Comments on: Is Any Motorcycle Company Indispensable?

By: Ozarksbum

Ozarksbum — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:00:32 +0000

I should preface this with the fact that a whole lot of people will be upset with my opinion, but I feel it should at least be food for thought. Going totally against the American grain, I think HD could be the most likely candidate to either scale back significantly or drop out for a while. This is based on its pricing, its sometimes reluctance to listen to its clientele, and its tremendous variety of models. Everyone knows a 1200 cc Sportster name, but all those other options with five and six initials just discourage newbies from even entering the store. In addition, there is a noticeable change, to a rather “elitist” demeanor and atmosphere in most HD storefronts. In some stores I have been in, you would think you had just entered some ta ta store on Rodeo Drive.
HD seems to be having some problems lately, as seen in the news and the genre publications. Yes, it is an American icon; yes, almost all of us would like to own one; and yes, some models can be head turners. But this company that reinvented itself ten or so years ago seems to feel it has become the Ferrari of bikes. Unless it can reduce its pricing, it will continue to see competitive inroads from Asian and European bikes.

By: Mark X

Mark X — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:34:11 +0000

“…..A bad actor who struts and frets his hour apon the stage and then is heard no more. A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signafying nothing.”
Wm. S.

By: bblix

bblix — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:22:47 +0000

@Joe

I know for a fact that there are many a H-D motorcycles that only make it as far as the computer rendering stage, then a few more that only go as far as mock-ups…There’s loads of “computer speak, political and technical gobbeldey gook” that goes on to get any design into production.

By: Fireworks

Fireworks — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:14:44 +0000

@Joe How exactly so you think that the fine piece of engineering your riding was designed and by who?

By: Boog

Boog — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:16:30 +0000

@coho

You are exactly right. We have had the technology to do many useful things for some time now but, alas, things seem to be driven by money and politicians. I cannot understand the attitude of “why are we spending this money to bring back a few rocks from the Moon?”. I guess we would never have expanded out to the west coast if this way of thinking had prevailed back in the 1800′s. It is indeed “people” that have held back progress…