Despite the Australian dollar dropping about 7% in the past year, Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand has kept a lid on prices for the 2015 model line-up.
The only price rises are the Dyna Low Rider, up $245 to $23,495 rideaway and the top-selling Softail Breakout up $500 to $29,495. Meanwhile, the price of the flagship Ultra Limited has gone down $255.
Breakout gets better brakesHarley marketing boss Adam Wright says they take a long-term view of pricing. “We don’t have knee-jerk reactions to foreign exchange instabilities,” he says. “When the dollar dropped to about 50c in 2001, we didn’t jerk pricing up.”
He says long-term price stability creates a loyal customer base. “It’s important that we maintain pricing on a consistent level over a long term for the customer,” he says. “That gives them good resale value, which breeds brand loyalty.”
The price stability comes in the face of major updates to the braking systems on 2015 Softail models. Harley uses new master cylinders, front calipers and large rotors to improve the braking performance.
Harley motorcycle product planner Craig Russell says the braking performance has always been good, but now it takes 40% less lever effort at peak braking which improves rider confidence.
The only other price increase is in the new Street Glide Special which costs $1000 more than the standard Street Glide it replaces, but it now comes with a Boom! Box 6.5 GT infotainment system and gloss black inner fairing.
Harley-Davidson 2015
(Rideaway prices)
Sportster
- XL883L SuperLow $14,750
- XL883N Iron 883 $14,995
- XL1200V Seventy-Two $18,495
- XL1200C 1200 Custom $18,750
- XL1200X Forty-Eight $18,995
- XL1200T SuperLow 1200T $19,250
Dyna
Road Glide returns- FXDL Low Rider $23,495
- FXDB Street Bob $22,495
- FXDBB Street Bob Special $23,995
- FXDWG Wide Glide $24,995
- FXDF Fat Bob $25,495
- FLD Switchback $26,250
Softail
- FLS Softail Slim $26,250
- FXST Softail Standard $27,250
- FLSTFB Fat Boy Lo $28,750
- FLSTF Fat Boy $28,995
- FLSTN Softail Deluxe $28,995
- FXSB Breakout $29,495
- FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic $29,995
Touring
- FLHRC Road King Classic $32,495
- FLHXS Street Glide Special $34,995
- FLTRXS Road Glide Special $34,495
- FLHTK Ultra Limited $37,995
V-ROD
- VRSCDX Night Rod Special $27,250
- VRSCF V-Rod Muscle $26,995
CVO
- Softail Deluxe $44,995
- Street Glide Special $46,995
- Road Glide Ultra $48,995
- Electra Glide Ultra Limited $50,995