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Harley-Davidson earnings still rising

9556 Views 43 Replies 19 Participants Last post by xsrider, Oct 18, 2001

goddamoldladies

Discussion Starter · Oct 11, 2001

harleys suck....first post

1 - 20 of 44 Posts

goddamoldladies

Discussion Starter · #2 · Oct 11, 2001

now that i have read the article....i don't believe in the idea that a strong dollar prevents european sales..harleys just are not popular .we have too many corners and wet roads for the chrome brigade..maybe the new vrod might do well though

ignore the 1st post and just get out and ride a motorcycle no matter what it is

aminalmutha

· #3 · Oct 11, 2001

So is Harley's continuing growth an indicator that it might challenge Microsoft in it's ever growing infiltration of our daily lives? I assume HD's full name is the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company, or something like that. Harley-Davidson, Inc. officially. Of course, I've heard many people refer to them as "the Motor Company" (whatever), but now it's just "the Company"? They planning some kind of global takeover or what? Yikes.

NHBandit69

· #4 · Oct 11, 2001

If they REALLY want to see profits soar...

...they would try to get a hand on their dealers to sell machines at or closer to MSRP, and then watch them fly out the door.

Grover

· #5 · Oct 11, 2001

Re: If they REALLY want to see profits soar...

They already do, dealers that are found to sell bikes above MSRP are scolded and sent to bed without any dinner.

heart-of-sword

· #6 · Oct 12, 2001

maybe we should called them "The Company Formerly Known As Harley" TCFKAH

superbikefan

· #7 · Oct 12, 2001

Yeah, but the licensing's getting ridiculous! Example: the just recently announced stainless and black POOL TABLE for a mere $6,500! And of course the Ford pickup truck. Who buys this stuff just because of the name/logos and why? Is everything they make a "limited edition numbered collectible" till the next product comes down the line?

Rational minds want to understand...

Spinetingler

· #8 · Oct 12, 2001

All I read is posts that are envious that H-D's success. Can we just drop this old argument and agree that HD is successful, they are still selling strong, and that they not only benefit HD, but the entire motorcycle community. All the other comments make the writers appear like whiney losers. No one complains about the prices BMW charges for their motorcycles. Now, they've come out with a bike to address the Japanese / European crowd, and you're still not happy.

Anyway, the true 'staying power' of Harley will be the end of next quarter. It's too soon after teh tradgedy of 9/11 to truly measure the effect on sales.

In any event, 12% increase in stock price isn't bad for one day, is it?

jackbird

· #9 · Oct 12, 2001

Their share price performance is unmatched in the biz

I'll give the Motor Company a lot of respect for its heroic comeback from near oblivion. These folks cultivated their market with great success.

I love my Harley; I customized it radically myself. It's an art bike and it lives out at the county airport in my hangar.

My everyday ride is a Honda XX though, and I'm drastically altering a BMW R100.

Harley stock is going up while the rest of stocks decline in price. They were a better buy the day before yesterday but they are still a good buy, if you are looking for a positive return on equities.

starvingstudent

· #10 · Oct 12, 2001

Who buys it?

All the people I see in Screaming Eagle black tee-shirts--the ones where you ask them "so, what do you ride?" And they say "Ride? No, I don't actually have a motorcycle."

starvingstudent

· #11 · Oct 12, 2001

Just for the record...

I don't let BMW off much easier than HD. There is no way a 650 single should be $8000+. But at least its technological gadgetry (FI, catalytic converters, etc) makes it easier to justify than an air-cooled, pushrod, 2 valve/cylinder motorcycle costing $18,000.

longride

· #12 · Oct 12, 2001

Re: Who buys it?

Yeah I know how you feel. I see all these Chicago Bears shirts and hats here and not one of em plays football or is a member of the Bears. What a sick world isn't it?

longride

· #13 · Oct 12, 2001

Re: Just for the record...

Easier to justify for who?

superbikefan

· #14 · Oct 12, 2001

Re: Who buys it?

OK, I get it...I guess your point is you can be a "fan" of anything and buy that company's (or team's) merchandise with it's name on it to demonstate that enthusiasm to the world.

I assume by your "what a sick world" comment you mean to put it in perspective- it really means nothing and is harmless in the grand scheme of things.

You are a wise and learned man, master longride- please enlighten us with more wisdom and lead us out of the darkness!

Spinetingler

· #15 · Oct 12, 2001

Re: Just for the record...

I agree - for who? Even though BMW's are technologically sophisticated, does that mean every biker would want that?

There are down-sides to that stuff as well, like when a clock in the dashboard drains the battery over the winter. Or the valve adjustments you have to perform on the boxers (I think they are too often). I'll agree that if someone gave me a BMW, I'd ride it, hell, I may even buy one for commuting (they're great bikes). My point is that year in and year out (underpowered, overpriced, less sophisticated, poser) HD bikes keep on selling in record numbers. How can one explain that?

I'll explain it - the general mass of motorcyclists in America want a HD, no matter what the gearheads that post on this board think. Until those anti-Harley motorcyclists can come back with facts, such as HD is not selling as much as they're making, the general public perfer Jap/ other bikes to HD, no one wants to be associated with HD, etc., can't it just be accepted that HD is out-"doing" all other manufacturers no matter how impossible to believe this is happening because of pre-conceived notions that a less technologically should naturally sell worse than the most efficient bikes in the world???

Otherwise, all of the bantering back and forth whether HD should command the price they do is BS because they're doing it. Of course, the motorheads 'on high' on these posts believe they should not. However, the riders on the street are proving they should.

The facts stare all of us in the face daily; their product sells, their name recognition is terrific, and they're capitalizing on it. Welcome to America. Also, God bless America.

Go ride.

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Spinetingler

· #16 · Oct 12, 2001

Re: Be careful . .

Yes - just afriad to drag those t-shirts from the '60's out because, "You meet the nicest people on Hondas."

Yikes!!!

intruderman

· #17 · Oct 12, 2001

I am actually very happy for Harley, but I'm totally mystified as to why anyone would want to shell out the bucks to own one. Yes, I've ridden them myself.

1) Would I buy one if I could get it at retail? Nope.

2) Would I buy one if I could get it at a $2,000 discount? Nope.

3) Would I trade my 1998 Intruder 1400 for a brand new Fatboy? Nope. (Actually, I would, but I would immediately sell it, and buy another Intruder).

LimeSqueezr

· #18 · Oct 12, 2001

I don't think H-D sales will suffer much because of Sept. 11. Indeed, anything that's an all-American icon to the point that owning one is downright patriotic will probably see an *increase* in sales unless the economy gets much worse than just a run-of-the-mill recession.

Look for other products to try to capitalize on what H-D has been doing for years, but at least they can't be accused of exploiting tragedy. They've been marketing the same way since the days when you could carry a hunting rifle on a plane and they just asked you to make sure it's unloaded.

starvingstudent

· #19 · Oct 12, 2001

"Easier to justify" defined

It's easier to justify because the techno gizmos BMW peppers their bikes with raise the price of manufacture. Whether or not you want or need them, ABS, FI, and catalytic converters are expensive. Doesn't mean I _want_ all that junk on a 650 single, but I wouldn't walk away from the purchase thinking that 50% of the MSRP is just for the name on the tank.

That said, HD has every right to charge whatever they want because this is America. And they're doing something (namely marketing) right, because their stock is through the roof. But it's America, so I have the right to say that their product is overpriced from purely an objective, not an emotive, standpoint. Ain't this country sweet?

LimeSqueezr

· #20 · Oct 12, 2001

There's a reason for the way they're referred to...

The Motor Co. is the part of HDI that makes H-D branded motorcycles. Buell is a part of HDI but separate from the H-D Motor Co. thus it is accurate to say Buells are made by Harley-Davidson but they are not "Harleys." I agree it's confusing and kind of ambiguous when people just say "the Company" without saying whether they mean the corporate parent or the subsidiary, but it's nothing to get paranoid about.

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