What is H-D up to ? | GTAMotorcycle.com

What is H-D up to ?

Does make me wonder if HD would be better off coming up with a seperate marque for these bikes, something in the spirit of Scion or Genesis. I'm sure the marketeers thought about it
 
Thier deal with Aeramacchi (sp?) was a mess and the MV arrangement was odd. We all saw how Buell worked out, and now we have Livewire. You have to credit them for trying new stuff. The old line was a slow painful death, lets see where this road leads.
 
It's all about price. If they sold bikes for what Yamaha sells, they would be ahead of everyone. But that will never happen. Ever. HD can only be a premium expensive motorcycle.
 
It's all about price. If they sold bikes for what Yamaha sells, they would be ahead of everyone. But that will never happen. Ever. HD can only be a premium expensive motorcycle.

I don't think it has anything to do with price. In the article, Cameron notes Packard as being a brand people aspired to own. Just like HD. Maybe not ALL the people but enough of them. If you cheapen that you loose that "enough of them" portion.

I owned a Harley for a while. I always liked them and still do, but it was completely wrong for the type of riding I do, where I live and the roads I prefer. In short it didn't deliver what I want in terms of function from a motorcycle, and I wouldn't have been any more satisfied with it at half the price I paid.
 
More than any brand, HD fosters a club (herd) mentality amongst its members. It's ironic for a brand that tries so hard to push a rebel, black-sheep image that any deviation from the tried-and-true 1950s styling and technology is met with scorn and ostracism.

The V-Rod was an amazing bike by any measure of aesthetics, technology or performance. But show up with one at a HOG meet and you'll be sitting in the corner drinking by yourself because your ride doesn't make that "potato-potato-potato" sound or looks like it came out of the Eisenhower administration.

They've pretty much painted themselves into a corner.
 
Elitesism can only go so far....eventually you run out of "qualified" menbers. HD was the American made MC....how much of an HD is fullly US made, not just assembled?
 
It worked so well with Buell...

Also, Toyota folded the Scion brand because it's goal of appealing to a younger demographic failed--lots of middle aged people loved them however (like the "youth oriented" Honda Element). Very practical. Even a cheap new car ends up around $18k nowadays, when the government has their way. Not many young people have that sort of free cash floating around, even if they loved the idea.

As far as too-good-for-you, look-at-the-badge types, my experience says it skews more towards euro brands and racing leathers on sport bikes (street chaps of the 21st century). Just as ancedotal as anything else on this site? Sure, I'm not conducting rigorous science, just out for a ride. Of all the riders that were keen to just talk about bikes at ferry terminals and coffee shops, it was usually cruiser folks, often on Harleys. Riding a beat-up maxi-scooter (surely the antithesis of a "real motorcycle") should have earned me a very chilly reception indeed, if they were that standoffish. Like that guy with a 1200 GS adjusting his fingerless gloves, or that K1600 couple with matching Klim gear and all the Motorrad accesories. They literally looked through me when I casually greeted them. It must have been a side effect of the "adventure" on public roads, LOL.

Still looking forward to the release of the new models. I don't think getting people to buy their new bikes will be the problem, even with a premium MSRP. It will be getting the dealerships to take the models more seriously than they did with the Buells. Without a dedicated section in the Screamin' Eagle catalog, the sales teams won't have much incentive to push buyers in the newer direction. The streetfighter/livewire are probably the most vulnerable in this regard, especially if they engineer them to modern performance standards. Flyscreens, soft luggage and slip-ons aren't high-margin items.
 
I don't think it has anything to do with price. In the article, Cameron notes Packard as being a brand people aspired to own. Just like HD. Maybe not ALL the people but enough of them. If you cheapen that you loose that "enough of them" portion.

I owned a Harley for a while. I always liked them and still do, but it was completely wrong for the type of riding I do, where I live and the roads I prefer. In short it didn't deliver what I want in terms of function from a motorcycle, and I wouldn't have been any more satisfied with it at half the price I paid.

There's no doubt that the style of riding has changed. You can see it in the garage and custom bike subculture. ADV bikes, "Street" tracker style garage bikes, etc. People want a more versatile, lightweight motorcycle. But HD can't make those at a reasonable price. It's just not possible to do with U.S. paid workers and suppliers. If HD were to build an H2 it would be priced into the $100g's. They sell big, comfortable freeway cruisers with classic old-world styling, demi-choppers and show-style bikes. In spite of rumors, they sell a lot of those. It's just not a sustainable mass market now. Packard went bankrupt. HD will be here long after we're all gone.
 
HD was a working man's bike . Now it's pretty close to elitist Street Glide for 30k is not a working man's bike . This is amplified in Canada with only 6 months riding .
 
HD was a working man's bike . Now it's pretty close to elitist Street Glide for 30k is not a working man's bike . This is amplified in Canada with only 6 months riding .

The last time the HD was truly a working man's bike was 1974 and earlier. That was when the Pound Sterling was the world standard currency. After 1975, the U.S. Buck became the world standard currency. Every currency in the world fell against it. Inflation went nuts. Harleys became super expensive in Canada as the CDN$ devalued. HD's unions got huge wage increased to keep up with rampant inflation. Their bikes got really expensive and cutbacks took a toll on reliability. The Japs were the working man's bike builders - cheap, plentiful and reasonably reliable. It all had to change for HD or they were gone. So, yes they are an expensive bike for middle and upper middle class riders. Unless they import from India and Thailand, that's the way it's going to stay.
 
Also, Toyota folded the Scion brand because it's goal of appealing to a younger demographic failed

Maybe so, but that is the opposite of what HD would be theoretically be achieving here - not 'polluting' the core brand. I don't have a horse in the game anyway, just spitballing(?)
 
...So, yes they are an expensive bike for middle and upper middle class riders. Unless they import from India and Thailand, that's the way it's going to stay.

And there's nothing wrong with that. Dominating a segment of the market means you have leverage and can extract a higher price. Their worry is likely that their share of that segment is shrinking, and probably that the portion of that demographic who would consider purchasing a high end motorcycle is declining.

I think HD is recognizing that their current product will not be as popular with those who will occupy their preferred demographic in years to come. I'm sure they have data around sales and sales projections (that are only known within the company) that are driving this move.
 
BMW is making a fortune with their GS and have been for a while. Others have come in to try and take some of the pie and while they are good bikes (Tenere, Tiger, Africa Twin) I doubt BMW has noticed any difference in sales with their flagship ADV bike.
 

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