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[lilcoot]

I'm pretty sure the members of this forum account for a large percentage of HD's profits!  I guess Harley-Davidson is emerging from the Great Recession in pretty good shape.  Any doom and gloom stories about the imminent demise of HD are premature. 

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/06/06/americas-most-profitable-products-2/

[muddypaws]

With 7 bikes and 4 of them CVO's I gave my share..

[mark]

Who would have guessed...

[FLHTCUSE7]

That is great. I want them to be successful so they can continue develop and stand behind their product.

[phato1]

That is great. I want them to be successful so they can continue develop and stand behind their product.

Continue? How about finishing some development on the 110's first?

Like tappets or compensators that last...

It seems that development means make it last through the 2 year warranty -- as long as you don't pile on the mileage, because they seem to bank on the fact that most owners will not ride the bikes much or the owner will modify them and take care of the known issues themselves.

[lilcoot]

I don't think profitability is necessarily always the best for consumers.  I agree with grc's and others'  general comments that Harley Davidson tends to sacrifice quality for profits, and we are the ones that allow them to get away with it.  I can't blame HD for their lack of integrity, however, considering their unique position in the market, and the times we live in.

Harley has found a unique niche where their product doesn't need to be flawless, or even the best, and can still charge exorbitant prices for a mediocre product.  This is in part because there are two main types of buyers:  Those like us, who buy them for their style and the huge number of accessories and upgrades that are available, and those who get caught up in the Harley hype and mystique, and only ride a few thousand miles over the time they own the bikes.

There was a program on NPR recently where the guest explained that after WWII, the focus of successful companies was more toward making high quality products and attracting good employees by treating them well.  Investors and stockholders were secondary.  The middle class boomed.  The last few decades, the focus of business has shifted to short term profits, higher rewards for stockholders, and astronomical rewards for CEOs, who work with a company for a few years and then leave, with little regard for the future of a company, its products, and its customers.

I'm not saying it's good or bad.  It is what it is.  I love my Ultra, and feel good about owning a Harley Davidson.  I'm glad they are doing well.

Dan

[sadunbar]

I'm pretty sure the members of this forum account for a large percentage of HD's profits!  I guess Harley-Davidson is emerging from the Great Recession in pretty good shape.  Any doom and gloom stories about the imminent demise of HD are premature. 

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/06/06/americas-most-profitable-products-2/

With all the recent quality challenges, especially as an owner of a 2007 CVO with a 110 motor, it's often been a lot more fun to own MOCO stock than to own MOCO motorcycles....

[SDCVO]

Last year in the US, HD sold 55% of all the MC's sold and every other manufacturer split the other 45%. I get as frusterated as anyone else with my bike but as hard as I look, I can't find anything else I would even consider...
They definitely found a niche...

[Jswerve]

With all the recent quality challenges, especially as an owner of a 2007 CVO with a 110 motor, it's often been a lot more fun to own MOCO stock than to own MOCO motorcycles....

Man you hit the nail on the head.

Jesse

[ultrafxr]

I don't think profitability is necessarily always the best for consumers.  I agree with grc's and others'  general comments that Harley Davidson tends to sacrifice quality for profits, and we are the ones that allow them to get away with it.  I can't blame HD for their lack of integrity, however, considering their unique position in the market, and the times we live in.

Harley has found a unique niche where their product doesn't need to be flawless, or even the best, and can still charge exorbitant prices for a mediocre product.  This is in part because there are two main types of buyers:  Those like us, who buy them for their style and the huge number of accessories and upgrades that are available, and those who get caught up in the Harley hype and mystique, and only ride a few thousand miles over the time they own the bikes.

There was a program on NPR recently where the guest explained that after WWII, the focus of successful companies was more toward making high quality products and attracting good employees by treating them well.  Investors and stockholders were secondary.  The middle class boomed.  The last few decades, the focus of business has shifted to short term profits, higher rewards for stockholders, and astronomical rewards for CEOs, who work with a company for a few years and then leave, with little regard for the future of a company, its products, and its customers.

I'm not saying it's good or bad.  It is what it is.  I love my Ultra, and feel good about owning a Harley Davidson.  I'm glad they are doing well.

Dan

High quality - guess they never owned one of the high quality jewels from Detroit back in the day.  The stuff they put out back then made AMF Harleys look good.

[Royalroadie]

I wonder how that can be.  They don't over charge for anything!   

[FLHTCUSE7]

so who wants to buy a toy / vehicle from a company that is close to go out of business and not able to support your product??  If corporations are not long term profitable they don't stay in business.

So when cheapskates want stuff for free remember that if a corporation don't generate around 15% EBIT why should they be in business?

[SDCVO]

so who wants to buy a toy / vehicle from a company that is close to go out of business and not able to support your product??  If corporations are not long term profitable they don't stay in business.

So when cheapskates want stuff for free remember that if a corporation don't generate around 15% EBIT why should they be in business?

very few established companies in the world run at 15% EBITDA or above but agree with you about the cheapskates...