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pplassm · 10-06-2005, 01:39 AM

"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)"

I think these two are mutually exclusive, don't you?

cptaebphd · 10-06-2005, 01:47 AM

Yeah, and that TV ad where the HD rider gets lucky with a transvestite didn't work.

edward44 · 10-06-2005, 02:05 AM

"and a weak consumer response to new models."

Is the market saturated? The crowd moving on to new thrills? Gas @$3/gal taken a bite out of discretionary cash? The market for SUVs is down too. Maybe the crowd has found out they are a station wagon with a high center of gravity. Will the Harley go the way of the Hoola Hoop? What does Warren Buffet think?

jumper-2001 · 10-06-2005, 02:22 AM

HD has been "licensing the hell" out of their trademark for years. The result? I was in a Harley dealership a couple of years ago to go to the Harley Diner and saw a HD VCR and a HD leather couch. Look in Ladies Home Journal magazine and you'll see a Harley Baby doll. Go to the pet store and you can buy a Harley scarf for your dog! I don't know if this is still true, but about 10 years ago I read that Harley made more money selling t-shirts, bumper stickers and other poseur crap than they did selling bikes!

I believe that HD is looking to the future, as they introduced 6 new bikes this year. The V-Rod is a good start with producing a modern bike, because selling a product that is the automotive equal of a '57 Chevy isn't going to carry them too much further with the retro, wannabe outlaw crowd. If they would take the V-Rod motor, bump up the displacement and produce something other than a cruiser, like a sport touring or pure sport bike (something the Buell is not) they would have a good product. They need to court the non-traditional Harley market and try to get some cross-over sales.

Even BMW, a company that has almost as long a tradition with a single engine platform sees the necessity in diversifying, producing 4 different entirely new engines in the last 20 years, including a single and the new 800 parallel twin.

As for the HD golf bag, take a look at Golf magazine. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw an ad. And you can be sure that AMF has made golf clubs. Cripe! Years ago they even made scuba equipment!

articulat_66 · 10-06-2005, 02:27 AM

It's not just Harley. My local Suzuki dealer didn't want to work on my 98 Suzuki Savage and that bike hasn't changed in forever!

fireworks · 10-06-2005, 02:44 AM

What I had in mind was something like the MT 01.

fireworks · 10-06-2005, 02:48 AM

Do you own a V-Rod? If you do, do you really feel it was worth the money you paid? Not being a smart ass just asking. I don't quite get the V-Rod/Street Rod.

I say this because I think I'm part of the demographic that Harley is looking to tap into for future growth but they don't sell anything that gets my attention other than the Roadster.

KLRer · 10-06-2005, 03:01 AM

Kawasaki (KHI) up about 45% in last year. Maybe a shift underway to Japanese bikes? Hard to say. For one thing, KHI is a lot bigger than motorcycles, theres heavy industry stuff too. Same with Honda and the others.

I think theres potential in the American market for Japanese expansion if they move more to comfortable standard or adventure type bikes. Baby boomers remember the Japanese bikes of the late 60s and early 70s and they werent sportbikes, not ergo wise anyway. Upright, relatively comfortable seating. Boomers remember and want to rekindle the past. Thats been part of Harley's success.

fireworks · 10-06-2005, 03:42 AM

Do you own a V-Rod? If you do, do you really feel it was worth the money you paid? Not being a smart ass just asking. I don't quite get the V-Rod/Street Rod.

I say this because I think I'm part of the demographic that Harley is looking to tap into for future growth but they don't sell anything that gets my attention other than the Roadster.

Thig · 10-06-2005, 04:16 AM

I agree with what your saying, but why has Suzuki and Kawasaki dropped their standards for the US market for 2006? I am referring to the Bandit and XLR1200.

10-06-2005, 01:39 AM	#21
pplassm Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3,875	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)" I think these two are mutually exclusive, don't you? __________________ Mongo just pawn in game of life.

10-06-2005, 01:47 AM	#22
cptaebphd Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 208	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent Yeah, and that TV ad where the HD rider gets lucky with a transvestite didn't work.

10-06-2005, 02:05 AM	#23
edward44 Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 281	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent "and a weak consumer response to new models." Is the market saturated? The crowd moving on to new thrills? Gas @$3/gal taken a bite out of discretionary cash? The market for SUVs is down too. Maybe the crowd has found out they are a station wagon with a high center of gravity. Will the Harley go the way of the Hoola Hoop? What does Warren Buffet think?

10-06-2005, 02:22 AM	#24
jumper-2001 Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 5	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent HD has been "licensing the hell" out of their trademark for years. The result? I was in a Harley dealership a couple of years ago to go to the Harley Diner and saw a HD VCR and a HD leather couch. Look in Ladies Home Journal magazine and you'll see a Harley Baby doll. Go to the pet store and you can buy a Harley scarf for your dog! I don't know if this is still true, but about 10 years ago I read that Harley made more money selling t-shirts, bumper stickers and other poseur crap than they did selling bikes! I believe that HD is looking to the future, as they introduced 6 new bikes this year. The V-Rod is a good start with producing a modern bike, because selling a product that is the automotive equal of a '57 Chevy isn't going to carry them too much further with the retro, wannabe outlaw crowd. If they would take the V-Rod motor, bump up the displacement and produce something other than a cruiser, like a sport touring or pure sport bike (something the Buell is not) they would have a good product. They need to court the non-traditional Harley market and try to get some cross-over sales. Even BMW, a company that has almost as long a tradition with a single engine platform sees the necessity in diversifying, producing 4 different entirely new engines in the last 20 years, including a single and the new 800 parallel twin. As for the HD golf bag, take a look at Golf magazine. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw an ad. And you can be sure that AMF has made golf clubs. Cripe! Years ago they even made scuba equipment!

10-06-2005, 02:27 AM	#25
articulat_66 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 37	Re: Harley stock down over 6% It's not just Harley. My local Suzuki dealer didn't want to work on my 98 Suzuki Savage and that bike hasn't changed in forever! __________________ Pastafarian Proselytizer www.venganza.org

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10-06-2005, 02:44 AM	#26
fireworks Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 64	Re: Harley stock down over 6% What I had in mind was something like the MT 01.

10-06-2005, 02:48 AM	#27
fireworks Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 64	Re: Harley stock down over 6% Do you own a V-Rod? If you do, do you really feel it was worth the money you paid? Not being a smart ass just asking. I don't quite get the V-Rod/Street Rod. I say this because I think I'm part of the demographic that Harley is looking to tap into for future growth but they don't sell anything that gets my attention other than the Roadster.

10-06-2005, 03:01 AM	#28
KLRer Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 233	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent Kawasaki (KHI) up about 45% in last year. Maybe a shift underway to Japanese bikes? Hard to say. For one thing, KHI is a lot bigger than motorcycles, theres heavy industry stuff too. Same with Honda and the others. I think theres potential in the American market for Japanese expansion if they move more to comfortable standard or adventure type bikes. Baby boomers remember the Japanese bikes of the late 60s and early 70s and they werent sportbikes, not ergo wise anyway. Upright, relatively comfortable seating. Boomers remember and want to rekindle the past. Thats been part of Harley's success.

10-06-2005, 03:42 AM	#29
fireworks Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 64	Re: Harley stock down over 6% Do you own a V-Rod? If you do, do you really feel it was worth the money you paid? Not being a smart ass just asking. I don't quite get the V-Rod/Street Rod. I say this because I think I'm part of the demographic that Harley is looking to tap into for future growth but they don't sell anything that gets my attention other than the Roadster.

10-06-2005, 04:16 AM	#30
Thig Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 54	Re: Harley Stock Down Over Six Percent I agree with what your saying, but why has Suzuki and Kawasaki dropped their standards for the US market for 2006? I am referring to the Bandit and XLR1200.