A SECOND Harley-Davidson chief has stepped down just days after the iconic motorcycle brand’s CEO said he was resigning.
The leadership changes have some fans fearing for the 122-year-old company – and even the director said he has grave concerns.
Harley DavidsonHarley-Davidson board member Jochen Zeitz has resigned just days after the company’s CEO said he would step down[/caption] GettyIn his resignation letter, Dourdeville blasted the company for ‘severe underperformance’ and ‘cultural depletion’ (stock image)[/caption] GettyIt comes after the CEO of Harley-Davidson announced that he will step down when his position is filled[/caption]Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company is now scrambling after board member Jared Dourdeville raised “grave concerns” about the brand and suddenly quit.
In a savage letter to the board, Dourdeville, who reps Harley’s second-largest shareholder H Partners, blasted the company for “severe underperformance” and “cultural depletion.”
He demanded the immediate resignation of CEO Jochen Zeitz and two other directors, accusing them of driving the brand into chaos.
The April 1 letter pulled no punches, tearing into Harley’s work-from-home policy, high turnover, and loss of key senior leaders.
Dourdeville stepped down on April 5, just days after sending the letter and ahead of a meeting where his demands were set to be discussed.
His dramatic departure comes on the heels of Zeitz announcing he’d retire once a new CEO is chosen.
Zeitz, who’s been in charge since 2020, announced his retirement on Tuesday after five years leading the company.
The brand is now searching for a successor.
But Dourdeville wasn’t willing to wait and wanted more heads to roll.
He pointed to cratering sales, bloated inventory, and company culture in free fall under Zeitz’s “The Hardwire” strategy, Fox local affiliate WITI reported.
Launched in 2020, the five-year plan aimed to boost profits and broaden Harley’s customer base but with just months left it’s fallen flat.
The brand has struggled to connect with younger riders as its core baby boomer crowd ages out.
To try and boost sales, Harley has started focusing on more expensive Touring bikes and custom models designed for wealthier buyers.
But behind the scenes, tensions have been revving for months.
Harley-Davidson closures in 2024
There are over 650 Harley-Davidson dealerships across America.
However, multiple stores have closed for various reasons throughout 2024 – if they give any explanation at all.
Below is a list of some Harley-Davidson locations that have shuttered this year and why they closed their doors:
A San Francisco location closed in June 2024 after 110 years due to ‘chaos’ brought by new management.
Miracle City Harley-Davidson in Titusville, Florida, closed in September 2024 with no reason given.
Harley-Davidson’s legacy location in New York City closed shop on September 28, 2024, with the owner citing problems with the economy.
Reiman’s Harley-Davidson dealership in Kewanee, Illinois, closed its doors in October 2024 after the owners sold the business to the Walter Brothers Harley Davidson dealership in Peoria, Illinois.
Another Illinois dealership closed in November 2024.
Plus, the dealership in West Bend, Wisconsin, is temporarily closing for the season from November 2 until April 1, 2024.
In 2025, Hideout Harley-Davidson in Missouri announced it would shutter at the end of March.
Harley hit back at Dourdeville, saying he was never a “dissenting voice” in meetings and quit before the board could address his complaints.
“Mr. Dourdeville was not a dissenting voice in the boardroom as to matters he raised in his letter,” the company stated in an SEC filing.
The CEO shake-up also comes as Harley prepares for new tariffs on American-made bikes sold in Europe – a threat executives warned could push prices into six figures.
Harley told Congress that the EU’s proposed tariffs are “devastating” and “indefensible,” with the CFO warning a Road Glide in Denmark could soar from $28,000 to $124,000, The U.S. Sun earlier reported.
Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Root testified tariffs would crush sales abroad and claimed Harley is being politically targeted.
He added the company already ate $166 million in costs during the last round of tariffs in 2018, rather than passing it on to buyers.
Harley, which employs 4,500 American workers, sources most of its parts from US suppliers and says it’s already feeling pressure from Trump’s broader auto industry tariffs.
AFPThe brand has struggled to connect with younger riders as its core baby boomer crowd ages out[/caption] Read More Details
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