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[Skillet]

Hey bandit, just bought a new speedo for my Road King and it was Made in Switzerland. Should keep good time huh. Really surprised me.

[Screamin Eagle Carl]

I found the bill for those gloves - 65 bucks for cheap Chinese goods. Not a chance I will buy at an H-D dealer again. I will still trawl ebay for Harley gear. Lots available. Ebay prices are always better than retail. In Hong Kong (where I was on business last week), there are three Harley locations - one boutique only, one a service garage and the last one is a show room. I never saw a Harley in Hong Kong. I saw one in Macau.

I wonder if they charge huge prices with little or no tansport cost?

I will say my local dealer staff are super nice and friendly and are very helpful. I guess I'll give my service dollars to them. Average booking time is three days wait.

[FIREBALL]

Its all about the cash big money . its  

[grayghost731]

pics of what    Unless you mean , Lets see american women no clothes  pics 

[Deep Blue Dives]

Isn't it amazing that the parts are usually manufactured in a 3rd world country, and the warranty on them is a tail light warranty for most items.  I had some chrome add ons tarnish a couple of months after I bought the item, and all they could say was buy some more.

If the products were manufactured here - the prices would be double or triple, because they would want to maintain the same profit margins.

Corporate Greed ftw.

[Wild Card]

Isn't it amazing that the parts are usually manufactured in a 3rd world country, and the warranty on them is a tail light warranty for most items.  I had some chrome add ons tarnish a couple of months after I bought the item, and all they could say was buy some more.

If the products were manufactured here - the prices would be double or triple, because they would want to maintain the same profit margins.

Corporate Greed ftw.

So true, but just think of what your retirement accounts might look like without it! 

[willyB]

My wife and I bought Made In The U.S.A. Harley Davidson leather jackets in 2004. They are made of very heavy leather and have an American Flag sewn in. Everything I see now is not as heavy and no made in the U.S.A.

I have made it my personal mission to seek out Made In The U.S.A. products whenever possible. That's not to say I don't buy Made in Germany, England, Switzerland, Australia, Etc... products. I just stay away from Made In A 3rd World Country stuff. Granted I generally pay more for the item but the quality is always much better. Buy a good item once and you won't be buying it again later.

Oh, by the way, I'm wearing a Caterpillar hat right now that my neighbor who works for CAT gave me. The label inside...........Made In China.
 

[ScubaDM]

I bet if an american tee-shirt company went to HD and offered the same quality product at the same price delivered, we would be wearing "made in USA". But, that doesn't happen. The Chinese manufacture, and ship the product across the ocean and we still won't compete. We just complain. I'm sorry but I see it as our fault. With 10% unemployment, why can't we manufacture and sell clothing on our own shore.
Just how I see it.

That is a little simplistic. Reality is Chinese and India work dirt cheap + the companies that employ them do not have to deal with regulations or pay any benefits. The real travesty is that these countries have similar or even more stringent laws than we do when it comes to environmental standards and employee treatment. In China's case the company simply bribes the local officials and they get away with it. The sad part is we can compete when the playing field is level it just isn't level.. It doesn't take a whole lot to make it not as profitable to ship from China. The problem is other countries won't enforce their laws and won't adhere to their WTO obligations. So don't blame "us". That doesn't mean we should stop trying... I lay the blame on the companies that purchase the goods turning a blind eye to it all personally.
 

[Skillet]

Just received my new replacement Screaming Eagle K&N filter and on the box was "Assembled in USA with components from China." What you gonna do?

[Deep Blue Dives]

Just received my new replacement Screaming Eagle K&N filter and on the box was "Assembled in USA with components from China." What you gonna do?

Bet you that means they really slid the Chinese product into the box - then sell it to us for 500% mark up.

[Eqcons]

then sell it to us for 500% mark up.

In all seriousness, their mark up is a lot higher than 500%.

Jim

[iski]

Had an opportunity to speak to Harley about the imported clothing/apparel issues.  They have considered funding or running a company here in the US to manufacture certain apparel - they do get complaints about items being made "somewhere else."  Quality on some apparel items is noticeably different as in more cheaply made. At this point there are no plans for HD to open one, but consideration has been given.  

The reasons American manufacturers have left for foreign shores, or have shifted production off shore are well known & well documented.  Basically if as a nation we do not make it possible to compete with other countries on production costs, even when considering the very long shipping distances involved & related expense, our domestic manufacturing will continue to leave.  If we address overall manufacturing costs as they relate to various government rules, regulations, overhead, labor cost, taxes, as well as cost of raw materials, and take corrective measures, some manufacturing could return & likely would - in part due to shipping costs from across an ocean.  If we do not, then our manufacturing will continue to go elsewhere.  At this point have not seen any serious effort to reclaim any industry to manufacture here.  Have seen a lot of gum flapping and hollow "promises" from various folks who have not said anything that would really change this dynamic.  A purposeful change is needed here but we do not have purposeful people with authority who have the ability to change any of this, frankly.

There are a number of American manufacturing companies making clothing.  With the internet & such it is easy to source them.  If we all spent our money on US made goods, in a concentrated effort, it would make a difference.

[Midnight Rider]

Clothing being one example...when manufacturing costs got too high in the Northeastern US, they moved to the South where the labor rates were lower.  Then when the South caught up, they moved elsewhere (Mexico is one good example).  China is the "go to" place right now because their economy is exploding, they pay people doodly squat, and they pollute like crazy.  When they are forced to pass/enforce environmental laws because their air/water is becoming like ours was back in the 50's and early 60's (and earlier), and their middle class (relatively speaking) becomes larger, demanding higher wages, shorter working hours, better working conditions, etc...then, and only then, will it be competitive to either 1.) bring some of the jobs back here, or 2.) Find another country where it's still cheap to manufacture whatever.  Consumers drive pricing, and if company X is making jeans here in the US, but they cost $10 more per pair, and they are only paying their CEO 1 million dollars a year, rather than 5 million, people will still opt for the cheaper price.

There are a lot of quality products made right here, you just have to research it a little bit to find them.  Some of them are even the same price as the foreign made counterparts, and in some cases, cheaper.  But the average Joe or Susie is going to buy whatever, wherever, without a second thought about it.

4 out of 5 pairs of jeans I wear now are made, from dirt to shelf, right here.  The overalls I bought for Ribfest 2012 are made here as well.  Some of my T-shirts.  All of my riding leathers.  One pair of my boots.  But, I made a concerted effort to search/research those companies.

If one is really interested in doing this, here is a link to several sources for made in USA goods:  http://abcnews.go.com/Business/MadeInAmerica/made-america-resource-guide-find-american-companies/story?id=13057404

[gary_r]

Check out Fox Creek Leather.

[kraut]

Hey bandit, just bought a new speedo for my Road King and it was Made in Switzerland. Should keep good time huh. Really surprised me.

don't expect too much - these parts for instance are "made in Germany" - no selfrespecting chinese would offer such renowned crap