Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1024856
B L AC K H I L LS H A R L E Y- DAV I D S O N G E N E R A L M A N AG E R T E R RY RY M E R P102 INTERVIEW the most part, the brand Harley- Davidson, to us, has not been tarnished whatsoever. And that's just because it's all for one, it's one for all." It's business as usual, ac- cording to the 58-year-old who recently celebrated his 35th year working at Black Hills Harley- Davidson, where the political discussion is mere background noise easily drowned out by the rumble of a V-twin. "The Harley-Davidson brand represents something that no other company that I know of has," said Rymer. "And that's personal freedom. That's kind of a culture of who you are through what you ride, and you don't see a lot of that in other brands. I've sold Yamahas in the past, I've sold Suzukis, we've had BMW, I've been involved with Kawasaki and lots of different brands, and I love all the products—don't get me wrong. But what's phenom- enal about Harley-Davidson is the culture that it has created over time. "I have no doubt, I'm confi- dent, that we'll get through this, easy enough. It's a little hiccup, for sure. But it's continuously the oldest motorcycle company in America, obviously, and there's always been different situations over the years, and this is just history repeating itself in a differ- ent way, but all in all, I think we're good. I think we're solid. "Certainly, this year's Sturgis Rally was proof that people love the brand and are going to be behind it and are going to want new and more exciting products from the Motor Company. That's what we're excited to see." Thousands of representatives from the nation's 800+ dealer- ships recently attended the Harley-Davidson Dealer Show in San Diego, California (August 21-24), where the company took the wraps off its all-new FXDR 114—a drag-racing-inspired Softail motorcycle. The FXDR represents a marked departure from the prototypical cruiser- style Harley, which is precisely the goal. On top of being caught in the crosshairs of an escalating trade war, the Motor Company is facing its own challenge of attracting new riders. The same $40,000 land yachts that de- fined the boomer generation fail to entice the younger audience, something Harley-Davidson is seeking to remedy with drastical- ly new product. Other recently announced 2019 models include the Pan America adventure bike, and the all-electric LiveWire. "We're excited about anything new that they want to bring out, but a new category of bikes that appeal to a broader range of customers—not just your classic cruiser or bagger—is exciting for us," said Rymer. RYMER REASON Black Hills Harley- Davidson serves as a major hub of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.