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Author Topic: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse  (Read 10110 times)

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mark

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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #60 on: May 11, 2018, 04:07:31 PM »

Haird has a point...I was talking to an old riding buddy when the '18s came out.  One of the first comments he made, and I agreed with, was "there's nothing that wows me any longer."  In years past, there would always be that one model, paint scheme, etc. that just made you drool.  Not so much anymore.   
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G 97

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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #61 on: May 11, 2018, 04:25:12 PM »

It’s jist not Harley-Davidson.  Motorcycles sales are down 50% prior to recession levels.  Some manufactures like Ducati have increased sales but the industry as a whole is down.  Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki all significantly down. 
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #62 on: May 11, 2018, 04:36:28 PM »

It’s jist not Harley-Davidson.  Motorcycles sales are down 50% prior to recession levels.  Some manufactures like Ducati have increased sales but the industry as a whole is down.  Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki all significantly down.

I worked in a declining industry for years.  Each year the overall market shrank. Nothing we could do about it, consumer preferences they be fickle.  Not easy to grow a business in that shrinking environment, HD is struggling.  Companies I worked for would either:  1. Grow by taking competitor market share (as Indian is now doing), 2. Shrink & if they shrunk too far they were buyout targets or just went out of business or might as well have, or 3. Bought out other businesses to grow.  HD is in shrink mode now.  Can continue for a while but long term & severe enough, they will either sell out or go out.  Hoping that does not happen.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2018, 04:38:41 PM by iski »
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G 97

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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #63 on: May 11, 2018, 04:50:10 PM »

I worked in a declining industry for years.  Each year the overall market shrank. Nothing we could do about it, consumer preferences they be fickle.  Not easy to grow a business in that shrinking environment, HD is struggling.  Companies I worked for would either:  1. Grow by taking competitor market share (as Indian is now doing), 2. Shrink & if they shrunk too far they were buyout targets or just went out of business or might as well have, or 3. Bought out other businesses to grow.  HD is in shrink mode now.  Can continue for a while but long term & severe enough, they will either sell out or go out.  Hoping that does not happen.

Yep, they certainly have their work cut out for them.  Good companies fail in good times and Harley became fat and lazy.  They failed to capture the newer generations while taking their core group somewhat for granted and lost focus on them as well.  In addition, they did not improve in other areas like quality and dealer development fast enough  Their dealer development was and is lacking outside of organizing events and having clothes boutiques.  Funny thing is, their quality actually increased quite a bit over the past decade to a level that is actually pretty good.  But for sure, a long, tough road ahead. 
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #64 on: May 11, 2018, 04:51:14 PM »

Haird has a point...I was talking to an old riding buddy when the '18s came out.  One of the first comments he made, and I agreed with, was "there's nothing that wows me any longer."  In years past, there would always be that one model, paint scheme, etc. that just made you drool.  Not so much anymore.


Good point Mark.  I am hoping the 2019’s will be great multi colored paint jobs with no flames and some chrome.      But my quess is the dark horse look will continue with cheap, boring one or two color matting finish all for 45,000+
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #65 on: May 12, 2018, 11:18:41 AM »

....I love playing that game but even after all that, nothing stirred the soul on the dealer floor.

And isn't that the whole idea?  If your heart isn't twanged when you see/experience/ride a bike and there isn't any music, you walk.  The MoCo has a LONG way to go in getting to a place that provides quality, reliable product with soul stirring paint/design, rebate card or not...

That's my opinion anyway.

IMHO this is the sad truth of it. When you look at a Harley Bagger from afar it's difficult to tell if it's a 2009, 2011, 2014 or 2018. The last big technology jump was Rushmore and a lot of folks don't believe Rushmore was real innovation but a limited "catchup" step to the rest of the industry.

When paint colors and design are the only things that discern one model year from another - is that enough of a reason to buy a new bike? Perhaps if you wore out your current bike due to the excessive mileage you could justify a new purchase. However, I know a lot of folks are just going to keep fixing/servicing their current bike because the cost of renewal is such a barrier.

Honestly, when people come up and compliment your Harley most of them don't have a clue as to the year, model, or features of the bike. It's just cool, whether it's one year old or 11 years old.

DH
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #66 on: May 26, 2018, 03:57:32 PM »

I seen on the Nation Nightly news on Wednesday that Harley has been given a corporate tax break and now are shutting down the  Kansas City, MO plant and will offer 400+ jobs to relocate to another plant out East and the remaining will be laid off. They also mentioned that there are talks about opening a plant in Taiwan. What in the H$ll happened to made in America? Most of the chrome parts we by from Harley today have a sticker made over sea's. Harley cut the Dyna line out this year to save money and to get better sales. It's true the WOW factor is over for Harley and I can see the dark horse riding their way.

Here in Texas the major cities are fighting for Toyota's US head quarters to be located in their city. I think we should take a hard look up North to a little city named Detroit first.

America needs to take care of their own first and when we take care of this issue then look towards other countries and then help them if we feel a need to do so. We should not have Homeless Vets, Hungary Children, Vets without Jobs, and Companies SHUTTING DOWN DAILY.

« Last Edit: May 27, 2018, 10:43:32 PM by MontSE103 »
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #67 on: May 26, 2018, 05:34:09 PM »

On second thought, I do like the "my oil good vs other oil not good" oil threads better.
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #68 on: May 27, 2018, 12:42:09 AM »

I seen on the Nation Nightly news on Wednesday that Harley has been given a corporate tax break and now are shutting down the ST Louis, MO plant and will offer 400+ jobs to relocate to another plant out East and the remaining will be laid off. They also mentioned that there are talks about opening a plant in Taiwan. What in the H$ll happened to made in America? Most of the chrome parts we by from Harley today have a sticker made over sea's. Harley cut the Dyna line out this year to save money and to get better sales. It's true the WOW factor is over for Harley and I can see the dark horse riding their way.

Here in Texas the major cities are fighting for Toyota's US head quarters to be located in their city. I think we should take a hard look up North to a little city named Detroit first.

America needs to take care of their own first and when we take care of this issue then look towards other countries and then help them if we feel a need to do so. We should not have Homeless Vets, Hungary Children, Vets without Jobs, and Companies SHUTTING DOWN DAILY.

Kansas City not St. Louis.  Thailand not Taiwan.  Tax incentive was very early in the Trump administration and not tied by legislation to either of these things.
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #69 on: May 27, 2018, 02:01:50 AM »

Kansas City not St. Louis.  Thailand not Taiwan.  Tax incentive was very early in the Trump administration and not tied by legislation to either of these things.

In other news...... Rumors that the Pool Boy is dealing chlorine on the side to Indian & snorting Muratic Acid with the 2018 Miss Honda are also not true.
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #70 on: May 27, 2018, 02:53:04 AM »

In other news...... Rumors that the Pool Boy is dealing chlorine on the side to Indian & snorting Muratic Acid with the 2018 Miss Honda are also not true.


Pool boy is pregnant.
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iski

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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #71 on: May 27, 2018, 12:07:40 PM »


Pool boy is pregnant.

Indian is the daddy?   :nixweiss:
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #72 on: May 27, 2018, 12:12:01 PM »

Indian is the daddy?   :nixweiss:

Now that there is funny
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #73 on: May 27, 2018, 03:37:32 PM »

Lol, yes sir’s, it’s a little early for the pool boy to be passing out info but, since he lost Willie G as a customer he’s had to work on Bill much harder. He might have a piece of the puzzle for next year,
He just needs a little more time.
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Re: Harley Sales Go From Bad to Worse
« Reply #74 on: May 28, 2018, 01:24:52 PM »

We should not have... Hungary Children...

Don't worry about the Hungarian Children. They are being stopped at the border and separated from their parents.

 :P :P :P
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