HARLEY SALES DOWN - LAYING OFF WORK FORCE

[adventurous1]

HD sales are down in the U.S. more than double what I earlier thought.

"....it plans to streamline its operations, reorganize and reduce its workforce during the fourth quarter in a move that will cost the company $20 million to $25 million."

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Har.../18/id/754026/

Been using my '06 custom roadliner for daily rides (it has 65K miles) Was thinking about getting a used breakout or Indian Classic for my short 100 mile Sat or Sun rides up / down the coast or thru the canyons. Though I'm digging the B on the shorter runs though it's just a beast in day to day commuter traffic - especially here in So CAL. Whewwwww daddy. But, The tours? The B is wicked !!

[F6B1911]

I'd be curious if the H-D market is fully saturated, or if Indian cut into their sales?

[willtill]

Hard to say.

[adventurous1]

Depending on which reports one reads Indian / Victory has captured 8 to 10 and up to 15 % of the V-Twin market. Who knows?

Last October-ish HD's CEO said they were cutting back 250 employees (about 4 %), now a year later, more cut backs.

Even if Victory and Indian collectively sold 30 to 40K bikes in a yr that's easily 15 to 20 % of HD's U.S. sales (185K ish). So yeah, guess Polaris is making a dent. Just have to keep turning out bullet proof bikes. "Build it, and he will come." to quote a movie phrase. And on that note, Polaris marketing team might want to keep spending $$$$ for product placement in movies and TV.

[unsub]

Is their demographic just getting too old and either dropping off the sport altogether or moving over to a more relaxed ride? Seems to me HD went through a similar cycle (no pun intended) in the late eighties when they reinvented the "bad" image and lured the younger generation in.

Regardless of who is at the helm of HD they seem pretty much stuck in the 20th century with their product.

[Retired Army]

Now for the burning question. Will Harley move production out side of the U.S.?

[BIGLRY]

Now for the burning question. Will Harley move production out side of the U.S.?

they did that many years ago. Back in 1929, Harley-Davidson contracted with a manufacturing plant in Hiroshina, Japan. Rikuo Internal Combustion Company produced actual Harley-Davidson models that carried the Harley-Davidson label, for use by Japanese military and police. Rikuo continued under contract until 1958.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles are also made in Manaus, Brazil. The factory there opened in 1998 and continues to produce Harley models for the Brazilian market.
In 2011, the company announced plans to open a factory in India to produce the new Street 500 & 750 models

Leaving out the facilities that are corporate, financial, or sales and administrative locations, we end up with a list of Harley’s manufacturing and assembly plants per the Harley Davidson website:
◦Menominee Falls, Wisconsin - Powertrain
◦Tomahawk, Wisconsin - Windshields, composite plastic parts
◦Kansas City, Missouri - Assembly, Powertrain
◦York, Pennsylvania - Fabrication, Paint, Final Assembly
◦Manaus, Brazil - CKD* Assembles models sold in Brazil
◦Bawal, India - Manufacture of Street models for India, Italy, Spain, and Portugal

*CKD means complete knockdown. Models are basically built in the US, for example, and reassembled in the country where the bikes are sold.


Technically speaking, Harley-Davidson motorcycles sold in the United States are not actually made here, but assembled here. Harley contracts manufacturing of parts to plants located all over the world, including Germany, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, and Mexico. Those parts are then shipped to Harley factories here. So, where are Harley-Davidson motorcycles made? All over the world, actually, but those sold in America, are assembled here in the United States, using a lot of foreign made parts.
At least for now, anyway.

http://backintheusa.us/articles2.php...harleydavidson

[VStarRider]

This is an interesting discussion on many levels.

No brand screams "American Made" more than Harley-Davidson. Ironically, like everything else manufactured in the world today, its parts come from multiple locations and are funneled to a U.S.-based assembly plant (for U.S. sold bikes)...but they still get credit for being American-made. Yet, despite the global nature of H-D, if they moved one of the assembly plants to Mexico or another location, the perception would shift and there would be significant backlash.

[jm21ddd15]

This is an interesting discussion on many levels.

No brand screams "American Made" more than Harley-Davidson. Ironically, like everything else manufactured in the world today, its parts come from multiple locations and are funneled to a U.S.-based assembly plant (for U.S. sold bikes)...but they still get credit for being American-made. Yet, despite the global nature of H-D, if they moved one of the assembly plants to Mexico or another location, the perception would shift and there would be significant backlash.

The company "Henry Repeating Rifle Co", products are entirely 100 percent made in the US. Their motto is "Made in America, or not made at all". All manufacturing and assembly is done in our country. But, I wonder where they buy the raw steel from? I will check into this.

[Deer Slayer]

Spyder is cutting in as old riders chose third wheel.