What is Harley doing?

[Chromer]

Originally Posted by ph0rk

Of course, the plural of anecdote is not data, but I'd trust Harley's savvy assessment of the market a lot better if they didn't accept bailout money.

Have I mentioned that enough yet?

Harley took bailout money, people!

Corporations don't have human morals, it's all dollars and cents. If they wanted a loan, and they had to choose between a 1% interest government loan, and a 10% commercial loan, it is irresponsible and possibly criminal for them to take the commercial loan.

[JDLuke]

Originally Posted by Chromer

Corporations don't have human morals, it's all dollars and cents. If they wanted a loan, and they had to choose between a 1% interest government loan, and a 10% commercial loan, it is irresponsible and possibly criminal for them to take the commercial loan.

I agree with this 100%, at 1% interest. You can not and must not expect corporate decisions to be made on the basis of what's "right" or "wrong". Well, you can, but you'll be incorrect almost every time. This is particularly true for publicly held companies, which have legal obligations to maximize shareholder value.

[eatpasta]

There are tons of good points in this thread, but for me it boils down to one thing.

If I walked into a dealership and they only sold Sportbikes, or they only sold dritbikes - I would instantly be bored and certainly turned off if someone told me I needed to "man up and get a real bike" for whatever single bike was on the floor.

I dont know of ANY dealer that only sells one kind of bike with the exception of HD.

If you walk into a Triumph dealer nowadays, they have no less than four different kinds of bikes with various other sub categories.... and their new bikes are phenomenal.

yes, the XR1200 is good. but its not $12,000 good.

[Abenteuerfahrer]

There is no HD bashing here...and what you all have said here is quite good. Being a Tech junkie..I ride a BMW 1200GS..so that I can easily venture on less traveled dirt roads.....you can get a 50/50(semi offroad and pavement) bike from BMW; Kawa; Honda; Suzuki, etc but none from HD. YET!!??

I could never test ride a HD model of my choice from a HD dealership. "Gotta buy one first". All others let me test ride their floor models.

It is still true that HD sells more bikes compared to BMW; For every 1 BMW sold there are 4 HD being sold on the same day.

Todays HD are no longer "All American" lots of parts are currently international.

And now BMW comes out with the new K1600GTL....6 cylinders and 160 horses...where is HD to fit in and help itself??

[Grreatdog]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

...If I walked into a dealership and they only sold Sportbikes, or they only sold dritbikes - I would instantly be bored and certainly turned off if someone told me I needed to "man up and get a real bike" for whatever single bike was on the floor.....

......yes, the XR1200 is good. but its not $12,000 good.

Yep and yep.

Our Victory dealer also sells Aprilia so I occasional grace their crummy little shop to ogle the RXV that has been calling to me. I even bought a couple of things from them. I have been to our big, nice H-D shop twice - once looking for a jacket and once to look at the Uly. Both were miserable experiences and no sale.

To me XR1200R is too huge and too heavy to ever be much of anything except a nice standard. I couldn't believe it when I lifted it off the side stand. Christ it is heavy. But then I had just walked over from sitting on a Hypermotard. So maybe I'm not being objective.

[devo2002]

Originally Posted by Abenteuerfahrer

I could never test ride a HD model of my choice from a HD dealership. "Gotta buy one first". All others let me test ride their floor models.

I have never been able to test ride a motorcycle anywhere except HD. I went in asking about the XR, they laughed and instead literally threw me the keys to a 20K behemoth and said be back in a hour. Still not that helpful though because I wasn't going to buy it anyway...

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by Abenteuerfahrer

I could never test ride a HD model of my choice from a HD dealership. "Gotta buy one first". All others let me test ride their floor models.

Last time I asked to ride something at an HD dealer (Joplin), they rolled four bikes out and said, "have fun"...

[tcourdin]

Originally Posted by rocker59

Last time I asked to ride something at an HD dealer (Joplin), they rolled four bikes out and said, "have fun"...

Same here, Joplin Harley is an awesome dealership!

[lfmn]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

I dont know of ANY dealer that only sells one kind of bike with the exception of HD.

Bobs BMW in Maryland, Morton's BMW in Virginia, Honda Powersports in Crofton to name 3.

[lfmn]

Originally Posted by Tripped1

Again, there is a difference between the Department of the Treasury (TARP) and the Federal Reserve. Harley took Treasury money, the other listed sold short term bonds because the Fed had the best deal in town.

TARP is the Troubled Asset Relief Program, not the Department of Treasury.

[Tripped1]

Originally Posted by lfmn

TARP is the Troubled Asset Relief Program, not the Department of Treasury.

Yes, I'm aware of that.....
...and just WHOM held the purse stings once Congress allocated the Money, oh yes, the Treasury.

[Tripped1]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

I dont know of ANY dealer that only sells one kind of bike with the exception of HD.

Manayunk Triumph.

[Chromer]

Originally Posted by Tripped1

Manayunk Triumph.

:facepalm: Triumph sells cruisers, crotch rockets and (not quite) dirtbikes.

TYPE, not brand...

[Grreatdog]

[Tripped1]

Originally Posted by Chromer

:facepalm: Triumph sells cruisers, crotch rockets and (not quite) dirtbikes.

TYPE, not brand...

Eatpasta said kind, which could be interpreted either way.


....and Harley wouldn't fall into your interpretation either since most dealers carry standards (XR and Sportesters), Cruisers (Dyna, Softail) and Trourers (Road King, Electra-Glide, Road-Glide).

Soooooooo