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[BALIS]

Confirmation that HD have lost the plot, and have no idea how to run a business any more.  They only just BOUGHT MV Agusta, FFS!!! What, "seemed like a good idea at the time", did it?? Idiots.

And in a time of economic hardship, when it's difficult to sell the bikes they do produce, what do they do here in the UK?  Why, up the prices (AGAIN, second time this year!) by a further 7.5%.  That means a CUSE5 here from the end of the year will cost a staggering £29600, (currently around $48500) and as I've said elsewhere, only a nutcase with more money than sense would pay that for one.  They are simply not worth the money.  After three overpriced CVOs in as many years, I think I can safely say, "Gentlemen, I've bought my last...." Oh, I can afford one, but I just won't be ripped off like that. 

Jim

You are lucky in US and even in UK.Here in Belgium the cuse is at 37.000 euros
Price in UK is +/- 32.555 euros.
Price in US is +/- 55.158 usd.

[Gone Fishin']

We can hope Erik joins the CVO motor development team!

Why? Newer Buell's are using an Austrian made Rotax engine. Only the older Buell's still use a powertrain made by Harley.

One has to be looking at the entire development at HD from more than one angle.

Harley seems to me caught up in a time warp, building bikes for a shrinking demography. That's fine with me, I belong.

But as a company they should also somewhat worry about who is going to buy their bikes in the next three to five to ten years, right? Both, MV & Buell, have a younger demographic, but their sales at about 5k bikes (per manufacturer) annually did not suffice to make an impact on a company positioned to sell 300k bikes per year.

So HD had to face the choice of trying to dramatically expand the MV and Buell lines to, let's say 50k bikes annually per manufacturer, or close or sell. The expansion to meaningful numbers (if at all possible) would have required an investment far larger than HD's cash flow could afford, hence the company would run itself into losses, just by trying.

That would mean the stock price would tank even more, and that would mean any company interested in HD could buy it on the cheap.

Now, with the smaller brands out of the way, HD can concentrate on trying to find a way to grow sales and attract a broader demography. Not easy, and I am not sure, if they have a plan in place for that. Going to India and China is not going to help that much, these markets (from my experience) do not readily support large displacement motorcycles which weigh 800lbs.

Ride safely,
Louis

[Eqcons]

You are lucky in US and even in UK.Here in Belgium the cuse is at 37.000 euros
Price in UK is +/- 32.555 euros.
Price in US is +/- 55.158 usd.

I can't understand why you'd pay that, honestly, I can't. (Nothing to do with whether the buyer can afford it or not, all about just paying way too much!)
 But the price differential between here and Belgium (or elsewhere in the € zone) is temporary. A couple of weeks back it was closer to €35000, but the £ and the $ have suffered quite badly against the € recently.
There comes a point where people stop saying "That guy is lucky to be able to afford one of those." and start saying "That guy is stupid to be paying for one of those." In my opinion, that point has been reached.  

Jim

[LarryB]

It's all relative

[Eqcons]

It's all relative

That's true, Larry, and relative to every other motorcycle on the planet, many of relatively better quality, and relative to the price of many relatively upmarket cars, Harley's prices are relatively atrocious outside the US. 

Jim

[Gone Fishin']

Hi Jim,

We all know that you are upset about Harley's pricing for CVO's, specifically in the U.K., and of course it does not help that the same bike is more expensive elsewhere. But, as an owner, you could possibly view Harley's pricing strategy helpful in keeping the value of your bike up. If Harley would suddenly slash prices on 2010 or later comparable models, the resale value would tank accordingly. This would not be helpful to many of us, and also not to the dealers. So, to enter the club the fee is outrageous, but once you are in "A Harley isn't just for Christmas, it's for LIFE!". He he he ....

Ride safely,
Louis

That's true, Larry, and relative to every other motorcycle on the planet, many of relatively better quality, and relative to the price of many relatively upmarket cars, Harley's prices are relatively atrocious outside the US. 

Jim

[Eqcons]

I'd not suggest them slashing prices Louis, but the prices were expensive before. Now they are outrageous. There can be no justification for raising prices to the new level, an increase of around 25% in the last 6 months.  They should have kept them as they were.

And as for resale values, don't make me laugh!    When were you last offered what YOU think is a good price when trading in your bike agains a new one of the same model?  Maybe it happens over there, but it don't happen here!  1st year loss is around £6000 ($10000) - and that loss will be BIGGER now.

It's silly - a CUSE5 or a BMW 325i M-Sport for the same price! (Oh, and these days I can get a decent discount off a BMW).

Jim

Hi Jim,

We all know that you are upset about Harley's pricing for CVO's, specifically in the U.K., and of course it does not help that the same bike is more expensive elsewhere. But, as an owner, you could possibly view Harley's pricing strategy helpful in keeping the value of your bike up. If Harley would suddenly slash prices on 2010 or later comparable models, the resale value would tank accordingly. This would not be helpful to many of us, and also not to the dealers. So, to enter the club the fee is outrageous, but once you are in "A Harley isn't just for Christmas, it's for LIFE!". He he he ....

Ride safely,
Louis

[TIF2]

One has to be looking at the entire development at HD from more than one angle.

Ride safely,
Louis

I think people are ... and I think that is the real problem.

[spydglide]

It's silly - a CUSE5 or a BMW 325i M-Sport for the same price! (Oh, and these days I can get a decent discount off a BMW).

Jim

Yeah, but Jim.........can a BMW 325i M-Sport go:  potato-potato-potato ?    har!  spyder

[TIF2]

Yeah, but Jim.........can a BMW 325i M-Sport go:  potato-potato-potato ?    har!  spyder

No ... but it can probably go 1,000 miles without a clutch problem.

har!

[spydglide]

No ... but it can probably go 1,000 miles without a clutch problem.

har!

    har.  spyder

[Eqcons]

Yeah, but Jim.........can a BMW 325i M-Sport go:  potato-potato-potato ?    har!  spyder

 

[bandit]

I'm an Ulysses-Rider and a CVO-owner, but couldn' t understand the mv agusta-deal.
Where were most of the buell's sold? Put the factory to that continent and keep it
running. More room for dealers, good joke for what? Opening-events for 2010 at the
end of september and then they present only 2 models?

As a dealer, your just an independet employee. The MoCo tells you what to do, but
it's your responsibility, when you can only present 2 bikes from 2010.
The Moco made the same errors again: Aermacchi and MV Agusta. Following the car-
industry, they are ..... ( view the history of Tucker).

It's history we should learn of and not the owner share!!!!

[CVOJOE]

Harley-Davidson also unveiled major elements of its go-forward business strategy to drive growth through a single-minded focus of efforts and resources on the unique strengths of the Harley-Davidson brand, and to enhance productivity and profitability through continuous improvement.

Anxiously awaiting the 'go -forward business strategy to drive growth though a single minded focus' 

They're cutting their losses on poor development and business decisions to at least keep from becoming a de-listed stock in 2010. But the band keeps playing the Milwaukee tunes as the once Titan keeps sinking further. WTF? 

[bandit]

Bad joke for all the employees, if you read this:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iY7CyjD3huq6q589cKgHb9F3dPdg

109 mill $ for 14 month