H-D's sold and possibly produced in India??
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 572
Likes: 6
From: Ft. Worth, Texas
I dont think honda or toyota lose their appeal when they are mass produced here in USA... people still buy them because they are more reliable and as reliable as when made in Japan... so when HD builds and sells bikes in India they dont lose the appeal but only gain more customers because now the customers are sure about the availabilty of parts and services when the bikes are made and sold in India ... I think its all good for HD business in all... always keep bigger picture in mind ...HD is doing all it is to keep on going .... survival is the goal here ... not die with pride..
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: D.C.
Duh!
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 971
Likes: 2
From: Mid USA
Building a manufacturing facility in another country is now the cost of admission if you want to sell your product there. This has been going on for sometime now and it is not just India. Want to sell computers, telephone switching equipment, cars etc, build a plant and we will let you in. Depending on whether HD wants to market only to up scale customers or try and reach Indias teeming masses will determine what rolls off the assembly line. Since India is very class conscious (The cast system is very much alive.), I would guess that HD will try and keep the image as a high end machine that would allow the owners to proudly show everyone that they are of the upper-class. If they are more interested in reaching the largest market then they will need to develop a small low cost lightweight series of bikes that the less wealthy can afford. Who knows, they might even put motors on them.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 572
Likes: 6
From: Ft. Worth, Texas
Building a manufacturing facility in another country is now the cost of admission if you want to sell your product there. This has been going on for sometime now and it is not just India. Want to sell computers, telephone switching equipment, cars etc, build a plant and we will let you in. Depending on whether HD wants to market only to up scale customers or try and reach Indias teeming masses will determine what rolls off the assembly line. Since India is very class conscious (The cast system is very much alive.), I would guess that HD will try and keep the image as a high end machine that would allow the owners to proudly show everyone that they are of the upper-class. If they are more interested in reaching the largest market then they will need to develop a small low cost lightweight series of bikes that the less wealthy can afford. Who knows, they might even put motors on them.
That system is a flawed one though. They require you to manufacture there to sell there but we do not require the same thing here in America. In fact we do not charge import tax(or a very low one) to most countrys even though they do not do the same courtesy for us.
I mean come on. "India is going to allow the import of a specified number of iconic motorcycles at lower duty, while US is finally going to announce the entry of Indian Mangoes". So H-D's for fruit. Sounds like a good deal to me... NOT!!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,558
Likes: 5
From: Massachusetts
I think it's a safe bet to say that sooner of later some of those "Indian" Harleys (now that kinda sounds funny) will make there way into the good old USA. If that does ever happens on a big scale, I will be finished with Harley-Davidson. I wouldn't care how good, fast, or cheep they were, I wouldn't be needing any of them. ........ And I'm also sure that the MOCO doesn't give a chit about what I think about the situation as well.
I'm definitely with you on that one, Will. If I wanted an indian scoot, I'd ride a Bajaj.
I see a bright future for Indian and Victory here. Harley riders, especially american ones, are usually pretty patriotic people. Moco is shooting himself in the *** with this one, because a lot of us will switch. On the bright side, old US-made bikes will go up in value, so, I guess we win (kinda)
I personally don't know anyone who is brand loyal to an indian or chinese product.
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From: NEPA
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2009
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Ditto
For one they would lose some appeal if they were produced in another country. I love the fact that my H-D was produced in America. For two i dont have a problem with H-D selling anywhere in the world but it does not help Americans one single bit if they are not produced here then exported for sale in other countrys. The only person it helps is the Motor Co. especially if they are going to source out theyre chrome plating to india or other places. It eliminates jobs here. Im all for selling over there but if we see no benefit and H-D is still selling the same bikes here for the same price but using chinese or India made chrome then we are all actually losing in the end on this deal.
