HD's 'ReWire' ramps up the pain

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[oldironnow]

Good luck to HD and their workers.

I have to 'rewire' my house, and it's will be an awful butchery mess.

[Fatfatboy]

That is a bummer to see. 500 for the USA with a total of 700 globally it seems.
 With sales being down there will unfortunately be cuts. They need to make a leaner HD to survive. I only hope the cuts are not just on “the floor”. There are some very highly paid people at the top that could take some cuts themselves.

I have nothing against a top board member making a healthy salary but if your company is slipping backwards so should your salaries.

[Fatfatboy]

Looks like the More Roads to Harley might have some dead ends.
https://youtu.be/uIxtbV2eggk

[oldironnow]

Fatfatboy wrote

Looks like the More Roads to Harley might have some dead ends.
https://youtu.be/uIxtbV2eggk

What're your thoughts on this rumored path they're taking?

[motogrady]

I don't see it as being all that bad.

I mean, come on, how are they gonna compete with those in the far off places like Rangoon or wherever.

Was talking to an old timer a few weeks ago.
Told me "everyone said back in the 50s they were gonna go belly up, same with the 80s. Don't believe a word they say.  They will be just fine."

Was kinda refreshing, a bit of optimism, in these trying times.

I think this new guy is good, a bit more realistic.

[Allred]

Hey, just my 2 cents, but I think that firstly, the lack of sales are due to circumstances beyond their control, a changing general outlook on motorcycles as recreational vehicles/transportation, a changing economy over the last 10+ years where wages have not kept up with inflation, and a current economy hampered by the corona virus, have created circumstances that pretty much no general manager can overcome.  

I believe that the too-modern approach of Levatich trying to "update Harley" to appeal to the "modern set" was doomed to failure, too many models, too radical a diversion from the base appeal of a Harley, I can't help but admire the effort and the intention, but I think it was a tangent to the true problem.

Layoffs are always unfortunate, devastating for those affected, and inevitable under these circumstances. Reductions of models may seem like a retrograde step but maybe a company such as Harley shouldn't have that many models in the first place, and I can't help but be cynical and suspect that Zeitz's knee-jerk reaction to cut 30% of the models may produce a 30% reduction of the very models that are the ones the public actually want..........how come this always seem to happen?

I think that Harley has to admit that they cannot compete in the modern market by leveraging/adapting/changing what they have into alternate markets, there are just too many other manufactures who are more successful in that genre. I think they should revert to what they know how, and that is to condense to a specialist manufacturer of American Cruiser motorcycles, and just have something like 4 or 5 base models, with a small selections of options, and try to appeal (again) to an exclusive clientele.

But hey, what do I know, opinions are easy to voice, aren't always right, and like "you-know-what", everyone has one.  I wouldn't like to be making important corporate decisions in this volatile environment.


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[Fatfatboy]

oldironnow wrote

What're your thoughts on this rumored path they're taking?

 My thoughts are, I'm glad I'm not a big corporate exec responsible for so much.

My right side of the brain thinks that HD should continue down the path of smaller more affordable options, sportier options and premium cruisers. Much like car manufacturers have cheap cars and high end cars. Yamaha does it, except they are not considered premium.
If Harley where to cheapen their brand could they still sell their premium style?

My left side thinks that HD should be a premium brand and stick with bikes that the every day man strives to own. This will mean less sales of course but I have to wonder, is it better to sell more for less or less for more?

 There is talk of Harley riders aging out but people have been aging out since the dawn of time so I'm not sure that is a big of an issue as I had originally thought but the fad is dying out so I think we will be seeing smaller dealers like it was before the 2000's when all the boutique dealers started springing up so instead of walking into a dealer and having a choice between eight different colors of each model there will be less to choose from on the floor. Maybe we just may be forced to actually have to order the bike of the color and options we want and have to wait for it. Oh the horror!!






 

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[Fatfatboy]

Mad4TheCrest wrote

 no discounts,,,,,, and getting a list of back orders to work,,,,,,, Will that work again?

I hope so. It will make my bikes worth more again.

[monkeyshines]

Since they're talking about shaving down the line-up of existing models, how many of the umpteen versions of Softail will survive. IMO they could drop the new fatboy, seems to have been a dud.

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[monkeyshines]

Mad4TheCrest wrote

monkeyshines wrote

Since they're talking about shaving down the line-up of existing models, how many of the umpteen versions of Softail will survive. IMO they could drop the new fatboy, seems to have been a dud.

I don't know about the fatboy, but the Fatbob was a disappointment, at least to me. The Fatbob 114 was pitched to me as the sportiest HD and exactly what a guy with my riding background needed. But when I sat on one in the dealers it didn't fit me in any way. I knew it would be crap moving because it was worse than crap sitting still. It was a shame because I could see good bits and pieces and the 'look' was fantastic, but ... damn, a swing and a miss. If you could take that bike, put on normal sized wheels, raise the seat a couple of inches,  put on a lowrider style bar, and shave off at least 30lbs in the process???

Pretty good summation. And still too easily drags the pegs, speaking of the pegs why they put forwards on a bike like that baffles me. The one softail that was the most dynamic to me is the Street Bob. Which seems odd considering the lack of a second disc on the front and wire wheels but to me is the most dynamic version, has standard peg location, and gave me a big grin riding it.

[motogrady]

https://www.carandbike.com/news/harley-davidson-bronx-streetfighter-removed-from-website-2281404

[oldironnow]

Ah, that sucks.

I was very tempted by the Bronx.

I will put it up on the shelf that holds my desire for the VR1000.

I'm just not their kind of customer.

[monkeyshines]

I'm thinking the Bronx was going to be too expensive to compete in this segment.

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[monkeyshines]

Mad4TheCrest wrote

monkeyshines wrote

I'm thinking the Bronx was going to be too expensive to compete in this segment.

Check out this MO piece about the removal of the Bronx. 273 comments to 'enjoy':


https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/goodbye-harley-davidson-bronx-streetfighter.html

That's the case with anything Harley, a few that may be interested and a ton of south park cosplayers. I'm not saying they shouldn't build it, I think they should. But if it winds up another case like the livewire, priced over the competition, they're going to get roasted. KTM and Triumph(including the soon to be released streetfighter) build their bikes in se asia, Harley doesn't have that option or again they'd get roasted.
I'm assuming but not sure if polaris builds the ftr here and don't know if there is a price gap with the competition, it seems popular in the press, is it selling I also don't know. They don't seem as point of origin sensitive either.
Harley still sells over 200,000 bikes a year, but their business model is an aspiration of 300,000 bikes per, I think that's their biggest hurdle right now, and they don't have a parent automobile or recreation vehicle company to absorb the bumps.

[Allred]

The more I look at the pictures of the Bronx the more I think it is the best looking bike HD has "made" in years, in fact probably the best looking bike anyone has "made" in years! So a double whammy regarding HD's cutbacks.

The Bronx does go against HD "sticking to what they know best", and I'm not sure that traditional Harley buyers would be tempted, but if the bike was as good as it looks in the promotional pics I think it would temp many non-Harley buyers into the fold.


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