Harley shuts down for a week...

MotoRacerGabe

Harley-Davidson idles 5,400 workers this week in production cut - Examiner.com

eh...

Nutter67

It looks like Harleys sales are matching their bikes performance.

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Paul

Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn't get to three seconds earlier

uvaldexx

I have been astonished by the increased number of motorcycle riders annually for the past ten years. Also the huge number of bikes sold annually in the US. Hell , anyone who wants a bike has one.

I think there are many, many low mileage, relatively "new" or "mint" motorcycles sitting in garages collecting dust with the current owners making the monthly payment. Now that money is tightening and he never rides the damned thing much anymore anyway, these will come to the used market....by the thousands, hundreds of thousands.

The bargains are just now coming to market, overpriced priced Harley's will fall the farthest!

Just my humble opinion.... Jim

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Jim
It's the trip not the destination!
Now flying on a BLACKBIRD, a WING and a PRAYER!

X1rider

I walked into my local dealership to see if the Buell 1125R had arrived yet (no) and saw about 75-100 units on the floor.

A lot of '07s and a few '08s. In other words, millions of dollars of inventory and never the same salesmen walking the floor. You ought to read some of the trade publications I get. The USS Harley Davidson is taking on water.....

lois

As someone on this forum once stated (roughley translated)


Harley Davidson
For people who want to turn gasoline into noise, with no possible side effects of horse power.

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CanadianBird

I'd buy one, especially the big bagger. I wonder why we want to get so "self righteous" about Japanese tech re American tech. If you ride two wheels, congrats, what you ride if a personal choice. I think it's unfortunate what's happening to Harley b/c they employ many people. Remember all, "one man's floor is another man's ceiling". I also wonder how many of the "snarky" critics have ever owned a Harley.

lois

I don't need to "own" one, I simply need to have riden with other people who do......and I'v been riding since 78


As for Jap tech versus American tech....well let me put it this way. At least the Japs aren't still using basic 1920's radial engine technology on 21 century motorcycles....

I do agree with you on the "two wheels" comment. However, I find myself waving to a lot of bikes that are to cool ( or what ever) to wave back.

For me, this is part of the reason I may have my own " snarky" comments directed towards this above mentioned crowd.

Well, that and I hate Harley's anyways.............

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rdkng88

Whatever you ride is a choice. I've ridden all my life had Jap bikes until 98 and I bought my second Harley . At that time I was also riding a Honda 1100 v twin good bike but the slowest I've ever ridden. Before that I was riding a 84 gpz 1100 that was a nice ride. Anyway I now have my fourth Harley an 06 Ultra Classic and still have my Jap bikes a 98 Blackbird and a 02 Silverbird. So I have the best of both worlds the Birds for good days on the back roads of Georgia and shorter trips. Don't knock the Ultra it will cruse all day at 85 MPH and is very comfertable and trouble free. I have even ridden the Ultra around the Atlanta Motor Speedway at something above 100 MPH with my wife on the back. Regardless I respect all who ride anything on two wheels the nicest folks that you can meet I think it is a preference just keep on riding and keep on waiving.

blkbrdrydr

I rode Harleys for 27 years before I grew tired of the shitty quality, shitty warranty, and the Yuppies who were spending $20,000, riding 100 miles a year and calling themselves real bikers.

I sold my last one in 1993 after buying a Goldwing and have rarely considered going back. Additionally, I teach motorcycle safety classes with the motorcycle training officers for the State Police. They are required to ride Harleys due to the way that the state leases motorcycles but they yearn for BMWs and ST1300P and despise the performance and the heat of the Harleys.

So now you've heard from a critic who's owned many Harleys between 1966 and 1993

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'01 XX
'06 FJR1300
Iron Butt Association #124
Grosse Pointe, MI

rdkng88

To each his own the Goldwing is a great bike to ride but butt ugly. For riding long distance I will keep my Ultra that is a work of art and right dependable. I had a new 78 lowrider almost ruined the quality was pretty bad back then but certainlly a different machine today. I'm not a braggin Iron Butt like you but I expect I get a lot more riding in than you do living in Mi. We get to ride in the south almost all year and I do enjoy riding my Harley and I like just as much my two XX bikes. Keep on riding and respect all other rides it is what makes the motorcycle world interesting.

DragonXX

Harleys have their place in history and culture, but I have never known a Harley owner who did not whinge about the build quality.
To be fair, I had a fatboy for about 2 years and it didn't give me an ounce of trouble. Great Chick magnets

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CanadianBird

This seems to be a hot topic If I could I would join RoadKing with a new Ultra. I did a five day trip to Cali with a friend and colleague who rode a Springer. We had a great time, no problems, and yes, the chicks passed my Bird directly to his Springer. Being a couple of old married farts, we just smiled coyly, and dreamed on. When I rode his Springer, after he moded the engine a bit, it pulled like a freight train. We should all have a full stable of bikes, twins, triples, v-fours, in-line fours, singles, doubles, did I leave anything out?

rdkng88

Thank You CanadianBird at least someone sees the advantage of having both. My wife loves the Ultra so I guess the Ultra is a Chick magnet. We will both be 57 soon went on our first date when we were 15 years old on a Honda CB 160 and we both still enjoy both bikes. She will hang on to the Blackbird all day the same as the harley. Safe Riding see you out there somewhere !!

CanadianBird

Agreed, my wife loves riding pillon. She's excellent and knows when to lean, how to behave in traffic, and she trusts me because she know safety is the highest priority. I'm almost 63 and love riding. If I weren't retiring in a year or two and didn't have two more daughters to marry off, I'd be into the Harley dealer and low-balling the Hell out of them. However, that been said, that Springer was a Bitch to clean and shine. I'd suffer through it.

TheBird

As i read my self down this thred, i just keep smiling... The best words i ever read about a harley :

as writen above:

Harley Davidson
For people who want to turn gasoline into noise, with no possible side effects of horse power.

and the next one:

As for Jap tech versus American tech....well let me put it this way. At least the Japs aren't still using basic 1920's radial engine technology on 21 century motorcycles....

i know some engine produsers that used the same engine for prox 3-40 years, but that was for one reason, the engine was actualy WORKING, low problem ratio etc...

But harley..... NO they dont.

funny reading

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I love it, like it and i RIDE IT

RodeRash

Harley knows what their customers want, and they build it for them.
They do it very well. Because they understand their market so well, they have a huge market share. Every Japanese manufacturer has a Harley clone, but Harley still kicks all their collective asses when it comes to sales.
Harley is sucessful and they make money. That's what it's all about.

Why does it upset you guys that Harley does so well with a motorcycle that is not even in competition with the kind of bikes you ride?

TheBird

"every japanese manufacturer has a harley clone"

yes of course the have, the japs supply the harley clones, for the people who wants a bike they dont have to repair for each time they want to use it.

"harley knows what their customers want" think that one dont needs any coment ay people may get feelings hurt.

harley dont upset me at all, it is just a big pice of crap after my opinion. it was good in the 1920`s 30`s 40`s maybe 50`s. and its not only harley that is crap, just look and producers in great britain.



what if all rided the same type of bike. then the discussions would be borig then.

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I love it, like it and i RIDE IT

jimcolyer

Mind you, I am sure I read somewhere that HD make more machines in dodgy factories in Eastern Europe than anywhere else, so shutting down a smaller operation in the US for a week may not be huge news.

I am sure they are the least efficient plant of the lot worldwide anyway !

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90% of statistics are made up - the other 12% are inaccurate.

jimcolyer

Of course they do well (or rather, HAVE been doing well!)

All those anti-competition motorcycle taxes, making all `non-US` bikes much more expensive for you guys.

In the rest of the world, that sort of thing, ie govorment subsidisation with public money of a company would be bordering on illegal.

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90% of statistics are made up - the other 12% are inaccurate.

DragonXX

HD retains that same mystique that Jaguar enjoys.
They have history and heritage, irrespective of the final product being inferior.
Jaguar and a lot of British marques have suffered the same problems since the 70's but have held up because of their tradition.
I not a huge fan of HD (I had one) but can see their significance.
Any japanese manufacturer would give their left testicle to have such history and heritage ... That goes for their cars too. Eg. Lexus is an outstanding car but against a Jag, its a no show .... because of History and Heritage.

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" 'Birds of a feather, flock together "

Quote of the month: "When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear." - Zen Proverb

rdkng88

I LOVE MY ULTRA CLASSIC AS I DO MY XX !! FOR YOU IDIOTS THAT THINK MY HARLEY BREAKS EVERY TIME I RIDE IT YOU ARE IDIOTS !! GET IN THE REAL WORLD IN THE 70S I WOULD NOT OWN ONE BUT GUESS WHAT NO OIL ON MY GARAGE FLOOR THANKS TO THE JAP BIKES HARLEY FIXED THAT THE SAME AS THE AMERICIAN CARS. I RODE MY HARLEY YESTERDAY FOR 140 MILES NEVER BROKE DOWN JUST GOOD SMOOTH RIDING NICE EXHAUST TONE MY WIFE LOVED IT AND WHEN WE GOT HOME GUESS WHAT !! jAP BIKE NO PUSSY JUSTA SMOOTH RIDE AND THEN JACK OFF WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED BUT I LOVE MY XX JUST JACK OFF WHEN I RIDE IT !! SO SHUT THE HELL UP !!

DragonXX

OUCH !!!
I think some of the responses have been tinged by patriotism rather then just engineering issues. It's totally understandable. rdkng88, My father was born in Brooklyn, NY. And was from an era where nothing but "Made In The US of A" would do

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" 'Birds of a feather, flock together "

Quote of the month: "When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear." - Zen Proverb

rdkng88

sorry about the outbreak i hear it from both sides just love 2 wheels have for 40 some years get tired of the negative

DragonXX

To all that is negative !!!
To all that is positive ... 2-Wheels is all POSITIVE !!!
Cheers

__________________
" 'Birds of a feather, flock together "

Quote of the month: "When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear." - Zen Proverb