| Author | Message | ||
     Lemonchili_x1 |
http://www.biztimes.com/blogs/milwaukee-biz-blog/2 009/10/30/can-wandell-steer-harley-back-to-hog-hea ven | ||
| Conchop |
I'm not impressed. | ||
| J2blue |
Check this snippet, this is bad misinformation. He recently ended the Buell Motorcycle line, which Harley had acquired in August 2008 for $108 million. (If they had known then what they know now … ) | ||
| Oddball |
 That was a glaring mistake. Hey, if they had bought Buell after 25 years of operation for 108 million last year and managed to destroy it in a year's time. What does that say about their abilities?  If that was true Erik would be sitting on that 108mil. Bet he could buy it back for 100mil and have 8mil for start up operation fund.  | ||
| Salbrechtnh |
Richard Teerlink was the CEO during the famous rise of H-D after AMF if I remember correctly. He said, "People are an organization’s only sustainable competitive advantage." in an interview for The Famous Entrepreneurs. Interesting. I thought that might include the people at Buell, especially Eric Buell. I wonder how the people in York feel about that comment about now? I seem to remember that Richard also served on Johnson Controls Board. Is he still at Johnson Controls? Where is that annual report? | ||
| Court |
He is not. He, his wife Ann and daughter Victoria are still happily residing in Wisconsin. Mr. Teerlink does some speaking and authored the book, sitting on my desk, "Well Made in America" that detailed the miracle he and the group pulled off at Harley-Davidson. It's unfortunate that the guys, wisdom and legacy that pulled that off is no longer available to Harley-Davidson. Rich Teerlink, who attended our first Buell gathering at my house in 1990, with his family, played an important role in my early interest in Buell. He's an amazing person . . . and I have a great story about him the day we opened the "new" Buell building (2799 Buell Drive) in East Troy . . . remind me to tell you sometime. Rich Teerlink was the person at Harley-Davidson who, in my personal opinion, most defined the Buell Values. I have always had tremendous respect for him and had the pleasure of riding from California to Milwaukee with him for the Harley-Davidson 85th Anniversary.
| ||
| Reepicheep |
Hopefully after the takeover, Buffet will hire him to clean up the mess Wandell inherited (and quickly compounded). It's a dark time for good leadership in America. | ||
| Endoman33 |
Titanic and a teaspoon If you are leader in a America don't be afraid. If you are afraid to fail, you will never succeed.  | ||
| 4cammer |
"Well Made in America" is an excellent book and a must read. Lost my copy a few years ago...have to get another now. | ||
| Qcbrob |
Wow. Looks like their really putting their eggs into that "new overseas market" basket. | ||
| Conchop |
Wandell will learn that despite the numbers, closing Buell will be a mistake of epic proportions. The diminishing youth market will be taken in by the Japanese and they will not spend their money on cruisers until they are well up in years. Their brand loyalty will be squarely with the Japanese brands. The negative effects of Wandells decision will be felt in exactly 3 years and it will be prolific in 5 years. Just as Buell was starting to win races and attracting younger customers, the management team shuts it down. Cheap Buells have been scooped up. Without factory support, the luster will wear off and the kids will be gone. | ||
| Greatnorthrider |
I may have just found out how HD is going to save itself... http://www.harley-davidson.in/ "Our experience in leading the leisure motorcycle market worldwide makes us naturally suited to help lead and define leisure riding in India. We entered India with a promise to bring riders the pure Harley-Davidson experience with bikes from every family. Over the past year we have listened to riders across India at our many events, and we have produced a lineup to stir their soul.” "The motorcycles are being imported into India as completely built units and will be priced between 6,95,000 rupees ($15,000) and 34,95,000 rupees ($76,000) “ex-showroom (New Delhi),” according to the release." Yup,now is the time for Leisure riding in India! (Message edited by greatnorthrider on February 16, 2010) (Message edited by greatnorthrider on February 16, 2010) | ||
| Court |
Look at picture #18: http://www.harley-davidson.in/harley-davidson-indi a-delhi-boot-camp.html They are offering classes on how to put on matching bad-ass head bands . . . yeah, that should pretty much insure commercial success. Glad to see that they are donating all the funds from Boot Camp. They may want to set some aside for the political fallout likely to be precipitated by the ill considered agreement to by mangoes if India would ease certain import tariffs. They bet the farm on India. It'll be interesting to see how it works and if the Indian sales will offset the lost sales in America to folks fairly certain this move to India precedes moving some manufacturing there. Time'll tell. | ||
| Moxnix |
Good grief. Maybe H-D management has been smoking something out on an ashram and domestic dealerships will start selling loin clothes with logos. Snake charming kits and beds of nails will be next. Dharma bikers. | ||
| Oddball |
Oh man. Someone just tied the helm and hopes for the best while they stand on deck putting on their Mae West. | ||
| Greg_e |
I didn't give a rat's behind about Harley until I discovered Buell, now that they shut it down I once again could care less what happens to them. They make nothing I want (except parts for my Buell), never have either. Maybe they will get going on golf carts with a vengeance and take over the golf cart business. Maybe they should branch out into lawn mowers too and snow blowers too. (Message edited by Greg_E on February 20, 2010) | ||
| Oddball |
The New 2012 Screaming Eagle Yard Glide. 24" seat height, Twin-Cam Big-Twin power, chrome controls and wheels, extended front suspension with infinitely wide turning radius, limited edition paint set and a genuine leather, bar & shield embossed, collection bag | ||
| Mtch |
seems to me that HD are looking at opening in new markets rather than rely on US, and european sales. there are a lot of people with money to spend in these countries. they are not as backward as they might appear (the countries i mean), especially as western industries produce most of their products in the east, rather than pay western wages. | ||
| Oddball |
But it's rather hard to fold fruit or whatever it is they'll be paid for them into one's wallet.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
I know what Harley is thinking. Their stated goal (India) is filled with young upcoming and style conscious people... wearing trendy but outdated US clothing, smoking trendy ciggarettes, and using expensive cell phones. Lots of them grew up on motorcycles. But Harley blew it. Hint to the genius that closed Buell... look at the cars these bright upcoming Indians drive... They ain't Camaros and Mustangs. And look at the demographic for the clothing they buy. These kids, if they get a bike, won't be getting a Dyna... they will be getting a GSXR-600. If Harley hadn't been so STUPID, they might have looked at that GSXR-600 and had to think... do I want that bike, or the bike that beat it (Buell Barracuda). What an epic fail. As a Harley stockholder on the day of the closing, I am still outraged at the executives and board of directors. Fear based emotionally driven and fact free mismanagement at it's worst. Here is the other thing to chew on that occured to me as I was tooling around yesterday on my XB between Ohio snow storesm... Put a GSXR-1000, Yamaha R1, 1000RR, ZX1000 and Buell 1125 Baracuda all in a row and tell somebody to pick one to buy. Put a $20,000 KTM and a $20,000 Ducati there also if you want, but at $20,000+ they will just collect dust. It will only take a little while for a buyer to see the four Japanese brands are virtually the same bike. The Buell is "the other one", and about the same price, but a totally different bike that works GREAT. It wouldn't have taken long to split the market with Buell getting half, and the other four Asian brands fighting for the "other half". Harley was stupid because they looked at the playing field and said "there are four strong brands, I don't want to be a fifth" when they should have said "I can totally change the status quo, and I might end up with half the sales, while the four strong Asian brands are left to fight for the remaining half, or completely develop a new platform that tries to play catchup with me in a field where I control key intellectual property and patents. Sigh.... | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Bill, I think you hit he square on the head. Short sighted and myopic doesn't even begin to cover what has been done by HD management. Totally worn out phrase but "Classic Fail" is about as accurate as it gets. Brad | ||
| Greg_e |
I bet you see a whole lot of cheaper parts coming out of India in the US sold bikes, and I bet they are very quiet about it too. | ||
| Doug_s |
greg e, the only thing cheaper about 'em will be what the company has to pay for getting 'em - not what the retail customer has to pay... of course, i yust got bashed on another thread for wanting americans to lose their yobs, because i wish companies that practice this shite would go under... it's not me that wants americans to lose their yobs, it's the companies that outsource... doug s. | ||
| Steveford |
Not so fast, you guys. They're going to put 80 gazillion Chinese on Ultras... | ||
| Court |
I found it interesting today . . . when 8GB of RAM arrived for my Mac that it was labeled "Product of the U.S.A.". | ||
| Greg_e |
Must be Micron, I think they are the only ones making memory chips in the USA and assembling them here. | ||
| Oddball |
 to Micron then.  | ||
| Devil_dog |
Could be Trans Intl. They are a subcontractor for Apple. When I used to fix Macs they were one of our suppliers for RAM upgrades. I like to buy from them since they are the manufacturer and their prices are pretty good. Check 'em out: http://www.transintl.com/ |
