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Brumbear
| | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2008 - 03:17 pm: | 
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not much they regenerate |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2008 - 05:33 pm: |
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that the Harley-Davidson folks, not exactly novices to the science of marketing motorcycles, know precisely what they are doing, are not bothered and are pleased that the forecast sales strategy is proceeding pretty much in line with expectations.
So the official plan was....send a boat load of 08 1125R's to the UK and then deliberated not sell them? Somehow i would think that even H-D could come up with a more cunning plan than that? Much as the MoCo would maybe like us to believe that slow sales were part of the plan, the fact is that the initial launch was slated and subsequent press tests were les than enthusiastic, or maybe the recals and upgrades that are ongoing, or the dealer lack of knowledge and parts? whichever handle you want to hang on it, they have failed to spark the imagination in UK/European showrooms yet, and I firmly believe that is a styling issue as much as anything else. Something that the 1125CR singularly fails to address sadly.
Try walking into a UK Ducati or KTM showroom and buying a 1098/848/RC8 straight off the showroom floor, and they would be laughing till tea time. Harley dealers will offer you a choice of 3 in any colour you like ...so long as it is black with a blue frame 
The 09 bikes are certainly going a long way to resolving the initial issues with the upgrades and new colours, but what will they do with all the unsold 08 bikes over here? discount them and make the used values plummet (as has been done by Buell Europe regularly in the past). Maybe they'll give them all to Harris Performance, so they can produce limited edition 'upmarket specials' as was rumoured recently in the weekly comics? WHo knows. |
Aldaytona
| | Posted on Friday, October 03, 2008 - 08:00 pm: |
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HEY, Did ya get a bowl a soup with that bike? |
Not_purple_s2
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 - 10:23 am: |
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My nearest dealer has one '08 1125R on the floor. It's available for demo, which I need to take advantage of. But when asked what kind of deal they were offering on it, the salesman said "MSRP." Maybe they'd talk more if I were to get real serious about buying but I'm not going to get real serious about buying unless they dangle a carrot, I'm just too happy with my little XB9S. |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 - 04:29 pm: |
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Sorry Court, that's so lame it needs a walking stick.
I'm with Trojan on this one, I've not seen one on the road that wasn't a dealer demo bike.
A good friend has been on at me for the last few weeks about replacing his Thunderbird Sport with a Buell probably an XB12Ss or TT, I told him about the 1125CR & the R, & showed him pics & all, he just said NO.
It's one of those bikes that just doesn't seem to have grabbed the European imagination, not saying it's a bad bike at all, but there's plenty of choice for the money here. |
Badlionsfan
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 - 04:44 pm: |
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It's one of those bikes that just doesn't seem to have grabbed the European imagination
Maybe it's not the bikes, but The Europeans that just don't get it.
(Message edited by badlionsfan on October 07, 2008) |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 - 04:51 pm: |
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>>>>It's one of those bikes that just doesn't seem to have grabbed the European imagination, not saying it's a bad bike at all, but there's plenty of choice for the money here.
I'd sure go along with that. They are selling well enough that production is ramped up and, you guys will have to explain the reasons to me, XB sales are on the rise in Europe.
Ya gotta love the global economy . . . hey, you guys need a banking system? We've got a good used one. |
Ferris_von_bueller
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 - 06:01 pm: |
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Ya gotta love the global economy . . . hey, you guys need a banking system? We've got a good used one.
If you havent noticed, the Europeans have banking issues of their own. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 - 07:55 am: |
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So do the Asians . . . with Hong Kong and Tokyo at the lowest points (10% and 8% of value lost in a single day, respectively), the Russians and the Indonesians suspended trading until Friday after runs began, Great Britain invoked, last last night, an emergency "bailout" and the Fed, along with banks of a number of other countries, announced an "Emergency" interest rate cut.
These are interesting times and I, for one, have a little problem believing, that a small group of spoiled brats in New York City or a single person caused this.
The mortgage thing is the predictable result of what happens when government forces business to ignore common sense and good practice and give credit (mortgages) to uncreditworthy individuals.
I've seen it in construction when MBE/DBE programs forces states like Kansas (ride with DBE fraud) to allow sham women and minority owned companies to do work they are unqualified to do. Denver's airport is a lasting monument to that failed policy.
I see it daily at Columbia where students lacking the mental firepower are admitted (the government picks up their tuition, well over $100,00K as well) and drag the entire class down. . . . .
If I mention this, in most circles, I am a "racist" or "snob" . . . so I just compete, do the best I can and laugh.
By the way . . .can you think of a better time to be buying stocks?
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Wolfridgerider
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 - 08:27 am: |
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Buying stock? Is that the new word for 1125R?
Racing season is over and the need for speed is calling.... its only been 4 days.... |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 - 04:31 pm: |
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Perhaps that's the new 1125 giveaway, the worthless stock of your choice. 
As for why Europe is not buying the 1125 & is still buying XBs, I'm no expert but I'd guess it's because the XB is sufficiently different & the 1125 isn't.
You can buy a Yam R1 for the same money or a Benelli or Aprilia or KTM for not much more, & all that's with a cheap dollar!
The buck is swinging back up too, it's pulled back 20cents since July, & that's not going to help Buell sell in this part of the world.
Plus it's ugly. (imho) |
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