for those

Rushmore style fairings and I think they

want to give their older customers a

chance if you want to buy a brand new

limited you kind of see the writings on

the wall they're probably going to

change to the new body style if you're

not interested in that well here's a

brand new limited for you to go ahead

and ride out in your golden years which

also raises another good question are

the triglide and RG3 models going to get

the new fairing I would have to say so I

can't see Harley wanting to keep

producing that Rushmore fairing other

than just for parts for damages Etc to

the Rushmore bikes so I do believe those

bikes will get the updated Fairing and I

think they' look good I think that will

really modernize those strikes and make

them look cool especially the triglide

I'm a big fan I'm holding out with the

Batwing I'm a Batwing kind of guy so I

think that batwing with those integrated

turn signals on a Tri Glide will speak

to a lot of people and I think those

will do well now as for bikes that I

think are going away I said last year I

thought the softel standard was gone I

think a lot of other people were

predicting that I'm going to go with

that again this year I just feel like

it's too close in price to the street

bob and with the street bob you get two

up from the factory you get a little bit

more displacement in your engine and a

slightly better looking bike for not

that much more money the Softtail

standard is also the last Milwaukee 8

that's available in 7 cubic inch so if

Harley does away with that they can do

away with that issue as well now another

bike that I hate to put on this list is

the road king special so we lost the

road king standard already and a lot of

people were upset by that rightfully so

the road king special just doesn't have

that same iconic Harley-Davidson look

that same classic styling uh it comes

all blacked out and stuff I don't think

that's what the road king customers want

and sales prove that I still love that

bike but I see them in dealerships they

are very very slow movers once again

you're really close to Street Glide Road

Glide money for a little bit more you

get the fairing you get the big

infotainment screen you get the speakers

you get all this other stuff and it's

just not that classic styling that a lot

of the Harley guys are after so I hate

to say it but I think the road king

special could be on the chopping block

now do they regroup and bring the road

king standard back I would love to see

it I'm just I'm skeptical that that

happens and now for those that have

stuck with me we're going down a very

very very deep Rabbit Hole so let's

start with the rad Glide and Street

Glide St models which we technically

don't have anymore so you do have a

Touring bike that's an st but it's a CVO

rad Glide St it's not just a regular St

and also carries that CVO badge on it so

as We Know from Harley-Davidson they

like to switch up their cvos so if next

year they don't do a CVO St model do we

have an st at all now I think it's very

likely that the CVO St could stick

around for at least another year it's an

amazing bike I've done a lot of videos

on it I just did one with a 135 in it

that thing is amazing but one thing I've

noticed and again sales sales are just

down period but one thing I've noticed

is when the bikes used to come in were

sold before they got to the dealership

now if you check people's websites you

call around you stop by dealership it's

fairly likely that you'll see one on the

sales floor which means they were hot

now they're kind of fading off so does

Harley take note of that and get rid of

that bike I doubt it and I say that

because I feel like they they're a

little too invested in that bike to just

go ahead and ax it after one more year I

think we'll get it for a second year and

I believe that will be the only

model in the touring lineup just like it

was this year now let's go just a little

bit further down that rabbit hole so why

did Harley-Davidson make the St models

those bikes were born of King of the

bagger race bikes so this was supposed

to be kind of a a good starting point if

you will if if you're interested in a

performance bagger this is the one to go

with sits up a little bit taller had the

bigger engine when it came out didn't

have the stretch bags had a little bit

smaller Fender in my opinion was the

best looking Touring bike when it came

out but here's something I think not

enough people are talking about the

bagger class is not the only class for

Harley-Davidson racing they also have a

hooligan class and what do all of the

Harley-Davidson teams run in the

hooligan class they run the Pan America

and I must say those bikes look amazing

and from what I've heard they perform

really really really well to the point

where some of the other teams were

boycotting and wanting rules changed and

uh weight things in place just to kind

of even the field back up when the pan

Amica first started racing so a lot of

you probably already see where I'm going

with this but for those that don't let's

look at this Harley-Davidson usually

puts out a bike they wait you know

roughly 2 to 5 years to kind of see what

people are doing with it and then all of

a sudden we get a model that kind of

matches what everybody else has been

doing to their bike already now if

you're like me and you're scrolling

Instagram nonstop all day long you'll

notice a trend with the panamas out

there all the panamas that I'm seeing

out in the wild that are getting some

serious money put into them aren't to

turn them into more Adventure bikes

they're turning them into street bikes

uh going as far as as putting slicks on

these things making the front ends look

a little ier making custom tail sections

there is a lot of really cool stuff

going on in the pan Amica space and

you'll also notice Harley-Davidson puts

those out anytime those are shared

they'll reshare them they'll put them

out they'll say hey look at this bike we

developed look at what it's turned into

isn't this cool now this year we did get

a Harley-Davidson CVO pan Amica so that

tells us Harley-Davidson is down to

experiment and kind of put a little bit

into the Panama America obviously tons

of R&D money have already put into this

bike when it first came out in 2021 it

was the bestselling adventure bike from

what I can recall and I think sales are

probably about half of what they were in

2021 for the paname so they've got to do

something to make this bike more

appealing so for those of you that still

haven't figured it out I think we are

going to see a pan Amer St now I'm not

sure if that's what it'll be called but

would imagine it has to be much more of

a street based paname that's what people

are doing with these bikes yeah there's

a few that are still riding them Offroad

whatever in my personal opinion as a

Harley guy there are much better bikes

for doing that in my personal experience

the pan Amica was much more fun onroad

hitting curves and stuff than it was

off-road yeah it's cool to take a Harley

off-road but let's be honest that's kind

of not their deal when the pan Amica

came out they tried to say hey we were

doing this back in the early days well

not really it's just the roads were

craping people were taking their Harley

you know in some gnarly places cuz

that's the only bikes that were

available to do it on and then as other

better options came out they just moved

to those uh but I digress

Harley-Davidson panamas are better on

the road I'll die on that Hill I think

Harley-Davidson knows that they've seen

what everybody's doing so I think we get

some kind of Street paname for the 2025

model year now we know how these things

go things tend to leak um other things

start to happen that make sense

sometimes Harley messes up on their

parts an accessory thing and puts model

names that don't technically exist in

the world yet and we get some more

information just like we did with the

paname 975 that we still have yet to see

I'm not going to talk on that because

I'm I have no clue I'm as clueless as

you you guys let me know what you think

on that bike if we'll ever see that one

all that to say I'm sure this will not

be the last 2025 video I put out pre

2025 so like the video If you enjoyed it

subscribe if you're not already and I'll

catch you guys in the next video