The year 1984 was the last time Harley-Davidson produced its famed Shovelhead engine, notorious for its love-hate relationship with riders. More importantly, that was a time when owning a Harley really meant something -- it said you weren't like everyone else. Over the next 23 years, Harley was able to grow from making hundreds of millions in profits to billions of dollars. Somewhere along the line, the company began to lose its identity, and after 2007 the party was over, when profits hit neutral and started a steady decline.
Today, the Harley-Davidson flat track racing team is one of the few remaining aspects of the company Harley faithful can truly identify with.
Kenny Coolbeth. Source: Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle Flat Track Racing.
But not all hope is lost for the company. Profits have begun to rebound, and the company is quickly building a presence overseas. Harley-Davidson may not be the rebellious brand it once was, but around the world it's still the quintessential American-made outlaw.
In the following video, Motley Fool analyst Blake Bos discusses the company's latest earnings and what challenges the company still faces today.
