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Originally posted by CQB60:
The era of the big bike is setting like the sun. HD’s success will come from growth in its core business outside the US. This will require product diversification & innovation. This will also mean smaller bikes & perhaps a line of ATV work type vehicles? That concept would be an interesting fit in pac rim nations and India.

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Originally posted by PowerSurge:

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Originally posted by CQB60:
The era of the big bike is setting like the sun. HD’s success will come from growth in its core business outside the US. This will require product diversification & innovation. This will also mean smaller bikes & perhaps a line of ATV work type vehicles? That concept would be an interesting fit in pac rim nations and India.

Harley can’t compete with those ATV and other work type atv companies already in the market. They could never build a product with the same or better quality and/or with a competitive price.

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Originally posted by PowerSurge:

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Originally posted by CQB60:
The era of the big bike is setting like the sun. HD’s success will come from growth in its core business outside the US. This will require product diversification & innovation. This will also mean smaller bikes & perhaps a line of ATV work type vehicles? That concept would be an interesting fit in pac rim nations and India.

Harley can’t compete with those ATV and other work type atv companies already in the market. They could never build a product with the same or better quality and/or with a competitive price.

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Originally posted by Cousin Vinnie:
As a former long time Harley rider, I say F*CK HARLEY! My first Harley was a 1953 Pan Head with the Mouse Trap clutch assembly, and over the decades, I had many of the various Harley models. Stuck up, arrogant, ignorant dealerships have soured me on Harley in favor of import models instead. As far as I'm concerned, Harley is getting what they deserve and I for one can care less if they go belly up! Harleys are overpriced, under performing dinosaurs that have seen their day come and go a couple times, but I think the final nail may be in their coffin??

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Originally posted by PowerSurge:
The Live Wire failure is just one issue. There’s a lot more to it than that. The market for Harleys is drying up. People want smaller, more reliable and better handling bikes. Their continually dropping sales numbers prove it. Getting rid of him is just rearranging deck chairs on the titanic.

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I've long felt bad about Indian's demise as I would have loved to have seen them survive to compete in today's marketplace.

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Originally posted by calugo:

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Originally posted by PowerSurge:
The Live Wire failure is just one issue. There’s a lot more to it than that. The market for Harleys is drying up. People want smaller, more reliable and better handling bikes. Their continually dropping sales numbers prove it. Getting rid of him is just rearranging deck chairs on the titanic.

I think it's to early to consider the Livewire a failure since it just recently started arriving at dealerships. From what I read the Livewire is a test bed with other less expensive E-bikes to follow. While HD is struggling it's also true that motorcycle sales across the board have declined so it's not only HD that has seen a decline in sales although their sales have suffered more of a decline than other brands.

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Originally posted by PowerSurge:

There’s no debating the current Live Wire for sale is a failure, test bed or not. Makes no difference if some of the technology is going to be used in other bikes. Besides, what does that say about HD if they’re beta testing the tech on their customers’ bikes?

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Originally posted by shovelhead:
... the Oldsmobile Diesel, ...

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Originally posted by shovelhead:

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Originally posted by PowerSurge:

There’s no debating the current Live Wire for sale is a failure, test bed or not. Makes no difference if some of the technology is going to be used in other bikes. Besides, what does that say about HD if they’re beta testing the tech on their customers’ bikes?

You can say that for just about any vehicle manufacturer here and abroad. Almost a half century in GM dealerships showed me that. The 700R4 transmission of the 80's, the Oldsmobile Diesel, Quad 4 engine, the 3.6 V6 that replaced the bulletproof 3800 V6, the Cadillac ATS are just a few of the standouts.

My thoughts for what they are worth, there has to be a end to the mantra that anybody can do any job. There is a need for people in the boardroom, engineering and marketing who take an interest in the product not just from a financial point but an emotional point. Like Vaughn Beals and the group that bought H-D from AMF.

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:

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Originally posted by shovelhead:
... the Oldsmobile Diesel, ...

One of my best friends had one of those turkeys. Jebus, what a POS that was.

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Originally posted by stickman428: