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[JCZ]

In The Bay Area in San Jose Ca. There is Just Leathers. Been in the same location for as long as I can remember and I'll be the double nickel this year.I remember seeing it as a kid with all the ( bad ) bikers  hanging around ya know HA's and the like, but it's was and is a small family run business , you can get custom made Jackets, chaps, saddlebags and more,if fact I replaced my 7 year old harley gear for their stuff and was cheaper too as I got at their twice a year parking lot sale. Go there you won't be dissapointed.

There's also California Leather Creations for the Nor Cal members.  While they have a store front in the bay area, the factory is in Santa Rosa (nice day ride and Hwy. 101 has been widened!).  Since the mid 80s I had my jackets and chaps made there in Santa Rosa.  They will tailor make them to fit your body (I had to add an extra 2" in the length of the coat, extra 1.5" in the sleeves and take the chaps in at the upper thigh, boot cut from the knee down).  I used to constantly be asked where I got my leathers (tailored) up until I got my Screamin Eagle jacket.

As a matter of fact (not related), the Santa Rosa locations is very close to Guy Fieri's home.....where they film The Big Bite in his home.  Maybe stop by for lunch.

[grayghost731]

While it is very popular among a certain segment of the population to bash anything involving the EPA or OSHA, and blame job losses on regulation and unions, I don't see any of those same people volunteering to go work in those sweat shops with the open pits of hazardous waste next door and the air so foul that everyone wears masks 24/7.  If anyone thinks the answer to America's jobs problem is to eliminate all the advances we've made in the past 40 years in the area of environment and safety, I submit that those people don't have a real clue (or they have nice insulated ivory tower jobs and can afford to let others do all the dirty work for them).

This country didn't become the largest economy in the world by letting third world countries take our jobs, and we managed to become the envy of the world while paying good wages and providing good benefits and creating a large upwardly mobile middle class.  While all that was happening, there were plenty of places with much cheaper labor rates and no regulations, but this country did not allow them to flood our markets.  Then the "free trade" and "global economy" folks came to power along with the ME generation of corporate leaders, and here we are.  The rich get immensely richer, the poor and middle class get poorer, and we get stuck buying low quality products at inflated prices so the rich can get even richer.  It isn't sustainable, but short of another revolution it won't change anytime soon. 


Jerry

You got it  Sad but true   And buy the way im in for the revolution 

[Screamin Eagle Carl]

I bought a pair of Harley gloves for 65 bucks. Looked very nice. I have worn them for 3 months and the left glove is ripped. When I got them, the black leached onto my hands. Cheap sh*t made in China...

Harley has a new CEO for about 2 years. THe Davidson family busines is corporate greed. I support Made in America!

[kraut]

if "made in America" is not fit for competition it will drown.

Same with "made in Germany" btw ...

[Eqcons]

if "made in America" is not fit for competition it will drown.

Same with "made in Germany" btw ...

And with "made in the UK" of course, Hans. But "fit for competition" has two meanings - competition on quality, or competition on price.  Unfortunately, Harley's choice is price, not quality, so we pay for quality and get the cheapest stuff they can find, regardless of quality.

Jim

[faceracer]

And with "made in the UK" of course, Hans. But "fit for competition" has two meanings - competition on quality, or competition on price.  Unfortunately, Harley's choice is price, not quality, so we pay for quality and get the cheapest stuff they can find, regardless of quality.

Jim

I fully agree! The MOCO already has a huge mark up and they are trying to squeeze more profit out by giving us cheap goods while making us pay the price for preium goods. Its not just Harley I'm affraid. Most companys are doing it. Unfortenitly we get screwed! I believe that every product that leaves the us to be made somewhere else loses quaility. Best thing we can all do is support our local leather and garment shops and let hd eat the chink crap!!!! I will not by anything clothing wise from the dealer unless it says made in America.  Face out!

[Eqcons]

I fully agree! The MOCO already has a huge mark up and they are trying to squeeze more profit out by giving us cheap goods while making us pay the price for preium goods. Its not just Harley I'm affraid. Most companys are doing it. Unfortenitly we get screwed! I believe that every product that leaves the us to be made somewhere else loses quaility. Best thing we can all do is support our local leather and garment shops and let hd eat the chink crap!!!! I will not by anything clothing wise from the dealer unless it says made in America.  Face out!

You're correct in saying that it's not just HD, Face, but I firmly believe that they are the worst, in terms of the hundreds of percent markup that their prices contain.

Jim

[grc]

Harley is no doubt one of the worst for buying on the cheap in China and then selling for premium prices here, but they are definitely not the only ones.  How about all the folks standing in line like sheep at the Apple stores every time Apple farts, with hundreds of dollars in hand to buy a product that is 100% made in China for a pittance?  Unfortunately it is the ignorance of the consumers that makes the gouging by companies like H-D and Apple possible, and the lemming factor of course.  There are alternatives in both cases, but then the alternatives usually don't come with the "look at me, I'm cool because I spent way to much" cachet offered by H-D and Apple.

Harley is successful not because they make a superior product, they are successful because they've convinced the public that Harley's are "cool" and the much more competent competition is not.  That is a model emulated by more than one company, and it's rather telling when some of them spend more for advertising than they do for R&D.  Bitch about it all you want, but ultimately those who keep buying are the ones truly to blame for the situation.


Jerry

[Eqcons]

Harley is no doubt one of the worst for buying on the cheap in China and then selling for premium prices here, but they are definitely not the only ones.  How about all the folks standing in line like sheep at the Apple stores every time Apple farts, with hundreds of dollars in hand to buy a product that is 100% made in China for a pittance?  Unfortunately it is the ignorance of the consumers that makes the gouging by companies like H-D and Apple possible, and the lemming factor of course.  There are alternatives in both cases, but then the alternatives usually don't come with the "look at me, I'm cool because I spent way to much" cachet offered by H-D and Apple.

Harley is successful not because they make a superior product, they are successful because they've convinced the public that Harley's are "cool" and the much more competent competition is not.  That is a model emulated by more than one company, and it's rather telling when some of them spend more for advertising than they do for R&D.  Bitch about it all you want, but ultimately those who keep buying are the ones truly to blame for the situation.


Jerry

Good summary, Jerry.  I've long maintained that if Apple announced a piece of dog crap, calling it the iTurd, the faithful would queue round the block to be the first to own one!

Jim

[spydglide]

Good summary, Jerry.  I've long maintained that if Apple announced a piece of dog crap, calling it the iTurd, the faithful would queue round the block to be the first to own one!

Jim

And I just heard that now they've surpassed ExxonMobile to become our biggest American company.  Harley should be so lucky.  har.  spyder

[pj57]

Vanson Leathers...the best IMHO. Would have bet the farm their gear was 100% "Made in the USA" - according to their website, they have plants in Massachusetts and since 2008 El Salvador. I do think it's pretty cool that they've addressed the issue by offering the customer the option of having their selection made in the USA. PJ 

[Billy]

I just received 2 pair of American made jeans $40 buck each.  Great quality, extra belt loops, Better pockets . and thicker material. The fit is great.  Cant find shirts that are made in America yet but will keep looking. Also can't find golf shoes. But the pants are A start.  We all need Jeans so give them a try allamericanclothing.com  Billy

[kraut]

Americans will only buy american products, us germans will only buy german products (bye bye Harley-Davidson ...), the chinese will only buy chinese products - you know what will happen then?

America will suffer the most.

[ice6900]

Americans will only buy american products, us germans will only buy german products (bye bye Harley-Davidson ...), the chinese will only buy chinese products - you know what will happen then?

America will suffer the most.

And the Swiss will have to buy more from IKEA lol

[bandit]

I see greed here.....If Mr Knight kept his manufacturing in the USA then he probably would only be able to give the University of Oregon $150million instead of $300m

If Mr. Knight pays $150 million for labor in Oregon it will save jobs,
but if he donates $300 million, everybody talks about his grace and
widens his customer base and not to forget at the end (IRS),
it saves him a lot of taxes.