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I'm sure you also hear the "Well, at least the profits stay in America" tag line that's so often stated about buying products by American owned companies.
Oh, I dunno 'bout that. I hear they're thinking of outsourcing navy jets to the Chinese navy. That way they can retire lots more military.
The "tag line" as you call it is essentially correct: the profits stay here and are distributed to the stockholders. Profits that go overseas come back in the form of takeovers. Imagine Boeing built in China... hmmm.
I ride a Triumph, not a Harley, as I noted above, though. Given their small market share I don't think Triumph poses any threat to American jobs.
The Chinese Navy has no issue building and developing it's own military aircraft (albeit they're based on Russian designs). As to where the profits stay, I can see your point on shareholders. For the majority of American made vehicles however, revenue from vehicle sales is shipped back to the country of orgin (manufacturing, assembling, etc)...often enough, that's not here. When the #2 selling vehicle in America is a Toyota Camary made in Kentucky, I'm willing to bet plenty of revenue made off the sale of that vehicle stays right here in America. It's paid to the employees of the company, paid to equipment manufacturers, installers, etc...upgrades to plants are made by American workers, etc...I'd be willing to say that ideally the profits and revenues are kept in country...but If i had to choose one or the other, i'd rather see the jobs kept here than the profits...both would put people to work, dunno which one would put more, but that would be an interesting study.
There's nothing wrong with Harley's, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, or whatever else is out there on the road...........I was 18 when I bought my first bike..........a brand new 85 wideglide w/ 2miles on it from the test track. It's undergone some extreme transformations since it's birth but I've put about 175000 miles on her. I bought a second bike-2001 Electra Glide Standard-in 2004 and have only managed to put about 25,000 on it. I still have both and love them. I bought a third bike-1991 softail-in 2008 and am using it as a donor bike for a chopper build...........loving every minute of working on that as well.
Location: Butler County Ohio and Winters in Florida
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hoffdano
I have zero interest in huge v-twins, regardless of the style. The other thing Harley is: they seem to be the preferred bike of fat people.
LOL
I about fell out of my chair!
I think Harley Riders tend to be more interested in talking about their bikes than riding them. Some do ride them alot, but most only ride a few miles, drink a few beers, shoot the bull, and repeat. Not that this is a bad thing .
Harley Davidson's number one job is to sale motorcycles, inwhich they have done a great job. They have the biggest group of loyal owners I have ever seen. These HD owners also buy alot of HD accessories and clothes, a huge and profitable business.
Another thing so many people got into motorcycling because of HD. They didn't neccessarily want a motorcycle, they wanted a HD.
Another thing so many people got into motorcycling because of HD. They didn't neccessarily want a motorcycle, they wanted a HD.
True, they bought into the lifestyle, whatever that is. It seems to be partly outlaw wannabes, judging from some I've seen. Easyriders Magazine is H-D only, as far as I know. There are a lot of local groups and activities in the Harley Owners Group, something which no other motorcycle manufacturer can match, although the Gold Wing Road Riders Ass'n and the BMW bunch are also widespread.
It seems to me that some people really want a "motorcycle" lifestyle...which I think is different for every rider. I've hung out with motorcycle groups before, which is enjoyable. They normally organize group rides, and head out for 150+ mile jaunts on numerous types of motorcycles (sport bikes, sport cruisers, sport tourers, dual sport, etc).
The individuals i've ridden with also seemed to own and love numerous types of motorcycles. I currently have two bikes in the stable, one sport bike, and one sport cruiser/muscle cruiser. Both bikes are designed to be a jack of all trades, decent handling, good acceleration, good ground clearance, etc. When I see most HD groups that are having a meeting, it's normally a meet up. The group rides to a location (park, restaurant, bar, etc)...then folks get off the bikes and do whatever it is they enjoy (party, drink, eat, camp, etc) and then they all depart ways and ride home...somewhere in between folks tend to admire the motorcycles, but very little riding occurs.
I suppose if I had to pick one of the above, it would be sport touring, although most bikes I've owned have been standards (the sport-touring category hasn't been around that long!). My 1984 Honda V65 Sabre makes a good sport-tourer, although it's difficult to find accessories for (and if it ever breaks down a long way from home, I'm in big trouble).
They are proudly assembled in the United States by union workers. But only about 50% of the parts asembled on Harleys are American made. Notice you dont hear Harley bragging about the whole Made in America thing anymore, Its not. But it does create jobs here. But I still wouldnt own one.
Last summer I had stopped at a small market while out riding my Goldwing, there was a couple of guys there on Harleys, there remark was, nice looking rice burner you have there. I replied, this is a rice burner, it's made in the USA using USA parts, everyting on this bike was made in America, can't say that for your Harleys, they go "Really!"
I suppose if I had to pick one of the above, it would be sport touring, although most bikes I've owned have been standards (the sport-touring category hasn't been around that long!).
My 1984 Honda V65 Sabre makes a good sport-tourer...
One of the best motorcycles ever made too.
The VFR still uses the basic motor.
The Sabre was the first sport tourer.
The ST came about because of the frame shortcomings of the frame.
part sources are mostly back channel now: join sabmag
Thanks for the kind words, but I always thought the BMW R90S was the first sport-tourer. It's all a matter of definitions and perception, though, so there is no definitive right answer above all others.
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LOL
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