Harley-Davidson has a new CEO, and it’s not your typical leather-clad lifer. Artie Starrs, former head of Pizza Hut and Topgolf, is now steering The Motor Company into uncertain but fascinating territory. From small bikes outselling big ones, to the fate of LiveWire and the rise of affordable electrics, this summer rant digs into what Starrs’ outsider résumé could mean for Harley’s future—and for riders everywhere.

Happy summer, moto-friends. 

Let’s get right down to business:

Quick update, I have relocated myself and my Moto Guzzi to NYC. 

Before landing in NYC, I lived in Boston for a short spell, and the biggest moto highlight (by far) was going for a ride with the CEO of EagleRider (Sebastian Schoepe) and J. Shia from Madhouse Motors. So while Boston motorists are hyper angry and aggressive – and they are – the good news is that the Madhouse mechanics are equally as talented as New England drivers are mean. My bike never sounded so good.

More info on the NYC moto scene will eventually find its way onto this site, but today is about calling out some news and trends I’ve seen in the moto world where I feel an uncontrollable urge to tell you all about it. 

(Shout out to 1980s music fans).

Rant #1.
Small bikes are winning.

Kicking off my hit list is this timely and informative blog post (and video below) from the friendly folks at Adventure Rider featuring an interview with industry deep thinker, pundit, and voice of reason Michael Uhlarik. I have been reading Uhlarik’s posts on this industry via LinkedIn, and I have come to the conclusion that his takes might be the only redeeming quality of the spam-bot mess that LinkedIn has become. I will save my LI rant for another time – let’s stay on topic.

As Uhlarik highlights, the Moto Industry Council (MIC) seems stuck. 

Yes, the overall industry had a nice uptick during COVID (7% if I remember correctly, leading into 2021), but I can’t find any recent numbers from the MIC because if you listen to the ADV Rider podcast, the MIC treats data with more care than a Hegseth war plan. But this rant is not about the overall slow growth of the industry, but more about our perception of it.

Everything you need to know is summarized (literally) in the headline but listen anyway.

The Honda CRF300L (dual sport) is the #1 selling bike in the US.

And yes, #2 is a Harley, which we will get to in a second. And if you go through the list, there are other human-sized bikes that we’ve all ridden at one point or another that remind us that we don’t need to drop $20k+ on a machine that is loaded with tech and features that mostly sit unused in your garage. Not a mind-blowing observation – but that’s ok because it leads us to Rant #2.

Rant #2:
“I love (and hate) you, Harley-Davidson.”

Yessir, that is clickbait. 

I don’t hate The Motor Company (btw – I love that nickname, which is only used by employees and people who hold that brand in high regard), I just hate on the small percentage of older (white + bearded) guys who ride them with a false sense of superiority. There, I said it.

Before I really step in shit with 50% of the moto market – I love the Harley lineup even though I do NOT own one. One of the most fun days of riding I have ever experienced (and I mean this) was in Sturgis on a Street Glide. 

Hol. E. Shit. 

Radio cranked. 

Skid lid + wrap-around shades that Lou Reed would have approved.

The only thing missing on me was huge biceps and a cut-off black tee. 

I get it fellas, I get it. I will never judge an H-D rider again. Hard stop.

Speaking of Harley, unless you live under a rock, H-D just selected a new CEO, and everyone has weighed in on the three details that will be repeated in the news cycle until the Board and stockholders turn on him:

1. He comes from golf and pizza (can’t make this shit up) 
2. He was once an investment banker 
3. He doesn’t ride a motorcycle

Ladies and gents, meet Artie Starrs.

Artie, do us all a favor and CEO the shit out of this brand. Please. 

Here’s what we need:

1. New energy infused into this brand
2. Product leadership…you need not be born out of the archetype that we all associate with H-D (see my passive-aggressive comment above)
3. A solution to your aging demo that supports HD being a lifestyle brand expanding beyond the current paradigm

Artie, I can tell you are a smart and savvy businessman, and I imagine touching a brand like this is a lifelong goal. 

Sadly, you are in NY Jets draft pick territory…everyone expects you to fail, and any success will be met with skepticism. Everyone except me and Patrick, of course, because we run this blog, and commenting on the industry when you have no skin in the game is a good ol’ time. 

And thus, we love you Artie because we love motorbikes. But understand this: 

• I have no clue what strategy that drives people to eat crummy pizza at 18,000 locations will help you here
• I have no clue how a high-tech golf brand and entertainment complex where middle-aged dudes squeeze into khakis to hit a golf ball inside a gigantic golf facility will inform your decisions on this brand. Outside of cramming me into a locked RV full of cats in a Walmart parking lot – your last job is my personal definition of hell. 

But your job is now way more difficult than pizza and golf, Artie.

How are you going to crack the code?

What’s on your H-D to-do list? 

• Bring in new and young riders?
• Appease angry H-D riders who want you to bring back 900 lbs bikes that cost $20k+ ? (Artie, go back and read rant #1 if you think that’s a good plan)
• Figure out how to keep LiveWire alive (please do not calculator punch this brand to oblivion)
• How do you plan to create some new communication for the Sprint that doesn’t rely on the same cliche bullshit that every moto brand employs?

Add on –  board meetings, sorting out tariffs, and keeping stockholders from gutting you like a fish.

If ya like lists Artie, peep Cary Brobecks post who is the editor of Chopper Magazine on (wait, what!?) friggin’ Linkedin no less!?

He hits all the high points:

1. Show up (to Sturgis, which is an experience that helps you understand what this brands mean to your core demo)
2. Be nice (to dealers)
3. Keep it simple

Here at The Bullitt, we believe in you, amigo. Dust off all that investment banking experience, review those Pizza Hut marketing decks that drove people to eat meh corporate pizza, and burn the golf pants. You got this.

Paint a huge picture and point to the future. We are behind you, brother. LFG. 

Rant #3
Hey young people, write this down: Two Wheels > Four Wheels

Gen Z, with apologies.

The Boomers and Gen X’ers have handed your generation the keys to the car at the end of a long night of drinking at a P-Diddy freak off, and there’s only one road out of town.

You can’t find jobs, crummy homes in major cities are crazy expensive, and our administration wants to spend piles of money to colonize Mars while the Mag 7 allocates $100B to AI data centers. We’ve cut science funding, too.

Good news, motorcycles can fix all this. 

Every single problem you have – and I mean everything from depression, ED, difficulty finding parking, world peace, relationships, finances, and yes, love, are all solved while riding motorbikes. 

You want proof?

NYC bike lanes are alive and well – it’s straight up Mad Max out there, and soon enough E-motorbikes will continue to replace cars*. (* let a boy dream).

• The bike lanes there are akin to the 405 freeway. Yes, they are on Citi-Bikes, e-bikes and scooters. Of course, you look like a total goof riding a scooter – but have you seen how fast those things go? 
• Have you heard of surge pricing for NYC? Have you ever left your house in LA and found yourself making two stops and paying about $40 in valet? Fuck the system, man…it’s rigged. Two wheels are the answer, and I don’t even care what the question is.
• Throw in Waymo, Volvo’s commitment to electric, and a profitable electric brand called Stark. Not a typo. Ignore that guy behind the curtain telling you he is rolling back all of Biden’s infrastructure plans. We don’t need his help – we can do this on our own if you follow my plan.
  

  Stark Varg’s new road-legal EX model

To end this, let me quickly rant about e-motorcycles.

Yes, I can list several EV brands that no longer exist, but I can also tell you that the electric future is still bright. 

• Royal Enfield has a cool machine coming out in 2026 called the Flying Flea designed to make you show up with some style for urban riders, and it’s pegged to sell for around $6-7k.

• I don’t care if the Del Mar didn’t sell well, it remains a great designed brand, and there is even more cool stuff coming out of Milwaukee – so please do not keep looking for an obituary on this EV brand.
  
  

  Sale numbers aside – the Livewire S2 Del Mar’s a looker

• I recently learned that 1 in every 2 dozen or so NYC residents are millionaires. I have good news for you! If money is clogging up your bank account, Tarform will happily convert it into a moving piece of engineered aluminum that will set you back about $48k. I have no clue what sales are like, but they are fighting the good fight, and that machine is pure sex appeal.
  
  

  The Tarform Racer delivers premium looks for a premium price.

Lots of summer left – go get it.

(Especially you, Artie! Head straight to a parking lot at the DMV  and get that moto endorsement sorted out ASAP.)