Sometimes, a manufacturer’s ability to make a product is entirely out of its hands. Suppliers are the backbone of the operation, and if a part can’t be delivered, the thing it goes into can’t be made. That’s the problem that Harley-Davidson is currently facing.
Harley-Davidson this week announced that it has suspended “all vehicle assembly and shipments” for two weeks, with the exception of its electric LiveWire lineup. According to the motorcycle manufacturer’s press release, this decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.” A representative for Harley-Davidson declined to add anything beyond what the company said in its release.
Harley-Davidson’s issues stem from one of its suppliers. According to the brief release, the assembly and shipping stoppage “is based on information provided by a third-party supplier… concerning a regulatory compliance matter relating to the supplier’s component part.” Based on that information, it appears that a supplier’s part might not stand up to regulatory scrutiny, and taking a two-week pause is likely the easier solution than continuing to build products that may end up being recalled. Safety first.
While you can still buy a LiveWire electric motorcycle, it’s no longer called a Harley. H-D spun off LiveWire into its own brand, starting with the LiveWire One, which is largely the same as the Harley-Davidson LiveWire that preceded it. Most recently, the company introduced the S2 Del Mar tracker-style motorcycle, which offers 80 horsepower and has a targeted range of 100 miles.
