Harley-Davidson Backsliding On Wokeness Despite Previous Policy Reversal

Harley-Davidson hired a CEO and a Chief Brand Officer that have pushed “woke” initiatives in the past despite the motorcycle company’s vow to backtrack away from such policies.

The companies that Artie Starrs, now Harley-Davidson’s CEO, and Marcus Fischer, now Harley-Davidson’s chief brand officer, previously helped lead strongly promoted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies during their respective tenures, according to conservative activist Robby Starbuck.

Harley-Davidson hired both Starrs and Fischer in 2025, a year after the company said it would change such policiesfollowing significant backlash. In 2025, former CEO of Harley-Davidson, Jochen Zeitz, retired after he was accused of pushing a leftist political agenda and overseeing over a decline in sales. Starbuck helped spark the policy reversal in 2024 through posts on X which alleged Harley-Davidson’s pro-DEI actions.

The activist, known for his work in getting large corporations to drop DEI policies, posted on X about the motorcycle company Wednesday.