Harley profits cut in half

[YamaDuck]

I feel Harley will come through this. Even though I will probably never own a Harley ( because of the very reasons mentioned above) price, quality, etc., etc. I certainly hope and pray they stay in business. I have never owned an Indian either but it saddens me they went out of business. Can you imagine a country without Harley's. It just would not be the same. Hopefully the devoted following that Harley has built over the years will keep their company solvent and they will be able to expand their business again when times are better. But all this well wishing on my part is just that. Harley will have to get by without my help but I really hope they do.

 

 

Harry:bluesbrother:

[Snarley Bill]

harley getting through this is the least of our worries. the housing industry, auto industry, banking industry, and many other big businesses most likely will not get through this. so far i have all my apples in the right cart. i was talking with my banker the other day at one of the most stable banks in this country bank of america. things are starting to concern them. i personally can't see a financial recovery. this country is in to deep doo doo borrowing money from other countries like china. i would like to see a financial recovery, but dreaming ain't going to make it happen. the great depression was a mere pittance compared to where the country is now. we did'nt owe the rest of the world back then, our debt and problems were mostly internal and life and business were much simpler. we are in deep s%&t. and i don't see anyone being able to dig us out. dreams just ain't going to work this time. the snow ball rolling down the hill is getting bigger every minute.

[nelsonrl]

Well, I guess I will put on my parade attire and spend more time riding my inferior bike. Not sure how this got to another post of bashing a bike by people who have not owned one for many years. Just a reminder, dealerships are owned by individuals like you and me, not the big corporate organization, so every time a dealership goes under, many people like us loose jobs.

 

Every one of us can talk about someone who knew someone that read a story about failed engines and bad dealership experiences.

 

Folks, sorry to say its time for me to go. I am a member on several sites, and I never seem to find one that takes as much pleasure in bashing another brand as this one.

 

Don and mods - feel free to modify or delete this post. You have built a good community of Yamaha owners here, but its getting pretty plain to see that my skin is not thick enough for the number of thinly veiled insults to those of us who love to ride a Harley Davidson. So - thanks to those who have made me feel welcome here - maybe we will meet on the rode somewhere - be glad to ride with you.

[ediddy]

The loyal following of harley is their main problem. The loyal following is getting old and won't be riding many more years. The rich yuppies bought harleys because it was a fad. That fad is over now. The younger generation can't afford a harley and don't have any loyalty to harley. There is even resentment toward harley by a lot of their older loyal riders. They liked it when the harley dealer was in a smaller shop where you go go hang out and talk motorcyles, smell the gas and oil. Now the dealer is a million dollar botique.

[CrazyHorse]

in harleys defense, i was at a harley showroom last week and they had so many models to choose from of which some i liked and some i did'nt like. it seems like they had a style for everyone. the quality and finish was impecable. the paint jobs and chrome were show quality. i just can't get past the archaic engineering, although they have come a long way in that area. nothing wrong with the v-twin if thats what you like. but lets see some watercooling, overhead cams, 4 valves per cyl., a unit construction engine, and a shaft drive. as expensive as the harley is these should all be standard. get rid of the roller bearing lower end on the motor and go to a high pressure lube system and plain bearings. roller bearings are nice but don't have the longgevity of plain bearings do to corrosion and pitting. i have alot of experience with harley lower ends. rebuilt a few in my day. the price does'nt. seem as out of line as it once did. the bike does have that hand built look and finish. they are a work of visual art. my wing listed for over $20,000, and when you think about it i can almost by 2 cars for that. i think most all bike prices are getting over the top. just my 2 cents. bill

 

 

Its called the VROD but Harleyphiles dont like it Its not a true Harley whatever that means. If they put the VROD motor in a Road Glide I might consider a Harley the only one I would consider.

[ventureblue]

I have nothing against Harley's it's a beautiful well made bike. But don't compare the best price you can find on a Harley's with some nut trying to sell a Royal Star for $3,000 dollars over MSRP. I can find you a brand new 08 RSV write now for under $16,000. So lets compare apples to apples. Harley's have come a long way with quality since the days of AMC or however it was that almost ruined Harley. Harley is lucky they survived that and if it were not for their loyal customers they would be out of business right now. Any company in the world would love to have the following that Harley has. Harley has the best marketing I have ever seen. I wish the other motorcycle companies had the same quality of marketing. Harley has the best selection of any dealer and the best after market parts for there machines. Like I said before if they were priced like the Jap bikes I would have one sitting right next to my Yamahas, but they are not. And to be honest with you if they did what it takes to be priced like the Jap bikes there quality would go down.

 

 

 

I have to agree. Just go to your local Yama Dealer and try to buy parts or clothes or anything for you r RSV. GOOD LUCK. Here in southern Md the only thing i got from the dealer was a liscense plate frame and a HARD TIME with the warrenty work. Almost al;l my buds ride HD's and they love them. Me, i bought the RSV FOR OTHER REASONS. I tell the all that HD has the market because the have marketing. just my 2 cents.

[Condor]

 

Folks, sorry to say its time for me to go. I am a member on several sites, and I never seem to find one that takes as much pleasure in bashing another brand as this one.

 

 

Are you kidding me?? Try riding a 1stGen for a while.

Sorry you feel that way Rick, but I personally know that any criticism is done in 'rib poking' gest, or for the sake of conversation. I also know that if a member of this board needs help or advice there'll be plenty of it offered. It's unfortunate for you that this board is mainly Venture oriented, and there has been a lot of discussion about Harleys over the years, both positive and negitive, but that's life and ya gotta roll with it. Hope you stick around.

[Venturous Randy]

The loyal following of harley is their main problem. The loyal following is getting old and won't be riding many more years. The rich yuppies bought harleys because it was a fad. That fad is over now. The younger generation can't afford a harley and don't have any loyalty to harley. There is even resentment toward harley by a lot of their older loyal riders. They liked it when the harley dealer was in a smaller shop where you go go hang out and talk motorcyles, smell the gas and oil. Now the dealer is a million dollar botique.

 

There have been a lot of good comments here and some Harley bashing, but I have to agree with this comment as much as any of them. Well said ediddy.

Harley may not have the returns to it's investors like it used to, but who does.

RandyA

[BoomerCPO]

I don't mean to throw gas on the fire here BUT.......I visited 3 separate Harley Dealers in my area to check out various Harley parts which I was told would be compatible on my Venture.

 

The attitudes I encountered at these HD Dealerships convinced me that even if I won the Powerball Lottery I would NOT be buying any HD motorcycle in my lifetime. Snobbish Prima Donna's is a mild description.....Guess I should not have ridden my Venture onto the hallowed ground of their Dealerships.

 

In closing....A lot of my personal friends ride Harleys....and they are NOT snobs nor pass judgement on me for what I choose to ride.

[YamaDuck]

Well, I guess I will put on my parade attire and spend more time riding my inferior bike. Not sure how this got to another post of bashing a bike by people who have not owned one for many years. Just a reminder, dealerships are owned by individuals like you and me, not the big corporate organization, so every time a dealership goes under, many people like us loose jobs.

 

Every one of us can talk about someone who knew someone that read a story about failed engines and bad dealership experiences.

 

Folks, sorry to say its time for me to go. I am a member on several sites, and I never seem to find one that takes as much pleasure in bashing another brand as this one.

 

Don and mods - feel free to modify or delete this post. You have built a good community of Yamaha owners here, but its getting pretty plain to see that my skin is not thick enough for the number of thinly veiled insults to those of us who love to ride a Harley Davidson. So - thanks to those who have made me feel welcome here - maybe we will meet on the rode somewhere - be glad to ride with you.

Rick we've never met and I haven't been posting long but I hope you are not serious about leaving. I think Harley's are beautiful bikes. I have friends that ride Harley's and they will ride with me even though I ride Yamaha's, but They will not invite me to any evens they go to because they are afraid of the ridicule they will get for riding in with a Yamaha. Yes I admit there is some Harley bashing by some members but there are a lot taking up for Harley's also. I can guarantee if a Yamaha ride went to some of the Harley forums they would get bashed. This is a Venture site so naturally there is going to be some bashing of other brands and most of that is going to be Harley's. There is a lot of envy because Harley does have such a great following. The main thing that Harley gets bashed for is price. I have heard a lot of people talk about how well the Harley's quality has improved over the years. Even my die hard friends who own Harley's and will never own anything else joke about having to ride around with a tool box. I know their kidding and so does everyone else but it comes from the past when Harley wasn't as dependable. I really hope you change your mind and stay. Yes things are going to rub you the wrong way but I'll bet there is not one Yamaha rider in this forum that wants you to see you go.

 

 

Harry:bang head:

[Guest cyote61]

OK, facts and fairness.

#1 Don't know Harley unless you've had one and then feel like you need too. That's fair! I owned a brand new one back in 1980 and it was the biggest piece of crap that was ever built and Harley did not give a damn that it was. Lesson learned.

 

#2 If you study why Harley is having a bad time, then get into the real facts which are easy to find. Their financing division is whats making them them loose their butt and has been. They made a ton of bad or weak loans and now people are not paying their payments. How do you think they could sell all those slightly over priced bikes with rubber mounted archaic engines? Facts are facts. Furthermore, their finance division is up for sale of you want to add to your losses.

[Jerry W]

Well, I guess I will put on my parade attire and spend more time riding my inferior bike. Not sure how this got to another post of bashing a bike by people who have not owned one for many years. Just a reminder, dealerships are owned by individuals like you and me, not the big corporate organization, so every time a dealership goes under, many people like us loose jobs.

 

Every one of us can talk about someone who knew someone that read a story about failed engines and bad dealership experiences.

 

Folks, sorry to say its time for me to go. I am a member on several sites, and I never seem to find one that takes as much pleasure in bashing another brand as this one.

 

Don and mods - feel free to modify or delete this post. You have built a good community of Yamaha owners here, but its getting pretty plain to see that my skin is not thick enough for the number of thinly veiled insults to those of us who love to ride a Harley Davidson. So - thanks to those who have made me feel welcome here - maybe we will meet on the rode somewhere - be glad to ride with you.

 

The flaming and bashing are the reason I don't usually sign in and have pretty much quit posting. I will look you up next time I an in your area, anytime you are up in the panhandle, give me a call. I have beer.

[Guest cyote61]

The flaming and bashing are the reason I don't usually sign in and have pretty much quit posting. I will look you up next time I an in your area, anytime you are up in the panhandle, give me a call. I have beer.

 

I see no flaming and bashing going on here at all. Opinions are being stated like free Americans are allowed to do. I've owned other bikes besides Harley and Yamaha, and if this thread was about one of them I owned and didn't think were so good, then I'd post that also. I don't care whether its a Harley or any other bike.

 

Frankly Scarlett, I like hearing about others experiences with bikes, you can learn a lot. I've heard a few horror stories about my 07 RSV also, and that helped me fix a few things before something fell off.

[ediddy]

I'm sorry if you thought I was bashing harley. The things I said were taken from the harley tech talk web site. I signed up for the site because I was hot to trade my venture for an ultra classic and I wanted to see what harley riders were saying about their bikes. What I said about harley here was taken from that site. Some of the harley guys even have the site listed where you could read the news organizations articles about harley's problems. I wasn't trying to bash harley but give you the facts about harley. If you can't take anyone talking about harley don't go on harley tech talk. One of my harley friends goes on the harley tech talk web site and thats why I chose it because he was always talking about what a good site it was. When he found out I was going on that site he said, "now you may wonder why some of those guys own a harley", meaning they get down on the mo co pretty hard. The harley riders are the ones that complain about the crank being made out of silly putty, not me. I was just repeating what the harley riders were saying. I still would like to have an ultra classic but I want to wait and see how the 09's turn out. Some of the harley riders have even said its time for Wille G to retire. I didn't think I would ever hear a harley rider say that. But it wasn't me it was harley riders. Sometime I get upset when I'm on the harley site but I just let it go. There was a thread started about the new honda chopper. There were many favorable comments but some that rubbed me the wrong way. One guy said he would rather push his harley that ride a honda. Another guy said the honda chopper looked better than the "piece of crap rocker that harley has." I didn't leave the site over that comment I just let it go. No matter where you go there is always going to be someone you don't agree with.

[Guest cyote61]

Harley Test Ride

 

http://cycletownusa.com/HarleyInetcycletown.htm

 

 

:rotf::rotf:

[Snarley Bill]

Well, I guess I will put on my parade attire and spend more time riding my inferior bike. Not sure how this got to another post of bashing a bike by people who have not owned one for many years. Just a reminder, dealerships are owned by individuals like you and me, not the big corporate organization, so every time a dealership goes under, many people like us loose jobs.

 

Every one of us can talk about someone who knew someone that read a story about failed engines and bad dealership experiences.

 

Folks, sorry to say its time for me to go. I am a member on several sites, and I never seem to find one that takes as much pleasure in bashing another brand as this one.

 

Don and mods - feel free to modify or delete this post. You have built a good community of Yamaha owners here, but its getting pretty plain to see that my skin is not thick enough for the number of thinly veiled insults to those of us who love to ride a Harley Davidson. So - thanks to those who have made me feel welcome here - maybe we will meet on the rode somewhere - be glad to ride with you.

hey rick, your to soft skinned. don't let us get to you. you think harley gets bashed, can you say crotch rocket. nobody cuts me slack when i talk about my crotch rockets. i don't care cuz i just jump in the middle of their crap and then i get it off my chest and we are good friends again. we are all friends no matter what we ride. if someone gets to you, throw it right back. thats what i do. thats why i'm snarley bill. bill

[Snarley Bill]

I see no flaming and bashing going on here at all. Opinions are being stated like free Americans are allowed to do. I've owned other bikes besides Harley and Yamaha, and if this thread was about one of them I owned and didn't think were so good, then I'd post that also. I don't care whether its a Harley or any other bike.

 

Frankly Scarlett, I like hearing about others experiences with bikes, you can learn a lot. I've heard a few horror stories about my 07 RSV also, and that helped me fix a few things before something fell off.

you are right on. the thing is there are alot of real harley riders out there like rick, and then there are the wannabe's which i call weekend warriors. that have to get the tattoo's , uniform ,and the whole nine yards. but ya know what, they are doing their thing just like us. if thats what makes them happy then so be it. who am i to judge what people should do for fun. bike bashing will go on forever. and it don't bother me a bit. when i pull into the biker bar on my zx-14. the wanna be's on all brands look down there nose at me like i'm a snot nosed kid on my first bike. then when i take my helmet off they see this 66 year old fart and really think i'm a newby. then i think you got a problem sonny. bring it on. i don't let it bother me. it's kind of fun in a way. bill

[Venturous Randy]

Hey rick, you think the Harley guys get bashed, just look at what us 1st genners have to put up with.

RandyA

[Guest BluesLover]

I am a member on several sites, and I never seem to find one that takes as much pleasure in bashing another brand as this one.

Rick - I fully concur with you on this. I too belong to a number of other sites. One of the things that has been very clear to me over the past 5 months or so since I have been on the Harley sites, is that the bashing of non-HD products is negligible. Can't say the same in the opposite direction here.

 

I loved my RSV, and for all the reasons that I knew to be the right ones, I chose to make an Ultra my next bike when the RSV was written off. On Oct 7 of 2008 I was a Venture owner, and on Oct 24 I was a Harley owner. I guess that over that 2 week period I must have changed drastically, 'cause now I wear "parade" clothing and ride an HD???!!! And, as was posted in another thread, thank the lord there is a Venture Rally happening in August and not an HD rally 'cause otherwise y'all would have to be mindful of the kiddies at the Rally just in case some of the "XXX HD talk" slips out?!

 

Gimme a break folks - people are people. There are good ones and there are bad ones (good and bad all being relative and meaning different things to different people), regardless of the group they hang with. I only wish I could have worn Yamaha "parade" clothing, but alas Yamaha didn't have the wherewithall to think it would be a money maker for them. HD and HD owners are an easy target partly because there are so many more of them than of any other brand. So, of course, when a large group gets together, you're likely to run into more of the bad ones (and by the way, there will also be more of the good ones).

 

And yes, maybe I too am too "soft-skinned". Some people get off on putting others down who don't happen to align with their train of thought. They will find any and all reasons to "stir the pot" or to "play the devil's advocate" - but no, I won't stoop down to the level of just giving it back - it isn't my style.

 

There are people on this site that I admire and respect and will continue to be friends with regardless of what bike they ride, or even if they ride at all.

 

Cheers.

[GeorgeS]

Mellow out guys's, lets just all go for a ride ----

[YamaDuck]

Hey guys take a chill pill. Haley's riders have an image as being big, tough, who gives a s@%$t attitude. Don't quit the forum because you read something you don't like. Give it right back or take it in the friendly poking fun it was meant to be. One of you guys do me a favor, take one of the Harley forums you are a member of and put a thread on the titled, I'm thinking of getting rid of my Ultra and thinking of buying a Yamaha Venture. Would like any recommendations. Then post the Yamaha bashing on this site. I'll bet you'll have plenty to post. So come on and loosen up a little. I guarantee that the Yamaha owners wish they had the same comradely that the Harley owners have. I'll admit it. There are dedicated Venture owners (and I'm one of them) but nothing compared to Harley. Come on take a deep breath and smile. You know you have met a lot of good people in this club.

 

 

Harry

[Ferrantelli]

Rick, please do not take it personally. I am just venting on how some biker & dealers have made me feel in the past, as if is not a Harley it is not worth riding. My best friend has a Harley (last year it was a BMW). I can't think of anyone else I rather ride with. But I know Joe for about 25 years, he just does not care, he would get on a moped as long as we ride. And for what it is worth I only post here and to another web site "XT225". I think highly of everyone here otherwise I would not. Stick around and hopefully will go riding together. XOXO

ps. I'll carry the tools! I just could not resist:rotf:

[Ferrantelli]

This is me and Joe first with the BMW and then with the Harley.

We look good don't we!!!