Made in china ?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,364
Likes: 33
From: So Cal The Golden State
You should watch who you call a troll, and open your eyes a bit. Youll be hard pressed to find a single piece of Harley clothing that is made in the good ol USA. And many of their bike parts are brought in from over seas. It is sad. It is even more sad that there are so many people with their rose colored glasses on that refuse to see there is a problem.
Troll
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 783
Likes: 66
From: Sacramento
I'll tell you all, it is not too late to think about protecting US jobs and US markets. Part of our dilema has been the one sided trade agreements that allow imports unimpeded and have our exports to the very same country restricted to protect their markets. Part of our national security (in the past) was due to our industrial infrastructure which has been greatly depleted. Most every production facility in the past had a machinist (or more) and at least one tool and die maker. I'm happy to say, the Machinists Union (IAM&AW) recently reached a contract with Harley. The members had to take severe concessions but production of the engines and trans in York, PA is moving forward in the USA by Union employees earning a decent living wage. Some of the best products made anywhere are still made here. If we can hang on to our investments in technology, with production here (with automation, the man hour cost of labor to produce products is not that great) and a decent wage, we'll all benefit from that investment. I'm proud to ride a US, Union made Harley Davidson.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 1
From: East Tennessee
Ok, I have been a Harley Lover for 13 years now, but this is what I was told ! Maybe this is not as much as a secret as I assumed ? The MOCO ships its engine and trans. parts from communist China, even frames. A truck driver that delivers to a dear person that I know, also picks up from the left coast and delivers to the MOCO. He said that the manifest (shipping papers) defines his cargo as engine and trans. parts and frames ! Sad to say, that HD's are really not "made in America" only assembled here !!
Craig
Craig
It is so sad that this country has allowed its manufactures to go outside our country, for the simple reason of not wanting to satisfy the labor unions. As a person who at one time owned a speciality retail clothing store, I for one know the cost of being in business. I had to close my shop, sell everything at auction and suffered a $250,000.00 loss. The USA has gotten to the point that almost everything is run by the labor unions. They make the decisions on how much you must pay the hired help, where you can locate your plant, etc, etc. Everything HD does has to be approved and discussed by the labor unions, and they either agree or they don't. You can google HD Mfg. plants on the internet and find several news releases backing up what I say. Now there are several mfg. plants for various things here in the USA and several assembly plants. If HD doesn't make it, then they either ship it in from overseas or pay a union plant to make it (which increases the cost 10 fold). To make a long story short, labor unions and our government leaders have sold our county out. You can't have the best of both worlds. We either pay other counties for their slave labor and get it cheaper, or we go back to the day when you earned the money that you made. Labor unions were a good thing back in the day of their beginning, but now, greed has taken over our country.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Edgar, WI
And the 40 years late comment just pisses me off! Its attitudes like that why this country is in the shape that it is. Everyone just wants to give up the fight. Certain things are worth fighting for! And Id like to think that quality American made products produced by proud American workers is something that is worth fighting for. Go ahead and roll over if you want, but dont tell me to...
Im also gonna continue to enjoy riding my Harley. But that doesnt mean that we cant try to work for some real change while doing so.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 124
Likes: 1
From: South Texas
I agree with your entire perspective on the union movements. It is amazing how before unions it was called protection money, now it is just a union. Unions definately served their purpose in the past, but that time is gone and while people sympathetic to unions will blame the government, they are not the ones driving up the cost of manufacturing. My family comes from the coal mines and without unions they may not have lived long enough to make me, but I have been burned enough by unions in my business life that I still do not see a major reason for them to be around. I have an open mind, although it probably is not showing through here, and someone could convince me my views of unions are wrong, but that would make this a political discussion not suited for this forum.
I love the fact that my Ultra is made in the USA, but my personal opinion is that it would have cost less without the union involvement, and would have been made just as good.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,364
Likes: 33
From: So Cal The Golden State
Facts?!?! Go to the dealer and look at every jacket on the rack. How old are your jackets? Theyre not made in the US anymore.
And the 40 years late comment just pisses me off! Its attitudes like that why this country is in the shape that it is. Everyone just wants to give up the fight. Certain things are worth fighting for! And Id like to think that quality American made products produced by proud American workers is something that is worth fighting for. Go ahead and roll over if you want, but dont tell me to...
Im also gonna continue to enjoy riding my Harley. But that doesnt mean that we cant try to work for some real change while doing so.
And the 40 years late comment just pisses me off! Its attitudes like that why this country is in the shape that it is. Everyone just wants to give up the fight. Certain things are worth fighting for! And Id like to think that quality American made products produced by proud American workers is something that is worth fighting for. Go ahead and roll over if you want, but dont tell me to...
Im also gonna continue to enjoy riding my Harley. But that doesnt mean that we cant try to work for some real change while doing so.
It is attitudes like yours that has not addressed the problem. I battle foreign competition every day. Just sick of guys just mouthing off with out a solution. The original troll post was about Chinese made motors and frames. That is a crock.
But your beloved Union workers have no problem using Chinese,Korean or Japanese steel. Yur beloved Dock workers, Stevadores and Teamsters have no problem unloading and foreign steel, Stainless Steel or Aluminum. So Union just screwing union and collecting dues.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Edgar, WI
I agree that initially, Unions served their purpose well. However, I think that as of late (10+ years), Union greed has cost American jobs. However, the Union discussion would be a very heated discussion (because it affects peoples' employment), and probably doesn't belong on here.
If you guys get a chance, download the following link:
http://www.weathertech.com/UserFiles/File/amessagefromdavidmacneil.pdf
This country needs more CEOs like Mr. MacNeil.
Our government also needs to play a role in helping other people, like Mr. MacNeil, startup and run businesses in this country. That can’t be emphasized enough… There needs to be incentive for CEOs and business owners to keep jobs in this country.
If you guys get a chance, download the following link:
http://www.weathertech.com/UserFiles/File/amessagefromdavidmacneil.pdf
This country needs more CEOs like Mr. MacNeil.
Our government also needs to play a role in helping other people, like Mr. MacNeil, startup and run businesses in this country. That can’t be emphasized enough… There needs to be incentive for CEOs and business owners to keep jobs in this country.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 783
Likes: 66
From: Sacramento
You know, it's amazing how much blame the Unions get with the Corporate decision to ship work overseas. The Unionized private sector workforce only comprises 9% yet 80%+ of factory shutdowns and outsourced work is from non-union facilities. There needs to be a balance between the strength and influence of Labor to help counter the strength and influence of corporations. If either side is too strong, yes, I agree, we all lose. If Unions were as strong as they are perported to be, why couldn't they use their political influence to stop the outsourcing. The balance isn't there and hasn't been for quite some time. We can all point to extreme examples, but, the balance of the reality we find ourselves in demonstrates that it doesn't meet the common sense sniff test.
