Review – Harley Days Dresden 2022
For Harley Days in Dresden, this year felt like a fresh start. Finally, the organizers were able to hold the event without restrictions in one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. And thousands of bikers came again to celebrate the Harley-Davidson brand on the huge grounds. The large grounds need to be filled first, and on Friday it became clear that this is not so easy. Perhaps this could be remedied in 2023 with a top act on Friday.
„The next Harley Days Dresden will take place from July 21 to 23, 2023.„
There were already many Harleys in town on Friday, but with the beautiful weather, most people were out and about in the area. That's how it is – basically, you have to arrive a few days early to go on rides and visit the city of Dresden.
Most bikers come from the region, as far away as Berlin and Hamburg. However, there is still plenty of potential here, which is particularly noticeable given that the Harley-Davidson H.O.G. Chapter has not really put Harley Days in Dresden on its radar yet. The Dresden Chapter has once again offered some wonderful tours of the surrounding area, and it must be said that the parade would hardly have been possible without the support of the Dresden Chapter and the authorities.
On a national level, there is still a lot more going on in Dresden, but it was clear that things would not be running at full speed this year. An event like this not only needs visitors, but also exhibitors, and many of them still lack the necessary staff or simply the goods.
Harley-Davidson was well represented!
Harley-Davidson has already announced that it intends to focus more on Harley Days in Dresden in the coming years. The city of Dresden has indicated that it wants the event, which is a very important signal for the company and for long-term planning. It is well known that when Harley-Davidson pulls out all the stops, bikers fill the hotels and restaurants in the city and the surrounding area.
Harley-Davidson DACH Marketing Director Nils Buntrock was at the event throughout the weekend. So were Frank Schimmosek, Sales Manager for Germany and Austria, District Manager Thomas Bandemer, and Matthias Meier, Chairman of the German-Austrian and European Association of Harley-Davidson Dealers, which clearly shows that everything is being checked out here.
Perhaps Hamburg would be well advised to pay close attention to these signs, otherwise those responsible in the authorities may have to look for someone to explain to Hamburg's business community why Harley-Davidson has lowered its flag in Hamburg. If the US company feels that its wealthy customers are not really welcome, it may decide without further ado to take the far-reaching step of lowering its flag.
A date for the 2023 Hamburg Harley Days has already been announced, but getting approval is a struggle every year, and basically, approval for such a large event always comes far too late. The fact that the date of Hamburg Harley Days has been moved because of Budapest 2023 will probably complicate matters in Hamburg again. It's impossible to imagine Hamburg without Harley Days, but people don't seem to be very happy about it at the moment.
Other Harley-Davidson dealers at Harley Days
In addition to Harley-Davidson Dresden, Leipzig, and Chemnitz, which were represented at the Harley Saxony stand, Bertl's from Gera was also there and brought along its drag race bike. Harley-Davidson Hanover was also represented at Harley Days in Dresden on behalf of the Harley Factory Group with several Harley models. The Factory Group showcased its converted Harley-Davidson LiveWire models. Interest in Harley-Davidson's electric motorcycle is currently on the rise, so many visitors took advantage of the opportunity to test drive it.
Harley-Davidson brought the US truck with the latest Harley-Davidson models for test rides. It's generally a good idea to take advantage of this offer—it costs nothing, and if you want to join in on some conversations, it's an easy way to form your own opinion.
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More InformationThe Harley Days Dresden Parade
There were about 800 bikes in the parade. When I watch the videos of the start and finish, it's clear that lots more bikers joined in along the way.
Last year, the parade was registered as a demonstration, but this year it is a proper parade without any protest against the motorcycle bans. However, we should not forget that this issue has not yet been resolved.
Conclusion: The Harley Days Dresden offer a good package all round. The beautiful city and surrounding area, extending as far as Czechia, can be easily combined in the tour itinerary. I expect Harley-Davidson to pull out all the stops in 2023 and give the event even more momentum!
Text and image credits: Harleysite 07/26/2022
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