Who Is Harley-Davidson's Biggest Competitor?

Harley-Davidson is one of the most popular and resilient motorcycle brands in the world, with decades of iconic Harley models to back it up. But the motorcycle manufacturer has faced some stiff competition from other companies fighting it out for market share, including Indian Motorcycles. Both Indian and Harley-Davidson are legendary motorcycle brands, with the former widely considered by many to be Harley-Davidson's biggest direct competitor. This is due to Indian's heritage, consumer perception, and mutual focus on big cruisers and touring bikes.

In fact, some Indian models, like the Challenger and Chief, are very similar to Harley's bikes in terms of overall design and engine size, as well as in rider experience. These commonalities show that Indian is targeting Harley's customer base and is directly competing for Harley's business. Plus, Indian's reputation for classic American motorcycles and company branding mirrors that of Harley, giving the two companies even more overlap. But there are other brands worth mentioning, as they challenge Harley-Davidson in other categories.

In 2025, Harley ranked third in overall U.S. motorcycle sales, eclipsed by Kawasaki and Honda in first and second place respectively. Fourth-place Yamaha and seventh-place Suzuki, though focused mostly on sport bikes, were also in the mix; Indian's market share left it at a respectable but still-lagging sixth place. While none but Indian are directly coming after Harley-Davidson's share of the heavyweight cruiser and V-twin categories, they're influencing the market and potentially taking customers away. Because of this, they must all be considered competitors.

Harley-Davidson and Indian like to duke it out on bragging rights, considering how they were founded so close together. Harley first started making bikes in 1903, while Indian was founded in 1901. Surprisingly, neither Indian nor Harley-Davidson is America's oldest motorcycle brand; that particular accolade goes to the Waltham Manufacturing Company, founded in 1893, which advertised an "Orient Motor-cycle" in its 1899 catalog.  But even as Indian beat Harley to the punch in getting their bikes to market, the tide turned during World War I, with Indian not securing as many military contracts as its competitor. Continuing decline led Indian to shutter its doors in 1953. It wouldn't be until 2011, when ATV manufacturer Polaris bought the rights to the brand name, that Indian would return.

Following Indian's departure, Harley-Davidson's dominance in the American motorcycle market went largely unchallenged for nearly 20 years. But by the late 1960s, the company began to struggle under poor leadership, resulting in quality issues. Consumers started looking to other manufacturers for better options and found Honda, which had already established a major foothold in the American motorcycle market. Harley definitely felt the impact, made worse as competition from Suzuki and Yamaha ramped up as well in the intervening years.

Harley did manage to weather the competitive storm, even with the return of Indian Motorcycles. However, Harley-Davidson has faced a decline in sales over the past few years as other companies like BMW have gained traction with younger bikers. Plus, Harley's focus on heavy motorcycles has left the market for lightweight and more modern bikes wide open. This means other competitors are making strides, even as Harley-Davidson falls behind.