Harley-Davidson to Bring Some Production Back to Wisconsin
Company moving some production and jobs back to U.S. in this state and Pennsylvania.
A Harley-Davidson motorcycle is displayed at the Wisconsin Drives Manufacturing Summit on June 2, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Joe Schulz/WPR
Harley-Davidson is bringing some motorcycle production back to Wisconsin.
In a statement Tuesday, the company said it plans to bring production of its Revolution Max motorcycles back to the United States, with that manufacturing moving to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. That includes Harley’s Pan America, Sportster S, and Nightster models.
Harley plans to produce more than 100,000 motorcycles at its York, Pennsylvania plant in 2027, according to the company.
The company’s announcement did not specify what type of production it would increase in Wisconsin or how many jobs would be added in both states. Harley, based in Milwaukee, currently has an 849,000 square-foot powertrain factory in Menomonee Falls.
Harley-Davidson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement, Harley said it has built motorcycles in the U.S. for more than a century. The company says its announcement “reflects our commitment to strengthening Harley-Davidson’s manufacturing base for the long term.”
“This move returns machining, powertrain assembly, painting, and final vehicle assembly work to our facilities in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, supporting dozens of additional American manufacturing and union jobs,” the statement reads.
The plan to boost manufacturing comes after Harley laid off workers earlier this year. At the time, the company did not say how many employees were laid off or where they worked.
Harley-Davidson had an operating loss of $29 million in 2025 and its global motorcycle sales fell 12 percent that year compared to 2024, according to the company’s fourth quarter earnings report.
That’s as tariffs cost the company $67 million last year, said Jonathan Root, the company’s chief financial officer.
“In 2025, the global tariff environment was more volatile and uncertain than we had expected at the beginning of the year,” Root told investors during a February earnings call.
Harley’s sales rebounded slightly to start the year, up 8 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the company.
Last month, the company announced a plan aimed at improving its profitability, framing it as a back to basics approach.
“This strategy is intentionally grounded in our core strengths,” Harley-Davidson CEO Artie Starrs told investors last month.
Harley has said its plan to bring work back to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania is part of that strategy.
Bill Davidson, the great-grandson of one of the company’s four founders, said in a statement that his family “spent generations working in this company” and they’re “incredibly excited” about the announcement.
“Bringing this work back home is another important step in getting back to the bricks, investing in American manufacturing, and building on the values that have made Harley-Davidson one of the most iconic brands in the world,” Davidson stated.
The White House also praised Harley’s announcement on social media, saying it would boost manufacturing jobs and ensure more American-made bikes.
In its announcement, Harley-Davidson said changes the Trump administration made to trade policy and “shifts in the global trade environment” created opportunities for companies to invest in domestic manufacturing.
During Harley’s earnings call last month, Root said the administration included a tariff exemption on certain motorcycles, as well as parts and accessories used to make motorcycles.
“Three of our four manufacturing centers are U.S.-based and 100 percent of our U.S. core product is manufactured in the U.S.,” Root said. “This change will serve in helping mitigate the impact of tariffs to Harley-Davidson, Inc. and enable us to strengthen our commitment to U.S. manufacturing.”
Root added that Harley anticipates tariffs will cost the company between $75 million and $90 million in 2026. He says the company’s “expected tariff amount will decrease consecutively as we work our way across the remaining quarters in 2026.”
Harley-Davidson to bring some motorcycle production back to Wisconsin, Pennsylvania was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
