Holds true for the discontinued Super Glide, Super Glide Custom, and Softail Standard. Entry level pricing goes up...

 

emissions I think

twin cooled can run even cleaner and a little quieter due to the liquid damping valvetrain noise

Mike

 

emissions I think

twin cooled can run even cleaner due to cooling, and a little quieter due to the liquid damping valvetrain noise




as the entry level bikes are priced higher...the new(er) riders go to another brand.

great for the quarterly reports...death knell for the long term.

the accountants only care what the quarterlies say- no regard as to whether the company will exist in 3 or 5 years





Mike

 

Ding ding! The MoCo employs geniuses and their only job is think of new ways to squeeze more money out of us consumers. Actually, it's not rocket surgery. By eliminating the cheap touring models they force us buy the more expensive versions.

 

Nope sorry your all wrong on this one.

HD wants to use the "Electra Glide" name on their production model of Project Livewire.

 

Interesting take...I like it.

Contrary to popular belief, they are a successful company and have a lot of smart folks in their marketing, research and product development divisions...they are driving the market and tailoring their products to market demand while maximizing revenue...it's what any for-profit company does. If they make decisions that customers don't like, they'll find out in a hurry and adjust.

As long as they're flying off the showroom floors and we're buying, who cares?

Now my EGC is worth a boatload of money since it will become rare, right?

 

are they pushing for upsells or is there a lack of demand? 50-60 year old baby boomers with the funds or your fresh out of collage without a job.

the muscle cars sales are through the roof...and it ant high school kids buying them.

just a thought?

 

Absolutely...market erosion moves with leaden feet...but strikes with an iron fist...it is why I am pleased that Victory and Indian exist...the market place will compensate for anything a suit can conjer up..

 

Good question. The Standard used to best value in the touring bike line up. I think it and the Classic was dropped in order to steer buyers to the higher priced Ultra models.

 

I think it has to do with demand and capacity to manufacturer. If a product line has matured and thus showing a decrease where as a new product line (Rushmore) show a hot interest, rather than building another assembly line, workers, union etc to add another bike, switch over the line that is showing a decrease and maturity.

If Harley was only interested in selling the expensive bikes they wouldn't have the cheap ones and bringing the 500 and 700 cc bikes to the US.

Simply supply demand like colors changes year to year. Their marketing people figure out where the demand is this year, the coming year and up to 3 years in advance to start the design process now to bring to production. If there is some sort of maybe, maybe not, then they introduce it in another country for a trial and see if anyone in the States wants it (the 500, 700 cc bikes) or they tour the country with a new bike and let people try them out (Project live wire).

If the demand decreases for the Limited due to aging of the buyers that can afford it, and Harley notices a lot more used bikes getting bought and sold by younger people and the Ultra and Limited are getting stripped down then Harley will come back in with a stripped down cheaper batwing bike.

In the end it what people want to buy, Harley will try to fill that need and do it so they make money.

Just a guess though, what do I know, I am one of those older people that bought a used limited because I didn't want to spend the money even if I could afford it. Of course I wouldn't have bought a Electra Glide Classic new or used either, I wanted the limited.