HD mess | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

HD mess

The problem with HD is their shrinking market share with new riders. They market a lifestyle more so than the bike itself and the newer, younger generation of riders don't care about the specific image as much (or being hipsters, want a cafe ). There are those that will want one because of their dad, grandpa, etc but when you look at HD's image you think middle age rider reliving their youth decked in HD branded leathers.

They have started to try and capture the younger market with the Street series but it still comes down to the image. And yes, other manufacturers (Honda, Kawi, etc) market to certain demographics using lifestyle but since they also make a variety of styles of bikes, they have a much broader ranger to market towards.

Oh, and a 15% increase for the CEO with business declining?!? WTF is that about, where can I get me one of these jobs where if I do poorly I can get paid more?

They could do a lot for their image just by tinkering with their apparel line, since apparently so many HD riders get their gear with their bike. Just tone down the branding a bit, and maybe get some new designs. Stop every customer from leaving the lot with that black shirt with the orange stripe on it
 
Consider thier marketing, you see that black shirt with an orange stripe from 300ft away and you know its HD, like looking in your review mirror and seeing the small oval grills of a BMW, its pretty recognizable and that's powerful branding.

You also have to remember some of the HD logos (the shield one in particular) is not longer TM protected, its a free non licensed logo so it turns up on a million different crap products and locations. Many large brands do this, as well as licensing logo's to 'fring' manufactures, ie. the Kawasaki brand drill bits that have no connection other than name to Kawasaki.

Its a market process where you consider it more valuable to have your name everywhere and on all things than extremely protected ie; Rolex.
 
They are just people and often easily replacable. Most of the time you don't get these positions because of your skill but because of who you know. It's not like this guy is Jobs.

Your absolutely right, they are just people, they put thier pants on one leg at a time. But once they have thier pants on they can call the president of three major banks, the governor of the state they have an assembly plant in and thier mom and they will all take that phone call. Yes its a 'boys club' and you met these guys at the ivy league college you attended, or the private golf club. And most are no dummies.
You can replace them with another size 42 jacket and a well known face, and they will usually land another CEO job someplace. But the supply of connected guys is not unlimited and the factory floor guy that says ' i could run this place', well maybe you could, but you aren't going to.
 

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