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[Para Bellum]

Wandell would have great insight on how to raise profit margin. That's if you don't mind laying off workers, while speeding up assembly and not worrying about quality control.

He sure has that technique dialed in.

[moscooter]

 
No argument from me regarding many of the quality concerns/problems.  But I can relate that the level of enthusiasm and rider support seems to be remaining quite strong if Rally attendance is a factor and matters.

Just returning from So. Florida pulling my bass boat on Monday and coming up I-95,  I tried to stop at Rossmeyers H.D. to get another Harley cap like one I already have that is about worn out.  The Daytona Bike Week crowd was out in force, the parking lots were jammed and I couldn't get closer than about a half mile away........so never got into the place.  I've been to many Daytona Bike Weeks in past years,  and the crowds I saw Monday were as strong or stronger than ever.

Maybe they're not buying new rides,  but they were hanging around Rossmeyers by the thousands......

[CVOStreetglide]

No argument from me regarding many of the quality concerns/problems.  But I can relate that the level of enthusiasm and rider support seems to be remaining quite strong if Rally attendance is a factor and matters.

Just returning from So. Florida pulling my bass boat on Monday and coming up I-95,  I tried to stop at Rossmeyers H.D. to get another Harley cap like one I already have that is about worn out.  The Daytona Bike Week crowd was out in force, the parking lots were jammed and I couldn't get closer than about a half mile away........so never got into the place.  I've been to many Daytona Bike Weeks in past years,  and the crowds I saw Monday were as strong or stronger than ever.

Maybe they're not buying new rides,  but they were hanging around Rossmeyers by the thousands......

When we stayed at Destination Daytona during the first week they were selling bikes like crazy.

CVO's new and used were flying out the door.  A New Street Glide Special that had upgraded CVO Wheels and the custom paint job that is in the picture in the parts catalogue was out on the floor. We asked what they were asking for it and were told $48k.  The quick math indicated that the price was $10-$12k over. so we walked of shakng our heads. Thirty minutes later when we went by it was gone/sold.  The same was true of several CVO and standard Road Glides and Street Glides that only had custom pin striping done. They added $1,000- $3,000 to the price and virtually all of them were gone in 24 hours. My guess is that in the first week alone they sold 500 motorcycles.

The lines for clothing and accessories were out the door all day long every day.

So, business was good....very good.

[iski]

When we stayed at Destinatin Daytona during the first week they were selling bikes like crazy.

CVO's new and used were flying out the door.  A New Street Glide Special that had upgraded Cvo Wheels and the custom paint job that is in the picture in the parts catalogue was out on the floor. We asked what they were asking for it and were told $48k.  The quick math indicated that the price was $10-$12k over. so we walked of shakng our heads. Thirty minutes later when we went by it was gone/sold.  The same was true of several CVOand standard Road Glides and Street Glides that only had custom pin striping done. They added $1,000- $3,000 to the price and virtually all of them were gone in 24 hours. My guess is that in the first week alone they sold 500 motorcycles.

The lines for clothing and accessories were out the door all day long every day.

So, business was goood....very good.

We were there over both weekends.  Saw a lot of new bikes at DD the first weekend that were no longer there the second.  Long lines to buy stuff in the store.  Looked like more people were spending money this bike week.

This shop has a reputation for selling bikes at inflated, ridiculous prices. Saw this from the very beginning.  Appears some do not price or comparison shop, they impulse buy even on $40k+ purchases.  Other Florida stores are discounting new bikes to sell them.

During bike week there is a sort of herd mentality for a lot of the folks there, that is strange to me at least.

Indian had a huge presence at the rally, saw a lot more Indians on the road than ever before too.

[RGlideKid]

We can only hope that someone...anyone...from the MoCo that truly has some major pull will read this thread.
But on the other hand, what good would it really do? 
Harley seems to be suffering from the same disease that many American based companies have.  It's easier to let a guy go than to address the real issues.  Maybe this marketing guy saw the truth of what needed to happen at Harley and left the company on his own.  If I was at the top of the marketing food chain and Harley, I wouldn't want to work for them, especially if he knows what's wrong with the company.  It's not his job to fix the problems, only to 'sell more product'...a product that's becoming increasingly less admired over time.

Everyone who had contributed to this thread had valid and smart points.  But we're singing to the choir, while the leaders of the Harley church are on the outside looking for a silver bullet but unwilling to make the necessary hard-line changes, because that's admitting there are real problems inside the church...if you know what I mean.

[TN]

What happened to MOCO did not take place overnight. They have had some other brands that were cutting edge compared to the latest and greatest they offer now, MV Augusta, Buell. The livewire would be interesting but I don't look for it to be in production anytime soon. 

As far as the marketing on there motor clothes goes, it's second to none.


TN

[Royalroadie]

If Harley does not respond by coming out with ground breaking products they will end up just like Kodak.  Kodak invented the digital camera but all the department leaders where to afraid to rock the boat and develope this new tech called digital.  The old fashioned film was just too profitable at the time to develop digital products.  Now as they slowly emerge from bankruptcy they are a mere shadow of what they where.