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[Gerhard]

Quo vadis HD?
CVO, sry, CEO  Matt Levatich speaks about big changes in the next years to come with Harley Davidson.
Reid Wilson, Director of Marketing for Indian Motorcycle too stated, that in the near future many things are stirred up ( see http://www.motorcycle.com/features/mo-interview-reid-wilson-director-of-marketing-for-indian-motorcycle.html ) - he already stated somewhere else, that Indian will be gone from the heavy cruiser segment in the next five years.

And whether I like it or not, I understand, that you – as an enterprise – have to be innovative and ahead competing companies. You also have to consider changing markets and changing – or better:  tightening – restrictions on the worldwide market. Therefore you have to create and run an evolving model range. And, the CEO´s noble task: your enterprise has – first – to survive, then grow, flourish and prosper.  So far, so good. This one part including evolution, model range etc., works, OK: more or less.

What I do not understand – especially with HD – for I don´t have any experiences with Indian yet, is, that the most powerful marketing instrument to secure the present, prepare and cover the company´s back in the future is definitely not used: The satisfied and happy customer. I can bring in here my personal example only: I bought a FLHXSE in early 2016. I was totally happy then. The reason why I purchased it was the Harley promise, that I can do lovely and long tours (“consuming heavy loads of tarmac”), get relaxed from the first mile on and have pure joy in my free time. To be honest: the relaxing thing worked – for some short time. From the beginning on I had complaints bout the front section, that still are not fixed – don´t wanna go into details, cause what I want to say is this:
From my POV – OK, it´s a far away one in Europe – big companies, and yes, HD in my eyes is a big shot – are very far away from customer needs: this means distance, commitment, response and service. From my point of view in this field a whole war could be won. New model range, fully agree, but that´s building a shiny penthouse, while the cellar still is under (heavy) construction – in order to save and secure the latter! And yes, that evolutions are not bulletproof from the first second on, is quite understandable – that a friend of mine, in mid season with a blown M8 and an already booked tour didn´t even get a rental for, is not understandable, and even less acceptable.

“… there’s only a certain amount of investment available in a company” as Wilson states in the mentioned Interview. Well, if you don´t leave a certain part of the budget for CR and LIVE IT, it´s getting hard. Budget in this context I understand not only as money in the first hand: It´s more about taking your customers seriously, believing them and truly and hearty supporting them. Just to wear the famous “Glad you´re here”-button won´t do the trick. I remember last time I joined the big Harley-meet at the Faaker See in Austria (one of the biggest on the European continent), when Willie G. was present, marketing machinery running at the limiter “meet Willie G. – Mr. Harley Davidson!” etc. – but Willie G. was as strictly shielded from the people as the POTUS always is. My impression: they didn´t fear fans would run him over – It was pretty disciplined there – the big danger was that somebody could TALK to him. This the “having the ear to the market, to the customer”?  What keeps e.g. Matt Levatich from visiting his dealership? When on tour in Europe, why can´t he visit several (not one or two!) dealers (and yes: in several countries, one continent at a time) and talk to his customers – takes time and Dollars, yes, yes but that pays off in the end. Many of his time consuming actions to “lead better” his MOCO (… and satisfying his shareholders) all have little effort if he forgets who is paying for his products. This would build and glue a community of advertising – cause satisfied – customers. And on that base the floors and penthouse could be built – think about sustainability!

I miss that now, I don´t see this to come and I´m a lil bit sad that this CR thing is so ignored. In the end Companies waste so much fuel by running at full throttle with the brake chute deployed.
And the customer? He still buys an idea, an aurora borealis, a fictional world, a functional image, a galaxy of emotion – that loses 10 Grand and even more expectations when driven out of the showroom …welcome to reality, CEOs.

I just had to let this out,
regards, Gerhard.

Sry for my English, I´m no native speaker …

[TN]

Gerhard, I get what your saying unfortunately the business model of big corporations in todays time is to let the loyal customer suffer and the shareholders rejoice. HD does more to promote the lifestyle than most. Wandell the previous HD CEO was the first time they went outside the company and not promote within, he brought a skill set to maximize profits. And it's not just HD by any means.

I suggest you suit up and take a long ride with your lady or whomever you choose and you'll realize why you ride. Forget about it all while on the open road and enjoy yourself.

If your ever in my neck of the woods holler and we'll take a ride.


Sincerely

TN

[Gerhard]

Thanks for your kind words - what makes me so angry, well not angry, hopeless is the better word, is, that when doing it right, the ressources expenditure is hardly bigger for than if you do it the - wrong - way, as everybody like you mentioned it, does it.

>>>Forget about it all while on the open road and enjoy yourself.<<< Well said - and if you think this sentence over, it´s exactly the point why I bought a cruiser. Why I bought a Harley Davidson. And no lookalike. Same with watches: I like the look of the Rolex Submariner, so I bought one. There of course is a tiny little difference between Rolex and HD: my Rolex functions under all conditions, when diving, shooting, parachuting, flying, climbing in the Alps etc. excellent. And they offer fast and reliable service. It fulfills its marketing blabla perfectly - in such way, you don´t mind the prize anyway.
Now this is where HD bails out. And my problems with your sentence begins  : Japanese cruisers e.g. just work - the Wing for example - but in my opinion are not the real thing.
So, enjoy the open road would be a good approach - if the tool too enjoy it works. And when HD sells lifestyle more than bikes (worldwide HD-Family), it´s OK with me, like that - but I wanna be also taken seriously from the MOCO as a part of the Company-Family, so to say. And this are big lessons to, first identify, and then to learn.
And the latter is definitely NO ROCKET SCIENCE 
regards, Gerhard.

[TN]

I’m not sure of the details with the trouble your motorcycle has given you, or the troubles MOCO customer service has doled out but I can assure you that your not alone. I too have learned the hard way and the only way I can show my displeasure is not to spend monies with them. They claim that the loyal customer base is dying off but they’re killing them off one at a time with situations like yours also.

Whatever the problem is on anything mechanical can be cured. So either suck it up and do it or move on. I have learned the hard way and again I haven’t bought a new bike in some time not because I cannot afford it but for all the other reasons. I retired 3/27/2010 and as of now I’m 59, I decided I couldn’t own the world and settled for a little square then called it a day.

I have spent countless dollars on wine, women, and motorcycles, I wasted the other portion.

Best of luck


TN

[pvanwagner]

They're going down the path that Remington went down a few years ago and are still on - Margins over all else.  Bean counters just counting the beans and not worried about making more good beans, just more beans period.   It's a bummer but the odds are that we'll still get good guns and motorcycles, unfortunately the bad ones are more numerous then they used to be.

[Gerhard]

@pvanwagner good qoute! We here in Austria have not as many choices as you do - but KTM and Glock are doin pretty well  . My favorite in production philosphy always was and will be the swiss Rolex: Their watches are expensive, but robust and good looking over the decades. So you never can own an old looking Rolex. It´s the other way round: the older, the more expensive, but still going strong. The production numbers are stable - so they don´t flood the market for fast profit. They have costly items, don´t change them, and keep them in a way close to restricted. Therefor they are strong in demand, what raises the general interest on the other side and additionally helds the prices high for second hand market. Kind a self runner close to perpetuum mobile. You have to wait for a Submariner Steel over a year minimum in Austria (and we are their neighbors!).
Why can´t HD copy this - e.g. the CVO line? Would be easy. Well, there would be still the reliability thing ...