Crack in the dam?

[seruzawa]

Check it out JS Online: Harley dealers turn to discounts

[longride]

The boom has been over for a while. Hell, how many more years can they keep having record years? Personally, I hope lots of people who were going to buy motorcycles find some other hobby.

[seruzawa]

Be optimistic. Ever since the Ruin was a big flop I figure that there is some hope for the future. I shudder what to think if that abortion had been popular.

Especially since the administrator has decided that Kook should be quiet for a while. (Huge sigh of relief)

[longride]

I stop in at the Harley dealers here from time to time, and besides financing, I don't really see any deals on the bikes. They are still selling well here, so I guess they don't have to discount them much. I hope the whole market collapses, so I can add a couple more bikes to my collection.

[Kenneth_Moore]

I respectfully disagree, Mr. Longride. Personally, the more people riding around on motorbikes, the better I like it. My reasons are primarily that I think it makes things safer for all of us because there are more people aware of bikes: the new rider's family, friends, etc. Also, the more riders there are, the more leverage we have with the government and other "agencies."

About the only downside I can think of is when newbies buy bikes they can't handle and creating news "events" by splattering themselves on telephone poles. Having more "stunta" dorks can't be good either. However, the vast majority of new riders I know or know of aren't these guys; they ride responsibly and represent the motorcycling community well. their positive contribution to the sport outweighs the negatives, don't you think?

Besides, what could possibly be wrong with 300,000 rugged individualists riding the same bike, wearing the same clothes, all arriving at Sturgis the same week?

[Kenneth_Moore]

THIS JUST IN: Honda drops tender offer for HD stock because of weak market. In related news, Harley-Davidson announced a new vehicle division planned to produce minivans, sedans, and pickup trucks with "all the style and heritage our buyers have come to expect from Harley-Davidson," according to HD VP of Styling, Willie "Dadgum G" Davidson.

[bbtowns]

I think women are going to save the Harley market. In another news link it said women make up 10% of the new bike market, but 12% of Harley's new bike market. I think you could come up with an accurate but misleading sounding statistic that women are 20% more likely to buy Harley's than other bikes.

[Kenneth_Moore]

Only if they aren't wearing helmets.

[longride]

The more motorcyclists we have, the more the 'gov' will want to control and regulate. With only a few, we are under the radar. With more high profile 100 mph crashes, and more drunken boomers offing themselves, the more likely we will get knee-jerk government regulations to 'protect us from ourselves'. Well, maybe you want more regulation, but I don't. We don't need any political clout if we aren't worth bothering with. Look up how many AMA members there are compared to how many motorcycles there are registered. Sorry, but I could do without the rugged individualists and the stunters and hope they find another way to off themselves.

[longride]

Honda was never going to buy Harley. Whoever started that rumor sure put it over on some saps that would believe it.