AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 7
From: In your dreams
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
Does anyone have any press that states AIH has folded? I was at Arlin Ness in Boulder Station, NV last week and they swear up and down that AIH had suspended production for a couple of weeks (just like Harley), but back up and running. When they called, AIH was back in production. Ness knew I have a 2008 Big Bear, fromthe South, and no intention of buying an AIH, so they would have no reason to lie. I am not blind nor stupid, but could this be just another rumor? Although any builder that cannt build a bike with a working speedometer, or reliable transmission, has their days limited.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 351
Likes: 9
From: catasauqua pa.
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
ORIGINAL: Thongs2U
Does anyone have any press that states AIH has folded? I was at Arlin Ness in Boulder Station, NV last week and they swear up and down that AIH had suspended production for a couple of weeks (just like Harley), but back up and running. When they called, AIH was back in production. Ness knew I have a 2008 Big Bear, fromthe South, and no intention of buying an AIH, so they would have no reason to lie. I am not blind nor stupid, but could this be just another rumor? Although any builder that cannt build a bike with a working speedometer, or reliable transmission, has their days limited.
Does anyone have any press that states AIH has folded? I was at Arlin Ness in Boulder Station, NV last week and they swear up and down that AIH had suspended production for a couple of weeks (just like Harley), but back up and running. When they called, AIH was back in production. Ness knew I have a 2008 Big Bear, fromthe South, and no intention of buying an AIH, so they would have no reason to lie. I am not blind nor stupid, but could this be just another rumor? Although any builder that cannt build a bike with a working speedometer, or reliable transmission, has their days limited.
February 5th. Below is the letter that Buck Hendrickson, CEO, just sent to all American IronHorse Dealers.
"This letter is intended to address dealers concerns with American IronHorse. Despite rumors, we are not closed, we have not filed bankruptcy, and we are not abandoning our dealers. We are currently in a production hold, in an attempt to prevent overproduction from the factory, or overloading individual dealers. This same overproduction and overloading of dealers has led to the majority of problems that you each see on a daily basis. As a manufacturer, if we do not take action to prevent a repeat of a problem, we are committing a huge injustice to each of you, and to ourselves. We are still offering incentives to dealers to help sell bikes, and hope that you will take advantage of these programs. As a manufacturer, we are also working diligently on projects to ensure a quality future both for us, and each of you. Moving forward, we will keep our network of dealers informed of all happenings, and hope that you will do the same. We thank you for your patience, and your loyalty to American IronHorse Motorcycles" Buck Hendrickson, CEO American IronHorse Motorcycle Company
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,008
Likes: 464
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
the above memo is a month old. no one seems to know what the current story is. I spoke to my AIH dealer Friday and he doesn't know anything. He is one of AIH's top dealers and a good friend. When he says he doesn't know whats going on I believe him. If he doesn't know then who does?
I'm satisfied with the quality of my AIH, and my previous one also, and I have enough confidence in my own mechanical skills that I'm not worried about being able to enjoy it for many more years. I've figured out the source for many of the OEM parts and have dealt directly with the OEM's a few times, so parts shouldn't be to hard to come by, even if AIH does fold. I wish them well and still stand up for their bikes. Like someone else said - some people whine about every tiny thing and have zero skills to take care of anything themselves. They are the ones crying because they take their bike and drop it off at a dealer who is slam full of service work and they can't even look at it for 2 weeks. They lose a couple of weeks of riding time for something that any person of average mechanical skills could have taken care of at home, then cry that their bike is a peice of crap and want to invoke a lemon law because their battery cable needed to be tightened. They should have never been on the bike in the first place, and are probably the ones selling their bikes on ebay with 200 miles on it because "the wife says its gotta go". I say good riddance, not to AIH, but to those "riders".
I'm satisfied with the quality of my AIH, and my previous one also, and I have enough confidence in my own mechanical skills that I'm not worried about being able to enjoy it for many more years. I've figured out the source for many of the OEM parts and have dealt directly with the OEM's a few times, so parts shouldn't be to hard to come by, even if AIH does fold. I wish them well and still stand up for their bikes. Like someone else said - some people whine about every tiny thing and have zero skills to take care of anything themselves. They are the ones crying because they take their bike and drop it off at a dealer who is slam full of service work and they can't even look at it for 2 weeks. They lose a couple of weeks of riding time for something that any person of average mechanical skills could have taken care of at home, then cry that their bike is a peice of crap and want to invoke a lemon law because their battery cable needed to be tightened. They should have never been on the bike in the first place, and are probably the ones selling their bikes on ebay with 200 miles on it because "the wife says its gotta go". I say good riddance, not to AIH, but to those "riders".
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 7
From: In your dreams
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
PBJ... I believe AIH is faced with the same plague as most car and bike dealers are today. Currently sales suck... no if, and's, or but's about it.... vehicle sales currently suck. Once gas hit $3 it took some of the fun out of driving, banks are finally smart enough not to lend to losers, the market is flooded as a result of over production, there are more production companies than ever, it's cold out, and did I mention that sales currently suck. AIH will make a comeback, but they really need to fix the small problems that continue to haunt them. For example, you should be able toclean your bike without having to go get a new speedometer afterwards.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,008
Likes: 464
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they have finally resolved the speedo issues. I have had about 6 different ones on my 2 Ironhorses. The most recent one for each bike has been solid, even after getting caught in some major down pours on the road.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 351
Likes: 9
From: catasauqua pa.
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
Some of the latest drama........
Individual investors sue American Ironhorse
March 5th, 2008
Apparently the recent liquidation sale at the Texas motorcycle company, American IronHorse hasn't helped with the company's cash flow issues.
According to Fort Worth's Star-Telegram, a group of disgruntled creditors have petitioned to have Fort Worth-based American IronHorse Motorcycles forced into involuntary bankruptcy for failing to make any payments since January.
The creditors who have retained an attorney to file the legal paperwork are individuals who invested from $30,000 to $120,000 in American IronHorse with an understanding it could later be converted into stock.
However, with the custom motorcycle manufacturer is also falling behind on its credit facilities with Textron Financial Corp. The attorney representing the group of investors would like a reorganization or liquidation of American IronHorse before a larger creditor such as Textron Financial forces the company's hand.
While some industry experts feel American IronHorse is a victim of the softening economy and slowdown in consumer purchasing of luxury goods, others accuse the manufacturer of questionable quality and uncertain warranty coverage on it's motorcycles.
Whatever comes next for the Texas company, it's CEO R.B. "Buck" Hendrickson feels certain that IronHorse has a future.
"I was brought 17 months ago to turn IronHorse around," said Hendrickson to the Fort Worth Star Telegram, who described himself as a former GM and Chrysler executive with 25 years' experience who has worked to revive distressed companies over the past 13 years. "The company is going to be here for a while."
Individual investors sue American Ironhorse
March 5th, 2008
Apparently the recent liquidation sale at the Texas motorcycle company, American IronHorse hasn't helped with the company's cash flow issues.
According to Fort Worth's Star-Telegram, a group of disgruntled creditors have petitioned to have Fort Worth-based American IronHorse Motorcycles forced into involuntary bankruptcy for failing to make any payments since January.
The creditors who have retained an attorney to file the legal paperwork are individuals who invested from $30,000 to $120,000 in American IronHorse with an understanding it could later be converted into stock.
However, with the custom motorcycle manufacturer is also falling behind on its credit facilities with Textron Financial Corp. The attorney representing the group of investors would like a reorganization or liquidation of American IronHorse before a larger creditor such as Textron Financial forces the company's hand.
While some industry experts feel American IronHorse is a victim of the softening economy and slowdown in consumer purchasing of luxury goods, others accuse the manufacturer of questionable quality and uncertain warranty coverage on it's motorcycles.
Whatever comes next for the Texas company, it's CEO R.B. "Buck" Hendrickson feels certain that IronHorse has a future.
"I was brought 17 months ago to turn IronHorse around," said Hendrickson to the Fort Worth Star Telegram, who described himself as a former GM and Chrysler executive with 25 years' experience who has worked to revive distressed companies over the past 13 years. "The company is going to be here for a while."
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 342
Likes: 1
From: Houston(by way of Kaplan, LA)
RE: AIH CLOSES THE DOORS
why do companies that are having financial trouble continue to bring in executives from failing companies(GM and Chrysler executive with 25 years' experience)...[sm=badidea.gif]
