Harley-Davidson is releasing an affordable, beginner-friendly motorcycle in the near future.

Harley-Davidson is set to release a new entry-level motorcycle next year, which is cause for excitement.

For readers of RideApart, it has been a long time coming for Harley to create a true entry-level motorcycle. The Sportster, while relatively affordable compared to other new bikes, is still heavy, powerful, and expensive at $10,000. It requires a level of skill that beginners typically do not possess. This does not fit the definition of an entry-level bike.

Harley acknowledges that most people enter the brand through aftermarket products, but this does not help the company move away from its focus on older, wealthy customers who enjoyed FX's Sons of Anarchy. To keep its 100-year legacy alive, Harley needs to attract new customers, which is something many people, including myself, want to see.

What Harley needs is a competitor to brands like Triumph, Kawasaki, Honda, and especially Royal Enfield. They need small-displacement motorcycles with affordable prices that still embody the Harley-Davidson spirit. And it seems that is exactly what is coming next year, as announced by outgoing CEO Jochen Zeitz.

The new motorcycle will be called the Sprint.

Zeitz revealed the existence of the Sprint during the latest earnings call, mentioning that the project has been in the works since 2021. While Harley already has small-displacement bikes like the X350 and X440 in partnership with Qianjiang Motors and Hero, the Sprint will be a completely new design.

Zeitz hinted that the Sprint will be profitable due to its unique engineering, which sets it apart from the existing models. Harley has not disclosed many details about the Sprint, but Zeitz mentioned that a future cruiser model will be based on the Sprint's architecture.

The Sprint is expected to debut late this year or early next year, aligning with the 2026 timeline. Fans of Harley-Davidson can look forward to more information possibly being revealed at EICMA. After years of anticipation, it is exciting to see Harley-Davidson finally embracing the changing times. Let's hope this new venture is more successful than LiveWire.