22 • May 2026 • Powersports Business www. PowersportsBusiness. com

CONFERENCE

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ATTRACTING NEW RIDERS As for clientele, Diamondback is still seeing plenty of traditional, old-school Harley HOGs, but it is also attracting some younger riders, especially recent graduates of its in-house Riding Academy. Callahan says sport model bikes like the Nightster are popular with new graduates, particularly because of the $ 10,000 price point.

“ Those are the easiest flips to those Riding Academy students that just graduated and to younger riders— especially in this economy. We can’ t keep enough of them( in inventory),” he says.

Diamondback is also generating new ridership through events and demo days. The dealership recently had the Harley- Davidson demo truck roll through with the 2026 model range available for test rides. It also hosts other monthly get-togethers like Poker Runs, Ladies Bike Night, and other events featuring food trucks and live music.“ We try to have something going on every weekend,” Callahan says.

But the dealership’ s biggest event is its Bikers and Bras benefit held in October. Now in its seventh year, the annual benefit raises money for area cancer centers that help fund transportation for patients going to and from treatment centers. For its 2025 benefit, Diamondback raised $ 8,000 for Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma.

Diamondback Harley-Davidson projects it will sell about 450 major units in 2026. Right: The dealership raised $ 8,000 last year for Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma.

NEW CEO, NEW DIRECTION Although Diamondback Harley-Davidson has been able to elude some of the difficulties other H-D stores have run into, Callahan says he’ s optimistic about the company’ s new CEO, Artie Starrs, and the direction he wants to drive Harley. And after having a face-to-face with the new chief executive, Callahan knows dramatic change isn’ t likely to happen overnight, but says Starrs gave him confidence about the direction of the company through his approach to dealers and the new ideas brought to the table.

“ We’ re excited to see him come in here with fresh ideas, and he’ s listening to the dealers,” Callahan says.“ I think the future is bright. It’ s not going to be an immediate change, but over the next couple of years, we’ re going to see it. He’ s definitely a smart guy, and I think he’ s going to do what he needs to do.”