I’m the first to admit when I’m wrong, or when I haven’t done my due diligence. In this instance, the latter is more appropriate. Last week, I wrote about Harley-Davidson’s new ‘Solo Trim Package’ for the 2026 Street Bob, Heritage Softail, and Street Glide motorcycles. Offered at that minimalist trim level is only one colorway, though–gray.
I wondered why motorcycle manufacturers were following the Millennial Gray footpath toward a future free from color, and why a rider who wants a no-bullshit version of a bike had to settle for an achromatic color. In my defense, this was more of a hot-take on a trend that began in the 2010s, with post-college-aged Millennials gray-washing their homes.
The trend became so common it spilled out onto the streets, as hotel rooms were renovated in varying shades of gray, the local coffee shops cutting color from their club chairs and couches. Architectural Digest (AD) wrote about the trend, stating that “… (social media) posts about color disappearing from our lives have reached the tenor of a moral panic. It’s the most heated discussion around a single color in recent memory.”
