More than 50 Harley-Davidson motorcycles from all over Eastern China descended upon the scenic Baijia Lake area of Nanjing on Saturday afternoon to mark the opening of the iconic brand’s local dealership.
As the legendary company announced the recall nearly 46,000 motorcycles in the US due to clutch problems, news of the Nanjing opening could not be more fortuitously coincidental. With a ceremony at the nearby Crowne Plaza hotel, the distinctive roar of Harleys’ engines in unison was quite literally felt by residents as reverberations echoed across the picture postcard location that provides a suitable backdrop for the 112 year old brand’s entry to the Nanjing market at its dealership on Shuanlong Avenue, close to 1912.
The colourful opening, however, masked an industry which to some has altogether more bleak prospects. While sales of four wheels in China have boomed in recent years, turning the country into the world’s largest auto market, two wheelers have actually seen sales in decline according to some reports.
The problem lies in regulation. In addition to usage restrictions in many urban areas, it is further made difficult for consumers to buy and ride motorcycles on account that it is difficult to have a license plate issued. In addition, China has a compulsory scrap policy that dictates all bikes must be scrapped after 11 years.
Speaking with the China Business Review in 2012, Sean Jiang, managing director of Harley-Davidson’s China operations, explained, “The regulations aren’t malicious in nature, there is just a lack of understanding of a leisure riding culture. With Harley-Davidson’s help, we hope that people’s understanding and perceptions will change and the rules will eventually be lifted”.
Sales of Harley-Davidson in China unsurprisingly account for a very small portion of the brand’s global total. Yet, the company is expecting a slow but steady turnaround. Jiang commented, “Japan is Harley-Davidson’s largest market outside of the United States. But Harley-Davidson has been in Japan for almost a hundred years, and it is a mature motorcycling market. China is still an emerging motorcycle market, but the company is pleased with its growth in the country”.
The first authorised Harley-Davidson dealership in mainland China opened in Beijing in 2006. Since then, a gradual appreciation for the joys of motorcycle ownership and riding culture has emerged in the Middle Kingdom. That Harley-Davidson have now opened up in Nanjing is further evidence that riding the archetypal beasts has developed into an enjoyable, exciting and, importantly for the Chinese, a famous, way of pursuing leisure.
