Comments on: Harley Davidson Closing Alabama Test Facility – Outsourcing Non Core Operations in York

By: Chris Robson

Chris Robson — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:58:40 +0000

Seems strange that since HD picked a new CEO (and a non rider) outside HD (from Johnson Controls), we are seeing fundimental business decision that go contrary to the motorcycle industry. I could see if the decisions made logical sense, but they don’t. We see blunder after blunder. Closing the testing facility in Alabama is just another monumental blunder when the new automotive hub of the USA is centered in Alabama. Hell, I would have closed York and built in the South where there is an abundance of engineering and manufacturing talent. The misconception that the South is a bunch of gun toting Red Necks is just that, a misconception. Alabama is a right to work state, that is not saying it is union free, but this is not the 30s and 40s where people needed union production for a safe work environment, the unions of the north killed manufacturing in the north and they forgot who signed their paycheck. Times change, so does the attitude of the American labor force need to change. For HD to move tesing to Arizona, now that is stupid, most of their operations are East or on the Mississippi River, logistically it does not make sense. Must be some bean counter friendly golf courses near by. Lastly, closing Buell was another monumental blunder, Erik Buell brought class, creative thinking, enginuity to the HD family, it goes to show you what kind of loons are running the show at HD now, to let a forward thinking company and individual slip through their fingers. The Corporate Pinheads think it is about the shareholders value. It’s about the Bikes stupid!

By: James

James — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:49:30 +0000

@Bob Lawrence

yes they did think of lowering the price of there motorcycle’s and they did, years ago, to the point of undercut the majority of the cruisers from Japan from hundreds to thousands for comparable bikes, the problem currently is not with the prices at all, but with the company ‘s reputation for expensive bikes something that they tried to promote in the late 90′s (and please do bring any reliability “issues” in to this, every company has made it’s far share of factory lemons and have a bad rep somewhere for it, even legends)

By: Bob Lawrence

Bob Lawrence — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:28:11 +0000

Did the Motor Company ever think to lower the price of motorcycles to sell more bikes and did the big wigs thank about a pay cut for them selves?

By: Devilish

Devilish — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:11:59 +0000

The profits that HD made during its best times ended up just like all the other companies profits. In the pockets of the shareholders. This country has basically profited itself into financial ruin. No company can survive if it doesn’t put money back into itself to keep its product apealing to buyers. The auto industry is prime example! We don’t make anything much anymore…on top of that everyone is a share holder, and to keep profits coming they have to send our jobs overseas to a cheaper labor base.

By: Jess

Jess — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:14:04 +0000

It seems to me a lot of posters have strayed from the subjact that Kneeslider brought to us.It was not for us to view personal preference it was about outsourcing,remember.Outsourcing,the practice of out of house manufacturing of product to companies who are most likely smaller in size less overhead and most important of all in need of the work for their workforce.