| Author | Message | ||
     Black |
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNew s/20091021/AUTOS_harley_Vaughan_091022/20091022?s_ name=Autos&no_ads= | ||
| Jusask |
Very interesting article. Thanks for posting it. | ||
| 2kx1 |
Excellent article , very eye opening. | ||
| Trojan |
Very good  | ||
| Moxnix |
Astute. | ||
| Sparky |
Excellent article. I hope it gets posted to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel so that the buffoons that run H-D see how others view their actions as short-sighted. | ||
| Moonrunrs |
Wow, great article. So true. | ||
| Daveswan |
Beautiful! Seems to reflect the growing sentiment. HD execs must be from another dimension? "By 2014 more than 40 per cent of the company's sales will be outside the United States according to Harley executives." That's a bit presumptuous "Sales WILL be". An the India market statement "Harley believes the growing middle-class aspires to big, iconic American bikes.: They don't realize that even in Delhi, where pay is highest that the average annual salary is about $1,500 per year. How much are they planning to cut cost per unit to make them affordable there? | ||
| Greg_e |
Isn't that kind of why they (a car company in India) have that one car that sells for under $2000 USD so that people might stand half a chance at being able to own a car? It is fairly obvious that either the guys running Harely are absolute geniuses or they have their heads so far up their backsides that they can not see daylight. Time will tell which one it is, but it sure is looking like the good old AMF days all over again. I'll find out tonight if I still have a local dealer to get parts at, that will be the one and only thing that will ever get me to go back into a Harley dealership. Never went in before I owned my XB9R and if I can't get parts here I'll never go in again. They just have absolutely nothing that appeals to me other than the Buell line and now it is gone. | ||
| Gohot |
What always amazes me is how these company's always speak about loosing money because their sales forcasts didn't come to fruition, well if thats the case I 'spose I could say I lost 10.8 M because I failed to sell the designer wraped hay bales I had entended to sell at $65.000 ea. What are they thinking, you cant loose what you never had, the years they conned that great number dosn't last every year, so how do you expect to do the same every year consistantly. I think Harleys days are numbered | ||
| Cajunrph |
The only way the masses of China and India will be able to afford a Harley is if the masses of the USA can't. May be Harley sees the US as a tanking economy. If so all the more reason to continue Buell mission of affordable bang for your buck. Sad sad day. Really sours my outlook on HD. | ||
| Goldrush |
Not to be glass half empty guy, but by 2014 the us$ might be weak enough for people in China and India to buy a HD. | ||
| Moonrunrs |
Harley has been repossessing massive numbers of bikes according to their finance dept. I bet many of these will be shipped overseas eventually to be sold. | ||
| Caryder |
I have been following HOG stock for the last week now, trying to understand how it can be trading for as much as $2 over its 1 yr forecast and I found this article today. Turns out they have substantial cash flow at the moment. One might wonder how... Foolish takeaway Harley's in a better position to ride out the quarter now. But over the long road, the firm only has so much debt to sell ... sooner or later, it needs to remember how to sell bikes. Full article here: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2009/10/19/h arley-davidsons-wildest-quarter-ever.aspx | ||
| Roadrash1 |
Here's something out of Motorcycledaily.com http://www.motorcycledaily.com/23october09_buellri ses.htm | ||
| Azdaniel |
Thanks Roadrash1, that offers a little hope. | ||
| Trevharding |
Nice article, I really can't wait to see what Erik does next? So in reality, what can Erik actually do? Even if he finds the money from investors, HD owns the Buell name. They seem adimate about not making them anymore. So perhaps Buell becomes a new company with a new name? Thoughts anyone? | ||
| Transmaniacon_mc |
Harley will not sell Buell Manufacturing as other than the 1125's the bikes use H-D motors made by H-D motor factory. Buell really is a H-D motorcycle sold under a different name for the most part as only H-D Dealerships can sell Buells. H-D owns the rights to the Buell brand name and bike designs that use their motors so it is a H-D motorcycle since they can close manufacturing down the way H-D did. Anyone know if Erik will stay working for H-D long term after Buell closes down,is he under contract to work for H-D? I think if Erik leaves H-D then you will never see anything of the bikes H-D manufactured under his name. If he stays with H-D look for H-D manufacturing to come up with a new sport adventure line of bikes under the H-D brand to be added to H-D sales numbers. He only stays with H-D to design the next generation of Ulysses,Lightning, and Firebolt which are made under the H-D brand name for brand marketing. Erik can design a whole new different bike based on what they have already learned to improve upon as a whole new model next generation bike. They must have a gag order on Erik not to talk about what's going on. | ||
| Toecutter |
I don't believe that Erik has renewed his employment contract with H-D. | ||
| Devil_dog |
That article at the Motley Fool was very Insightful, a must read for any Bueller OR Harley fan. Some great questions about cash flow and selling off debt. | ||
| Blake |
"Buell really is a H-D motorcycle sold under a different name for the most part as only H-D Dealerships can sell Buells. H-D owns the rights to the Buell brand name and bike designs that use their motors so it is a H-D motorcycle since they can close manufacturing down the way H-D did." You are confused. Harley-Davidson Motor Company doesn't own Buell, not one piece of it. Harley-Davidson Incorporated Owns Buell. They also own Harely-Davidon Finance Company, the H-D Motorclothes, MV August, H-D Distribution Co, and others. they also own Harley-Davidson Motor Co., just like they own Buell Motorcycle Company. Long before H-D Inc. ever thought of purchasing any interest in Buell, Buell was purchasing powertrains from Harley-Davidson Motor Company. I see no reason other than miserable egos that would prevent them from doing the same in the future. | ||
| Black |
http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-091026-buell-ride ,0,3390379.story | ||
| Moonrunrs |
Thanks for posting that news story. | ||
| Black |
I read an article today where a Harley spokesman had called the decision to shut down Buell an "...irrevocable decision." I think the Buell issue has become more than a business issue. It has become a manhood issue for Harley. | ||
| Birdy |
I don't know but the way H-D is bleeding money they won't be here in 5 years (or less) unless they make some very hard changes. If you think about they really only have two models, the Sporty and the Big Twin. both 40+ year old designs and they are locked in to the customer base they built and have no way out. The V-Rod could, should have been a very good bike but the Vest & Patch crowd killed it as Not a Real H-D. We all know that Buell owners were unwelcome at a lot of dealers as soon as the money was in the drawer...IF you could even get them to sell you one. I think the writer hit it dead on the head that time runs backward for H-D. And it'll run out sooner or later and I think sooner. (Message edited by Birdy on October 28, 2009) | ||
| J2blue |
That was a great news story. Just think, if it were Corvette getting axed it would definitely be on all the national news channels. Even though I couldn't be there so many of you were and I thank you for that. | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
You'll see more large corporations looking to the east as falling incomes and increasing economic instability become the norm at home. We can't continue to outsource our manufacturing base while simultaneously running up the national debt. The rest of the world can see this. When will Americans wake up and realize this? Erik Buell - "We can't all be juggling money with the wealthy people up top and the service industries below. That's not sustainable........ We have to make things in this country." | ||
| Black |
http://www.passionperformance.ca/motorcycle/articl es/5976/ | ||
| Bobr |
Not too comforting to see the related article about Yamaha's financial problems. Are we allowed to call the worldwide financial crisis a depression yet? That is a very pithy quote from EB. Knowing that is his mindset makes the loss of BMC even more poignant. Somewhere on this website someone posted to the effect that the current economic disaster was hard to foresee. With the disparities and business practices noted by EB how could we have not seen the economic *&%#storm coming? I just wish BMC had not been one of the casualties. | ||
| Black |
Harley is at it again! http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_13659636?source=most_view ed |
