Rick Barrett

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Harley-Davidson loves millennials, no doubt about it, with much of the company's marketing aimed at motorcycle buyers ages 18-34.

Do the millennials love Harley back? It looks that way, as the world's largest manufacturer of heavyweight bikes says it's the market leader in sales of new on-road motorcycles to young adults.

In 2015, for the eighth straight year, Harley was the No. 1 seller of new highway motorcycles in the United States to adults ages 18-34. It was also the top seller of those bikes to women, African-Americans and Hispanics, as well as Caucasian men ages 35-plus, according to motorcycle registration data.

Harley says its strategy to focus on growth among "outreach customers" lines up well with U.S. population trends.

The millennial generation continues to grow as immigration adds to the group. Millennials now number 75.4 million, surpassing the 74.9 million baby boomers (ages 51-69), according to the Pew Research Center.

That's the challenge, and the opportunity, for Harley and other motorcycle manufacturers that are well established with the boomers but must bridge the generation gap to the millennials.

In 2015, one-third of new Harley-Davidson motorcycle purchasers had never owned a bike before.

"We continue to sell more Harley-Davidson motorcycles to today's young adults than we sold to Baby Boomers when they were young adults," Harley CEO Matt Levatich said Saturday at the company's annual shareholders meeting held at the Harley-Davidson Museum.

"Earning their loyalty and trust is key to our future. It's what has inspired us throughout our entire 113-year history, and it continues to inspire us today," Levatich said.

Michael Spaeth, consumer marketing segment lead for Harley-Davidson, pointed to Harley's new 2016 Roadster and the Dark Custom models as examples of bikes that appeal to younger riders.

Also, he said, in many ways millennial motorcyclists aren't much different than previous generations of young riders.

"It's almost a little eerie how much young adults riding motorcycles today look like their fathers when they were that age. The young guys are wearing the same clothing as their dads, and they are riding a very similar style of motorcycle," Spaeth said.

Some have said that millennials are less likely to buy things for status, image or brand loyalty. They're more likely to make a purchase based on the value for their money, according to a J.D. Power survey with more than 600,000 respondents.

Simplicity Is In

"Big and shiny" bikes aren't as popular with millennials, said Kirk Topel, owner of Hal's Harley-Davidson in New Berlin.

"They tend to like stuff that's more stripped down. They like the simplicity of the design as opposed to how gaudy they can make something," Topel said.

Increasingly, Harley dealerships are focused on attracting a younger crowd while, at the same time, keeping their older customers.

"We like to do the stuff that makes everybody feel young," said Chaz Hastings, owner of Milwaukee Harley-Davidson, a dealership that has a tattoo parlor and Wednesday night dodgeball tournaments.

Samantha Loftus, 24, a millennial motorcyclist from Milwaukee, recently traded her Yamaha 600cc bike for a 2016 Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout.

Loftus said there was a time when she thought of Harleys as a "grandpa's bike," but not anymore.

"They have bikes that are sporty and fun.... I am excited about the whole experience of being a Harley biker girl," she said.

Tyler Youngbeck of Brown Deer says he will probably trade his Yamaha Warrior motorcycle for a Harley-Davidson because the Harley would be better for touring.

Youngbeck, 25, has been a motorcyclist for five years. One reason he wants a Harley is that it's a natural fit at many biker events in the area, including parties at Harley dealerships and the Harley-Davidson Museum.

"Obviously riding is the best part, but the social aspect is huge," Youngbeck said. "It's a great atmosphere."

Many consumer-product companies have difficulty marketing to millennials because the younger audience is skeptical of advertising or doesn't follow media that run the ads.

"We are less likely to be attracted to the contrived imagery," said Burklin Nielsen, a millennial motorcyclist from Dane County.

Nielsen, 34, says she watches television over the Internet and gets most of her news and information online.

Social and nontraditional media are probably the best ways to reach millennials like Nielsen.

"We check Facebook and Instagram constantly," she said.

Nielsen doesn't want to be stereotyped as a young adult with no responsibilities. In reality, she has a 10-year-old daughter and a demanding career.

Like other millennials, she wants marketing material that's more akin to her lifestyle and interests, including social causes.

"We all have some belief that we feel strongly about. Mine is making sure that women can get out and ride," said Nielsen, director of operations for Stilettos on Steel, a women's motorcyclist group.

Local Influence

Millennials often say they prefer local events, over traditional advertising or large gatherings, to learn about new things.

"What I really like to focus on are experiences. I appreciate it when a company does more of a grass-roots effort focused on building relationships," said Brenda Martinez, a 29-year-old Milwaukee motorcyclist and founder of Litas in Milwaukee, a female riders group.

Martinez owns a Harley-Davidson Road King but said she's been attracted to Royal Enfield motorcycle events in Milwaukee.

India-based Royal Enfield established its North American headquarters in Milwaukee's Third Ward and hired former Harley-Davidson executive Rod Copes as North American division president.

Royal Enfield is the world's oldest motorcycle company in continuous production. The company, known for its bikes that capture the essence of old-school motorcycling — a throbbing engine, simple electronics and a low price — is revered in India but is only now getting re-established in the U.S.

"It is back to the basics. We are going back to what we believe motorcycling used to be when it was simple, easy, affordable and fun," Copes said.

Royal Enfield is focusing on local events in urban markets, a few key national events, and social media to reach millennials.

Harley-Davidson also sees the value in social media and events, large and small, in connecting with a younger audience.

"We often say it's their turf, their terms, and we fish where the fish are," Spaeth said.

Harley was one of the partners in the "Mama Tried" motorcycle show earlier this year in Milwaukee, an event where more than 100 bike-builders from across the nation displayed their work.

The show included an indoor flat-track race at the UWM Panther Arena.

"We knew it was going to be successful, given it was February, but we had no idea that 7,000 people would show up, many of which were young adults," Spaeth said.

Events like the Mama Tried show rekindle the competitive spirit of the Harley brand.

"It helps us overcome that stereotype of old white guys on touring bikes and scenic mountaintops," Spaeth said.

He added: "Forty years ago the boomers were getting into motorcycling for very similar reasons as the millennials. It's fun, freedom, action and adrenaline."