Harley-Davidson slams brakes on 'woke' policies after sparking biker and social-media outrage (2024)

Harley-Davidson released a statement on Monday renouncing DEI and other controversial company initiatives in the wake of social-media outrage and withering pressure from longtime loyal bikers.

"It is critical to our business that we hire and retain the best talent and that all employees feel welcome," the statement reads.

"That said, we have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today. We do not have hiring quotas and we no longer have supplier diversity spend goals."

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The statement also said Harley-Davidson was reassessing employee training initiatives and sponsorships while refocusing on its most loyal customers.

"As a consumer brand, we will focus exclusively on growing the sport of motorcycling and retaining our loyal riding community, in addition to the support we already provide to first responders, active military members and veterans."

Jochen Zeitz, former chief executive officer of Puma AG, is shown speaking at the International Herald Tribune's Techno Luxury conference in Berlin, Germany, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. He assumed the role of CEO of Harley-Davidson in May 2020. (Michele Tantussi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

One veteran felt it was a long overdue mea culpa by the bike maker, but remained skeptical.

"I think it's great. But they never should have changed in the first place," Jesse Clay, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and longtime Harley-Davidson rider from Colorado, told Fox News Digital.

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"Let's see what actually happens."

Harley-Davidson had faced grumblings for years from longtime customers, including hard-core bikers, who claimed that the Milwaukee-based company "used" them to build its "bad--s" brand, then abandoned them as the motorcycle's popularity expanded to upscale riders.

A red, white and blue Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Chicago, Illinois. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The dissatisfaction exploded in July when social-media influencer Robby Starbuck outed several controversial internal woke policies at Harley.

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"@harleydavidson has been one of the most beloved brands in America but recently on CEO Jochen Zeitz’s watch, they’ve gone totally woke," Robby Starbuck shared with his more than 528,000 followers on X.

Starbuck, based in Tennessee, celebrated Harley's announcement on Monday.

Festival participants on their Harley-Davidsons at the big ride in July 2023 in Saxony, Dresden. (Matthias Rietschel/picture alliance/Getty Images)

"We have a movement to bring down DEI and wokeism in corporate America and inject some sanity back into the workplace," Starbuck said in a phone interview on Monday with Fox News Digital.

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"Corporations can't ignore our movement anymore. They have to take us seriously. They made this statement because we're obviously having an impact on their customer base."

The Harley-Davidson Museum, left, opened in Milwaukee in 2008. At right, a scene from the celebrated 1969 movie, "Easy Rider," which helped cement Harley-Davidson's iconic affiliation with the American open road. (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images and Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Starbuck said his social-media movement is now "three for three" after recent efforts to spotlight similar leftist corporate initiatives led to policy changes at John Deere and Tractor Supply Co.

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Harley-Davidson's statement noted that the company was "saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community."

Starbuck responded to the criticism: "They can be saddened all they want. I got the changes we wanted, but we still want the CEO [Jochen Zeitz] gone, too," he said.

Actors Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda riding their chopper motorcycles, with Luke Askew on the back of Fonda's motorcycle, in a publicity still issued for the film, "Easy Rider." (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

"He's a true believer, and we'll keep constant tabs on their internal business," said Starbuck.

"In his elite social circles, this move will not be popular. His world does not include bikers. This statement sounds like a board decision and not his decision. I'd be surprised if he was OK with this decision."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Harley-Davidson for comment in addition to its statement.

The company responded that it had no additional comment at this time.