Unlike Harley-Davison, Ducati’s Future Seems Bright
Ducati has always had an incredibly loyal customer base. In 2022, Ducati saw over 1 Billion Euros in revenue, with an operating profit of 109 million Euros, combined with record sales of 61,562 motorcycles delivered. Ducati’s profitability also grew, reaching a double-digit of 10%. Combined with its successes in racing, where it won MotoGP and WorldSBK titles, Ducati is becoming the Ferrari of motorcycles.
Ducati’s revenue increased by 24% over 2022 odue to its incredible lineup of motorcycles. Even more spectacular, Ducati saw a massive growth of 77% in profits. In addition, Ducati saw a 3.6 percent growth in its sales. Ducati has always made performance motorcycles, and this year was no different. EICMA voted the Diavel V4 as “the most beautiful bike of the show”. Ducati has also been chosen as the supplier for the FIM Enel MotoE World Championship.
And 2022, wasn’t an aberration. In 2023 Ducati again increased its profits to 112 million Euros. It further increased profitability to 10.5% over 2022 on sales of 58,224 motorcycles in 2023.
By comparison, Harley-Davidson seems to be going in exactly the opposite direction. Sales continue to tumble and Harley’s entry into the electric motorcycle market isn’t progressing well. When one considers that in the coming year there will be at least four new motorcycle production entrants into the North American market, particularly in the electric motorcycle market, and HD’s future does not look bright.
Bajaj, Hero, Royal Enfield and TVS will all be marketing new products in both the electric and ICE engine motorcycle categories, along with CFMoto and QJ motors new entrants. All of these companies have complete existing lines of products or plans for new dealerships coming to North America in both 2024 and 2025.
Meanwhile, US News Money stated on February 8th, 2024, that Harley-Davidson’s full-year revenue forecast for 2024 will be from flat to down 9% from 2023, on top of 2023’s fourth quarter reduction in shipments of 13% to 2022.
Harley-Davidson will report its financials for Q1 of 2024 on April 25th, 2024. It is hoped that there will be some sort of turnaround, though Harley-Davidson itself is not optimistic.
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