BREAKING NEWS: THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON TOP 30 NEW REGISTRATIONS IN 2023

The final Harley-Davidson TOP 30 new registration figures for 2023 have now been published., Harley-Davidson has achieved a slight improvement in performance in the final stretch of the year.

An old proverb aptly says: The final reckoning comes at the end.

The TOP 30 Harley-Davidson new registrations in 2023

The year 2023 presented a number of challenges for Harley-Davidson. Let's take a look at the ten most outstanding models of 2023 that are most popular with Harley-Davidson customers.

1st place: Harley-Davidson Sport Glide: A versatile model that is suitable for both touring and city riding. Despite the difficult market situation, this model proved to be a popular choice. It's not a spectacular Harley-Davidson, but for many it seems to be the perfect all-rounder with its 107 Milwaukee-Eight V2 engine.

2nd place: Harley-Davidson STREET BOB 114: Known for its minimalist style and powerful performance. The model has a loyal following and has held up well even in difficult times. The Street Bob has good conversion potential, and there are lots of parts available for it. It is one of those classics that can be easily customized with little effort. The APE guarantees a relaxed seating position, and the 114 Milwaukee-Eight provides plenty of power from low revs. In good condition, it is a very stable model in terms of price.

3rd place: Harley-Davidson LOW RIDER STThe Low Rider ST combines a classic Harley cruiser design with a very sporty 117 engine and club-style fairing, making it an interesting sporty option in the current lineup.

4th place: Harley-Davidson BREAKOUT 117With its striking design and impressive performance, this model is one of the highlights of 2023.

5th place: Harley-Davidson FAT BOY 114An iconic model that continues to capture the hearts of many Harley fans. It demonstrates the brand's ability to successfully modernize classics; Arnold Schwarzenegger would certainly still go on action tours with it today.

6th place: Harley-Davidson PAN AMERICAA relatively new addition that demonstrates Harley-Davidson's ability to penetrate new market segments and appeal to new customer groups. It still needs a little more time to establish itself on the market.

7th place: Harley-Davidson SPORTSTER SThis model represents a modern interpretation of the classic Sportster, making it particularly popular with younger riders. It is significantly sportier than its predecessors and is currently the only Sportster model available.

8th place: HHarley-Davidson FAT BOB 114A model known for its powerful driving dynamics and unique design, which continues to be popular despite the difficult market situation. Drivers will find it to be an all-rounder; it can be driven very sportily through curves and offers the driver a very good seating position.

9th place: Harley-Davidson STREET GLIDE STA touring motorcycle that combines comfort with performance and continues to find fans even in a difficult year. The powerful 117 engine is the feature that inspires many.

10th place: Harley-Davidson NIGHTSTERAs an entry-level model, the NIGHTSTER offers an accessible option for those who want to enter the world of Harley-Davidson.

Despite a challenging year for Harley-Davidson, these top 10 models show that the brand continues to offer a wide range of models. Find out whether this will still be the case in 2025 in one of our next articles.

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All TOP 30 Harley-Davidson models at a glance

1. Harley-Davidson	SPORT GLIDE
2. Harley-Davidson	STREET BOB 114
3. Harley-Davidson	LOW RIDER ST
4. Harley-Davidson	BREAKOUT 117
5. Harley-Davidson	FAT BOY 114
6. Harley-Davidson	PAN AMERICA
7. Harley-Davidson	SPORTSTER S
8. Harley-Davidson	FAT BOB 114
9. Harley-Davidson	STREET GLIDE ST
10. Harley-Davidson	NIGHTSTER
11. Harley-Davidson	LOW RIDER S
12. Harley-Davidson	STREET GLIDE SPECIAL
13. Harley-Davidson	ROAD KING SPECIAL
14. Harley-Davidson	SOFTAIL STANDARD
15. Harley-Davidson	HERITAGE CLASSIC 114
16. Harley-Davidson	ROAD GLIDE ST
17. Harley-Davidson	NIGHTSTER SPECIAL
18. Harley-Davidson	Electra Glide Ultra Limited
19. Harley-Davidson	CVO Street Glide
20. Harley-Davidson	BREAKOUT 114
21. Harley-Davidson	ROAD GLIDE SPECIAL
22. Harley-Davidson	CVO Road Glide
23. Harley-Davidson	Electra Glide Highway King
24. Harley-Davidson	STREET GLIDE 120th ANNIVERSARY
25. Harley-Davidson	Road Glide Limited
26. Harley-Davidson	FAT BOY 120TH ANNIVERSARY
27. Harley-Davidson	ULTRA LIMITED 120th ANNIVERSARY
28. Harley-Davidson	ROAD GLIDE 120th ANNIVERSARY
29. Harley-Davidson	ROAD KING POLICE
30. Harley-Davidson	Electra Glide Police

Overview of Harley-Davidson market development in 2023

It is undeniable that most new registrations generally take place in March, a trend that can be observed consistently across all motorcycle manufacturers. For Harley-Davidson, March 2023 represents a particular highlight, as it is the only month of the year in which the company records a four-digit peak in new registrations. In February, there were 609 new registrations, rising to 1,086 in March before falling to 832 in April.

If I were to look for reasons for the decline in registration numbers, the first thing that would come to mind would be the delayed delivery of the current model year. Before Harley-Davidson began presenting its new model range in the spring, registration numbers looked very different. In 2019 (10,929), there were still 1,601 vehicles in March and April.

Here is an overview of Harley-Davidson registration figures from 2017 onwards!

year	Jan.	Feb.	March	April	May	June	July	Aug.	Sept.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
2017	149	522	1.466	1.187	1.437	1.214	1.008	683	742	393	223	120
2018	319	515	1.647	1.716	1.478	1.523	1.166	1.041	658	456	279	131
2019	271	689	1.601	1.601	1.293	1.078	1.273	947	654	416	214	137
2020	360	708	1.165	1.136	1.391	1.101	1.268	1.211	830	628	443	741
2021	81	278	781	969	980	965	961	973	715	708	288	161
2022	226	498	872	756	908	821	985	722	712	534	338	194
2023	297	609	1.086	832	763	845	670	716	692	440	189	105

Harley-Davidson new registrations by month and year (2017-2023)

Harley-Davidson during the pandemic: An era of challenges under Jochen Zeitz

Jochen Zeitz has been CEO of Harley-Davidson since February 2020. This coincided with the start of the pandemic, which lasted until 2022. This period was marked by widespread shortages in almost all industries. From microchips to motorcycles, availability was severely limited.

Additional challenges, such as the blockade of the Suez Canal, exacerbated the situation. Some Harley-Davidson dealers were even forced to cancel sales contracts because not all of the manufacturer's models could be delivered. The big question is why Harley-Davidson lost ground, because in 2023 in particular, Harley-Davidson should not have ended up in the red. Can the question be answered by the lack of an entry-level segment? There is no longer an entry-level model available from Harley-Davidson for less than €12,000, which could be a negative factor for some.

year	Change in % compared to previous year, all brands (H-D = Harley-Davidson)
2017	-13.7% (-30.2% H-D)
2018	+7.2% (+19.5% H-D)
2019	+4.6% (-6.9% H-D)
2020	+16.9 % (+7.9% H-D)
2021	-11.9% (-28.4% H-D)
2022	-7.4 % (-3.7% H-D)
2023	+16.6% (-4.3% H-D)

TOP 20 MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURERS BY REGISTRATIONS IN GERMANY – 2023 ¹

The overview shows the registration figures for other motorcycle manufacturers in 2023.

1. BMW	23.724
2. HONDA	22.166
3. KAWASAKI	12.850
4. KTM	11.553
5. YAMAHA	10.197
6. HARLEY-DAVIDSON	7.244
7. DUCATI	6.570
8. TRIUMPH	6.250
10. SUZUKI	5.018
11. HUSQVARNA	3.566
12. ROYAL ENFIELD	2.874
13 APRILIA	2.506
15. MOTO GUZZU	2.052
16. INDIAN MOTORCYCLES	1.534
17. GASGAS	1.052
18. BETAMOTOR	993
19. BENELLI	748
20. CF MOTO	684

1. ^{(excluding scooters, trikes, combustion engines only)} ↩︎

Text and image credits: Harleysite - Source: KBA / IVM Association

Subject to changes and errors excepted