Harley-Davidson shares skid after sales miss

Thats not half bad, its all bad

mightymike82: Harley-Davidson shares skid after sales miss

Thats not half bad, its all bad

[encrypted-tbn1.google.com image 259x195]

HAHAHA!

I used to want a Harley because it was symbolic of being a rebel

/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

MaudlinMutantMollusk:
/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

I'd have thought the desperate aging-badly-and-insecurely retiring boomer wave would keep Harley Davidson afloat, especially given the increasing number of fat, old, suburbanites I've seen riding them.

kmmontandon: MaudlinMutantMollusk:
/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

I'd have thought the desperate aging-badly-and-insecurely retiring boomer wave would keep Harley Davidson afloat, especially given the increasing number of fat, old, suburbanites I've seen riding them.

I think that's what's kept them going this long. I have friends that not only own Harleys, but they also own every bit of gear and apparel available. As usual with things like this, people wind up demonstrating their individuality by being exactly like everyone else

/If I were going to buy a bike now, I'd be looking at a Hayabusa
//out of my way, old guys
///old guy

MaudlinMutantMollusk:
I think that's what's kept them going this long. I have friends that not only own Harleys, but they also own every bit of gear and apparel available. As usual with things like this, people wind up demonstrating their individuality by being exactly like everyone else


See, I grew up in a household where my father had been riding since the early '70s, and built the bikes himself. Our living room was frequently a "put the engine together" shop with lots of newspaper laid down, and the garage was used for paint-jobs. He was a part of the sub-culture for decades, until he sold his last bike in '94, because things had just changed too much - too many yuppies who couldn't name four parts on their bike if you spotted them the handlebars.

He just couldn't deal with people who couldn't tell the difference between a panhead and a shovelhead, and most of his biker friends were nearing retirement age anyways.

Me, I couldn't stay upright on a motorcycle if my life depended on it ... and I'm definitely not a member of the Cult of Engine Noise.

Investing in Harley-Davidson means buying a bike, accessories, tools, manuals, black t-shirts and such. Not actually buying stocks and bonds. That's been a given since before the AMF days.

//Yeah, I have some shares, but for kicks, not for profit.

kmmontandon: MaudlinMutantMollusk:
I think that's what's kept them going this long. I have friends that not only own Harleys, but they also own every bit of gear and apparel available. As usual with things like this, people wind up demonstrating their individuality by being exactly like everyone else


See, I grew up in a household where my father had been riding since the early '70s, and built the bikes himself. Our living room was frequently a "put the engine together" shop with lots of newspaper laid down, and the garage was used for paint-jobs. He was a part of the sub-culture for decades, until he sold his last bike in '94, because things had just changed too much - too many yuppies who couldn't name four parts on their bike if you spotted them the handlebars.

He just couldn't deal with people who couldn't tell the difference between a panhead and a shovelhead, and most of his biker friends were nearing retirement age anyways.

Me, I couldn't stay upright on a motorcycle if my life depended on it ... and I'm definitely not a member of the Cult of Engine Noise.

Props to your father; he and I are of a similar vintage

/I'd also like to develop a noise seeking missile that would lock onto and destroy unmuffled engines
//and hyper-bass stereos
///and car alarms
////get off my lawn

MaudlinMutantMollusk: I used to want a Harley because it was symbolic of being a rebel

/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

I worked at a Harley-Davidson dealership in college. You never knew if the guy coming in the door was a Hell's Angel or a proctologist, but you could tell after talking to them a bit. The Hell's Angels types were much nicer.

I fell in love with the Softails, though. I still want a Fat Boy from the mid-90s. That low saddle and solid wheel are gorgeous, and it's a fun ride.

Maybe if they hadn't kicked Erik Buell to the curb a few years back things might be better now.

Maybe if they made reasonably priced, good quality vehicles they wouldn't have this problem.

They don't make a bike I'm interested in riding, but I own some stock, so folks...if you're not going to buy a Harley, then at least stock up on HD t-shirts and bandannas and shot glasses and tank tops and refrigerator magnets and mouse pads and coffee mugs and barbeque aprons and bumper stickers and thongs.

Harley = $26000 vibrator.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: I have friends that not only own Harleys, but they also own every bit of gear and apparel available. As usual with things like this, people wind up demonstrating their individuality by being exactly like everyone else

Bingo. If you sample 100 riders of every other brand, you will find a diverse collection of gear, riding style/class, etc. With Harley, there's just one: Wear no helmet (or minimal novelty skull cap as required state-by-state) + $1000 in stupid fashion-weight, branded 'gear' that offers little to zero protection in the event of an accident.

I'm sorry to troll you guys, but Harley riders are, as a percentage, the biggest morons on the road. And that would be fine if you dolts weren't trying to tell me that loud pipes are a safety feature while fumbling through second gear out of the Hooters happy hour parking lot with a farking bandanna and some tassels to protect you.

Seriously, you guys are a joke, and you're not replenishing your rapidly aging fanbase with younger riders. Even Gen-Xers (like myself) who are approaching their 40s think you're lame. You are the Republican party of motorcycles.

/Triumph Speed Triple
//daily urban commuter for nearly 20 years
///by all means, come on in and defend HD as a company that does anything but sell an image

dickfreckle: ///by all means, come on in and defend HD as a company that does anything but sell an image

What's funny is that Harley is doing what all the business and marketing wonks say is the most important thing, extending the brand, building the brand etc. As Harley shows, perhaps the obsession with brands is not well founded.

WhyteRaven74: dickfreckle: ///by all means, come on in and defend HD as a company that does anything but sell an image

What's funny is that Harley is doing what all the business and marketing wonks say is the most important thing, extending the brand, building the brand etc. As Harley shows, perhaps the obsession with brands is not well founded.



(You knew it was coming.)

ecmoRandomNumbers: (You knew it was coming.)

yeah I did :)

As a general rule I'm rather indifferent to the Harley aesthetic. The faux-rebel "billet barge" thing just doesn't do it for me.

But I do have to say that the Sportster XR1200X is kind of intriguing. Probably the least "Harley" of their motorcycles. Not in the market for a new bike at the moment, but I'd at least give it a test drive if I were.

H-D had better start building a line of less expensive, lighter, good-handling bikes. Their only hope is to get young riders hooked by winning at the racetrack... somehow.

Robo Beat: But I do have to say that the Sportster XR1200X is kind of intriguing

Too bad they discontinued it, at least for the American market.

ecmoRandomNumbers: (You knew it was coming.)

My post was already so douchetastic (though I meant every word) that using Apple as a comparison would have set it on full fanboy fire. But yeah, I knew it was coming.

Personally, I think that Craigslist should combine Apple and Harley posts.

"MacbookPro, Intel Core Duo, 2 GBs RAM! 250GB HDD! It's made of aluminum, so $700." Because it doesn't really differ much from:

"Grossly overweight pushrod V-twin with some chrome bolted on, and most people laugh at your presumably small dick - $12,000."

CoonAce: Their only hope is to get young riders hooked by winning at the racetrack... somehow.

Well there are forms of motorcycle racing they do well at. Granted they'd be doing better in road racing if they hadn't shoved Erik Buell out the door. Now he's building his own racing bikes and starting to sell street bikes. Granted it doesn't help they're married to the V-twin engine design.

This was my dream bike when I first started riding

Yeah, yeah, I know....

Robo Beat: But I do have to say that the Sportster XR1200X is kind of intriguing. Probably the least "Harley" of their motorcycles.

For all my bashing, I'm actually a fan of this bike. The Sportster represented a kind of James Dean age of sporty motorcycles. A friend of mine rides a 1200C, which I also kinda dig. The 1200 Sporties are, in my opinion, the only decent machines HD makes. I would ride one with stock pipes and not feel like a tool. Hell, I'm dying for America to produce more motorcycles that are actually fun and even challenging to ride, because in the end I'd rather my money go to Wisconsin (and their worldwide suppliers, but still) than England or Germany as I've been doing for the past many years.



A better angle showing streetfighter cred



Looks an awful lot like a Speed Triple or Monster (I worship naked bikes). And I would totally ride that if I thought the company would stand behind it long-term. But given HD's history of gutting every project that puts function in front of form, why should I buy it? You guys all saw what happened to Erik Buell.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: This was my dream bike when I first started riding

Bronson was a cool mofo.

Warchild: MaudlinMutantMollusk: This was my dream bike when I first started riding

Bronson was a cool mofo.

*fistbump*

MaudlinMutantMollusk: I used to want a Harley because it was symbolic of being a rebel

/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

When I first started riding I wanted to buy a Sportster, for logical reasons...I was young, had no money, and could pick one up used for cheap. I was promptly told it was a "chick" bike, and no one would respect me if I rode one. Harley guys were talking about me dropping 15-20k, at least, if I wanted to fit in with other riders.

It was shortly after that I realized HD was a "lifestyle" company geared towards boomers with too much money. A lot of it is classic "keeping up with the Joneses" type stuff. My neighborhood is full of old guys who bought their bikes at around the same time, and now they collect dust in garages. Every once in a while -- on the warmest, driest day of the year -- I'll see one in head to toe leather, potato-potato-potatoing down to the local bar.

HD has had some genius marketing over the years, but they're toast if they can't attract younger blood. Hell, I might still buy one if they didn't cost more than my car.

CoonAce: H-D had better start building a line of less expensive, lighter, good-handling bikes. Their only hope is to get young riders hooked by winning at the racetrack... somehow.

Not even the track, man. I've been a huge Triumph triple fan (1050) for years, despite them not being designed to race competitively. You get a bunch of the top-end from a Japanese four and most of the torque from a twin, all in a city-friendly, badass package. I don't need to race; I just want real-world usability. So here we are.

Man, you can grab a handful at 4k and the jezebel just launches through whatever is annoying you. If you're not careful it's like hell splitting open the Earth. Not technically on par with pure superikes, but the very definition of usable streetfighter you can commute on.

/how farking often do I go 190 mph? Well, never, because my bike won't but still:
//how often do I even go 120?...it's all in the linear power curve you can use in the city

BIKE THREAD

MaudlinMutantMollusk: I used to want a Harley because it was symbolic of being a rebel

/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

Buy an older Ducati... Buy a grinder and welder and a decent set of tools, cut, chop, and customize it till you can step back and call it your own. Buy the service manual and learn how to do your own work, never take it to a shop for repair or service... Fix it yourself. Ride the piss out of it...



You'll be a much happier individual in the end without having to plunk down 30 grand for an 'image'. And you'll have some awesome stories along the way.

/bought new in 1996
//it's been a wild crazy ride that H.s.T would be proud of

MaudlinMutantMollusk: now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown

One day children in this country will ask, "Daddy daddy, where are a;; the jobs?"
And the Boomer Spawn will have to say, "Sorry Son, Sorry Daughter, we spent them all away on foreign products"
"Now finish your boot soup, we're a 3rd world country now."

Have a friend who owns an '04-ish Harley. Nice-looking, but it seems like every time we go to their house, something's wrong with that damned bike.

RickyWilliams'sBong: Have a friend who owns an '04-ish Harley. Nice-looking, but it seems like every time we go to their house, something's wrong with that damned bike.

That's likely because the owner doesn't understand the concept of maintenance. For all the sh*t I dish about HD, reliability really isn't their issue these days.

People forget that motorcycles aren't Accords that you just drive into the ground while getting groceries. They need very specific care on a regular basis. So, for the one pro-Harley post you'll ever hear me utter: Maybe your friend is derelict in duty, or a not cut out to own a bike.

moike: Buy an older Ducati...


I knew you'd show up with that pic! I love your bike.

Had a 900SS for just a couple of months. It was a fling. Nothing - and I mean nothing, son - sounds like a Ducati twin when provoked. And that's coming from a long-time Eurotard. It's better than sex.

dickfreckle:
I knew you'd show up with that pic! I love your bike.

Had a 900SS for just a couple of months. It was a fling. Nothing - and I mean nothing, son - sounds like a Ducati twin when provoked. And that's coming from a long-time Eurotard. It's better than sex.

Non motorcyclists always ask me what it's like to ride my Monster, what the appeal is... What makes the risk of death worth the reward... I tell them, "Imagine you're buck naked, straddling the cowling of a P51-D Mustang as it's flying wide-farking-open at triple-digit-speeds ten feet off the deck... A bottle of whiskey in one hand, and Van Halen's 'Panama' blaring in the background... You'll get somewhere close to what I feel ripping around on this Ducati every single time I take it out for a spin."

Every time I take it out... I grin like a lunatic.

The other day I was in the bathroom taking a dump, and I let loose with some rather impressive sputtering mixed in with all the poo. Which left me to wonder; Is it that my flatulence sounds like a Harley, or do Harley's just sound like flatulence?

HD is a clothing company that sells a few bikes on the side.

moike: dickfreckle:
I knew you'd show up with that pic! I love your bike.

Had a 900SS for just a couple of months. It was a fling. Nothing - and I mean nothing, son - sounds like a Ducati twin when provoked. And that's coming from a long-time Eurotard. It's better than sex.

Non motorcyclists always ask me what it's like to ride my Monster, what the appeal is... What makes the risk of death worth the reward... I tell them, "Imagine you're buck naked, straddling the cowling of a P51-D Mustang as it's flying wide-farking-open at triple-digit-speeds ten feet off the deck... A bottle of whiskey in one hand, and Van Halen's 'Panama' blaring in the background... You'll get somewhere close to what I feel ripping around on this Ducati every single time I take it out for a spin."

Every time I take it out... I grin like a lunatic.

You had me at "Panama." You know my motor. You probably know the horrible things I've done while Panama piped in my helmet in the middle of nowhere.

She's runnin', I'm flyin'
Right behind in the rearview mirror now
Got the fearin', power steerin'
Pistons poppin', ain't no stoppin' now....

But nothing beats that intro. Once traffic is gone I blare it and I can feel the bike warming up with the song. You know what? You don't even want to know just how much Roth-era VH makes me peel what's left of the paint from old barns. I sour the milk of cows I pass. That's a Sunday afternoon.

And why I can't ride a cruiser with a straight face. Sorry, folks.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: I think that's what's kept them going this long. I have friends that not only own Harleys, but they also own every bit of gear and apparel available. As usual with things like this, people wind up demonstrating their individuality by being exactly like everyone else

Harley Davidson stores sell a standardized "non-conformist uniform".

They should also administer Steve Martin's non-conformist oath.

RickyWilliams'sBong: Have a friend who owns an '04-ish Harley. Nice-looking, but it seems like every time we go to their house, something's wrong with that damned bike.


98% of all Harley's ever made are still on the road.

The other 2% made it home.

Q: Why don't Harley riders wave back?
A: They are affraid to let go with even one hand.

Q: Why are Harley's so expensive?
A: The price includes the EPA fee for all the oil it will leak.

I heard the new Harley's come with a dog to keep you company while you are sitting on the side of the road.


/i keed

About 15 years ago I attended a technical conference where the VP of Engineering for Harley was the key note speaker. He came out in a suit but took his jacket off and put on a black leather vest before speaking. He shouted at us "if you don't understand Harley then you just don't get us." It was obvious at the time and more so since that Harley was selling an image. This is why people not only by the bike but every bottle opener and door mat they can, for a brief time while sitting on that bike they are rebel free rogues like Marlon Brando in The Wild One.* Harleys aren't so much a means of transportation but a prop in adult dress up and cosplay.

/* Brando rode a Triumph

CoonAce: H-D had better start building a line of less expensive, lighter, good-handling bikes. Their only hope is to get young riders hooked by winning at the racetrack... somehow.

Here in their backyard younger riders aren't the issue. Every putz with a room temperature IQ and that can show he makes $10/hr can get credit for a lower end HD to go cruising for white trash bimbos. So it devolves into the guys riding the hell out of them because they could get repo'ed at any moment and the jackasses in the suburbs who can't get to third without a manual.

While we're talking bikes and playing dress up I'm starting to see a lot of scooters that are styled like Moto GP bikes.

And,

Triumph is selling a Steve McQueen Bonneville for those who want to play Great Escape at home.

How do I know nobody RTFA?

Revenue was up. Earnings are up. Projections are up. The stock should have been up.

But then this last line...

The stock was among 140 stocks that the New York Stock Exchange was looking at in light of a series of bizarre trading moves that occurred during early trading due to "a technology issue" at Knight Capital Group (KCG).

Yes, it was the victim of an HFT pushing the stock down. A broken one at that.

/It was 106 yesterday, looking at 110 today
//Superman wouldn't fly in this weather.

Panic^tm brought to you by the folks who think that if a company's growth isn't limitless, they're a failure.

teto85: Investing in Harley-Davidson means buying a bike, accessories, tools, manuals, black t-shirts and such. Not actually buying stocks and bonds. That's been a given since before the AMF days.

//Yeah, I have some shares, but for kicks, not for profit.

You're a rebel.

moike: MaudlinMutantMollusk: I used to want a Harley because it was symbolic of being a rebel

/now it's symbolic of being a pretentious boomer assclown
//do not want

Buy an older Ducati... Buy a grinder and welder and a decent set of tools, cut, chop, and customize it till you can step back and call it your own. Buy the service manual and learn how to do your own work, never take it to a shop for repair or service... Fix it yourself. Ride the piss out of it...

[gallery.moike.net image 800x600]

You'll be a much happier individual in the end without having to plunk down 30 grand for an 'image'. And you'll have some awesome stories along the way.

/bought new in 1996
//it's been a wild crazy ride that H.s.T would be proud of

I dig it, the mounting of the rear turn signals is quite clever.

I had aspirations of turning my old TL1000 into a streetfighter back when I owned it, finding someplace clever to put the radiator overflow can sort of stopped me however.

kmmontandon

I'd have thought the desperate aging-badly-and-insecurely retiring boomer wave would keep Harley Davidson afloat, especially given the increasing number of fat, old, suburbanites I've seen riding them.


They're moving on to the Can-Am tricycles.