When Dealerships Close, the Riding Community Feels It

A Look at What’s Happening to Harley Shops Across America

There’s a certain image that’s been burned into the American imagination for more than a century: a Harley-Davidson rumbling down an empty stretch of highway, the rider untethered from everything except the road, the sky, and the deep thrum of the engine beneath them.

For many of us, that image isn’t just marketing—it’s memory. It’s identity. It’s the culture we belong to.

But off the road and behind the scenes, the world surrounding Harley-Davidson dealerships is going through something far less romantic: a quiet but significant crisis that’s forcing long-standing shops to shut their doors.

Independent Harley dealerships—the backbone of local riding communities—are facing some of the toughest economic conditions they’ve seen in decades. And whether or not you ride a Harley, what’s happening to them ripples through the entire rider community.

The Boom That Became a Burden

When Covid hit, the entire motorcycle industry saw something unexpected: a surge of demand.

People had stimulus checks. Interest rates were low. Jobs were shifting remote. Riders who’d long dreamed about finally getting that Harley found themselves thinking, Why not now? Others rediscovered riding as a way to feel free at a time when everything felt confined.

At the same time, supply chain shortages meant dealerships didn’t have enough inventory. For once, the scarcity helped them—waitlists grew, prices rose, and business boomed.

Dealerships expanded. Showrooms were upgraded. Harley corporate required certain improvements, and owners were happy to invest because the numbers looked great.

If you walked into a dealership in 2021 or early 2022, you could feel the optimism.

But booms don’t last forever—and this one came with a hangover.

When the Market Shifted, Shops Took the Hit

As inflation kicked into gear, everything got more expensive except, strangely enough, motorcycles.

Consumers who might have once stretched for a $24,000–$40,000 bike started pulling back. Interest rates climbed. Families tightened their budgets. The “treat yourself” thinking of the Covid years evaporated.

But while demand slowed, motorcycle production did not. Manufacturers overshot. Suddenly dealerships were flooded with inventory they couldn’t move—and every bike sitting on a floor is money draining out of someone’s pocket.

Many dealerships had just spent huge sums on mandatory showroom improvements. Costs for heat, maintenance, rent, and loans all went up. Margins on new bikes hit historic lows. Some dealers say they're practically losing money just to keep the lights on.

One dealer put it bluntly:
“There are too many dealers for the number of new vehicles being sold today… They’re not making any money.”

And he’s not exaggerating. The closures have started to pile up. Major dealerships in New York City. A longtime Florida location. The historic Dudley Perkins store in San Francisco—over a hundred years old—gone.

Dozens of smaller shops have disappeared quietly without making headlines.

The Online Competition No One Saw Coming

Even as dealerships struggled with rising costs and stagnant sales, Harley-Davidson leaned into a booming e-commerce strategy—selling branded gear and parts online, often at massive discounts.

Dealers watched inventory they bought at full price show up on Harley’s own website at 40–60% off, with free shipping.

Put yourself in a customer’s shoes:
Why walk into a dealership and pay retail when the corporate website is offering half off?

Dealers aren’t just competing with each other anymore. They’re competing with the company whose name is on their sign.

Corporate Is Pulling Back—But Is It Too Late?

Harley has new leadership and has started scaling back some of the demands placed on dealerships. Fewer required upgrades. Reduced minimum inventory. Looser central rules.

It’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn't address the core issue: demand has fallen off a cliff.

Harley’s unit sales are down 45% over the last decade.

Even this past quarter, global sales slipped another 6%—5% in the U.S.

Analysts put it simply: there’s no clear sign of a recovery yet.

Why This Matters for Riders

When a dealership closes, it’s not just another business gone.
A dealership is part of a riding ecosystem.

It’s where new riders find their first bike.
Where the old-timers hang out on Saturday mornings.
Where charity rides begin.
Where you grab a part, chat with a mechanic, or swap stories in the service bay.
Where riding clubs meet.
Where grieving families drop off remembrance patches for jacket walls.

Whether you’re a Harley rider or not, dealerships shape the culture. They’re community anchors.

Losing them feels like losing a piece of riding heritage.

It’s also a reminder of something deeper: the riding world is changing. The economics are shifting. The demographics are aging. New riders aren’t coming in fast enough. And the corporate strategies aren’t always aligned with what keeps local riding communities alive.

The Road Ahead

Maybe Harley will adapt. Maybe the new CEO will steer things toward stability. Maybe grassroots riding culture will spark a new wave of enthusiasm.

But for now, the truth is simple:

Independent dealerships—some of the most passionate supporters of riders in this country—are hurting.

And when they struggle, the entire riding community feels that loss.

This isn’t a eulogy. It’s a reminder.

Riding has survived wars, recessions, cultural shifts, and economic cycles. It will survive this too. But it’s going to take paying attention, supporting local shops when we can, and remembering that the riding culture we love isn’t guaranteed—it’s built, every day, by the people who keep the roads open, the bikes running, and the community connected.

The freedom of the open road may be timeless, but the infrastructure around it is not.

As riders, we’re all part of the story of where it goes next.