Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RedDevil]

...Europe is a little different,  they want performance at any cost.  There lies the problem.  HD has never been known for cutting edge performance or engineering brilliance.  HD is an American Icon,  that lives in the hearts of those few of us left to take on the American spirit, and hit the wide open roads of this great country and see it as it is,  whether it be a rain storm,  a blooming orange grove, corn fields forever or just a fine piece of twisting road.  The HD primary market will always be IN the USA as it should be.
I'm off my  
_Beags

This is why the VRod is HD's number one selling motorcyle in Europe.  It fits their image of performance and style but also gives them a part of the "American Icon".  But you're right Beags, the US will always be the primary market for HD, because it is an American Icon.
Cheers ,
Red

[harley56]

   Did this include the ones that were approved in the fall that have not broken ground yet ?
Thanks ,
 Dave

They did not speak to that, so I would only be guessing.  That being said, twenty plus years of connection/experience with harley would lead me to guess they would let those go ahead if committments have been made, but again, that is simply an educated guess.

[CVOJOE]

Europe is a little different,  they want performance at any cost.  There lies the problem.  HD has never been known for cutting edge performance or engineering brilliance.  HD is an American Icon,  that lives in the hearts of those few of us left to take on the American spirit, and hit the wide open roads of this great country and see it as it is,  whether it be a rain storm,  a blooming orange grove, corn fields forever or just a fine piece of twisting road.  The HD primary market will always be IN the USA as it should be.

Yes, Matt put it very well.   

Let's face it, a great many of us ride them because they're built in the USA and a cultural icon. Of course the parts suppliers are scattered around the world, but they're at least assembled here in the USA. At least for now. We throw more $'s in the pot with chrome, decent seats, other accessories, and trying to enhance the performance up to where it should be leaving the factory. Especially on the CVO line, performance should rule. 

[Ceej]

RE:Zippo's 

My point was regarding Asia's financial ability to afford "Luxury" items increasing in the past few years. In that sense Yes I do put a lighter  (that costs around $1000.00) in the same class as a Harley - not a $35k Harley but a $20k yes. (To spend $35k on a bike like some of us have is nuts and for that we could probably use some therapy ) My point being one could buy a .99 cent lighter as easy as one could buy a $2000 used Honda Magna - both would do the job bot in the modern world we have the Luxury to indulge, and we do, and now they do, and will. I recently saw an article about the Beijing HOG chapter and a new dealership there. The "slow, underperforming" Harley - will become a status symbol, And its not too easy for them to crank out imposters, ok well it is but that doesn't matter. With the strength of the Euro vs. the Dollar a base Fatboy will be attractive as will the Vrod. Yeah the Rice rockets will wipe a Harley's backside, but they like us are getting into touring and a big touring HD is still as comfortable as they come. Were talking about older buyers and riders, mostly married, the women have input too and sure don't want to be on the back of the latest zx14 or Busa, its the same generation that 10 years ago catapulted HD here in the states that is at work there also. Sure, There is a Huge income gap in most of Asia, Harley won't find its Savior in the Orient, .....but the the Chinese are coming, of course there coming - we financed them

[VaEagle]

Several things to consider in this debate is China's economy is growing and the people's income will be growing as well. Then you have to consider that we are looking at the cost factor from our economy standpoint like bikes built here would be shipped over to China. that will happen to begin with but as soon as manufacturing and assembly starts in China as it probably will, then our $20,000 -$40,000 bikes will have a cost factor very much less than what it could be built for in the USA.
Then I'm sure employee discounts would apply as well and then the Harley culture and mystique can spread with even lower price locally built Harley's being on the road there.
Then you have the issues of the Chinese road system. I know that is improving but I bet the majority of Chinese roads are better suited for lighter,multipurpose bikes like the new Buell or maybe Harley cruisers to keep the speeds down not really made for high speed sport bikes.
Considering the past between Japan and China I bet the Japanese bikes are not as desired as they are in the USA or Europe.

[rubaga]

Agree the the US will always be primary, but the MoCo is definitely thinking global as they look for ways to maintain profitiable growth.  Europe, and Asia will be the primary targets and more specifically emerging markets like Russia and China have huge numbers of folks that may some day "throw a leg over"!!  They will follow the same growth markets that most of the auto mfgs. are looking at.

This way they can keep the US from an oversupply, keep dealers profitable, deman high in the US, but still grow their earnings and move the stock price up.  That is the mission of the top level of execs.  The MoCo is looking to grow!!

2 cents about Russia given this is where I live.  HD is positioned here as a luxury good from a marketing perspective. Therefore, the number of buyers is limited. A lot of HD bikers have top notch cars and unlimited budgets. HD is not necessarily the only bike in the garage.

The ones which are sold in quantities are the japanese ones.

BMW is in between.

So growth in Russia has its very visible limits.

Obviously V-Rod is very popular here.

[VaEagle]

Hi rubaga,
Do you feel the majority of those purchase decisions are based on purchase price, availability or maybe due to cultural bias?
Is there any animosity in you country against past enemy countries and their products?

[rubaga]

Hi VaEagle,

First of all there is no any influence on those decisions from the past history of countries. American goods were quite popular even during cold war days.

I think at the moment majority of purchase decisions are based on popularity of HD among a certain group of Russians. HD dealer here also sells Ferraris, Lambos and Bentleys in addition to top brand watches and clothes.  So HD is positioned here as a luxury good.

With such positioning price is not an issue.  Availability is in a way.  However, HD produces such a variety of bikes (on the same platform) that something is always available.

I would say that only 50 to 60 per cent of HD owners here are driving them regularly and probably 20% prepared to go for a several days trip.

The rest are in the garages with Porsches and Ferraris.

[cigarmike]

Re: China -

      - The crazy Brits keep paying astronomical figures for Dunhills and Duponts for some reason

I once had a cigar supplier send me 35 of these Duponts limited edition lighters....I thought it was because I was such a great customer...I gave them all away to my friends except 2, lol, then found out that the supplier sent them to me by mistake, they were supposed to go to a cigar store in NY. they cost $250 + retail, they are now collectors items, Ebay would of brought me a pretty penny by those crazy brits. Cigar supplier ate the loss.

[djkak]

IMHO that growth would be mostly China.  They are eating up european and American imports.

News of the substantial improvement in our trade imbalance must have been trumped by the misadventures of Anna Nicole Smith.

djkak