Harley, an American success story

[Constant Mesh]

An interesting article from USAToday.

https://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/trad...over-usat_x.htm

While I prefer the FJR I still appreciate and have good feelings about Harley's success. It's a company which is thriving while it successfully competes in the world marketplace.

 

[IAGeezer]

I'm glad the Motor Company is doing OK. They make a great product.

Free Trade stuff - there are other websites for that...

I'm just curious to see if this will start yet another feeding frenzy by Those Who Have An Opinion But Have Never Owned One. (Yeah, it's a slow day in the Hot Box)

 

[dcarver]

You'll get no HD bashing from me.. I love my 1991 Ultra Classic. Should of seen some of the faces at WFO when I said 'if going to the East coast tomorrow, I'd be on the hog'... Thought I'd just called their mamma a bad name or something!! :blink:

 

[MikeYork5]

:rambo: --- Come on -- let the bashing begin! :yahoo:

 

[SMC]

I have no doubt that HD has done an outstanding job of marketing and making their products desirable (degree in visual communications/advertising/marketing), I have driven a HD Road King and appreciated the experience, but just doesn't light my wick or style of riding. So you will not find me owning a HD or any other cruiser for that matter.

No argueing they get top dollar for their stuff, especially the loads of accessories they have out their to "customize" the product. IMO there are a lot of bikes out there that definitely give you a bigger bang for your buck, handle much better, mechanically more up to date and more dependable then a HD.

HD just isn't my cup of tea.

 

[jrd14]

I agree with SMC!!!

 

[Rogue]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

HD & free trade?????? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Who else here remembers the 750cc bikes being dropped to 699cc because of the tariffs against jap bikes in the 80's? Do you remember who lobbied for them?

Yea, HD & free trade!

 

[PapaUtah]

"At Harley-Davidson™ we do not sell motorcycles. We sell a lifestyle and an image. The motorcycle is secondary to the purchase transaction." - Jeff Bluenstein, Former Harley-Davidson™ President and CEO.

 

[PapaUtah]

"Motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor Co. said its group sales and profits in the January-June period rose to record highs.

In a group earnings report for the six months ended June 30, Yamaha Motor said its net and pretax profits rose 20.2 percent and 20.8 percent, respectively, to all-time highs of 44.26 billion yen and 67.58 billion yen.

Its operating profit increased 16.1 percent to a record high of 65.89 billion yen on a 20.1 percent jump in sales to an all-time high of 812.92 billion yen.

Yamaha Motor traced the buoyant performances to improved motorcycle sales in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America.

For the full year to Dec. 31, Yamaha Motor revised its sales and net profit forecasts upward to 1.52 trillion yen and 76 billion yen, up 70 billion yen and 11 billion yen from its initial projections.

Its full-year projections for pretax and operating profits were revised upward to 125 billion yen and 123 billion yen, up 10 billion yen and 8 billion yen, respectively, from their initial forecasts."

Yamaha, a worldwide success story!

 

[RonBB]

Deleted Post

 

[Flylooper]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
HD & free trade?????? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Who else here remembers the 750cc bikes being dropped to 699cc because of the tariffs against jap bikes in the 80's? Do you remember who lobbied for them?

Yea, HD & free trade!

Yup. It all depends on whose ox is being gored. HD tried to walk both sides of the street, no doubt.

I've never owned one but I've ridden plenty of them. They don't call them Milwaukee Vibrators for nothing. On the other hand I'm a sucker for all that chrome and stuff....and long as I don't have to pay for it.

H-D is still stuck in the 1940's and needs to come into the 21st century. As the baby boomers move through the pipeline H-D will lose it's most important customer base. My kids don't give a rip about Harleys whereas I used to drool over them as a youngster. Buell has turned out to be a bust and the V-Rod is not getting the kind of buzz (npi) that H-D hoped for.

The metric builders have eclipsed H-D in every way and to survive, that company needs to get with the program. I'd love to see them kick a little Japanese butt, but I think it'll be when hell freezes over. That's one stock I'd never buy and hold.

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

If it wasn't for the tarriffs on imported bikes, AMF/Harley would not exist as it does today. And to steal, I mean perfect the Indian technology, back in the days doesn't bide well with me.

 

[blueman]

Success story, yah maybe. Not the way I would like to see an American motorcycle company be successful. I wounder how much HD re-invests its profits back into R&D. Oh thats right its not a motorcycle company its an image company. I still don't get it. I am still waiting for an U.S. motorcycle company to build performance motorcycles that are fun to ride. The money and tech is their, is the demand, I don't know. If an American company built a bike with the performance and track record of the FJR or other great jap bikes I would buy it! I have ridden Harleys before even the V-Rod. I still don't get.

 

[Constant Mesh]

At least Harley is making a go of it. The American car companies need to get their act together or pretty soon they're going to be road kill. It's embarrassing how far they've fallen. Management has been literally "asleep at the wheel".

 

[Thug]

A mate of mine has hand many bikes HDs included. He was looking around for a road king and this Sales dude struck up a conversation with him and proceeded to say "You just don't buy a bike you buy an image!", My friend brought one at another dealer and a couple of years later he goes back to the store to look at something else and the sales dude is there. My mate goes up to him as says" I got me Harley but I'm still waiting for the image thing?".

Just a side bar, protectionism of local industry or to drop the barriers for free trade, while I like the idea in reality it really doesn’t work. Why? Well you only have to look no further than your own country and how they view free trade...The US are the worst (or best?) at trying to **** some other country over even with an FTA.

Yes yes and before any of you want to have a cry about me having a go at the US for the above, it's a fact and yes other countries do it too but the Yanks are the best (or worst?) at it! Now is that a good thing? Or bad thing?

For example...as some of you may or may not be aware of we have an alleged Free Trade Agreement with you buggers. Apparently we have one of the best Gov sponsored (PBS, Pharmaceutical benefit Scheme, Gov pays for most of the cost of meds on this system) systems in the world, the FTA the yanks wanted Oz to life the PBS to meet their standards which would have raised our cost of medications by 100's of % no ********! Ask yourself why? Better for them not for us.

Ciao

 

[nusman68]

C'mon now....like many, I'm no HD fan...but let's not forget these 'Twins'

 

[odot]

Ok....I'll buy.

 

[Thug]

You've convinced me!

 

[odot]

Hey, thug...is that french for "you've smelled me"?