Did Harley shoot itself in the foot?

[TWT racer]

My thought from day one, when Harley got rid of Buell, was that they no longer creating new Harley generations and as a result, shooting themselves in the foot, and ultimately creating their own downfall
...could I be right?

Harley-Davidson adjusts to hard times - Sep. 17, 2010

 

[DaCol.]

They'll survive, but by closing Buell AND announcing they are Selling MV Agusta it will take time. Remember they really are selling a life style (really the Bikes aren't that great anyway - Compaired to the other makes) , and thousands of people in the States and Europe want to be seen in that life style. Anyway, the majority of their profits are from cloths and Harley Junk stuff. And that will continue

 

[Busa1166]

Everyone is hurting, since they only seem to be offering one type at the moment going to be harder on them them than others.

 

[kennym4]

They will do just fine !! What I have noticed (around here anyway) is the younger guys are getting into the Bobbers.

 

[F=MA]

They'll survive.

Worst case scenario they'll go crying to the government again for support like they did in the 1980's.

Then we'll see our beloved 'busa prices rise 45% so Harley can continue churning out loud, obnoxious, relics.

 

[Vonderbach]

Does anyone know what became of the Buell line? Did Eric Buell have any rights to sell the name? Or did Harley pull the trigger and just kill it?

I know Buell has a racing company now, but that's track only.

 

[Rainbow7]

Well, the Buell bikes were about as much "Harley" as a Jaguar is a "Tata".

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Just think how much Harley is making now by putting their name on chinese made apparel and selling it for a gazillion percent markup !

 

[Phrogg]

I had a Buell xb12r before the busa. Needless to say it earned a spot in my heart...lol I want two bikes in my life, another XB12R and the busa!!!!

 

[OneTrueRider]

The local dealer was having a 2011 Demo Day last Saturday so a couple of buddies and myself figured why not. Don't slam me, but here's what I thought. The dealer also had new 2010 models discounted trying to empty the showroom before winter.

I rode a Fat Boy first. No power and the exhaust sounded terrible with the factory pipes. Single disk on the front wheel makes it feel like it has wooden brake pads. In my opinion it is highly over rated and owes it fame to the first Terminator movie. Plus it drags hard parts like nothing I've ever rode.

Next I rode a Road King Classic, base price $19,500 + fees that comes with the 103 inch motor. Love the looks and seating position. It has more of a classic "Happy Days" look and not like your trying to look like Billy Bad Ass. It's a lot of fun to ride and the factory pipes have a nice subtle sound, but really couldn't see myself spending the day on it. At a stop with the engine at idle it shakes like a carnival ride. It would be a nice second bike as a toy but the vibes would rule out a long haul.

Didn't ride the VROD, but noticed the demo was already showing signs of a seep from the engine case with 23 miles on the odometer... Nice ad for the extended warranty.

To get back on my Busa was an amazing contrast in Performance, Engine Vibration (or lack of), Braking, etc. It's hard to explain how drastically different they are. To say the Busa is a superior product is a huge understatement, especially when it costs about 40% less. The reason that HD is having trouble attracting new customers I think is mainly because of the limited technology, low build quality, and over inflated price of their product. But that's just my opinion.

BTW, HD can finance you for up to 10 years at as high as 25% interest. Once again showing how "they care" for their loyal customers.

 

[Rainbow7]

The reason that HD is having trouble attracting new customers I think is mainly because of the limited technology, low build quality, and over inflated price of their product.

That, and the fact that their customer base are now at retirement age and have to save their money for things like Preparation H and cataract surgery.

 

[nhgunnut]

I have loved the appearance of the XR1200 since it showed up in the European Magazines. I test rode one early this summer, what a appointment. Fit and finish was ok. Suspension adequate, Powertrain was dismal. It reminded me why the Honda 750 bikes were so popular for so long. A split second in the sweet spot then quickly falls into an anemic lope. This is a real shame cause it could be a very nice bike.
Worst of all when I rode it back into the dealer ship I said to the tech how much horse power is this rated at ? He answered "More than most any other bike here cept maybe the V Rod. I couldn't help but think "you might want to keep that bit of info to yourself" but I just thanked him got on the busa and rode off.

 

[chrisjp]

take a concession contract...let us sub work to part time non union reduce your pay reduce your benifits reduce your pension....or we will cut 1400 jobs and move someplace else...cause we are hurting and our ceo needs a raise. greedy. and the common skilled worker again has to suffer...mark my words...closed and moved in less than a year anyway

 

[Vonderbach]

Unions are hardly common skilled workers. Personally I feel that it's a welcome change to see a company actually have some cajones to make demands on the unions. I know mine is not a very popular view, but as a company owner, there is no way I will ever allow my people to unionize. This is my business, not yours. if you don't like the wages, go somewhere else. Unions had their place before many employment laws existed, but today there is no use for them. And your average union bosses are just as bad as the CEO's, but you never hear about them because they protect "the workers." Meanwhile they make more than the CEO and you won't find them hurting during the economy.

 

[Rainbow7]

And your average union bosses are just as bad as the CEO's, but you never hear about them because they protect "the workers." Meanwhile they make more than the CEO and you won't find them hurting during the economy.

True. I've just spent three days in court giving evidence against a union official. It was immensely satisfying.

Unions had their place in the past and I believe there is still a place for them today. But the old-time unionists who were controlled by Comintern are now an anachronism, and there is no place for them.

I know of a union official who, when his best friend got caught smuggling $20,000,000 worth of drugs into the country, tried to use his position to get the employer to cover up any evidence of what his friend had done.

 

[mynewride]

Unions are hardly common skilled workers. Personally I feel that it's a welcome change to see a company actually have some cajones to make demands on the unions. I know mine is not a very popular view, but as a company owner, there is no way I will ever allow my people to unionize. This is my business, not yours. if you don't like the wages, go somewhere else. Unions had their place before many employment laws existed, but today there is no use for them. And your average union bosses are just as bad as the CEO's, but you never hear about them because they protect "the workers." Meanwhile they make more than the CEO and you won't find them hurting during the economy.

id like to see proof of one union leader making more than the CEO of said company.

 

[viasevenvai]

A truely great product will stand the test of time.

If all HD is is an image that focused a certain generation to be brainwashed....then it will of course die off.

Just like some songs that were on the radio about 2 years ago and no one even remembers them.

hows that lesbian band that had that hit "all the things she said, running through my head runnin through my head"

I love that song as an example of fading cheapness. Everyone (no one here of course) was going nuts over it, but then what, gone. If you don't know what I'm talking about then you KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

 

[chrisjp]

ok...as a union person..i make 23.25 an hour have lost my pension with a heavty 2% contribution to my 401k from the company...my health care went from 32 a week to 120 a week ( i know i blame BCBS company has not decreased thier contribution) we went from 70 workers to 35 when they tried closeing the shop and moving work elsewhere (yes we are STILL the only profit makeing shop in thier group!!!!!) i can spend 16hrs turning a spacer on 50's equiptment that they turn around and sell to ge or pratt n wittney or rolls royce for half a mill....you tell me who is greedy for asking for a wage that is barely allowing me to survive in this economy?????!!!!!! (ps i cant ride my busa because i cant afford a 100$ new tire because gas , power, rent, food...eats my ENTIRE paycheck of a pittiful 500 a week after taxes and insurance and union dues!!!!!!!!) why dont we really deal with the real problem....OUR GOVERMENT and FREE TRADE where other countrys DEFLATE THE VALUE OF THIER DOLLAR AND SUBSIDISE THIER INDUSTRYS TO ARTIFICIALY REDUCE THE PRICE OF THIER PRODUCT SO NO OTHER "FREE TRADE ABIDING" COUNTRY CAN COMPETE......our goverment is only now lieving taxes and fees ACCORDING TO THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT THAT WE SIGNED AND ABIDE BY LEGALY because your dirty nasty stinking money grubbing UNIONS are fileing lawsuits against said COUNTRYS to ABIDE BY THE LAWS OF THE TREATY THEY SIGNED AND ARE NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT ect FOLLOWING WITH THE PURPOSE TO MAKE YOUR BUISNESS FAIL!!!!

 

[Vonderbach]

id like to see proof of one union leader making more than the CEO of said company.

You can Google this pretty easily.

Labor bosses don't share workers' pain | detnews.com | The Detroit News

How many CEO's make $300,000? It's a really major misconception that CEO's are always the one's making millions. A good CEO has high skilled and high paid talent around him (or her.) And a good CEO won't sit back and collect millions in compensation that is unearned.

Answer: CEO Salaries - Executive Salaries - Average Salary of a CEO - PayScale

ok...as a union person..i make 23.25 an hour have lost my pension with a heavty 2% contribution to my 401k from the company...my health care went from 32 a week to 120 a week ( i know i blame BCBS company has not decreased thier contribution) we went from 70 workers to 35 when they tried closeing the shop and moving work elsewhere (yes we are STILL the only profit makeing shop in thier group!!!!!) i can spend 16hrs turning a spacer on 50's equiptment that they turn around and sell to ge or pratt n wittney or rolls royce for half a mill....you tell me who is greedy for asking for a wage that is barely allowing me to survive in this economy?????!!!!!! (ps i cant ride my busa because i cant afford a 100$ new tire because gas , power, rent, food...eats my ENTIRE paycheck of a pittiful 500 a week after taxes and insurance and union dues!!!!!!!!)

I'm not saying all union workers are doing great, just that on the average, union jobs pay a lot more. $23.25/hr is really good in this economy, but then again, if you're budgeted for lower expenses, you can't really help that. How much are union dues?

 

[Techbiker]

Reading this reminds me of my harley days. I guess I really never adjusted to the harley image. Dont't get me wrong there are alot of great people riding harleys but I felt i was was not bring truthful to myself when I rode one, I had a 04 Fatboy and like said earlier the brakes were terrible the exhaust was annoying, but I could deal with that.

It came down to this, I've had the HD for 12 months, walking out from work I noticed the rectifier was hanging down and only holding on by the wires, I zip tied it up and drove to the dealership they took in in immediatly after an about an hour the service manager came and said we have you ready to go....that will be $110.00.

I told him that it was still under warranty and didn't expect to pay anything.
Then he told me that there is nothing wrong with the rectifier only the screws came out and they had to do an electrical check to make sure all was ok.. unexceptable to me. I told him that the manufacturing defect is screw backing out and I was not about to pay for this defect, words were exchanged then another harley executive stepped in and tried to explain this away, I stood strong and said no way I was going to pay 110.00 for 4 screws. After going back and forth we setteled for 50 dollars, I was out of there and totally discourged in the service I recieved, never going back, and I sold the harley
Been riding a Busa ever since.