[Richard230]

This is likely no surprise to anyone, but large (and expensive) motorcycles sales are dropping, with Harley leading the pack - according to this Bike Bandit blog:
http://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/large-motorcycles-are-dying-in-the-us-and-harley-davidson-is-dying-fastest

[Guaire]

Got this comment under the article....
"HD doesn't know how to build or market a small bore bike. Too many times when they tried selling a sub 1,000cc bike they refer to it as a cheap alternative to a "full size" bike, or they openly call it a beginners bike or even something for the wife... Which totally ignores the fact that a Suzuki DL650 is cheaper to buy, offers more performance than HD's with twice the displacement, but their actually "fun" to ride. When's the last time you heard of anyone buying a HD because it was fun? Buying one now makes you feel compelled to invest in black leather, grow a beard and get fat ~ none of which interests me.
Build a modern for the road XR750 in naked and adventure bike garb, lose the huge primary drive and the 50 pounds that it adds, install a unitized transmission & liquid cooling, and paint it in any color other than black and they'd be looking at their future."
  I'm not getting any taller or stronger. I've had an ST1100 and a FJR1300. Shedding so much weight has been a relief for me. Replacing the stock exhaust on my GT shed more weight!

[REpozer]

I have nothing against HD motorcycles. HD marketing ? Not so much.

[Richard230]

I guess we will be seeing fewer of these on the roads.   

[Kevin Mahoney]

I think Harley might be starting to circle around the drain. Before you dismiss my pessimism - If you follow their statements to the press and the shareholders they are in denial. 95% of large companies do this (largely because paid executives have nothing to lose except their bonus, it is OPM - Other people's money.  No one in companies like Harley has ever managed a company in a downturn. Almost anyone can manage a company moving upward but the trajectory now requires an entirely different set of management skills. When you are growing you can make very expensive mistakes and it doesn't much matter but in the opposite direction you can't afford even small mistakes. Cutting costs sounds good to the shareholders but you only gain speed in the death spiral unless you compensate with new strategies. Management doesn't ever want to hear it. Very few people except bankers and managers who have seen it can believe how fast it unravels when cash gets tight. I predict that the next thing will be some new management that will prove to be too much too late.

God forbid RE's upward trajectory should ever stall out.

[Yamahawk]

Harley does offer the 750 built in Thailand... now, if they could build a 500cc machine there too, and MARKET it without the macho crap, then they may be able to salvage their company. There is too much testosterone in their marketing to leverage sales away from other sensible manufacturers, lol. Their mindset is that their 'sportster' is a beginner's bike or a 'ladies' bike... when, at the beginning of the sportster's production, it was a Race Bike. Now, if they could regain their mentality towards that bike, and build one that would be competitive in THAT market, there would be a flood of sales for them. But, there aren't enough returning 'Wild Hogs' to their showroom, once they park the Hog in the garage and then sell it a few years later. There is a glut of used Harleys on the market due to this, and that cuts into their new bike sales.
I, personally, have never had the urge to buy a Harley, and I have been riding for 38 years. "if" I did, it would be a shovelhead that I could rebuild, and rework for reliability and personal taste. Now, there's an idea... 

[Richard230]

Yamahawk, H-D has two new models, a 750cc and a 500cc V-twin.  Both are assembled in the U.S. from parts made and shipped to the U.S. from (your favorite country) India. I have no idea how they are selling or how reliable they are.  I have seen one 750 on the road, but none of the 500's (which looks just like the 750).

In other news: A friend of mine, who has connections in the industry, tells me that Harley has given up the idea of buying Ducati from Audi/VW, which is trying to sell the brand to help fund their little issue with diesel emission cheating.  So I guess they are learning something about buying and investing in Italian motorcycle companies. Been there, done that - and lost lots of money every time.

[Kevin Mahoney]

Or this
http://www.neatorama.com/2006/08/06/roadog/

[Richard230]

Or this
http://www.neatorama.com/2006/08/06/roadog/

I want to see Roaddog turn a corner, anywhere where he can find one.   

[Ice]

Yamahawk, H-D has two new models, a 750cc and a 500cc V-twin.  Both are assembled in the U.S. from parts made and shipped to the U.S. from (your favorite country) India. I have no idea how they are selling or how reliable they are.  I have seen one 750 on the road, but none of the 500's (which looks just like the 750).

In other news: A friend of mine, who has connections in the industry, tells me that Harley has given up the idea of buying Ducati from Audi/VW, which is trying to sell the brand to help fund their little issue with diesel emission cheating.  So I guess they are learning something about buying and investing in Italian motorcycle companies. Been there, done that - and lost lots of money every time.

 A co worker has a H-D street 750. WHAT A BIKE !  It's quick its fast it revs freely and it handles. Neither he nor I can say enough good things about it.

 Shame on the MoCo for marketing it as budget beginner bike.

[malky]

The local marketing ploy in my area is to inform any prospective male buyer, that a small capacity HD is a girls bike. I am so glad it backfires. They deserve it. Motorcycles are for everyone

[Otto_Ing]

This pic illustrates how they may see the world...

Nevertheless I like the roadster, just don't seem to get why it is so heavy.

[Yamahawk]

A co worker has a H-D street 750. WHAT A BIKE !  It's quick its fast it revs freely and it handles. Neither he nor I can say enough good things about it.

 Shame on the MoCo for marketing it as budget beginner bike.

I agree... and yep, I had a brain fart, the new 750 and 500 are made in India not Thailand lol...
I feel that Harley, being ran by what appear to be Dinosaurs, will become a puddle of oil someday, if they don't change their macho marketing. I have seen a great number of ladies riding the HOGS of their line, whereas I have also seen men riding their Sportster line, and also racing them. You don't see too much road racing done with the HOG though lol... Might be interesting to see them slide around on the primary cover, spraying bits of aluminium (sp) and magnosium (sp) around the race track 

[Adrian II]

HD should perhaps be reintroducing the re-branded Aermacchi 4 stroke flat singles in 250, 350 and 500 versions.



A.

[Richard230]

HD should perhaps be reintroducing the re-branded Aermacchi 4 stroke flat singles in 250, 350 and 500 versions.



Like these, shown in a 1966 brochure....   But I don't recall a 500cc Aermacchi H-D.   

A.