| Author |
Message |
    
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 10:01 pm: | 
|
HOG is starting to show some real signs of concern . . . and their "it's tough to sell in this economy" weakens in the face of impressive sales increases at BMW, Victory and others.
We live in interesting times.
Who do you think will be the largest American motorcycle manufacturer 5 years from now?
 |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 11:09 pm: |
|
Good move.
Marketing needs a hook and an iconic name in motorcycling is a big one. Being US made will make it a 'legitimate' Indian and Victory already make a good vehicle. The Vision isn't too far away from the 'spirit' of an Indian now.
The aquisition is also topic de jour on all bike media. Some campaign. |
Whisperstealth
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 11:14 pm: |
|
>>>Who do you think will be the largest American motorcycle manufacturer 5 years from now?
I can only dream.....
But being number two would be awesome as well |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 11:53 pm: |
|
Consider the Indian line the Lexus to Toyota.
Indian allows Victory to move up market with an established name. By doing this, Victory also pulls the rest of the Victory line up in perceived prestige.
I'd love to have one of the Burt Munro line:
 |
46champ
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 01:14 am: |
|
That is a much nicer bike that Burt has in the picture than anything they depicted in the movie. I'm impressed thanks Ft. |
Boltrider
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 01:27 am: |
|
Harley is wounded and Polaris sees the blood in the water. |
P47b
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 12:35 pm: |
|
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/harley-davids on-q1-2011-earnings/
After all the reading, There is still one quote that has been staying in my head.
irksome says:April 19, 2011 at 9:44
An archaic motorcycle parked in front of a decrepit and out of business diner; how apt.
And the last time a HD chick saw her ribs was when she sat down to a platter of them.
This was still an interesting artical.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/banter/five-intere sting-facts-harley-davidson-annual-report/
I am by no means standing up for them, They can't even get the parts order right. |
Eboos
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 01:12 pm: |
|
The data in that article was inconclusive on any level.
What is the percentage of Americans with a college degree?
What is the percentage of Americans who make purchases between $8,000 and $25,000 that do not finance?
Look at the reasons that caused the sales increases up to 2006 before only focusing on the decreases after.
By the way, I no longer sell bikes.
(Message edited by eboos on April 21, 2011) |
Pattio
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 01:35 pm: |
|
I can't believe any Buell fan still reads Assfull of Rubbers. That blog hates Buell about as much as some folks on the badweb hate the current Presidential administration. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 02:10 pm: |
|
Nah, not that much.  |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 05:44 pm: |
|
That's not Burt. |
Rex
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 09:39 pm: |
|
The victory motor is so much better than the clone motor that Indian is using.
I think Victory just got the name.
There is not much to the Indian, other than a few flared fenders. I think the investors did probably what they wanted. the got the Indian back up and producing, then sold their percentage of it, while they could get some of their money back.
With Victory now open to make Indian interesting, it could be fun.
Victory could try some new and exciting things with Indian. Their motor, their handling, etc.
It could leave Victory open to move the Cruisers over to Indian, and come out with some new models under the Victory line ? Just a thought. Twins, Triples, or even and inline four for the Indian? That would be cool.
I don't think Victory can leave Indian as a stand alone entity making what they currently make. I think that Victory needs to make some changes at Indian and get new models, even more inexpensive models out there and selling.
they have a chance to dance around harley Davidson with some other models and sizes. I believe their current Victory motorcycles are great. I would buy a Victory Eight ball or Hammer, before buying a harley.
think if Victory would come out with some other models, entry, sports touring, hot rod, etc. Pick up a sports bike company and have a full line of products. Then I think hd would have to worry some.
I was at the Oakland HD store this past week. Wow, all top of the line baggers sitting on the floor, even rows of used ones with high prices. It sure would be hard to spend that kind of money today. They had a lot of inventory on the floor, and not many shoppers.
Go Victory, Go Indian, Go confederate, Go Erik Buell Racing! |
Swampy
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 10:24 pm: |
|
"Polaris/Victory wants to give HD a run for it's money"
They ought to provide a ton of financing to Buell and really give H-D(spit) the finger! |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 10:25 pm: |
|
That's not Burt.
Correct.
This is Norman Hayes WITH Burt Munro's bike.
http://www.ehayes.co.nz/burtmunro/
Best picture of Burt's bike I could find in a pinch. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 10:49 pm: |
|
Haynes is a big hardware store in invercargill. That bike is on display next to the lawn mowers.
The streamliner is a replica. I've sat in another replica in the Museum storeroom. There are three. Ducati 900s |
Glitch
| | Posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 06:46 am: |
|
While H-D is shrinking (models offered) Victory is expanding.
It's going to mean good things to H-D, there's nothing better in a free market than competition. |
Hybridmomentspass
| | Posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 09:29 am: |
|
HD has nothing to worry with this news. |
Doz
| | Posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 06:59 pm: |
|
What a waste, buying "indian", just let it die already. Polaris doesn't need a label, they make some awesome stuff on their own.
Indians were great back when they were american made, everything else has either been a knock off or an embarassment to the original marque. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 07:32 pm: |
|
They have a chance to rectify that with some of the good product. Having met Mr Blackwell and some of his folks I have every confidence they will do it right.
Look at all the leverage Triumph gets from their 'heritage'.
The current company has a few tenuous links to the Meriden or Coventry Triumphs, but they are almost without substance.
The best of them is that Riccardo Engineering - for whom the Triumph Riccy is named - supplied consultancy to Hinckley.
Yet the way they (Triumph) flog Steve MacQueen and Rockers and Mods and 60's imagery would make you think that Turner was still at the helm and 650 Bonnes were all the rage. Very cool and very successful.
It's a brilliant opportunity to put some 'Heritage' in what? A 12 year old product.
It might only be an emulation. Harley are the only ones with a genuine 100 year history, but I'll buy it like I buy the Triumph Scrambler. |
Ulynut
| | Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2011 - 07:39 am: |
|
The Powerplus motor seems to have a really bad reputation. Without a doubt, the Gilroy motors proved themselves to be unreliable. However, once properly rebuilt (I know, you shouldn't have to rebuild a $26,000 motorcycle, bear with me) it's a smooth, powerful, tourqey motor. The boys in Kings Mountain straightened that problem out. I hope Victory can overcome that bad rap. I've put quite a few miles on Gilroy Indians and can say I love the Powerplus motor. Handling and losing parts and pieces on the roadway is another story.
I hope Victory does well and brings Indian back to it's former glory as an American icon. |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Monday, April 25, 2011 - 05:45 am: |
|
Update to the Victory/Indian story:
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2011/04/23/polar is-moves-indian-motorcycle-production-to-spirit-la ke-iowa/
Victory is apparently closing the "new" Indian factory in Kings Mountain, NC and moving production to an existing facility in Spirit Lake, Iowa. |
Swordsman
| | Posted on Monday, April 25, 2011 - 11:04 am: |
|
Dunno what they have planned, but if I was doing it, I'd have Victory continue to be the modern custom cruiser/touring marque and use Indian to pop off a handful of true nostalgia pieces, but with modern engineering.
~SM |
Sayitaintso
| | Posted on Monday, April 25, 2011 - 11:33 am: |
|
Whatever they decide to do, it's going to be interesting to watch and interesting see how other manufacturers react...or fail to react. |
|
