Another dealer closes?

Sidecarbill · Feb 8, 2021

Well I think the boutique Harley shops are extremely expensive to maintain. They probably have to sell their product for 1/3 more than it's worth just to keep the doors open. I don't think they care anymore about their dealers,than customers. So when the ship sinks they'll just carry on from the lifeboats. I stopped going to Harley years ago. Had enough insults about the piece of shit I was ridin so I didn't go back. I still have my shovelhead. I can buy any part I need and I don't have to walk in a Harley shop to get it.

trike lady · Feb 9, 2021

Its a sign of the times when dealers close up. No one has the money to spend on a new bike and will continue to make due with their present one and continually jacking up the prices doesn't help either. CEOs get 'Greedy' and get big money to run a company down, they have no connection with the buying public and what people want and will spend money on.

In a recent article I had seen Harley Davidson is involved in the e-bike market with a bicycle that looks like the very first motorcycle produced. https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/products/bikes/future-vehicles/e-bicycles.html How many people are going to spend lets say $2000,00 or maybe more for a bicycle?

Here's a thought if you want your present bike in the latest 'Flashy' paint color and your bike is in perfect running condition and its paid for, why not have it painted in that fancy chameleon paint? or maybe the bright orange?

When new bikes pile up at the dealership and buyers gasp at the price and walk out, maybe just maybe it will ring a bell with the CEO of Harley Davidson that they have a problem. Dealers cannot survive if customers don't buy.

Sidecarbill · Feb 10, 2021

Actually there are a lot of people that spend more than 2000 on a bicycle. That's the low end of the scale. I paid just short of that for mine. And mine was almost 1/2 price because of the color. We all just live in the past money wise,

the price of everything has gone up. We just don't realize how much because we're not involved in that market.

bikerbillone · Feb 10, 2021

Siecar, ditto that sir on the bicycle. Contrary to popular opinion, riding a bicycle ain't cheap either.

rhino 2 · Feb 10, 2021

bikerbillone said:
Siecar, ditto that sir on the bicycle. Contrary to popular opinion, riding a bicycle ain't cheap either.

Its all relative......My first 'New' car back in 1964 was a Plymouth Barracuda ...26 hundred dollars out the door....I was making 65/75 dollars a week back then..

Sidecarbill · Feb 10, 2021

I'll also say 1967 I bought a brand new mustang for 3200. But if I had a comparable job today I could not buy a similarly equipped mustang. And you no longer buy cars you lease them. Because they are so unaffordable.:Shrug:

rhino 2 · Feb 10, 2021

Sidecarbill said:
I'll also say 1967 I bought a brand new mustang for 3200. But if I had a comparable job today I could not buy a similarly equipped mustang. And you no longer buy cars you lease them. Because they are so unaffordable.:Shrug:

New Cars now are not similar to cars from the 60's....Look at all the stuff the makers have to add to cars today...The list of things added on cars now that wasn't needed in the 60's would be way too long to type $$$$...

BKtrike · Feb 10, 2021

trike lady said:
Its a sign of the times when dealers close up. No one has the money to spend on a new bike and will continue to make due with their present one and continually jacking up the prices doesn't help either. CEOs get 'Greedy' and get big money to run a company down, they have no connection with the buying public and what people want and will spend money on.

In a recent article I had seen Harley Davidson is involved in the e-bike market with a bicycle that looks like the very first motorcycle produced. https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/products/bikes/future-vehicles/e-bicycles.html How many people are going to spend lets say $2000,00 or maybe more for a bicycle?

Harley Davidsons have always been more than metric bikes, and have become somewhat of a status symbol. That being said cars, houses, etc are at prices that seem outrageous to those in the 70’s.

Can Harley Davidson survive? Can Indian survive at their prices? As gas prices go up, that may boost motorcycle sales, but I agree 30k is asking a lot for the family man(or woman) to afford for pleasure. Many of us on this tread may have saved money over the years and can make such a purchase. I feel that trike sales will continue in popularity but that will be followed by a surge in battery powered bikes/trikes. Not my choice like many here but we are of a different generation.

There are many young 30 year olds I work with that all ride Harley Davidsons, new and used models. They are half my age and still share the traditional tradition of motorcycle riding. Will this be enough to keep HD afloat? Time will tell. I better put my coffee down or I’ll keep rambling!

Papa Zook · Feb 10, 2021

Dealers cant stay in business if they cant get bikes for 6 or 8 months or more and that's what has been going on with not only Harley dealers, but the metric dealers as well. Metric dealer's product lines are very diverse to include, dirt bikes, dual sport, ATVs, side by sides, street, touring and cruiser bikes, watercraft, etc.

This diversity of product attracts a much broader age range/customer base, a massively important asset that Harley dealers do not have. I personally know lots of franchise dealer owners and they tell me that the ATVs keep the doors open at the metric shops.

rhino 2 · Feb 10, 2021

Papa Zook said:
Dealers cant stay in business if they cant get bikes for 6 or 8 months or more and that's what has been going on with not only Harley dealers, but the metric dealers as well. Metric dealer's product lines are very diverse to include, dirt bikes, dual sport, ATVs, side by sides, street, touring and cruiser bikes, watercraft, etc.

This diversity of product attracts a much broader age range/customer base, a massively important asset that Harley dealers do not have. I personally know lots of franchise dealer owners and they tell me that the ATVs keep the doors open at the metric shops.

My Go to ATV/Side-By In PA.....Cant keep ATV's and Side-by's in stock and that's been going on for over a year now ....If you want one get on the list, He sells them way before he can even put it on the showroom floor...It took my Son 4 months before his Daughters ATV came in last week..[Honda]And my other Son is waiting for his Sons ATV to come in for weeks now...[Kawasaki]....