Another Record Quarter for Harley

[superbikefan]

While I definitely admire The Motor Company's business success (as does Wall Street), and would never want them to fail or disappear, I have to wonder. 227,000 projected production target for 2001? How can so many people desire a $8,000-$21,000 motorcycle? Who are these people and when will the bubble burst, so to speak? I just don't understand the continuing appeal and willingness to wait for their products and pay a premium for them. It's all about image I guess. Someone enlighten me- I'm open minded.

[POPtart]

This is the most civil Harley thread I have read. A nice change from the normal post.

[john]

Both of the harley dealers by me are under the same rules set by harley. every dealership must take a number of sportsters so that 40% of the year's bikes they recieve are sportsters. if they dont sell the sporsters, then that affects the dealers allotment of big twins for the next year.

[BBD_Racing]

A bit of scale: US auto sales are roughly 17 million per year. The average car is about $25,000 and depreciates like a stone. Think about those numbers.



Although Harleys are expensive for bikes, they are cheaper than a nice two week cruise for two once per year. They also don't hardly depreciate.



They are also equal to only 1.3 percent of new car sales. The way I see the numbers, we could easily see a doubling of sales of all motorcycles in the next half decade (provided the economy gets back on track).



Now, if only the "Motor Company" would give MR. Buell a real motor to work with.

[AcesN8s]

I know a coworker who put $1,000 down in 97 or 98 for a 2003. I think he is under the illusion of getting one of the limited 100-year anniversary bike with the badges (I think heÂ’ll end up with a regular one). This guy doesnÂ’t even ride. Its people like this that are enabling the dealers who over charge so much.



Now what impressed me was the fact that clothing brought in 40 million. Maybe I can just open up a T-shirt stand at the mall and rake in the cash. Then I could afford to buy my own Harley, and a couple other bikes as well.



It's not paranoia if the cages ARE out to get you.

[BBD_Racing]

Oh yeah, let's not forget customer satisfaction and repeat buyers. How many unhappy Harley owners do you know? They keep their customers happy and that's what counts.



I just wish they made something I could get excited about (although the Deuce is pretty cool).

[moonline]

My turn to rant.



While I ride a "metric" cruiser, I understand perfectly well why Harley is so successful. Their bikes are beautiful, and offer more variety of looks in big twins than all of the Japanese models combined. While I prefer the performance, reliability and price of the Japanese branded bikes ('cause most are as American made as Harley), I get so ticked off at the ugly welds, tank seams and overall inferior finish, not to mention the poorly designed visual concept to begin with. Wake up esp. Kawasaki and Suzuki, where are your new cruisers?

[Haga]

They wave to me... the problem is it's only with one finger.

[starvingstudent]

I have absolutely no problem with people who like riding Harleys because of the look of the bike or the feel of the engine.



However...



In the last HD discussion, a lot of people said that HDs are a good investment because they don't depreciate. And I was mulling that over, and this is what I came up with.



Buy a Nighthawk 750 or ZR7 or Bandit 600 for $5500. Pay low insurance because they don't have sportbike surcharges, they're low theft, and they have low MSRPs. Sell the bike ten years later for $2500 (about what they sell for around where I live). You've lost $3000 for the bike and maybe $1000 for insurance. Total loss: $4000.



Now take a Fatboy, buy for $18000, pay very high insurance rates because of high theft rates and high MSRP, dump $2000 of custom doo-dads in, and sell 10 years later for $18000. You lose 0 for the bike, $2000 for "necessary" customization (when's the last time you saw a stock HD?), maybe $6000 for insurance. Total loss: $8000.



And that's not even including the higher maintainence costs of a HD Fatboy over a Honda Nighthawk--though HDs are easy to work on, the higher vibration of their engines do tend to shake a few screws loose. The same happens with bikes like the BMW F650--I'm not bashing Harleys, just stating facts.



My conclusion? If you like the way Harleys look, feel, and sound, buy one and have a blast. But if you're looking to make "a good monetary investment," buy a Japanese standard. You'll get good handling, braking, and comfortable seating and you'll still spend less than a Harley--even when you factor in Japanese depreciation.



starvingstudent

[oldjapbikes]

Hey.. Harley's doing great; that's wonderful! But please please please, take all that money and do some capital investment; better motors, suspension, more brakes all around , and more R&D money for those wonderful Buell nasties, and they can't lose!