Indian and former Donald Trump advisor accused of backing anti-Harley-Davidson influencer campaign
Questions are being asked after a coordinated wave of social media posts criticised Harley-Davidson while steering riders towards Indian Motorcycle.
A fresh row has erupted in the American motorcycle industry after Indian Motorcycle was linked to a social media campaign that saw several right-wing influencers attack Harley-Davidson, while simultaneously promoting Indian.
The controversy centres around a series of posts and videos from high-profile conservative commentators, podcasters and social media personalities. Many of the posts followed a remarkably similar script, criticising Harley-Davidson for its previous diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, describing the company as “woke”, before encouraging followers to look at Indian motorcycles instead.
The story was first highlighted by The Bulwark before being picked up by RideApart, which investigated potential links between the campaign and Noise Media, a public relations firm recently hired by Indian Motorcycle. According to the report, archived versions of Noise Media's website listed former Donald Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale among the firm's leadership, although references to him have since been removed.
Parscale is no stranger to large-scale digital influence campaigns, and his involvement is what has fuelled speculation that the Harley criticism may not simply be a collection of independent opinions, but rather a coordinated marketing effort. RideApart stops short of claiming direct involvement by Indian Motorcycle itself, but notes that the timing and consistency of the messaging have raised eyebrows across both the motorcycle and media industries.
The dispute also shines a light on a growing culture-war divide that has increasingly found its way into motorcycling.
Harley-Davidson became a target for conservative activists in 2024 after online commentator Robby Starbuck criticised the then CEO, Jochen Zeitz, and the company's diversity policies. The backlash prompted Harley to publicly distance itself from several corporate initiatives and revise some aspects of its public-facing policies.
Now, according to analysis published by The Vintagent, that same political battleground appears to have shifted towards a direct Harley-versus-Indian rivalry, with motorcycles becoming the latest front in America's wider ideological arguments.
What's particularly unusual is that Indian has historically positioned itself as a comparatively inclusive brand. The company has invested heavily in outreach programmes aimed at women riders, new riders and underrepresented groups, while much of its recent marketing has focused on broadening motorcycling's appeal rather than narrowing it. That approach mirrors campaigns that have helped the brand steadily chip away at Harley's dominance over the past decade.
Whether the current influencer activity is a deliberate strategy, the work of an outside agency acting independently, or simply a case of commentators jumping on a trending narrative remains unclear.
Neither Indian Motorcycle nor Noise Media had publicly addressed the allegations at the time of writing. What is clear, however, is that America's two biggest V-twin brands are now battling for attention in a market where culture and politics seem to matter as much as horsepower and chrome.
Find the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.com
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!
