I would still buy one with no question asked.

 

A couple things:

If memory serves, the Brazil factory was done because it was nearly impossible to sell the bikes there unless they were made there.

Gold Wings are made in America.

Harley has put millions into all of their plants here in America over the last decade. I can't imagine why they would ever let them sit vacant.

I think the MOCO realizes that many potential customers would do a lot more comparative shopping once they understood that the bikes were built in the same country (or countries) as their competition.

 

SoloRider,

you're absolutely correct. The main reason for opening this assembly operation was to dodge the heavy brazilian importation taxes.

The Harley assembly line is located in Manaus, which is a free trade zone...where other manufacturers have assembly lines (like Phillips, Sony, even Honda and Yamaha).

The motorcycles dropped their price in a great way..otherwise it would be a very expensive bike.

Before the Harley plant..a Fat Boy would normally go for US$35,000.. now you can buy one for something around $24,000.

if desired, I have a pic of the Harley assembly location...I can scan and put here.

 

I'd probably just keep mine and if I needed another, would buy an older made (mostly) in the USA model.

I actively look for made in Canada or USA goods before going to imported stuff whenever I buy anything. Sadly, most of the time I can't find what I'm looking for that has been manufactured here or the in US, so I am forced to buy imported goods. I don't mind paying more for better quality, and domestically made things are usually far better quality than cheapo made in China junk.

Cheers!
[sm=icon_rock.gif][sm=icon_rock.gif][sm=icon_rock.gif]

 

I'd probably still buy it...not sure though.

 

daniel,

Thanks for verifying this for me.

 

Have you ever taken off your mag rim on your Harley? If you look at the lable on it you will see "Made in Australia". Harley does not make all the parts in the US. They are currently assembled here and in some other countries they are assembled there for those countries and selling outside of the US.

I think MOCO knows that the US sales are for US assembled and that they have to deal with other countries in other ways. But, the parts will always be a mix.........

 

I'd buy one. I don't care where it was made, just how it sounds and feels while being riden. The world is getting smaller....

 

I,d be standing in line behind those guys at the Victory dealer

 

The only main difference between the motorcycle made in USA and the ones assembled here is that US models (what HD calls domestic) have slight differences in stock components.

International Market models, for an example, have a even more restrict muffler (with 70 db in sounding rather than US stock which have 80db) - these mufflers also have a catalystic system and the end-opening of the muffler is narrower not allowing the baffle to be removed.

other difference from domestic models to international ones is the front turn signal....due to US regulations the domestic bikes keep the front signals on all the time...international models don't.

Brazilian-assembled HD also have another particularity...it's the VIN #

US Domestic VIN's are like this: 1HD1

International models VIN's are like this: 5HD1

Brazilian Assembled are like this: 9321 (9= stands for South America 3=Brazil 2=HD and the 1 have the same meaning as US VIN = Heavyweight)