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Even though many of the HD riders I see are my age (maybe a little younger, but not much), and even though when I was much younger I really wanted one, I do not want one now. I certainly do not want to spend the money for a new one!
If I wanted back up on two wheels, I would look for a Honda 650 water cooled laterally mounted V-twin. I had the 550 version years ago, and it was a nice bike.
However, a HD 45 would be nice, too, but I am not willing to pay the price for one.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,381,135 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
I'm sure it had nothing to do with the plant closing, but the owner of a local BMW repair/restore shop reported that when Harley Davidson came out in support of Trump, he saw an uptick in his business as Harley owners dumped their bikes and started looking for Beemers.
Hell, Sonny Barger used to say years ago if it weren't for the image thing he'd rather ride a Beemer and I knew the co-owner of a Harley store in NJ who'd tell you much the same thing.
Tax cuts aren't going to create demand for HD motorcycles. The Boomers who loved them are aging, and there isn't the demand there once was. That's not Trump's fault, that is demographics. Meanwhile there have been a lot of hires elsewhere, business start ups, etc. Look at the stats man.
I agree. People don't care about HDs anymore. Young people rarely ride motorcycles from what I see. The old riders are headed for old age homes. There's a lot more interest in self-driving cars than motorcycles.
That's hardly political. HD rested on their laurels for ages, believing that their brand mystique would somehow sell overpriced products forever, and they did the absolute minimum in product development. They should have realized that eventually, you can't uphold a rebel image and sell at lawyer-and-accountant pricing. So now they're facing a crowd of buyers who look at them as a byword for "midlife crisis".
They should have copied Ducati ages ago. Another motorcycle company that had a niche product with very limited appeal (in Ducati's case, achingly beautiful, temperamental, uncomfortable racing bikes), but one that didn't dig in its heels. Ducati sells bikes in a multitude of varieties now - racers, cafe racers, off-roaders, motard, retro and even the occasional tourer. An object lesson right under HD's nose, but...
I'll be sure to make use of your post above on discussion for new fed tax cuts and the argument how it will cause wage increases and job creation. Especially when those on your side of the argument seem to argue the tax cuts will have this magical effect, not increased demand.
That's hardly political. HD rested on their laurels for ages, believing that their brand mystique would somehow sell overpriced products forever, and they did the absolute minimum in product development. They should have realized that eventually, you can't uphold a rebel image and sell at lawyer-and-accountant pricing. So now they're facing a crowd of buyers who look at them as a byword for "midlife crisis".
They should have copied Ducati ages ago. Another motorcycle company that had a niche product with very limited appeal (in Ducati's case, achingly beautiful, temperamental, uncomfortable racing bikes), but one that didn't dig in its heels. Ducati sells bikes in a multitude of varieties now - racers, cafe racers, off-roaders, motard, retro and even the occasional tourer. An object lesson right under HD's nose, but...
I used to ride years ago, and after I had my fill of Honda, and Yamaha dual purpose bikes, I bought a 1978 Triumph Bonneville 750, somewhat for the nostalgia. This was well after British bikes were the thing. A few year ago I kind of got the bug again, and looked at the new Triumphs. I really liked them. I like Ducati, and Aprilia also. Nothing wrong with the Japanese bikes either. I just was never a Harley guy.
Harley is not marketed to the young wild crowd anymore.
They focused their market on the upper classes, that have money.
There comes a point, everyone that wants a Harley has one and the used market is way stronger than the new market, because they hold their value more than a Suzuki or Honda.
They are not considered a disposable ride. They are handed down generations, like a heirloom.
Unlike a car or p/u truck, you don't need to buy a new one every 5-10 years.
I bet the aftermarket and replacement part industry makes triple profits, if not quadruple what Harley themselves make a year.
Tax cuts don't make Millennials buy a Harley styled for nostalgic baby boomers.
Throw in new competition from Polaris bringing Indian back from the grave and motorcycle sales down across the board in recent years after a temporary bump from the "Orange County Choppers" craze in the early-mid 2000's and it's easy to see why Harley sales are down.
But I understand....... taking all that into consideration requires a little bit of critical thinking as opposed to "but...tax cuts".
I used to ride years ago, and after I had my fill of Honda, and Yamaha dual purpose bikes, I bought a 1978 Triumph Bonneville 750, somewhat for the nostalgia. This was well after British bikes were the thing. A few year ago I kind of got the bug again, and looked at the new Triumphs. I really liked them. I like Ducati, and Aprilia also. Nothing wrong with the Japanese bikes either. I just was never a Harley guy.
Harley does a great job of being Harley, but - it was never much of a motorcycle to me. And I even tried a couple of rentals, to see what the hubbub was about. A mirror rattled off of one of them, which encapsulated the experience. OK, so not for me, I'm not going to pretend my tastes are a universal standard. But I couldn't shake the idea that HD sold more image than substance.
Always struck me a bit as if the old MG sports cars had kept a cult following, and there would be a plant dedicated to turning out new MG cars in the style of the MG B. With a fan following declaring that the MG was simply the best, most iconic car ever. Don't get me wrong, MGs are cool and all - but the state of the art has progressed in so many ways.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,381,135 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dane_in_LA
That's hardly political. HD rested on their laurels for ages, believing that their brand mystique would somehow sell overpriced products forever, and they did the absolute minimum in product development. They should have realized that eventually, you can't uphold a rebel image and sell at lawyer-and-accountant pricing. So now they're facing a crowd of buyers who look at them as a byword for "midlife crisis".
They should have copied Ducati ages ago. Another motorcycle company that had a niche product with very limited appeal (in Ducati's case, achingly beautiful, temperamental, uncomfortable racing bikes), but one that didn't dig in its heels. Ducati sells bikes in a multitude of varieties now - racers, cafe racers, off-roaders, motard, retro and even the occasional tourer. An object lesson right under HD's nose, but...
I was disappointed when HD gave up on their superbike program years ago, was hoping there'd be an HD performance street bike based on the VR1000. Had a friend with a mid '90s Buell (1200 Sportster engine) that was esthetically pleasing and fun to ride, down side was just about 5K when you expected it to get up on the cams and GO, it was dead. I had a Guzzi on the other hand that pulled from below 2K to its 8K redline with a torque curve as flat as the Black Rock desert.
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