HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 5
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
ORIGINAL: rocknrod
Yep and during the Klinton administration they called it full employment numbers. Hmmmmm
Also I hear that Harley may be moving their factory south.
To Texas
ORIGINAL: AZ Rider
Serious recession? LOL. Unemployment is 5.1% InAZ it is 4%. Gas is high but adjusted for inflation it is about 1981 when gas spiked.
Back in 1979-81 we were in a serious recession. 10-15% mortgages, 18% car loans, gas limited to 8 gallons and pumps closed by noon. Unemployment was twice as high, factory layoffs by the tens of thousands.
This isn't even close to a SERIOUS recession.
I too have stated here that we are in a serious recession and many here responded that all was cool andI was full of crap.
Back in 1979-81 we were in a serious recession. 10-15% mortgages, 18% car loans, gas limited to 8 gallons and pumps closed by noon. Unemployment was twice as high, factory layoffs by the tens of thousands.
This isn't even close to a SERIOUS recession.
Also I hear that Harley may be moving their factory south.
To Texas
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
Aside from the economy being down, don't you think Harley-Davidson actually has to many models?
There are:
7 - Sportster models
6 - Dyna models
8 - Softail models
3 - V Rod models
7 - Touring models
you can't be all things, to all people.
Just my opinion I could be wrong.
There are:
7 - Sportster models
6 - Dyna models
8 - Softail models
3 - V Rod models
7 - Touring models
you can't be all things, to all people.
Just my opinion I could be wrong.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 714
Likes: 0
From: Orlando
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
They are talking at my job that everyone may have to take a 1% cut
No raise - a 1%cut
I went back and forth on getting my 08 Ultra this week
I went back and forth to a bunch of dealers
One dealer had close to 100 Ultra's, at least 5 in any color
I told him I would come back in the fall when he is still holding on to all those Ultra's
He kinda agreed with me, but said that my trade would also go down
He was straight up about it and not pressuring me into a sale
He would not come down, $1000 over from the place where I did end up buying my bike
It came down to that I didn't want to wait for may or may not happen
I might have saved some $$$$$$, but I didn't want to wait 6 months
It is the one luxury I have. I cut out other things; cable tv, internet at home, don't take the toll road (savings of $80 a month), I have always brown bagged it for lunch.
Maybe I am trying to justify my Harley purchase, but I enjoy riding. i don't want to crawl in a cave and wait it out. life is too short.
No raise - a 1%cut
I went back and forth on getting my 08 Ultra this week
I went back and forth to a bunch of dealers
One dealer had close to 100 Ultra's, at least 5 in any color
I told him I would come back in the fall when he is still holding on to all those Ultra's
He kinda agreed with me, but said that my trade would also go down
He was straight up about it and not pressuring me into a sale
He would not come down, $1000 over from the place where I did end up buying my bike
It came down to that I didn't want to wait for may or may not happen
I might have saved some $$$$$$, but I didn't want to wait 6 months
It is the one luxury I have. I cut out other things; cable tv, internet at home, don't take the toll road (savings of $80 a month), I have always brown bagged it for lunch.
Maybe I am trying to justify my Harley purchase, but I enjoy riding. i don't want to crawl in a cave and wait it out. life is too short.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 165
Likes: 1
From: South Florida
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
Some of us that were not smart enough to work for one of the big companies that offered retirement programs, or stayed in the military long enough for retirement will be working tell we keel over, just be glad you HAVE a job now and try not to be one of the WORKING retired.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 310
Likes: 1
From:
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
Maybe this is good for HD to cut back on production so it can be like the old days.Walk into the dealer in 2008 to buy a bike and you have to put your name on a list for a 2010 model !!!!
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From:
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
I'm with ya AZ Rider. Strange how the concept of hard times has changed. In my Dads time he delivered news papers on foot before school as a kid and gave the pennies heearned to his Mom (His Dad workded dawn to dusk for $8/week and owned a fifteen year old pickup which he used mostly for work, couldn't afford a pickup And a car). After school, he went fishing cause if he didn't there might not be'meat' on the table at dinner. In my time, many nights we ate mac and cheese with canned tuna in itfor dinner (not cause we loved mac and cheese or tuna) but we had a small comfortable home and my dad owned car not a truck. Today we're on $700-$2000 computers talking about $20000+/- toys and buying hunks of chrome for $50-$1500 just for chromes sake. Gas costs us $3.50 a gal., It's closer to $6 in Europe. Most people who want, get three meals a day and have a roof over there head.1/3 of theworld are lucky to get one cup of rice aday and have no roof, not by choice. Oh and the price of rice per ton has gone from about $250 in 2002 to projected $800+ in 2009. Yeah, strange how the concept of hard times in the U.S. has changed.O.K., Rant over, Thanks for your time.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From:
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
Don't for get about the kids on the rice burners,do you think they are Harley people like us? The word is the baby boomers have
all ready gotten a Harley. So the the good old days are us. I'm enjoying it right now!
Ride On !!!
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 762
Likes: 0
From:
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
I also remember a posting a few months ago where most people were saying "oh, it will be OK, we're not in a recession, sales won't be hurt. Those of us that saw this coming were laughed at....Sorry to hear those that have been affected.
Now is the time to buy that used bike. Check out Craigs List and other Bike sites with people selling bikes 2-4 years old for as little as $10,000!
All will settle down after November election and the Mortgage market settles down. Recession usually lasts 6-18 months. By the time Washington admits we're in one (some are starting to now) we usually have already been in one for 3-6 months. By the end of this year, things will start looking better. Maybe not on gas, but we can work around that. Hopefully.
Being that I turn 42 this year, the predictors seem to think that my age group will be begged to continue to work when we want to retire 20 years from now.Most the Baby Boomers will begone and the young people coming in are not anywhere near the numbers that are exiting. I look at that as a happy problem.
Now is the time to buy that used bike. Check out Craigs List and other Bike sites with people selling bikes 2-4 years old for as little as $10,000!
All will settle down after November election and the Mortgage market settles down. Recession usually lasts 6-18 months. By the time Washington admits we're in one (some are starting to now) we usually have already been in one for 3-6 months. By the end of this year, things will start looking better. Maybe not on gas, but we can work around that. Hopefully.
Being that I turn 42 this year, the predictors seem to think that my age group will be begged to continue to work when we want to retire 20 years from now.Most the Baby Boomers will begone and the young people coming in are not anywhere near the numbers that are exiting. I look at that as a happy problem.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From:
RE: HD cancels orders, lays off workers...shutdowns coming
ORIGINAL: JonnyD
Are you just trying to rain on our parade? Somethings gotta give..... Everyone thinks the Harley legend will roll on no matter how bad the economy gets. I've posted similar articles recently and everyone just snubs there noses and thinks it's all b.s. and Harley will never suffer. I say, EVERYONE will suffer in this downturn in the economy. Don't ask a saleman at a dealer, they will always tell you "everythings great" and which color do you want. I just think it's time they lowered the prices on all there "made in Taiwan' parts........[:'(]
Does anyone remember when Harley would give you full price on a trade in foryour used bike? My buddy did it in the late 80's. Now your lucky to get 1/2.[&:]
AMF bailout?
ORIGINAL: Shoe
I would think the opposite. Less supply+same demand = higher prices, not lower
Worst case scenario is that demand goes down and supply matches it. That equates to no change at all in price.
Dave
ORIGINAL: JonnyD
HOORAY! Let the price slashing begin!
HOORAY! Let the price slashing begin!
Worst case scenario is that demand goes down and supply matches it. That equates to no change at all in price.
Dave
Does anyone remember when Harley would give you full price on a trade in foryour used bike? My buddy did it in the late 80's. Now your lucky to get 1/2.[&:]
AMF bailout?
I'm not tryingto say that all is sunny and roses, but I wouldnt paint doom and gloom quite yet either. I think Harley got too big, too quick and should have kept it slow and steady instead. What you are seeing right now is Harley attempting to tune themselves down to where they should have been all along. I don't think they are going away, but I do think they are going somewhere between where they were last year and where they were 10 years ago. When that happens, things will settle out.
I dont think you will be waiting a year for a bike, but I also dont think they are going to have as many out on the floor as they used to either. Its amazing how many bikes they are producing, its almost like a Ford or Chevy dealer
.I think the HD is going to be just fine. I agree with what youre saying, I just dont think its going to be as bad as you think.
Dave