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Message
re: The demise of Harley Davidson
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:29 pm to Kino74
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:29 pm to Kino74
quote:
Harley Davidson wants to thrive then they have to have something for a new rider to learn on. They need a model that some one going to college or trade school can get around on with a budget. Given HD still has their nose stuck up in the air, I don't see that changing right now.
A few years ago Harley introduced a couple of models to try and do that, the 750 Street and 500 Street
Not bad looking little bikes and Harley even offers a riding course to teach first time riders. I can’t remember exactly, but both are available for less than $10,000 I think. I don’t believe they’ve sold that well though.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:31 pm to Darth_Vader
If I were getting a Harley, it'd be the Forty Eight
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:32 pm to Nigel Farage
you got free market capitalism confused with crony capitalism, baw.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:33 pm to Carson123987
quote:
If I were getting a Harley, it'd be the Forty Eight
Those little things are fun to ride. Not practice for long distance riding. But fun none the less. And they’ll flat out haul arse.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:36 pm to colorchangintiger
Bikes that are 601cc’s and below dominate the market. Harley doesn’t offer that, so what they do offer is in the upper tier of price ranges. Harleys were huge in the early to mid 2000’s because of certain tv shows popularizing them. The jap bikes are simply better though. It is sad to see that American icon fade away, but what are you going to do? They never really appealed to me. I like to travel on my bike but I couldn’t do that on a 14k sportster. They ride too rough. My first bike was a triumph Bonneville which is similar. I took it for a 2 hour ride, and when I got home, my back was killing me. Bought a used Ducati multistrada and I’ll probably never buy anything different. The sound, handling, comfort and just pure fun of riding it is unmatched.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:36 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:
Not bad looking little bikes and Harley even offers a riding course to teach first time riders. I can’t remember exactly, but both are available for less than $10,000 I think. I don’t believe they’ve sold that well though.
The 750 starts around $7600. Like you said, they're Ok bikes, but the competition at that price point is just much better. For just a little less, you can get a Kawi Vulcan S. For $8k, you can get a Yamaha Bolt. Both of those bikes are just better than what HD provides.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:38 pm to TejasHorn
Is Harley specifically suffering or are all motorcycle companies feeling the pain?
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:40 pm to TejasHorn
quote:
The demise of Harley Davidson
I couldn't fathom buying a motorcycle in this day and age of distracted driving.
HD is developing a line of electric motorcycles that seem fun but.... "loud pipes save lives"
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:48 pm to danilo
Other brands like bmw, ktm, Ducati are up. Are the 49% tarrifs still a thing? If so I’m pissed I could’ve bought a bmw or Ducati 1200 for half the price.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 1:52 pm to TejasHorn
Those bikes are ridiculously priced. Instead of working to be competitive and sell a fair priced product, they laid back expecting their name to do all the work.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:05 pm to Master Guilbeau
quote:
Are the 49% tarrifs still a thing?
The Reagan era tariffs were taken down a year by 1987 when HD asked Reagan to remove them. The problem was while HD rebounded they rode several waves of fads rather than having and maintaing a plan for long term growth and solvency.
Darth has a good post on an effort of bikes but HD really failed to make inroads because HD tends to be higher motorcycle. coupled with a less than stellar reputation for reliability and dependability.
To really make inroads, Harley Davidson bikes will need to be competitively priced WITH a high level of reliability and dependability. HD failed at that.
Its sad because they do make a very striking and good looking motorcylce.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:11 pm to Nigel Farage
quote:Who upvoted this pile of statist diarrhea?
Free market capitalism is a scam
You authoritarians have lived your whole life under this system and take it for granted. The natural state of humanity is poverty and food insecurity. The free market brought you supermarkets, where food waits on you. Socialism and communism are only good for producing starvation and breadlines.
This post was edited on 5/20/20 at 4:41 pm
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:14 pm to Ronaldo Burgundiaz
quote:
Who upvoted this pile of statist diarrhea?
I'd amend it to
quote:
The idea that we have Free Market Capitalism is a scam.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:34 pm to Ronaldo Burgundiaz
quote:
The free market brought you supermarkets, not socialism and communism, which are only good for producing starvation and breadlines.
RB, this sentence is horrible...
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:40 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:
A few years ago Harley introduced a couple of models to try and do that, the 750 Street and 500 Street
HD gets an A for effort but the Streets kinda suck.
1. Made in India?!
2. Up close the bike is sloppy.
3. This thing is barely an HD
So with the radiator and without the Made in America vibe the Yamaha and Honda 750 cruisers are better made and a better value.
They should get props for putting out a 500 and 750 and trying. It was the right move but the bikes feel cheap and less put together than the Japanese cruisers. tbh HD should've spent a little more time on the design and should've done a standard.
You see these on the floor and an 883 for not much more, I guarantee you are buying the 883. It's authentic. As a standard, the Street would've been different enough to merit attention.
I love my 1200 but Harley as a company can't seem to bring themselves to compete on price or develop a different class of bike. They don't necessarily need to make sport and dirt bikes but having a standard would've been a good move.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:51 pm to Colonel Angus
quote:
Its usually a 60 year old with his hair grown out in the back and a satin jacket on.
Don’t forget the Jorts and white New Balance
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:54 pm to Kino74
Harley Davidson is to motorcycles what Gibson is to guitars. Both are in dire straits for similar reasons.
They make premium priced products of inconsistent quality that are unaffordable for beginners, lacking in quality compared to competitors, having inconsistent quality control, and fail to appeal to younger hobbyists.
They make premium priced products of inconsistent quality that are unaffordable for beginners, lacking in quality compared to competitors, having inconsistent quality control, and fail to appeal to younger hobbyists.
This post was edited on 5/20/20 at 2:57 pm
Posted on 5/20/20 at 2:59 pm to LCA131
quote:
Ohhh, the Harley-Davidson Futon line that goes in Mommie's basement?
I’m willing to bet you’re not much to look at.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 3:12 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:
When you ride you need leather boots, chaps or leather pants, leather jacket, and leather gloves.
And yet, for so many, not a helmet.
Posted on 5/20/20 at 3:15 pm to DeafJam73
quote:
They need to appeal to the modern crowd.
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