• July 19, 2011

Harley-Davidson, Inc. has reported improvements in the second quarter this year, with strong earnings growth, increased shipments and growth in dealers' new motorcycle sales both in the U.S. and globally, according to a company release.

The Milwaukee motorcycle manufacturer said income from continuing operations in the second-quarter 2011 rose 36.8% to $190.6 million. The company said retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew 7.5% in the U.S. and 5.6% worldwide in the second quarter.

For the first six months of 2011, Harley-Davidson income from continuing operations was up 48.9% compared to the year-ago period to $309.8 million.

Harley-Davidson said it now expects to ship between 228,000 and 235,000 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide, an increase of 8% to 12% compared to last year's shipments.

Said Keith Wandell, President and CEO, in a statement, "While we are pleased by Harley-Davidson's second-quarter results, including the strong jump at retail in the U.S., our focus remains squarely on sustaining this progress through the ongoing implementation of our business strategy."