The Future of Harley-Davidson

[Dean Frederickson]

Congratulations!!! Keep the shiney side up and the rubber side down, go fast and take chances, and ENJOY. It dosen't get any better.

 

[Stijloor]

You can now add me to the list. I picked up my 09 Road King last night.

Dave,

Congratulations!

Enjoy the ride and be safe....

Stijloor.

 

[Wes Bucey]

You can now add me to the list. I picked up my 09 Road King last night.

All cash? or did you have a trade-in?
Just for the heck of it, I looked up the specs on the '09 Road King - it's a lot of bike!
(broken link removed)

It also lists for more than I paid for my Honda Odyssey [used, 50,000 miles] with the DVD player for the rear passengers and all leather interior. Oh, and I get about the same mileage per passenger mile as the Harley and no bugs in my teeth during a summer ride

 

[Ken K]

All I know is that I'd much prefer to hear a Harley in the lane beside me than some baby-g with a huge azz set of speakers in his trunk spewing out the derogatory filth that passes for music for some. If I have to listen to some idiot talking (rapping) about how he will @#$% the @##$%#@ out of the !@$#@@$ biotch and then @#@#$% her till she @%$#$%!, I may turn into one of those road rage statistics, you know, the commitor, not the recipient. I know, I know, my parents thought that the music I listened to as a teenager was satanic, but crikey, I didn't listen to stuff that promoted physically violating women. I also don't think the Harley would be any louder.

Steel...you crack me up I think I need to go to the bathroom

 

[db]

All cash? or did you have a trade-in?
Just for the heck of it, I looked up the specs on the '09 Road King - it's a lot of bike!
(broken link removed)

It also lists for more than I paid for my Honda Odyssey [used, 50,000 miles] with the DVD player for the rear passengers and all leather interior. Oh, and I get about the same mileage per passenger mile as the Harley and no bugs in my teeth during a summer ride

They finance these things for up to 10 years now. My daughter is buying my Honda 750.

I decided on either the Road King (starting at about 19K) or the Kawasaki Vulcan (starting at about 11K). The price tag is probably the biggest barrier to new Harley owners (IMNSHO). 8 Grand is a heavy premium just to "Buy American". However, looking at used bikes, the Harley does hold its value much better. This is not a good argument if one is going to keep the bike forever. But I still chose the Harley. Now, i gotta figure out how I am going to pay for this puppy. I paid more for that bike than I did for my Windstar and my S-10 put together! And that is without the finance charges!

 

[Wes Bucey]

They finance these things for up to 10 years now. My daughter is buying my Honda 750.

I decided on either the Road King (starting at about 19K) or the Kawasaki Vulcan (starting at about 11K). The price tag is probably the biggest barrier to new Harley owners (IMNSHO). 8 Grand is a heavy premium just to "Buy American". However, looking at used bikes, the Harley does hold its value much better. This is not a good argument if one is going to keep the bike forever. But I still chose the Harley. Now, i gotta figure out how I am going to pay for this puppy. I paid more for that bike than I did for my Windstar and my S-10 put together! And that is without the finance charges!

Weren't the problems of the finance arm of Harley one of its big profit and stock value drags?

TEN years financing terms! I don't have my amortization tables handy, but there HAS to be a point where the outstanding loan balance is more than the underlying value of the bike!

 

[db]

TEN years financing terms! I don't have my amortization tables handy, but there HAS to be a point where the outstanding loan balance is more than the underlying value of the bike!

The good news is that there is no penalty for accelerated payments. But if I did take the full ten years to pay, the finance charge would be more than $11,000. I plan on paying it off in under 4 years.

 

[56flh]

Sorry, loud Harleys goes with the 'image' that HD want to promulgate - it's just marketing, that's all..........

I wasn't going to poke my nose in here, but ah, what the heck, someone has to set the record straight. Harley-Davidson does not, I repeat, does not want to foster the loud pipe, outlaw biker image. If you read the Enthusiast magazine (Harley's publication going back to nearly the beginning of the company) you will find where they have asked the riders of their product to NOT modify the exhaust system. Harley sold off its "Screamin Eagle" line of "off road use only" exhaust products. My 103cu.in. Ultra does run an exhaust system that could be considered loud, but it isn't there as a "fashion statement", it was installed as part of a complete engineered package to put more horsepower to the rear wheel. Most of the people that I see modifying the exhaust system are the CEOs and Bankers that are purchasing Harley-Davidsons and they desire to shake the image they have as stogy, uninteresting people. What better way than to try to live out their fantasy as a rough, tough biker. My long-time Harley riding friends think its kind of cute.

In addition to working as a QA manager, I sell Harleys for a part time job/hobby at our local dealership. While we have experienced some slowing in sales, it is nowhere near the dire picture that was painted at the beginning of this thread. I believe we are within a few units of last year's sales and that was a record year for us. We do lay off personnel in the winter, but we do it every year since you don't see too many bikes out and about in the snow.

 

[Icy Mountain]

As some of you *may* know, the last time Harley was in a serious bind (notably not mentioned in the story, and rarely spoken about) the Viet Nam war bailed them out through orders from the US military for bomb and artillery shell casings.

I did not know that. I bet a lot of the anti-establishment side of the H-D crowd doesn't either.

I know, I know, my parents thought that the music I listened to as a teenager was satanic, but crikey, I didn't listen to stuff that promoted physically violating women.

Karma points for the use of "crikey".

While we have experienced some slowing in sales, it is nowhere near the dire picture that was painted at the beginning of this thread. I believe we are within a few units of last year's sales and that was a record year for us. We do lay off personnel in the winter, but we do it every year since you don't see too many bikes out and about in the snow.

I suspect that Warren Buffet isn't handing out 300M just for fun. That's a pretty strong bet that he expects H-D to come out of this smelling like a rose...and owing him a lot of money. As for the dealer in the original article, either his mark-up is phenomenal or he's selling a lot of service and aftermarket to be able to support a going concern with 49 employees on sales of 280 bikes a year.

 

[Rebecca Bowes - 2010]

Many of the people I ride with are former marines, of which would know that. Geez alot of people on this site likes to stereotype.

I did not know that. I bet a lot of the anti-establishment side of the H-D crowd doesn't either.Karma points for the use of "crikey".I suspect that Warren Buffet isn't handing out 300M just for fun. That's a pretty strong bet that he expects H-D to come out of this smelling like a rose...and owing him a lot of money. As for the dealer in the original article, either his mark-up is phenomenal or he's selling a lot of service and aftermarket to be able to support a going concern with 49 employees on sales of 280 bikes a year.