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[tazmun]

I was checking over the latest news on a few stocks, and came across
this little item. Check out the first guys comment after the article!

http://seekingalpha.com/article/317601-harley-davidson-on-the-road-to-profit-growth

[JCZ]

All three of the comments are interesting read.

[muddypaws]

I'm in that getting old group. I keep riding until I can't hold her up.

[Jasray]

Harley is doing great? Right, thats why when you go to the dealer they have more bikes sitting on the floor than ever before.

[charles05663]

I find these key points interesting:


We believe operational changes are key to improving profitability over the long term. Management has made great strides in creating a best-in-class manufacturing process. Its new lower cost structure provides additional flexibility, which allows Harley to adapt production to marketplace demand and outsource processes when it makes competitive sense to do so.


Must somehow relate the previous posts about shipping stuff to China

[Georgehjr]

Glad I bought some shares at $10,  Now I got to deside 'when to sell' 

[Panhead_Jimmy]

"...we remain concerned that a shrinking core consumer..."

"...domestic male demographic is forecast to shrink and then stagnate..."

Hey, I'm right here and you're talking about me shrinking.  HELLO.  Apparently, shrinkage isn't just for cold water swimmers anymore.  And stagnate?  I think your mother dresses you funny, so there!

"As these men move into the 50-59 demographic, we fear they might not be as inclined to replace their bikes as they may have been in the past."

As far as the 50-59 demographic goes, I've "replaced" exactly 10 bikes since I turned 50.  I do agree that at some point...some age...I probably won't.  So what's new.  

[Monolyth]

I am on my 4th Harley at 41, with the last one being my first CVO.  I ride with 40+ other brothers 22-45 so I guess we bucking the trend...

Monolyth

[Jasray]

The article is stating what we already know, the MoCo has lost touch with its core base.  I just don't see how the article assumes that this will benefit the MoCo long-term

[North Georgia Hawg]

I often wonder what the MoCo's "core base" really is, and whether they could continue as a business by courting it... whatever "it" is.

When you're pushing $20,000+ motorcycles - a pure luxury for most - and your top-end CVO bikes are in the low-to-high $30K range, depending on the model - you'd darn better be courting well-off customers, or you won't have a business. But the MoCo seems to treat its customers with what I call "thinly-veiled contempt". They may be making a lot of operational improvements for efficiency's sake... but they don't seem to care much about delighting us customers who pay their bills and can quite easily choose another brand, or simply stop buying their products altogether.

One thing I'll bring up as far as customer satisfaction (or lack thereof...) is the defensibly SCREWY one-off wiring harness on my FLHXSE3. MANY normal wiring connectors simply aren't there (such as a normal Tour Pak harness that will actually reach the Tour Pak, and no 6A/6B connectors inside the fairing), which has made it much more difficult to install fairly run-of-the-mill accessories like the Zumo Road Tech 665 and the NIM. You would think the MoCo would try to make it as EASY as possible for customers to add on accessories EASILY... but they seem to actually DISCOURAGE that. They have a really messed-up attitude, and seem to say "Except FLHXxxx, FLTRxxx..." etc. a lot. Why in the world they didn't just use an Ultra harness on the SESGs, and in fact on ALL of the fairing equipped bikes, is beyond me... it would have been FAR less expensive than designing this one-off screwy-AZZ wiring harness I have, and I would have been far happier. One harness for ALL fairing-equipped bikes = LOWER OPERATIONAL COSTS, MoCo!!!

And that's only one example...   

[WildClyde]

When you're pushing $20,000+ motorcycles - a pure luxury for most - and your top-end CVO bikes are in the low-to-high $30K range, depending on the model - you'd darn better be courting well-off customers, or you won't have a business. But the MoCo seems to treat its customers with what I call "thinly-veiled contempt". They may be making a lot of operational improvements for efficiency's sake... but they don't seem to care much about delighting us customers who pay their bills and can quite easily choose another brand, or simply stop buying their products altogether.

I sent a private e-mail to Ms. Jaime Katz, who wrote the Seeking Alpha puff piece on Harley Davidson quoted in the first entry in this thread. I suggested that she visit this site to gain some perspective on how CVO customers really feel about HD since I doubt that she talked with any actual HD customers in preparing her piece. I'll let you know if she responds.

Clyde

[skreminegul07]

I believe we taxpayers donated hundreds of millions to bail out HDFS in the TARP "pot o gold"

"Harley's financing division has also seen a nice turnaround by carefully providing credit lines to dealers. Harley Davidson Financial Services has recovered quite nicely through the economic cycle and has implemented a number of support resources to ensure that dealers are able to continue to meet the needs of customers across the full credit spectrum. "

[tazmun]

 I've not checked lately on the rates people are paying thru HDFS, any clues?
I heard rumors that it's up there with the rates on credit cards!

[Wild Card]

I've not checked lately on the rates people are paying thru HDFS, any clues?
I heard rumors that it's up there with the rates on credit cards!

My wife (together, we have almost the highest credit score available) had the best rate they offered at the time (Oct of 2010) at 8.9%.  Paid it off a few months afterwards, thankfully.  I couldn't imagine what the average owner is paying!  It really is a credit card. 

[WildClyde]

I've not checked lately on the rates people are paying thru HDFS, any clues?
I heard rumors that it's up there with the rates on credit cards!

9.49% at http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/estimate-payments.html for the highest qualified buyers.