Harley No Longer King

[Sully]

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</header>Once upon a time Harley Davidson use to be the mega force in the motorcycle industry. It was always at the top of the list for any respecting biker to want to own. To be in most motorcycle clubs one had to have a Harley. A biker without a Harley wasn’t considered to be a biker but just some wannabee. All that has now changed. The once mighty symbol of freedom and image has started to crumble. The company that used to be the king of the road is just a shadow of itself. The company has no one to blame but itself for its fall from grace.

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Harley got to be where it was from those hard working blue collar workers, workers that went to work every day and busted ass just to be able to ride and raise hell on the weekends. Since the early 90s when the lifestyle started to change and different people usually not apart of Harley’s core customers came flocking to the lifestyle,Harley took advantage of this new influx and started to raise prices. This was a serious mistake on Harleys part.Harley started to price out it’s core customer base and relied on a customer base that wouldn’t stick by the company for long.



In the early 2000’s shows like Biker Build Off, Orange County Choppers kept Harley ridinghigh. Shows like those brought customers who never considered riding before into the mix. The Chopper craze was in full swing and if you couldn’t afford one of those a Harley was the next best thing. Harley started it’s decline at this point I believe. Harley started to focus not only on raising prices even more, they started pushing clothing and accessories as a bigger part of the company instead of staying focused on a better bike.



In 2006 most of the reality shows started to go off air and the recession was starting to loom. Those customers Harley relied upon started to get out of the lifestyle. Started selling off those bikes. The used market became saturated with all kinds of makes and models. That saturation continues till today. What happens when the used market becomes saturated with bikes? No one really wants to spend the 25,000 to get a brand new bagger. **** no one wants to spend 10,000 on a sportster. When people don’t buy then production starts to be cut and people at the company get laid off.



Harley was lucky in it’s marketing. It had a loyal base from the Vietnam era that pushed an idea. If you were not riding a Harley then you were not a REAL bbiker. Some of that thinking still exists today but not like it use to be. Problem with that thinking is people started saying “If your on two wheels, who gives a **** what your riding”. I agree fully with that saying by the way. I got to that point when Harley started closing up factories here in the states and gave work to Mexico and India. When they started shipping production overseas the product suffered. Just look at all the recalls that have started just last year. Quality might as well be made if China.

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Since the Old Scooter tramps are now moving onto other things in life a new generation has started to come up. That new generation has gravitated towards Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Indian and Victory. Why? Well it comes down too those companies make a better product then Harley. Most have a better design and most important are way more reliable. No one likes being on the side of the road on a long haul because the ride they are on has design flaws.



I sometimes found it funny when old timers would say “Yea they might make Hondas in Ohio but the money still goes to Japan”. I would just shake my head and tell them “Well at least some of that money is going into a hardworking blue collar American who is taking pride building that bike”. Yea that usually shut them up lol. It was even funnier when that same old timer called me a couple weeks later asking for a tow because he and his Harley were on the side of the road. “You were saying about Harley again?”



What does this mean for Harley when companies like Honda,Yamaha, Victory start putting out better bikes then them? Simple the market share becomes smaller and smaller for Harley. Harley is starting to literally fall apart according to their financials. The only bright spot for Harley has been its 550 and 750 models that mainly sell overseas. While Harley was raising prices and putting out some bad bikes over these past couple years the competition came in and swooped up that blue collar base that Harley turned it`s back on.



Do I think Harley will ever get back to it’s original core customers? If they don’t I think they will be in the same spot they were in the 70’s. They will be facing bankruptcy and this time won’t have a loyal base to bail them out. Harley miscalculated who would stick by them in the 90s and 00s. They also miscalculated that everyone in the lifestyle just needed to have that Harley to live up to the image. The new Image isn’t about owing a Harley to be a true Biker. The new image is “Just ride” and who gives a crap what you are riding.



Once upon a time Harley Davidson use to be the mega force in the motorcycle industry. It was always at the top of the list for any respecting biker to want to own. To be in most motorcycle clubs one had to have a Harley. A biker without a Harley wasn’t considered to be a biker but just some wannabee. All that has now changed. The once mighty symbol of freedom and image has started to crumble. The company that used to be the king of the road is just a shadow of itself. The company has no one to blame but itself for its fall from grace.



</article>

 

[Bikerbozo]

Well, I'll chime in early. Yep, I agree with all that. Don't see any shortage of bikes being sold by dealer though. Been waiting for simple 100k service to get done. Made appointment 3 weeks ahead. They didn't even start work for 2 weeks. Just found out its because they have been prepping new bikes. No time to work on mine.
my next Trike will not be a Harley. Don't want to deal with crappy run service dept anymore.

 

[peteg59]

I've owned & ridden a Harley most of my life & will continue to do so until I'm unable to physically ride however I don't like the way the Company has taken the Japanese business model to their product lines.
What I'm talking about is changing the mechanical engineering to where parts interchangeability is a thing of the past.
I know why they do it. It's simply to get folks to abandon a 5 year old model, for a new one in their lineup.

I really don't have a desire for anything new, so as long as I can still get parts for my "dinosaurs" I will keep on keepin on with what I've got. Thank the Harley God for aftermarket manufacturers, although most of those are now offshore!

Used to be you could buy a Harley and fully expect to ride it forever, as parts were readily available for decades.
Not so much anymore, and that is another factor in why the longtime customers are not repeat buying another overpriced bike that turns obsolete in too short a time...

 

[silverbullet05]

Not the first time Harley has been in trouble. I remember way back when AMF nearly ran then into the ground & Willie Davidson (I think that's his name) brought the company back to life. I met him once back in 84 at the Tomahawk Wi rally.

Frankly (IMHO) the industry as a whole is in trouble Not just Harley. People just don't have the money for these expensive toys anymore. Yes now there's Indian & Victory. Still their just about as expensive as a Harley.
In my neck of the woods the Japanese dealers have thinned themselves out. What ones are left hardly stock any motorcycles. Its all ATV's & UTV's that are bringing them the money & are now on the showroom floors.
Just as Polaris has other products to fall back on where as Harley doesn't.
Even when the Japanese do come out with a new motorcycle. They fail at marketing them where Harley does.
Still see a lot of Harley's on the road though

 

[roadking2]

Seems like one of these Harley is doomed articles pops up on a pretty much annual basis. I've been reading them for about 50 years now. If Harley is dying, it's about the slowest and longest drawn out company death in history.

 

[1dn5up]

Seems like one of these Harley is doomed articles pops up on a pretty much annual basis. I've been reading them for about 50 years now. If Harley is dying, it's about the slowest and longest drawn out company death in history.

:Agree: Still think the trike is a learman set up and some kind or an agreement between the two. HD just wanted to get on the bandwagon first. As for Willi G , to continue to be a dealer, you needed to have a building with a large square footage just to have a clothing store!! Cant ride clothes !:Shrug:

 

[Retired Army]

Harley is not diversified they sell cycles and clothes. Honda on the other hand could stop all cycle sales tomorrow and not go under. When I die, please do not put the word biker on my tombstone. Instead put risk manager.

 

[whitefatboy]

HD King ?

Still see mostly HD at the rally's, but fewer new models. Just can not make the purchase of
$35000. , can only ride 6mo. of the yr. My new cage did not cost as much. Not sure if there is a blue collier any more. So whats to do ???? :AGGHH:

 

[gerald martin]

harley the king

who ever wrote this article hasn't got a clue of what a good bike is. Harleys today are far superior to any other bike on the market and they also keep there value better. When do you see a 50 year old Honda? You don't. There are thousands of old Harleys that have been restored using modern techniques. the new twin cams are the best motor ever produced and will last forever with proper attention and care. Parts can be found for any Harley new or used. Try find parts for a Honda 750 or an old 650 Yamaha. maybe the fellow that wrote this article should buy a Vespa sounds like that kind of guy

 

[G.W. Viper]

who ever wrote this article hasn't got a clue of what a good bike is. Harleys today are far superior to any other bike on the market and they also keep there value better. When do you see a 50 year old Honda? You don't. There are thousands of old Harleys that have been restored using modern techniques. the new twin cams are the best motor ever produced and will last forever with proper attention and care. Parts can be found for any Harley new or used. Try find parts for a Honda 750 or an old 650 Yamaha. maybe the fellow that wrote this article should buy a Vespa sounds like that kind of guy

Far superior to any other bike ???? I wouldn't go that far....... IMO......

 

[peteg59]

who ever wrote this article hasn't got a clue of what a good bike is. Harleys today are far superior to any other bike on the market and they also keep there value better. When do you see a 50 year old Honda? You don't. There are thousands of old Harleys that have been restored using modern techniques. the new twin cams are the best motor ever produced and will last forever with proper attention and care. Parts can be found for any Harley new or used. Try find parts for a Honda 750 or an old 650 Yamaha. maybe the fellow that wrote this article should buy a Vespa sounds like that kind of guy

You don't know how much we old time Harley guys appreciate hearing the new ones are holding up to hearty use. ThumbUpThumbUpThumbUp

 

[DK Custom Products]

While HD is certainly facing it's challenges, not the least of which is their deteriorating service departments, comparable cruisers are close to the same cost.

I attend a lot of events where there are thousands of bikes. Every year there are slightly more non HD bikes, but the overwhelming number of bikes are still Harley.

There is still quite a ways to go before they lose market dominance.

What is more concerning is their financials. Being a publicly held company, with their current financials, makes them a target for a takeover. If that were to happen, well things could get better or worse in a hurry.

Kevin

 

[silverbullet05]

who ever wrote this article hasn't got a clue of what a good bike is. Harleys today are far superior to any other bike on the market and they also keep there value better. When do you see a 50 year old Honda? You don't. There are thousands of old Harleys that have been restored using modern techniques. the new twin cams are the best motor ever produced and will last forever with proper attention and care. Parts can be found for any Harley new or used. Try find parts for a Honda 750 or an old 650 Yamaha. maybe the fellow that wrote this article should buy a Vespa sounds like that kind of guy

All in the eyes of the beholder!
For longevity, maintenance free I'll take a Gold Wing any day. Most any motor today will last forever with the proper care.
I have a 38 year old Goldwing that I can still pretty easily find parts for. And 750 Honda's parts are readily available in the Japanese vintage market. The internet is a wonderful tool!

And with 147.000 miles on my old Gold Wing. I'm still not afraid to take it cross country as I've done in many previous years of ownership of this bike.

Harley's around this neck of the woods aren't holding their value like they did years ago. Market is to saturated with them.

 

[gerald martin]

harley is king

147,000 miles in 38 years Must ride it continuously to get that kind of miles. I sold a 2000 Harley road king that I bought new 5 years ago it had close to 200,000 km on it when I sold it completely stock and trouble free. I just saw it last year and it was still going strong

 

[mightymousesr]

147,000 miles in 38 years Must ride it continuously to get that kind of miles. I sold a 2000 Harley road king that I bought new 5 years ago it had close to 200,000 km on it when I sold it completely stock and trouble free. I just saw it last year and it was still going strong

Stock and trouble free?? Yeah ok Gerald. Ever hear that song Dream, Dream? You are definitely a Harley guy I respect that but.. You just can't Knock a Goldwing for its dependability.

 

[Phu Cat]

Say what ya like Silverbullet, Honda IS known for dependability.....but as an old man's bike. Harley has character. Period. For anybody. It's been around a long, long time. Honda motorcycles can't say that.

PC

 

[FRR]

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</header>Once upon a time Harley Davidson use to be the mega force in the motorcycle industry. It was always at the top of the list for any respecting biker to want to own. To be in most motorcycle clubs one had to have a Harley. A biker without a Harley wasn’t considered to be a biker but just some wannabee. All that has now changed. The once mighty symbol of freedom and image has started to crumble. The company that used to be the king of the road is just a shadow of itself. The company has no one to blame but itself for its fall from grace.

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Harley got to be where it was from those hard working blue collar workers, workers that went to work every day and busted ass just to be able to ride and raise hell on the weekends. Since the early 90s when the lifestyle started to change and different people usually not apart of Harley’s core customers came flocking to the lifestyle,Harley took advantage of this new influx and started to raise prices. This was a serious mistake on Harleys part.Harley started to price out it’s core customer base and relied on a customer base that wouldn’t stick by the company for long.

In the early 2000’s shows like Biker Build Off, Orange County Choppers kept Harley ridinghigh. Shows like those brought customers who never considered riding before into the mix. The Chopper craze was in full swing and if you couldn’t afford one of those a Harley was the next best thing. Harley started it’s decline at this point I believe. Harley started to focus not only on raising prices even more, they started pushing clothing and accessories as a bigger part of the company instead of staying focused on a better bike.

In 2006 most of the reality shows started to go off air and the recession was starting to loom. Those customers Harley relied upon started to get out of the lifestyle. Started selling off those bikes. The used market became saturated with all kinds of makes and models. That saturation continues till today. What happens when the used market becomes saturated with bikes? No one really wants to spend the 25,000 to get a brand new bagger. Shit no one wants to spend 10,000 on a sportster. When people don’t buy then production starts to be cut and people at the company get laid off.

Harley was lucky in it’s marketing. It had a loyal base from the Vietnam era that pushed an idea. If you were not riding a Harley then you were not a REAL bbiker. Some of that thinking still exists today but not like it use to be. Problem with that thinking is people started saying “If your on two wheels, who gives a shit what your riding”. I agree fully with that saying by the way. I got to that point when Harley started closing up factories here in the states and gave work to Mexico and India. When they started shipping production overseas the product suffered. Just look at all the recalls that have started just last year. Quality might as well be made if China.

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Since the Old Scooter tramps are now moving onto other things in life a new generation has started to come up. That new generation has gravitated towards Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Indian and Victory. Why? Well it comes down too those companies make a better product then Harley. Most have a better design and most important are way more reliable. No one likes being on the side of the road on a long haul because the ride they are on has design flaws.

I sometimes found it funny when old timers would say “Yea they might make Hondas in Ohio but the money still goes to Japan”. I would just shake my head and tell them “Well at least some of that money is going into a hardworking blue collar American who is taking pride building that bike”. Yea that usually shut them up lol. It was even funnier when that same old timer called me a couple weeks later asking for a tow because he and his Harley were on the side of the road. “You were saying about Harley again?”

What does this mean for Harley when companies like Honda,Yamaha, Victory start putting out better bikes then them? Simple the market share becomes smaller and smaller for Harley. Harley is starting to literally fall apart according to their financials. The only bright spot for Harley has been its 550 and 750 models that mainly sell overseas. While Harley was raising prices and putting out some bad bikes over these past couple years the competition came in and swooped up that blue collar base that Harley turned it`s back on.

Do I think Harley will ever get back to it’s original core customers? If they don’t I think they will be in the same spot they were in the 70’s. They will be facing bankruptcy and this time won’t have a loyal base to bail them out. Harley miscalculated who would stick by them in the 90s and 00s. They also miscalculated that everyone in the lifestyle just needed to have that Harley to live up to the image. The new Image isn’t about owing a Harley to be a true Biker. The new image is “Just ride” and who gives a crap what you are riding.

Once upon a time Harley Davidson use to be the mega force in the motorcycle industry. It was always at the top of the list for any respecting biker to want to own. To be in most motorcycle clubs one had to have a Harley. A biker without a Harley wasn’t considered to be a biker but just some wannabee. All that has now changed. The once mighty symbol of freedom and image has started to crumble. The company that used to be the king of the road is just a shadow of itself. The company has no one to blame but itself for its fall from grace.



</article>

I just read this post, and I can attest you are one brave guy. A couple of weeks ago someone posted a piece about Harley getting sued and I simply replied, " I hope they win". Several Harley guys took me to task and made all kinds of assumptions about my experience, past riding history, and even my concern for American workers. Wait til they see this one. It used to be that only if you posted anything negative about The Motor Company on the Harley page they told you to stay off or made accusations about buying foreign brands that " made money for the Emperor of Japan". General Discussion should be a thread that allows us to comment without fear of getting hammered for our opinions. I hope they aren't too tough of you, but we will see. Good luck.

 

[silverbullet05]

Ahhhhh yes good to see brand loyalty is alive & well here.

The point I was trying to make is Harley isn't the only one that makes reliable long lasting engines.

Nobody wants to see Harley in trouble. I believe its a supply & demand problem at the moment. Hopefully they can get it figured out & move forward. Companies are like marriages. They all go through rocky times. Some make it others don't. The ones that do usually come out stronger. Lets hope Harley fits the bill.

 

[gerald martin]

harley is king

I am not saying Hondas or Yamahas or for that matter any bike that is well maintained is not reliable. You were the one knocking Harleys. I have had a Harley since 1960 it was king then and probably will be king until bikes are outlawed by our (Canadian government) and your government Harley is and always will be king

 

[Amputee55]

Harleys Rule, Anything else is an imposter.

Hardley worth a responsee. Hoo rah.

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</header>Once upon a time Harley Davidson use to be the mega force in the motorcycle industry. It was always at the top of the list for any respecting biker to want to own. To be in most motorcycle clubs one had to have a Harley. A biker without a Harley wasn’t considered to be a biker but just some wannabee. All that has now changed. The once mighty symbol of freedom and image has started to crumble. The company that used to be the king of the road is just a shadow of itself. The company has no one to blame but itself for its fall from grace.

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Harley got to be where it was from those hard working blue collar workers, workers that went to work every day and busted ass just to be able to ride and raise hell on the weekends. Since the early 90s when the lifestyle started to change and different people usually not apart of Harley’s core customers came flocking to the lifestyle,Harley took advantage of this new influx and started to raise prices. This was a serious mistake on Harleys part.Harley started to price out it’s core customer base and relied on a customer base that wouldn’t stick by the company for long.

In the early 2000’s shows like Biker Build Off, Orange County Choppers kept Harley ridinghigh. Shows like those brought customers who never considered riding before into the mix. The Chopper craze was in full swing and if you couldn’t afford one of those a Harley was the next best thing. Harley started it’s decline at this point I believe. Harley started to focus not only on raising prices even more, they started pushing clothing and accessories as a bigger part of the company instead of staying focused on a better bike.

In 2006 most of the reality shows started to go off air and the recession was starting to loom. Those customers Harley relied upon started to get out of the lifestyle. Started selling off those bikes. The used market became saturated with all kinds of makes and models. That saturation continues till today. What happens when the used market becomes saturated with bikes? No one really wants to spend the 25,000 to get a brand new bagger. Shit no one wants to spend 10,000 on a sportster. When people don’t buy then production starts to be cut and people at the company get laid off.

Harley was lucky in it’s marketing. It had a loyal base from the Vietnam era that pushed an idea. If you were not riding a Harley then you were not a REAL bbiker. Some of that thinking still exists today but not like it use to be. Problem with that thinking is people started saying “If your on two wheels, who gives a shit what your riding”. I agree fully with that saying by the way. I got to that point when Harley started closing up factories here in the states and gave work to Mexico and India. When they started shipping production overseas the product suffered. Just look at all the recalls that have started just last year. Quality might as well be made if China.

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Since the Old Scooter tramps are now moving onto other things in life a new generation has started to come up. That new generation has gravitated towards Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Indian and Victory. Why? Well it comes down too those companies make a better product then Harley. Most have a better design and most important are way more reliable. No one likes being on the side of the road on a long haul because the ride they are on has design flaws.

I sometimes found it funny when old timers would say “Yea they might make Hondas in Ohio but the money still goes to Japan”. I would just shake my head and tell them “Well at least some of that money is going into a hardworking blue collar American who is taking pride building that bike”. Yea that usually shut them up lol. It was even funnier when that same old timer called me a couple weeks later asking for a tow because he and his Harley were on the side of the road. “You were saying about Harley again?”

What does this mean for Harley when companies like Honda,Yamaha, Victory start putting out better bikes then them? Simple the market share becomes smaller and smaller for Harley. Harley is starting to literally fall apart according to their financials. The only bright spot for Harley has been its 550 and 750 models that mainly sell overseas. While Harley was raising prices and putting out some bad bikes over these past couple years the competition came in and swooped up that blue collar base that Harley turned it`s back on.

Do I think Harley will ever get back to it’s original core customers? If they don’t I think they will be in the same spot they were in the 70’s. They will be facing bankruptcy and this time won’t have a loyal base to bail them out. Harley miscalculated who would stick by them in the 90s and 00s. They also miscalculated that everyone in the lifestyle just needed to have that Harley to live up to the image. The new Image isn’t about owing a Harley to be a true Biker. The new image is “Just ride” and who gives a crap what you are riding.

Once upon a time Harley Davidson use to be the mega force in the motorcycle industry. It was always at the top of the list for any respecting biker to want to own. To be in most motorcycle clubs one had to have a Harley. A biker without a Harley wasn’t considered to be a biker but just some wannabee. All that has now changed. The once mighty symbol of freedom and image has started to crumble. The company that used to be the king of the road is just a shadow of itself. The company has no one to blame but itself for its fall from grace.



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