t’s no secret Harley-Davidson is in the midst of a major overhaul following a complete management restructure, which in turn has borne a change in mindset of future models, and it seems the first victim could be its forthcoming streetfighter, the Bronx.
The compact sporty number was unveiled in the metal at the 2019 EICMA show alongside the Pan America, both of which make use of a brand-new 60-deegree V-Twin with a 975cc version appearing in the Bronx and al larger 1250cc for the ADV.
Since then, both models have featured on the ‘Future Vehicles’ page on the Harley-Davidson website… until now. A bit of super sleuthing from Motorcycle.com has pointed to the fact only the Pan America, the High-Performance Custom and Electric Bikes now take pride of place.
So what of the Bronx? We’ve reached out for an official comment from Harley-Davidson, but it’s feasible to presume it is the victim of the firm’s dubbed ‘Hardwire’ reconfiguration strategy, launched by new CEO Jochen Zeitz.
When he officially took the helm of Harley-Davidson in July he revealed the Hardwire strategy will streamline models and move back towards the company’s core motorcycles, namely its tourers and cruisers, even if at the time he was coy on suggesting which models would be getting the axe, including those yet to reach showrooms.
“We are streamlining our motorcycle models by approximately 30%, with plans to further refine our product portfolio. This enables us to invest in the products and platforms that matter the most, while better balancing our investment in new high potential segments. In this context, we plan to expand our offering of iconic motorcycles, those which most embody the spirit of Harley-Davidson.”
Why would Harley-Davidson axe the Bronx?
It’s well-known Harley-Davidson’s rejig is the direct result of sliding sales and profits, hampered by factors such as an ageing audience base and expensive asking prices overseas that have deterred potential younger owners.
The much-discussed LiveWire was supposed to usher in a new era for Harley-Davidson, with the Bronx and the Pan America the next step in forging into new markets. However, with the LiveWire getting a fairly lukewarm response as the litmus test for mainstream electric motorcycles, Harley-Davidson appears keen to get back to what it knows best.
Indeed, while the Pan America appears to be surviving the chop (for now) because it’s big engine is more in-keeping with other models and the ADV market is potential trove of treasure, it seems the Bronx with is more expendable.
Even so, having developed an entirely new engine for both models, one wonders whether the mindset around the Bronx is that it could return in a different form to capitalise on the development cost of such a move.
For now, this is a surmising of the situation with no official word yet from Harley-Davidson but as soon as it’s communicated, we will let you know.
