| Author | Message | ||
     Josequinones |
Click HERE to read it. Interesting to see how this changes in light of current events. | ||
| Josequinones |
Harley-Davidson Announces Q1 2020 Results And New Strategic Plan | ||
| Crusty |
...And after brushing the iceberg, the Titanic slowly, but continuously took on water. Going back to their core customer is a losing proposition. They're all getting old and dying off. The non-motorcycling bean counters have had their way long enough that they're going to kill the business because they don't know why people buy their product. To see where they're going, just look at Indian in the 1930s and 40s. Pity. | ||
| Court |
Hahahahaha . . . . Asshats wouldn’t know a great adventure touring or street fighter if it were under their very nose . . . . You know, like it was for years during the time the screwed over some of the best people the industry had ever known and basically flushed the people who could have put them atop the world down the crapper. Screw’em If they GAVE me one ....I’d crush it. | ||
| Captainkirk |
"Hahahahaha . . . . Asshats wouldn’t know a great adventure touring or street fighter if it were under their very nose . . . . You know, like it was for years during the time the screwed over some of the best people the industry had ever known and basically flushed the people who could have put them atop the world down the crapper."} Oh...you mean like...Erik Buell? | ||
| Court |
I’m equally concerned about The Elves ..... all those wonderful folks who worked their asses off and we’re screwed over on the whim of what I consider a dishonest person, Keith Wandell. He put Harley-Davidson is the slow spiral of death. I still marvel that they announced the consolidated Buell World Headquarters, which was proposed to be built right on the other side of I-84 .... to consolidate this various operations and poise Buell to take on the future. The Buell staff was doing their part.... they had some amazing products in the wings and held the power to transform Hayley-Davidson, leveraging the history and culture while providing products that would sell, perform and set the standard the world over. These folks were screwed, based in large part in spite, out of a future they’d worked so hard for. There were a couple great Harley-Davidson execs who saw this and beat feet to early retirement. There were more who simply lacked the management ability or balls to do anything. They placed, essentially, personal jealously of Erik Buell over their shareholders and ethics. Harley-Davidson has had a great history and it bothers me to be so eager to see the bastards writing in bankruptcy. | ||
| Captainkirk |
Funny you mentioned this, Court! I was just watching a YT video Friday night about the history of Buell. It brought back a lot of good...and BAD...memories. I remember wanting to strangle Wandell (the bastard)when he elected to kill, rather than sell off, the Buell part of the biz. Because he knew if he sold it it would succeed and make a laughingstock of him. This is what CEOs do...upset the apple cart, destroy dreams, lives, factories, towns (like East Troy) and then walk away with their golden parachute and buy an island somewhere. I can hardly blame Erik for grabbing the brass ring when it presented itself, but in hindsight he should have never let them have controlling interest. | ||
| Josequinones |
To me they need to be like BMW or even Triumph offer a wide variety of products that might not dominate any particular market but overall keep the company afloat. Second, they need to stick with segments that might not pull their weight for a while instead of pulling the plug too quickly like they have done in the past with interesting, dare I say "practical" bikes like the FXDX and the Ulysses (the best Buell ever made), among others. One segment they should pursue, really all motorcycle companies should pursue and promote is the "commuter" bike/scooter market. It's easy to "Social Distance" on your own bike on the way to work instead of being stuck in a Train sharing the air with everyone else. You are saving gas. Parking is easier than a car. In some places like here in Northern Virginia, you are saving time and money because bikes are free in the HOT/HOV Toll roads. I "Save" about $400 in tolls every month by riding a motorcycle and my commute time is a constant 15 minutes no matter what is going on in the regular lanes. A good commuter bike is easy to ride, cheap to operate, simple to maintain, provide decent weather protection and not overheat when you do get stuck in traffic. From HD's current lineup a Street 750 setup for touring and with forward controls would be an appealing commuter bike. The Sport Glide too but it is not cheap. Not the current Livewire, but whenever the one for 'regular people' is released. To me the perfect commuter bike is a Zero, like my SR, but they are not cheap. An electric scooter that can cruise at 65-70 for at least 70 miles per charge would be ideal. Right now my favorite commuter is a 2000 X1200C I 'inherited' due to a family member not being able to ride it anymore due to a stroke. Yes, it numbs your hands above 60 mph but I don't care, I'm only on it for 15 minutes at a time. I also don't care if it gets dirty or wet. It has saddlebags, a windshield and it gets me to work and back, that's all I need. But I get to work WIDE AWAKE and ready to go. (Message edited by josequinones on May 05, 2020) | ||
| Josequinones |
Before Corona (BC) the 15 mile segment between where I live and where I work varied from $10-15 each way. So $10 x 2 per day x5 days per week x 4 weeks per month = $400. | ||
| Josequinones |
AC - Right now the toll is $2.50 each way. So I'm still "Saving" $100 a month and ride in glorious isolation. |
