Harley Davidson faces fresh controversy that could kill motorcycle company after being blasted over 'woke' DEI diktats
Harley-Davidson dealers have accused the iconic motorcycle brand of boosting its profit margins at their expense in the latest controversy facing the company.
Furious bikers have turned their back on the brand, blaming CEO Jochen Zeitz's support for hardline policies on trans care for kids, critical race theory, climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Employees are fearful they will lose their jobs after the company recently announced it will be moving some of its parts production to their Thailand factory amid the backlash.
Now, the Harley-Davidson Dealer Council of the National Powersports Dealer Association - group that represents more than 200 dealers - claimed the company is sending them more bikes than they can sell and its costing them money.
'We believe that much of what was taken from dealerships has fueled a large part of this. They could very well kill off their "Golden Goose,"' the group said in a letter obtained by The Wall Street Journal.
The bikemaker has partnered with political groups that push hard-left ideas, including the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, United Way and the Human Rights Campaign, according to Starbuck
Furious bikers have turned their back on the brand, blaming CEO Jochen Zeitz's (pictured) support for hardline DEI policies
The dealers said they are getting too many bikes during a time of slow sales and it is costing them to remodel their dealerships.
A Harley-Davidson spokesman told The Journal that council only represents a small fraction of its dealer network, which at the end of last year numbered 589 in the U.S. and 1,277 worldwide.
The spokesman claimed that the whole industry is struggling with interest rates and a dealership's profitability is determined mainly by its own performance.
Accusations by the dealers is the latest in a slew of controversies facing the motorcycle company.
The iconic motorcycle maker is the latest brand to get slammed by conservatives over its 'inclusion' policies, including supporting Pride events for children.
The iconic motorcycle maker is the latest brand to get slammed by conservatives over its 'inclusion' policies in a campaign led by influencer Robby Starbuck (pictured)
The $6 billion-a-year firm known for its macho and rebellious image faces backlash after campaigners exposed its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and urged riders to steer clear.
Robby Starbuck, an online influencer, posted about Harley-Davidson's support for hardline policies about trans care for kids, critical race theory and sidelining white people in business.
Owners attending the world's biggest biker rally in Sturgis, South Dakota told DailyMail.com they are outraged after Zeitz implemented a new slew of 'woke' company-wide changes.
Their full-throttle condemnations of Zeitz include demands that he quit immediately, with one rider saying: 'They need to figure out a way to get rid of his a**.'
Workers at the Harley-Davidson plant in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (pictured) are fearing they will lose their jobs because production is being sent to Thailand
And a 20-year Harley devotee, who has had eight machines from the Milwaukee-based company, told us in a message to the executive: 'Don't f*** with my bikes.'
The move to push production to Asia has workers at the Harley-Davidson plant in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin on edge, with many fearing they will soon be out of a job.
'We believe jobs are leaving but they don't want to say how many,' an anonymous plant worker told TMJ4.
'It's coming. We can see the writing on the wall,' another employee said.
The motorcycle maker insists the move is a 'temporary transition' and 'just for model year 25.'
