Sturgis bikers accuse Harley-Davidson of being 'woke,' causing heartbreak.

The American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson is facing opposition from bikers due to concerns that its recent efforts to promote social responsibility and inclusivity are damaging its longstanding image as a rebellious brand.

Recently, CEO Jochen Zeitz has led Harley-Davidson to become more woke, according to filmmaker Robby Starbuck, who shared this with his more than 528,000 followers on X in late July.

The decision of the bike brand to participate in the culture wars in America has been a hot topic at the 84th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota this week, as reported by both attendees and social media posts.

On Tuesday, Planet Chronicle Digital reported that Vinny Terranova, the owner of Pappy's Vintage Cycles in Sturgis, South Dakota, stated that it was branding suicide.

"Many bikers are switching to Indian motorcycles," he stated. "The loss of Harley is heartbreaking."

The decision to partner with Dylan Mulvaney has led to comparisons of the situation to the Bud Light "unforced error" of 2023.

In response to America's most popular beer brand at the time, Joe Six Packs initiated a nationwide organic boycott. Bud Light has not fully recovered.

‘Not a good look’

Since May 2020, when German-born Zeitz became CEO of Harley-Davidson amid the COVID pandemic, motorcycle enthusiasts have expressed concerns about the company's direction.

"A vintage Harley valued at $30,000 just a few years ago is now getting only $4,000."

Since his arrival, the perceived value of Harley-Davidson motorcycles among bikers has declined sharply, according to Terranova, who ran a Harley-Davidson dealership in Colorado for over 40 years.

Terranova stated that a vintage Harley worth $30,000 a few years ago is now worth only $4,000.

He expressed his opinion that people no longer want to be associated with Harley.

Harley-Davidson did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment before the deadline.

Many were outraged when filmmaker Starbuck shared on social media what he claims are Harley-Davidson's woke internal policies.

Starbucks' wishlist includes sending White men to White male-only diversity training, supporting legislation that allows men in girls' bathrooms, sports, and locker rooms, and hosting an all-ages pride event with a "rage room" and "draq queen story time."

According to Starbuck, director of "The War on Children," anyone would have considered the forced discussion of sexually explicit topics at work as sexual harassment 10 years ago.

The company's current DEI focus contradicts the image of being freedom-loving and muscular that has attracted core customers for years.

It seems that Harley riders expressed their full-throttle upset on social media and at Sturgis.

"Harleydavidson has deteriorated... Purchase another brand," were some of the remarks made on social media.

A biker posted on X last week that they heard Sturgis HQ would be similar to the Bud Light tent at the 2024 rally, which began on August 2.

A video posted on social media on Monday depicted only green grass and a few individuals gathered outside a Harley-Davidson tent in Sturgis.

"Not a good look!" wrote Starbuck on his X account.

"Some bikers may not want to be associated with Harley after discovering that the company has become woke."

Some long-time Harley riders are saying on social media that they're switching to new brands for their next bike purchase, while others are removing the Harley-Davidson name from their motorcycles.

Attendance declined dramatically last week at the annual Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival in Milwaukee, where the motorcycle maker was founded in 1903.

The annual Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the motorcycle maker was founded in 1903, experienced a significant drop in attendance last week.

The Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal reported that 60,000 people attended the event, which is a 25% decrease from the 80,000 attendees the previous year.

One Harley rider, @LittleLuLu13131, wrote that we altered our plans for the H-D homecoming after learning about @harleydavidson's support for pedophiles and child grooming.

The backlash against Harley's perceived shift towards woke values coincides with recent alterations in the company's public image.

Harley abandoned its globally recognized logo of orange and white lettering on a black shield last year. Its new logo is an empty metallic shell with the same shape but different colors and no words.

LMRT's online analysis stated that the old logo clearly communicated a sense of heritage and a connection to the brand's historical background.

"Although the new logo appears to represent a break from tradition, a step forward in time, and an invitation to rethink the essence of Harley-Davidson."

In 1903, Harley-Davidson was established in Milwaukee by William Harley and his partners and brothers, Arthur, Walter, and William Davidson. The founders, who grew up as neighbors and friends, were both passionate about bicycles and mechanics, as previously reported by Planet Chronicle Digital.

They started experimenting with tiny internal combustion engines and later added motors to bicycles, marking the birth of their first Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson, its own museum notes, sold just three motorcycles in 1905.

One of the world's largest motorcycle companies, it produced 163,000 bikes in 2023.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Its vision is to lead the industry through innovation, evolution, and emotion, while its mission is to stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul.

LiveWire Group, Inc., the first publicly traded all-electric motorcycle company in the United States, is also owned by Harley-Davidson.

Harley CEO Zeitz signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge, which aims to create open dialogue on complex conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and engage boards of directors in developing and evaluating diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.