Facing higher costs from tariffs, Harley-Davidson said it is shifting production of motorcycles sold to European customers from the United States to another site offshore.

The European Union imposed tariffs on a range of US products in response to similar levies that President Donald Trump put on steel and aluminum from Europe. The EU tariffs will add $US2200 ($3000) to the cost of an average motorcycle, threatening "an immediate and lasting detrimental impact to its business," the company said on Monday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For the rest of this year, the company said the tariffs will add $US30 million to $US45 million to its expenses. Rather than pass on those costs to consumers in higher prices, Harley said it would absorb them for now while it begins planning to move production offshore. The full-year tariff bill could reach $US100 million, the company said.

"Increasing international production to alleviate the EU tariff burden is not the company's preference, but represents the only sustainable option to make its motorcycles available to customers in the EU and maintain a viable business in Europe," the company said.