Harley-Davidson ‘reset’ will lead to job cuts
Harley-Davidson needs to get “discipline” back into its operating environment, with its CEO, Artie Starrs, confirming that lay-offs are on the horizon.
Harley-Davidson's board of directors are scrambling to reverse the historic marque's fortunes, with net losses for the quarter that ended Dec 31, 2025, resulting in a 28 per cent drop in revenue.
Harley’s CEO, Artie Starrs, was only confirmed in the top job in August 2025, but after less than a year at the head of the table, staff lay-offs are already on the cards. Starrs’ goal is to reduce run rates to the tune of $150m (around £110m), and one of a number of ways he could do this is by reducing the company’s headcount.
“We are conducting a rigorous, end-to-end review of our cost base and operating expenses, supported by third-party specialists,” Starrs said. “Our current corporate overhead, manufacturing capacity and overall operating expenses are built for materially higher volumes than today's demand, and we will be addressing this mismatch head-on.”
According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, a company spokesman confirmed some of the cost reductions “will be in headcount reduction”, although they declined to provide specific details around the number of jobs and types of positions at risk.
Harley-Davidson’s reset comes at a time when the wider powersports segment is contending with softening consumer confidence, elevated borrowing costs, and an uncertain geopolitical backdrop that continues to weigh on discretionary spending. For Starrs, trimming overheads and realigning production with real-world demand appears less a choice and more a financial necessity if the Motor Company is to steady the ship. Whether these measures are enough to restore momentum remains to be seen, but the coming quarters will likely reveal if a leaner Harley-Davidson can better navigate choppy global markets while positioning the brand for a more resilient, sustainable future.
So, we’ve had the Rewire and the Hardwire. Now it’s time for the Harley-Davidson Reset.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
