"This bunch of politicians has waisted a year playing footsy with the Health Insurance Lobbyist and telling us about how good things are going to be."

WELL SAID!! Coupe55....just what I was thinking. And not all companies are doing bad right now. Here is an clip of Q4 09 report of the company that I work for:

Net income attributable to common stock for fourth-quarter 2009 was $971 million, $2.15 per share,
compared with a net loss of $13.9 billion, $36.78 per share, for fourth-quarter 2008. Net income attributable
to common stock for the year 2009 was $2.5 billion, $5.86 per share, compared with a net loss of $11.3 billion,
$29.72 per share, for the year 2008.

The economy is stumbling once again after showing signs of life because Obama has done too little too late. The economic stimulus plan was ended too soon and has run out of steam because obama wanted to "make history by developing national health care" and has put the economy on the back burner. We will now see a much longer and difficult recovery because of the liberal bleeding heart BS.
I just hope Harley can survive this.

 

I'm in the military and don't make much money but buying a Harley was very important to me. I take pride in owning and working on one and love to ride it. I would rather have the bank repossess my car and my wife's car before they touch my bike. There are enough people who still hold similar feelings, as evident by the number of HDs on the road. I can also say, in regards to the age range, that I am 25 and a large majority of my street bike riding friends (21 - 32) want or have already bought a Harley. This isn't because they want to play black leather dress up, they like what HD has to offer, and they hear those of us with Harley's talking positively about them. The MoCo's marketing is working, it just takes time.

The BIGGEST ISSUE that most people I know have, is the way they are treated by dealerships. Bad customer service has caused a few friends to say "Fck Harley, they're a bunch of asholes." If HD wants more customers, they need to put more focus on the customer. And all the yuppie bashing is ridiculous because yuppies buy bikes. This old timer mentality of "only certain people buy harley's" or "look at me, i can finally afford one" needs to go. Its childish and causes people to look elsewhere. I get the question of "how do you like your bike?" from non-riders all the time. I tell them the truth - I love it, it's great, I can't wait to buy another one. I'm not going to try to scare them away because they make more money than I do, they drive a BMW, they don't fit the Harley 'mold,' etc.

Honestly, a lot of people (in general) jump on here and bash 'posers' 'yuppies' or 'non-bikers,' but then are the first to complain that HD stock is in the toilet or that bikes aren't selling. Newsflash, all these types of people have money and money is what keeps our beloved company afloat. HD isn't a fcking super-secret 'ha ha I have one and you dont' club, its a brand of motorcycle of which a lot of people take pride in owning. We have to stop judging and start promoting.

I will say again, however, that customer service should be the MoCo's #1 priority. I HATE IT WITH A PASSION when I get judged walking in the door of a dealership because "I look too young to spend 20 grand." We as HD customers need to demand better treatment and quality service. If the Harley Davidson Motor Company doesn't care about its current customers, then they don't have a future at all.

 

Its all about the Stock holders. Screw the folks buyng and riding the Scooters.
Is that what yer tryin to say.
Screw the stock holders and them makin money and HD building cheaper bikes.

 

Jan-Sept '09 sales for all Japanese bike manufacturers were down 27.1%. Production was down 44.1% in the same time period.

Times are hard all over. Even for the "advanced" bike makers.
Want to look at the figures, go to: http://www.jama.org/statistics/motor...statistics.htm

 

Well what do you know...those figures would lead a reasonably intelligent person to think that the problem was the economy, and not just H-D tripping over their dicks, and trying intentionally to **** off the consumers, while gleefully running their business into the ditch...

 

Sad part of all of this is that someone will probably be getting a big @$$ bonus for losing that much money. We haven't gotten a raise at my company in 3 years even though we are turning in record profits. But, our division president got a bonus last year equal to his salary.

 

Coupe, your posts are probably the most accurate on this thread, articulated perfectly. Brand loyalty isn't going to save HD.

 

Unfortunately that is more the norm than not. The country has been brainwashed into believing that the blue collar worker was overpaid while the people on top quietly have taken huge bonuses and salaries while sending the good jobs overseas.

 

The economy is a large part of the problem, that's a given! The EPA is a large part of Harley's problem, if you own 06 and under you won't understand this.

The 2010 emissions standards come at the worst time for Harley, the lean running, EPA Cam'd underpowered ovens just got a catalytic converters stuck on them. Harley's only answer to the problem was a cheap electronic fix, EIMTS system. More of an admission they have the heat problem that they are in denial about. I'm talking mid summer in traffic conditions.

Never mind that they act like they are doing you a big favor taking your hard earned money at the dealership. Even if you think you own the Holy Grail of bikes you can't keep crapping on the converted in an economy such as this and they had better start developing product for some new converts.

Any one issue, Harley could overcome it! Harley however has a few more issues to deal with other than the economy. The aging boomer's that was Harleys bread and butter buying fewer bikes. Building bikes made more for the EPA than the riding public. An aristocratic, nose in the air dealer system that is geared to make as much off the customer in the service center as the initial purchase. I know Harley has worked long and hard to develop the Harley mystic but most cults burn out over time, especially in depression like economy's.

Harley had better start working more on product and customer satisfaction if they want to survive this bone crunching recession!

 

Jeeeezzz stupid rope, I'm not yuppie bashing just pointing out the ''I own a Harley'' people are pretty much missing in action and that it has helped add to HD's financial problems. Based on the number of 3-5 yr old Harleys for sale with well under 5,000 mi on them and fewer numbers of Bermuda shorts and flip flop riders that is my conclusion. I have NOTHING against yuppies, hippies, yippies or any other group. However it was yuppie money that drove the last 15 yrs. When that money started to disappear and more used like new bikes hit the market HD began to feel the pinch. Also HD makes a really good bike now that with fair maintenance can easily top 100,000 mi. Before the Evo and Twin cam motors 25,000 mi was about all you could expect without substantial work. Any way I hope you have a good day.