Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Dr.D]

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/print-edition/2015/04/24/harley-davidson-refuses-to-play-price-game.html

Harley holds firm while losing ground real smart eh? Notice Polaris will give you an extra $1000 if you trade in  a Harley for an Indian.

[grc]

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/print-edition/2015/04/24/harley-davidson-refuses-to-play-price-game.html

Harley holds firm while losing ground real smart eh? Notice Polaris will give you an extra $1000 if you trade in  a Harley for an Indian.

The auto companies found out it was folly to offer rebates and huge discounts in the past, since all it did was destroy profits and train customers to wait for the next rebate or special promotion before they would buy.  So on this one point I begrudgingly agree with Wandell.  However, I'm convinced they wouldn't have as many lost sales over the past several years if they hadn't run off customers and potential customers with their cavalier attitude about quality and customer service.  I know they would have sold me one more CVO if they hadn't been such low quality jackasses.  I also know I'm not the only person who feels the way I do.

Jerry

[Dr.D]

Jerry, when a new CVO Lim costs +$40K there should no excuses. If there any other bike out there that cost that much? How about within 5K? I am afraid I am one that has drank to much kool-aid and addicted to the Harley name. I wonder why then polaris is so willing to take a hit on profits if the business model does not work to discount and cut profits?

[Rooster]

Wow he worries about sucking out the profit but zero F@#$s given about sucking out the quality for years. I get the real message and I'm sure I'm not the only one either.

[RGlideKid]

And perhaps the most frustrating thing is that I have the feeling no one at the MoCo ever reads the threads on these websites.  I think they must feel that the majority are quite happy, and that it's always the minority who are the nay-sayers. 
I agree with you guys, and you all have valid points, IMO.  We are paying more for our bikes and they sell every darn one of them, so they think "why should we change a thing?"  And on top of that, the dealers tack on an extra thou (or more) here or there, and Milwaukee says NOTHING. 
They know what we want, and they know they're the only ones who can provide it.  They know the vast majority of us won't jump ship to Victory or Indian, and they have a fair idea how much we'll put up with. 
But it's going to catch up with them one day, and in fact maybe it has already.
And just as greed and the quest for money does strange and horrible and damaging things to a person, it's even worse at the corporate level.

[CVOStreetglide]

And perhaps the most frustrating thing is that I have the feeling no one at the MoCo ever reads the threads on these websites.  I think they must feel that the majority are quite happy, and that it's always the minority who are the nay-sayers. 
I agree with you guys, and you all have valid points, IMO.  We are paying more for our bikes and they sell every darn one of them, so they think "why should we change a thing?"  And on top of that, the dealers tack on an extra thou (or more) here or there, and Milwaukee says NOTHING. 
They know what we want, and they know they're the only ones who can provide it.  They know the vast majority of us won't jump ship to Victory or Indian, and they have a fair idea how much we'll put up with. 
But it's going to catch up with them one day, and in fact maybe it has already.
And just as greed and the quest for money does strange and horrible and damaging things to a person, it's even worse at the corporate level.

Oh you can be sure Harley reads all of the forums. In fact I had a friendly response from Willie "G" on one of my posts a few years ago.

What better way to learn exactly what the customer is really thinking. 

[moscooter]

 
"And just as greed and the quest for money does strange and horrible and damaging things to a person, it's even worse at the corporate level."

RGlide.........you're drinking the Koolaid that is continually put out there by the left wing side of things including unions (which I have no use for).

Here I worked for a BIG corporation for almost 30 years and never did I ever understand that I was working for a "greedy" outfit.

Did ya ever stop to consider that the moves Harley has made over the years to (lower quality)...........via Jap bearings versus Torrington,  "parent material" instead of bushings,  stopping the use of tapered bearings on the crank.....(Too much set- up time for expensive "union" wages.........on and on.  Labor charges are the biggest factor and to pay them,  other methods to cut costs have to come into play.  Then there are the stock holders to keep satisfied,  and by the way at the end of the day (make a profit).

Some interpret that as "greed" and/or feel the need to determine just how much "profit" is OK versus being greedy.........

[FLSTFI Dave]

I'm glad Harley is standing their ground on this.  If they start doing this, then some profit goes away, when that happens they cut more corners in quality or such.  Also the resale value of the bikes drop.

In my opinion it has hurt the auto industry.  Most wait to buy a new truck until it employee pricing or such .  My last new GMC truck Employee pricing deal was 9300 dollars below MSRP. 

[SDCVO]

Jerry, when a new CVO Lim costs +$40K there should no excuses. If there any other bike out there that cost that much? How about within 5K? I am afraid I am one that has drank to much kool-aid and addicted to the Harley name. I wonder why then polaris is so willing to take a hit on profits if the business model does not work to discount and cut profits?

Harley still sells over 50% of every motorcycle over 600cc's (which is just about everything other than pure dirt bikes and scooters) sold in the USA and every other brand combined shares the rest. Indian has a VERY small part of "the rest" and only way they can gain any share is to tap into HD's insanely high market share. They also have a very small number of units in operation (obviously) to feed their service departments at their dealers which makes it very difficult for them. They have no choice but to do whatever they can to entice some of the current HD people who might not have gone the Indian direction without some incentive.

[Chains]

Wow he worries about sucking out the profit but zero F@#$s given about sucking out the quality for years. I get the real message and I'm sure I'm not the only one either.

That's because his bonuses were based on profit not product quality.

[Road Dad]

Seriously people. When did HD have high quality = never.

I bet the RPPM is very high and have always been.

[muddypaws]

They sell junk but we keep buying it and paying a lot...

[Dr.D]

Harley still sells over 50% of every motorcycle over 600cc's (which is just about everything other than pure dirt bikes and scooters) sold in the USA and every other brand combined shares the rest. Indian has a VERY small part of "the rest" and only way they can gain any share is to tap into HD's insanely high market share. They also have a very small number of units in operation (obviously) to feed their service departments at their dealers which makes it very difficult for them. They have no choice but to do whatever they can to entice some of the current HD people who might not have gone the Indian direction without some incentive.

Exactly! HD is old king beholding the cards, which they could loose some but not all I expect and Indian must play aggressive to get their foot in the door. OH BTW my wife had to ride the new Indian all weekend because her new SGS was in the shop to have a fuel pump put in at 5K miles. And check for a vibration at low speed and address the  problem with the volume control on the Boom Box and the saddlebag recall.

[08glide]

well, my friends bike is still in the shop from the motor failure on the way to NRG GTG. initially was broken valve guide. (ever see burnt metal with rusty red look? that was his valves). after they shipped a head & assembled the tech (indie) found that push rods weren't in specs in relation to rocker arms. further ivestigation found camshaft bearing had come apart, allowing shaft to woller out thehole & shaft had dropped down leaving unacceptable tolerance distance at rocker arm, so now he's got to pull the motor out of frame, disassemble, the have inspector?adjuster come examine the parts. says they may only replace right side case. one side new,other side 32k on it(hmmm?) so we called mother ship, got a guy named Jamie, said that after 3 yrs. they were not in any way responsible. I asked why the motor co wouldn't cover a factory warr for 7 yrs instead of 2. wouldn't be profitable ( go figure). also told that brarings were stock 96 ci bearings & ask why stock average run of the mill parts were being used in 110 Screamin Eagle motor. his response was " they are carry over parts" he did agree with a "hmm" about only replacing one side of case, but said it was up to the esp adjuster. also asked why if it is sold & written by dealers that the motor co wouldn't police how they operated. he just said it was their show not the factory. SO THERE'S A PARTIAL ANSWER. as to the true feelings of the motor co. also asked to sreak to someone above him. he said "that he was a case worker & there was no one else to report to." they didn't have a step process. I asked who signed his paycheck. no response.    sorry I got winded, just needed to vent & I was goin to post in another section, this is probably not the right thread.

[tdkkart]

 Why should they play?? I mean really, how much competition do you think Indian is.


I don't know about anyone else here, but i wouldn't be caught dead on this thing:


I thought some of Harley's colors were ugly, and I just detest the front fender on most of them.
They're not Indians, plain and simple, and they don't make a single bike that appeals to me or most that I talk to.