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eekadog · 10-05-2005, 06:05 PM

"If Harley put the V-Rod engine into a decent frame (not cruiser focused); not jack up the ride height like on the Street Rod (talk about parts bin special), and price it in line with the Japanese, I wonder what the response would be."

i think the only thing left to do...is to put an undertail on the VRod

ncelik · 10-05-2005, 06:24 PM

There is a (very) large fair in Topsfield, MA going on now. Some bike dealers are present and among them Boston Harley. "Sale" prices where posted; MSRP as far as I can tell, no markup.

As a rather funny sidenote, you run into Harley as you exit the Pig-Barn. Yamaha is next to the Rabbit Barn. Coincidence?

mscuddy · 10-05-2005, 06:27 PM

Yeah well that's the way it goes.

Is it because metric cruisers are taking a bite out of HD's bottom line? The bikes & dealerships without the attitude? Hmmmm...

In my opinion if Harley had sold a bike like the late model Buell 10 years ago, they couldn't have sold enough of 'em. It might have rolled back the tide some, changed the image. The V Rod was too little too late (or too much depending on how you look at it).

Alas, like the Surburban and Escalade maybe HD's day in the sun has passed.

Hope not.

smoove · 10-05-2005, 06:42 PM

I won't set foot in most HD dealerships because I don't want to get the "well, if you don't want to buy it, someone else will...don't let the door hit you in the bohonkus on your way out" attitude. In some (few) dealerships, however, things are pleasantly different. I went to one here in the DFW metro area a couple of weeks ago asking about a Street Bob. The salesman, to whom I was referred, wasn't what you'd expect. I told him that I wanted the Bob, but he said it would be about a month before the next one would arrive. He said he would hate to see me wait that long for a bike, and he tried his damndest to sell me an 06 anniversary Dyna or an 06 Softail standard. You would have thought he hadn't sold a bike in a month. Anyway, I ended up leaving a deposit on the Street Bob, which I'm getting at straight msrp. The manager even verified with me that I didn't want the security system.......to keep from charging me more than I wanted to pay. WTF? Wow. Hopefully, the HD financial situation will force more dealerships to treat prospective customers this way, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Sam

gimera · 10-05-2005, 07:34 PM

HarleyÂ’s problem is that their clientele are getting older and dying off. The younger people are not buying bikes based on nostalgia.

A Harley rider stopped for a break at a small town and pulled up next to some sport bikes. He eyed a Triumph Daytona and liked what he saw. After checking on the internet he discovered the Triumph has twice the power at half the price. He now has a Ducati.

eekadog · 10-05-2005, 08:54 PM

it's amazing when ridership is going up!

r1der · 10-06-2005, 12:41 AM

Didn't everybody interested in a H-D buy one in 2003 for the 100th anniversary?

I bet they sell lots of bikes in 2008 when customers pay off those silly five year loans.

cptaebphd · 10-06-2005, 01:16 AM

OMFG!! Quick, somebody get a 700cc tariff bill passed!!

I'd love to add a Harley to my stable (if you can call one bike a stable), but the rational half of my brain won't let me. The ONLY Harley I can convince myself to buy would be a $7K fuel-injected 883. Maybe next year they'll build my bike....

cptaebphd · 10-06-2005, 01:17 AM

Evidently, posership is going down.

teapotdome · 10-06-2005, 01:26 AM

I'm sure that the Harley marketing strategists are peeing themselves about now, trying to figure out where to go next. The Harley dilemma has long been how to keep their traditional buyer (who buys a bike every three years) and also capture the yuppie weekenders (who buy one bike, but stock up on Motor Clothes and chrome) and their cash.

It's been a good run, but now it's back to basics for the Motor Company. The Baby Boom buyers have all bought their bike, gone to Sturgis, filled their closets with logo merchandise. They're now contemplating retirement funds -- and guess what? The bike culture doesn't fit with their vision of retirement.

If I'm Harley-Davidson, I license the hell out of my trademark, and bring prices to within traditional buyer reach. That way I keep the factory open and can still milk the cash cow.

H-D golf bag, anyone? Maybe a set of AMF clubs?

10-05-2005, 06:05 PM	#11
eekadog Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 466	Re: Harley stock down over 6% "If Harley put the V-Rod engine into a decent frame (not cruiser focused); not jack up the ride height like on the Street Rod (talk about parts bin special), and price it in line with the Japanese, I wonder what the response would be." i think the only thing left to do...is to put an undertail on the VRod

10-05-2005, 06:24 PM	#12
ncelik Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 91	Re: Harley stock down over 6% There is a (very) large fair in Topsfield, MA going on now. Some bike dealers are present and among them Boston Harley. "Sale" prices where posted; MSRP as far as I can tell, no markup. As a rather funny sidenote, you run into Harley as you exit the Pig-Barn. Yamaha is next to the Rabbit Barn. Coincidence?

10-05-2005, 06:27 PM	#13
mscuddy MODERATOR X Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Next to my still checkin the temp. Posts: 5,444	Re: Harley stock down over 6% Yeah well that's the way it goes. Is it because metric cruisers are taking a bite out of HD's bottom line? The bikes & dealerships without the attitude? Hmmmm... In my opinion if Harley had sold a bike like the late model Buell 10 years ago, they couldn't have sold enough of 'em. It might have rolled back the tide some, changed the image. The V Rod was too little too late (or too much depending on how you look at it). Alas, like the Surburban and Escalade maybe HD's day in the sun has passed. Hope not. __________________ A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.

10-05-2005, 06:42 PM	#14
smoove Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 9	Re: Harley stock down over 6% I won't set foot in most HD dealerships because I don't want to get the "well, if you don't want to buy it, someone else will...don't let the door hit you in the bohonkus on your way out" attitude. In some (few) dealerships, however, things are pleasantly different. I went to one here in the DFW metro area a couple of weeks ago asking about a Street Bob. The salesman, to whom I was referred, wasn't what you'd expect. I told him that I wanted the Bob, but he said it would be about a month before the next one would arrive. He said he would hate to see me wait that long for a bike, and he tried his damndest to sell me an 06 anniversary Dyna or an 06 Softail standard. You would have thought he hadn't sold a bike in a month. Anyway, I ended up leaving a deposit on the Street Bob, which I'm getting at straight msrp. The manager even verified with me that I didn't want the security system.......to keep from charging me more than I wanted to pay. WTF? Wow. Hopefully, the HD financial situation will force more dealerships to treat prospective customers this way, but I'll believe it when I see it. Sam

10-05-2005, 07:34 PM	#15
gimera Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent HarleyÂ’s problem is that their clientele are getting older and dying off. The younger people are not buying bikes based on nostalgia. A Harley rider stopped for a break at a small town and pulled up next to some sport bikes. He eyed a Triumph Daytona and liked what he saw. After checking on the internet he discovered the Triumph has twice the power at half the price. He now has a Ducati.

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10-05-2005, 08:54 PM	#16
eekadog Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 466	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent it's amazing when ridership is going up!

10-06-2005, 12:41 AM	#17
r1der Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 30	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent Didn't everybody interested in a H-D buy one in 2003 for the 100th anniversary? I bet they sell lots of bikes in 2008 when customers pay off those silly five year loans.

10-06-2005, 01:16 AM	#18
cptaebphd Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 208	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent OMFG!! Quick, somebody get a 700cc tariff bill passed!! I'd love to add a Harley to my stable (if you can call one bike a stable), but the rational half of my brain won't let me. The ONLY Harley I can convince myself to buy would be a $7K fuel-injected 883. Maybe next year they'll build my bike....

10-06-2005, 01:17 AM	#19
cptaebphd Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 208	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent Evidently, posership is going down.

10-06-2005, 01:26 AM	#20
teapotdome Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 40	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent I'm sure that the Harley marketing strategists are peeing themselves about now, trying to figure out where to go next. The Harley dilemma has long been how to keep their traditional buyer (who buys a bike every three years) and also capture the yuppie weekenders (who buy one bike, but stock up on Motor Clothes and chrome) and their cash. It's been a good run, but now it's back to basics for the Motor Company. The Baby Boom buyers have all bought their bike, gone to Sturgis, filled their closets with logo merchandise. They're now contemplating retirement funds -- and guess what? The bike culture doesn't fit with their vision of retirement. If I'm Harley-Davidson, I license the hell out of my trademark, and bring prices to within traditional buyer reach. That way I keep the factory open and can still milk the cash cow. H-D golf bag, anyone? Maybe a set of AMF clubs?