What is Harley doing?

[eakins]

HD arrogance will be the downfall of the company.

good for EB! if true could be very interesting bike.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news...oad-dirt-bike/
Bomber Motorcycles?

Originally Posted by allonsye

Well said. In an interview w/Erik Buell in one of the 2010 issues of Cycle World. Buell states that many if not all of his proposed bikes were nixed by Harley. He even tried to come out w/a 650 sized DS or dirt machine (can't remember one or both) and that was nixed. He saw a need of a more reliable/robust moto-x machine and designed one for that market. Shocker - Harley said no to that. Rumor is Buell will be teaming up w/Can Am.

[Meriden]

Originally Posted by dwoodward

Especially since that was stolen from a Honda ad campaign in the '60s, promoting the best selling bike in the world- the Honda Super Cub.

Great link to Honda's marketing strategy.

http://world.honda.com/history/chall...t08/index.html

[NJ-Brett]

I can say that in New Jersey, Harley outsells other brands at least 20 to 1, and that includes dual sports, dirt bikes, sport bikes, cruisers.
And it shows in the number of dealers, the size and niceness of the buildings, the crowds of people buying stuff, etc.
On the roads, you see about 100 Harleys to 1 of anything else.
I think its a lot of hype mostly. With the new bikes, they are not great bikes, its the hype, as shown by the doo rags, fringe, skull heads, etc.

Its working for them, I doubt it will change until it stops working for them.
The bikes are getting worse and worse, the new super low is so low its highly unsafe, and will likely be very popular.
The xr is the only stock bike that can go around turns at a safe speed.
Sometimes it is handy to be able to avoid something.

[lemieuxmc]

About that 200% increase in price between your Dad's Harley and the one you might buy; I would have to do some research, but I wouldn't be surprised if a Harley costs a lot less now than it did then, after you adjust for the cost of everything else going up.

[Tuna Helper]

Originally Posted by btcn

Yes, true. Thats at THAT RPM. BUT you have to take into account the EXACT RPM where the engine has it's peak HP. A Harley engine tends to make power over a wide RPM range, which allows an overdrive or 1:1 Ratio for nice highway cruising, but it does tend to have max HP at a pretty low RPM. THIS is why they don't have a lot of power.

But there is a good reason for this. Having a nice low RPM allows good fuel economy and eliminates that annoying buzz so cruising is more enjoyable.

Another good thing is I don't want to feel like my engine is going to explode between my legs at 10,000+ rpm. Bad is I tend to bounce my Buell off the limiter now and then.

[Jim Moore]

Originally Posted by btcn

The Sportster may handle like shit, and be slow for it's displacement, but it makes up for that with nice abilitys on the highway.

What nice abilities does it have on the highway? I don't see a combination of slow and ill-handling to be an advantage in any scenario.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by Jim Moore

What nice abilities does it have on the highway? I don't see a combination of slow and ill-handling to be an advantage in any scenario.

Sums it up quite nicely.... And yet they remain blind. How can this be?

[rolo tomassi]

Originally Posted by btcn

I just read an article in the newspaper today about Harley actually trying to solve their problem of most riders being of old age and getting older. I also read an article about their sales going down BIG TIME!

All manufacturers having same problem: cash flow.

H-D's problem: the guy they hired to run the joint from Johnson Controls thinks it can all be solved on paper, with consolidations. Buell was actually making money when they caved him in. He's still making money NOW with the racing parts endeavor. The IRS actually gives you more money in write-offs/expenses for closing it. The idiots cut off their nose to remove a recession fly. Oh well, don't lose sleep.

[Meriden]

Slow handling translates to stability and broad powerband translates into not having to shift all the time, something that a lot of riders still have to think about. Not saying that is a feature of a bike I want ot ride, but someone has bought into the old "zero to sixty in one gear" advertisment from so many years ago.


On another note, I remember in the 70s an XLCH Sporster (kick start model) having a higher MSRP than a Chevy Vega. Today the 883 starts at $8K and a new Aveo starts at $12k.


Lots of companies survive years of shrinking sales and being public does not necessarily mean that some individual venture capitalist or group won't take a beating propping up a brand that they believe will recover. A bunch of guys bought a failing HD line from AMF and took them public.

http://investor.harley-davidson.com/sec.cfm

[B dub'ya]

Originally Posted by btcn

You know, the Road Star costs JUST a bit over $1000 more than the Harley Road King.

Don't know where you got those figures, but these are from the respective Mfgs. websites.

2011 Road Star 12,390.
2011 Road King 16,999.

[Dave in IL]

I think Harley is in a self made trap. When your selling a "lifestyle" it's hard to change. I think Buells success "confused" traditional Harley riders because the bikes did not fit the Harley ideal of what a "real" motorcycle is.

When you mentioned Buell around him, it made my die hard Harley rider friend sneer and say something like, "Don't know why they piss around with that crap." .

I think that sums up the average Harley buyers attitude about anything new or different. Give me more or less chrome and different paint but don't go changing to try an please me! The Vrod motor should have evolved and found it's way into several different models by now but instead they still don't sell that many. Harley has done well at selling more and more of the same old thing. Evolution not revolution!

[FotoTEX]

The sooner they go out of business, the quieter the motorcycle world will become. I for one never liked loud bikes. RIP Harley.

I buy bikes based on performance not based on loud pipes. The only thing good about Hardleys is that they are made in USA.

I know I will catch shit with my opinions, but not everyone is a fan of that brand. I am not.

[tcourdin]

Originally Posted by FotoTEX

The sooner they go out of business, the quieter the motorcycle world will become.

They will never go out of business, sorry to burst your bubble.

[Grreatdog]

Oddly enough, I am a big fan of all motorcycles even though I only ride dual sports. And I am especially fond of ANYTHING manufactured in America.

Besides, if Bob Hannah now rides an H-D, they can't be all bad.

[Tuna Helper]

Originally Posted by RC51950ADVAlpina'tac

All manufacturers having same problem: cash flow.

H-D's problem: the guy they hired to run the joint from Johnson Controls thinks it can all be solved on paper, with consolidations. Buell was actually making money when they caved him in. He's still making money NOW with the racing parts endeavor. The IRS actually gives you more money in write-offs/expenses for closing it. The idiots cut off their nose to remove a recession fly. Oh well, don't lose sleep.

The "educated idiot". We seem to have a lot of those where I work. Everything looks good on paper, but in actual practice it's retarded.