Harley-Davidson, Inc.

Is Harley-Davidson publicly traded?
Yes. It trades on the NYSE under ticker HOG and has since its 1986 IPO.

Who owns Harley-Davidson?
Public shareholders. It is an independent company. Its finance arm entered a strategic partnership with KKR and PIMCO in October 2025, and it retains majority control of separately listed LiveWire.

When was Harley-Davidson founded?
In 1903 in Milwaukee, by William Harley and brothers Arthur, Walter, and William Davidson.

Does Harley-Davidson own Ducati or Indian?
No. Ducati is owned by Audi, and Indian Motorcycle is owned by Polaris. Harley is an independent American manufacturer.

What is the HDFS transaction?
A strategic partnership closed in October 2025 under which KKR and PIMCO purchase most of Harley-Davidson Financial Services' retail loans, shifting the unit to a capital-light model.

Who is the current CEO?
Artie Starrs, former Topgolf CEO, who took over from Jochen Zeitz in October 2025.

William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson completed their first motor-bicycle in a Milwaukee workshop in 1903, joined by Arthur's brothers Walter and William. Incorporated in 1907, the company pioneered the V-twin engine layout that became its signature and supplied motorcycles to the US military in World War I, when roughly half its output went to the war effort.

Harley survived the Depression while hundreds of American motorcycle makers failed, emerged as one of only two viable US manufacturers alongside Indian, and thrived again through World War II production. The postwar years built its mythology: the chrome-and-cruiser aesthetic, the outlaw image, and eventually the counterculture status immortalized in film.

American Machine and Foundry (AMF) acquired the company in 1969 and nearly destroyed it through cost-cutting and quality decline as Honda and other Japanese makers dominated the market. In 1981 a group of thirteen executives led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson bought the company back in a leveraged buyout. The turnaround, driven by quality programs, the Evolution engine, and the cult of the Harley Owners Group, became a business school staple. Harley-Davidson went public in 1986.

The 1990s and 2000s were golden: demand outstripped supply, and the brand expanded into apparel and licensing worth billions at retail. The 2008 financial crisis hit hard, followed by a long structural decline as its baby boomer base aged. CEO Matthew Levatich was succeeded in 2020 by Jochen Zeitz, whose Hardwire strategy cut costs, raised prices, spun off LiveWire via SPAC in 2022, and preserved profitability at the cost of volume. In 2025 the company posted a 14 percent revenue decline to $4.47 billion amid tariffs and soft demand, closed the HDFS transaction with KKR and PIMCO, and appointed former Topgolf CEO Artie Starrs to lead a demand revival.

Harley reports on manufacturing emissions, energy use, and product lifecycle, with LiveWire representing its principal product-level decarbonization path. Its US plants have reduced waste intensity, and the company targets increased renewable electricity share in operations.

The central sustainability tension is structural: its core products are large-displacement combustion engines facing tightening emissions standards in the US, EU, and India, requiring continued powertrain investment to remain compliant.

Harley-Davidson consistently ranks among the world's most valuable motorcycle brands in Interbrand and Brand Finance assessments and is frequently cited among America's most iconic brands. Its 1903 founding story and the 1981 buyout turnaround are taught in business curricula, and the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee is itself a cultural institution.

Harley's defining modern controversy was the 2018 tariff conflict, when it announced shifting some production overseas to avoid EU retaliatory tariffs, drawing public rebuke from the White House and a dealer-level boycott movement called Bikers for Trump backlash coverage. The episode underscored the tension between its all-American brand and globalized manufacturing.

Other matters include a 2022 FTC settlement requiring changes to warranty practices under right-to-repair rules, periodic NHTSA safety recalls across model years, union tensions at US plants, and ongoing debate over executive pay during declining volumes. The HDFS partnership and leadership transition are the current governance focal points.