| Author | Message | ||
     Teddagreek |
For the 200 American workers  For the innovator I'm sick to my stomach.... Maybe we can get enough backlash going to save Buell and make HD sell it... Here's a start... http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults /General-news/2009/October/oct1509-Buell-is-no-mor e/ http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/575/4837/Motorcycle- Article/Buell-Out-of-Business.aspx http://www.facebook.com/harley-davidson?v=wall http://www.facebook.com/harley-david...#/buell?ref =mf | ||
| Chellem |
Dang you guys - I assume it's at least partly you guys - Harley's facebook page is RIDDLED with pro-Buell comments! I'm surprised they haven't turned their comments off. They might still! | ||
| S1wmike |
I tried posting this onto hd facebook wall but was denied. I give full permission for anyone to repost this nywhere they feel will help Erik, the elves and all. I own V-rod now much for the same reasons I own a 1998 Buell S1W. the engineering, uniqueness and the pure pleasure I get from riding them. I used to joke at H.O.G. meetings I own all the bikes the typical Harley rider hates, 98 S1W, 06 VRSCR, 71 Sprint SX350 among other bikes. Now I guess it your turn to piss me off. The shutting down of the Buell Motorcycle Company is one ENORMOUS mistake. Your demographic group that is buying the air cooled rolling sofas are getting older and moving on. Denim Paints and stripped down Sportsters are not going to bring in a new market demographic through your doors. You win a National Championship and you reward that with shutting down operations. You are missing the golden chance for growth and you could hardly ask for a better Ambassador for PR than Danny Eslick, defending AMA Daytona Sport Bike Champion adjust resigned with RMR/Rossmeyer Geico Powersports Buell to defend his title in 2010. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??????? Buying MV Augusta a loss leader in sales and profit for how long, That's money well spent. I taking bets you won't get what you paid for it when you find someone to buy it. Where are the people and the mentality that bought HD back from AMF (Message edited by S1wmike on October 15, 2009) (Message edited by S1wmike on October 15, 2009) | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
My post: I want to be one of the first to congratulate HD on a superb decision to terminate operations at Buell Motor Company. Buell, as a company, was cutting edge, was innovative, and unconventional. Their employees were devoted to the customer, the motor...cycles, and the vision of the company many times making personal sacrifices in order to further the motorcycle they built. Their story was inspirational embodying all that is great about America and the dream of making something from nothing with only sheer will, hard work, and sacrifice. I can completely understand the business decision and reasoning behind Harley Davidson's decision to terminate Buell's operations. None of the characteristics listed above to describe Buell apply to Harley Davidson any longer. What was on...ce a story about a great American company has been supplanted by a narrative of corporate calculus and quarter by quarter myopia. Thank you, Harley Davidson, for showing us the way. We no longer need to be concerned about American workers or American companies. We can now be free of corporate jingoism in our feckless race to out "American" the next person in our mot...orcycle purchase decisions. We can apply the same criteria you have provided and select our motorcycles by lowest price and maximum bang for the buck. Whereas the "bar and shield" used to invoke feelings of patriotism and pride in the products of American workers, it will now and forever conjure images of Goliath crushing David. Bravo! | ||
| Indy_bueller |
HA! HD hasn't approved a comment on their MySpace page since 9:19 this morning! | ||
| Blake |
What appears to be a glib, cold-hearted closing of Buell by Harley-Davidson Incorporated is bewildering; it makes no good business sense that I can see. Buell is literally poised on the cusp of unprecedented major growth in market share with its planned 2011 model release. That model release would have been just seven months after the reported date of closing, just four months after employee severance pay effectively begins to run out. So for the lack of a few million dollars in continued operation versus having to pay tens/hundreds of millions in severance and contract obligations such as with Rotax, HDI somehow figures it is a sound business decision to kill the company? Please explain. And why the closing instead of a very lucrative sale of Buell? The stockholders absolutely deserve an honest accounting of the reasoning behind this drastic abandonment of an entire portion of the motorcycle market and strange refusal to allow the sale of the company to interested parties. At a minimum Harley-Davidson Incorporated should have the honor and integrity to allow the sale of Buell Motorcycle Company. Intentionally killing BMC with the excuse that it is too risky to allow a sale and thus for competitors to enter into the dealer network or other lame excuses rings hollow to this business man's ears. This kind of glib apparently ego-driven behavior towards so many customers, Buell motorcycle enthusiasts, employees, dealerships, aftermarket vendors, and subcontractors is unprecedented not only in its cold-heartedness but also in its bewilderingly poor business sense. It's not like the corporation is losing money. Buell has a truly honest shot at doubling its market share through the planned 2011 model release. Shame on the miserable ego-driven jerks at HDI/HDMC who have been working overtime to kill Buell Motorcycle Company; they are there and you know who they are. Shame on all the haters who have done nothing but criticize and denigrate Buell. It's not too late. Dear Mr. Keith Wandell, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, Inc., Please get out of the boardroom, away from your corporate office, and take another serious look at this. You are making a HUGE mistake. Sport bikes are a major growth industry and Buell is poised to gain market share in leaps and bounds. The planned 2011 model is key to that; give it a chance through this economically difficult period! Please. You will not regret it. Get the naysayers the heck out of the place. They are miserable people who are more interested in being critics and in their own biased personal views. That is no way to run a business. What would it take to turn this around? How many millions to give Buell a mere three more years to double their market share and gain impressive profitability? Instead of viewing Buell as some kind of bothersome hindrance, cut them loose! Let them go on their own, absent any and all interference from and organizational structural dependence upon Harley-Davidson. Let Buell run their own parts system, their own customer service, and their own distribution system, and let them choose their own dealership criteria. Let those Harley-Dealerships who are enthused and eager to support the brand do so, and let Buell fill any gaps in the dealership network by allowing eager non-Harley-Davidson dealerships to pick up the brand. What are you afraid of??? Bold aggressive positive action is what is called for, not regressive negative reaction. The risk is so minimal to HDI as to be laughable. Please reconsider. Stop the micro-managing and let Buell fly! Erik and associates will not let you down! Blake Rudy | ||
| Hughlysses |
Blake- check the thread in "Court in Session": http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/17/ 503482.html?1255657011 If what they're saying is right, it IS a "done deal", but a sale of Buell assets is not out of the question and is, in fact, likely. | ||
| Mikeyp |
I posted too...see how long it'll last. Fcck Harley Davidson. I have nothing against the people who ride them, but how can a company that makes so much money abandon Buell just when it was cresting the wave of greatness? The Motor Co is a true genuis at selling the "lifestyle". they spout individualism, and freedom. Just look at the pic in the upper left. Individualism? Ha! What a joke. All those riders look the same to me. Great job in shooting yourself in the foot HD. I see a similiar fate in your future when your aging clientile die off from old age. | ||
| Blake |
Get the word out to all the national and local news outlets. Ask why is Harley-Davidson Incorporated is killing Buell motorcycles, closing the doors on the company rather then selling Buell Motorcycle Company? | ||
| Psychobueller |
Just posted a video and some pics, as well as a rant on the H-D facebook page. | ||
| Cochise |
I got a call today from Susan at LA Times asking me some questions about my thoughts, and will run tomorrow. I am sure it will just be a comment or 2 that she'll use, and won't be an article about Joe, since she is getting feedback from Buell lovers. This was all kind of new, so I didn't have anything really scathing to say, I should have read these threads BEFORE I called her back. One thing I saw in the video was a very depressed Erik, but watched very carefully. It seems to me that Erik was playing it up a little, and I mean that in a good way. I think in the back of his mind he was saying, "YIPPEE!!! No more monkey on my back, I can do things as I want, I can make bikes on my own with the Elves. Disclaimer, I have only talked to Erik on the phone once and met him at a dealership function, so I don't think of myself as an expert on Mr. Buell. | ||
| Teddagreek |
Post here please... http://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Highli ghts+From+HOGs+Q3+Conference+Call%3B+Discontinues+ Buell+Brand%2C+Sees+More+Dealerships+Closing+in+N- T%2C+But+Intl+Growing/5020238.html | ||
| Oldog |
addition, we expect approximately $10 million of cost in 2010. Buell revenue was $134.9 million in 2008 and $59.4 million 2009 year-to-date what were the costs? } | ||
| Teddagreek |
STIR it up..... http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/harley- davidson-to-discontinue-buell-sport-bikes/?hpw http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/10/ harleydavidson-terminates-buell-brand.html http://www.marketwatch.com/story/harley-posts-84-p rofit-drop-shuts-down-buell-2009-10-15 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487041 07204574474972942241560.html?mod=googlenews_wsj http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories /2009/10/12/daily59.html?jst=b_ln_hl | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Our local news outlet ASKED for us to be here.... There is another one that I'm currently encoding and will post up shortly. | ||
| Gregtonn |
http://freecountry.harley-davidson.com/statement.p hp | ||
| Steve_mackay |
ROFLMAO! Now I guess Buell is a dirty word for HD!!!  | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Here's the video from the 6PM news. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Bob Nailed it. When you ride a Buell, and you are committed to Buell, you are gonna buy another (new) Buell. I saw more conversion coming FROM Harley-Davidson; and I dont know how many people I talked out of an Electra Glide into a fully dressed ULY  | ||
| Teddagreek |
I wish I woke today and this was all a dream... I'm not giving up, I'm going give these SOB's HELL.... | ||
| Teddagreek |
Bump... Keep Hammering them, freedom of speech!!!! | ||
| Chadhargis |
Watching that video brings home a whole new level of hurt, the city of East Troy. Gosh, did anyone at HD think about the repercussions of what they were doing and what it would get them? | ||
| Xbrad9r |
DIAL 414-343-4056 WAIT FOR OPTION 4 AND PLEASE TELL THEM "NICELY" HOW YOU FEEL BE HEARD...KEEP CALLING.. OVERWHELM THEM WITH CALLS AND LET THEM KNOW WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY | ||
| Teddagreek |
+ a million............ Called yesterday and today... | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Its like when I found out there was no Santa. Just miffed. | ||
| Jos51700 |
We need to get it out to stockholders that Buell represents diversification and long-term youth-market appeal for Harley, and that getting rid of Buell now is a fool's idea! What financial/economic publications can we post in, to reach HD investors? | ||
| B00stzx3 |
Not to toot my own horn.... I'm 23 years old. I wanted nothing more than a "crotchrocket". Test drove a CBR 929 and GSXR 750. Liked them both. Found the Firebolt. had to have the Firebolt, got the Firebolt. Go to bike nights, meetups,grouprides with other sportbikers. Want nothing more than my XB9R, an 1125R and continute the cycle. Never had an interest a Harley, probably never will and thanks to them killing Buell, no more of my $$$ will ever flow to them. If they think axing Buell will help their image and bottom line, they're dumber than hell. Got me at 23, wanted to be Buell customer for life. Now where am I gonna go? They killed the under-30 demographic with this move, people my age don't want cruisers, and with buell our money went to HD. | ||
| Teddagreek |
Investors Read the news and they can smell BS a mile a way... Keep pounding... http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2009/10/harley -davidson_killing_buell.html http://seekingalpha.com/article/166998-harley-davi dson-executives-investors-wear-generational-blinde rs http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/economy/business_news /nat_ap_detroit_harley_davidson_exits_sport_bikes_ 3q_profit_drops_2009101611161255706419068 | ||
| Swordsman |
Man, this excerpt from the seekingalpha article hits the nail on the head! "In short, we feel that the company is making a big mistake in divesting itself of two brands that have far more appeal to younger generations than the Harley Hogs, and that company executives, as well as investors, have blinders on with regard to the multi-generational earnings power–or lack thereof–of the Harley Davidson brand. How many people under 40 do you know who own or want to own a Harley Davidson Motorcycle? We know of none, and an informal poll of friends and family turned up none, which is not saying a whole lot because the aforesaid informal poll certainly lacks statistical significance. However, anyone giving any consideration to investing in HOG should conduct their own informal poll because those 40-and-under-year-olds are Harley Davidson’s fast approaching future market, and early indications suggest this future market doesn’t give a fig about Harley Davidson. However, ask an under-40-year-old motorcycle rider if they’d like to own a Buell or an MV Agusta, and the response will likely be quite positive and in some cases may even induce a Pavlovian response. The stock price action would suggest that we do not know what we are talking about; however, demographic change does not happen overnight, as it’s a relatively slow progression, kind of like the Harley riders of today slipping into old age and out of their Hogs and into golf carts and wheel chairs. As this comes to pass, Harley Davidson is going to see significant sales declines if the incoming and younger generations don’t buy into the Harley Davidson brand. And Harley Davidson’s earlier success was built on a brand, the branding of the outlaw biker. In the 1960s and ‘70s the Harley Davidson logo was signature wear for the “Hells Angels,” other biker gangs, and bad-boy wannabes–relatively rare and thus “cool.” Today the logo seems almost ubiquitous on middle-aged and elderly bikers, who wear far more black leather and sport shinier chrome on their Harleys than any Hells Angel ever did. The once cool, outlaw-style logo has been homogenized, and is about as outlaw and cool as the Walt Disney (DIS) logo." ~SM | ||
| B00stzx3 |
To hit on your under-40 crowd.....no offense to harley riders, just a Bueller talkin from the heart:  |
