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Harley-Davidson's aging biker problem

Ha, curious comments there. I am in sales for a huge global company in the hydraulics market ($10 Billion+ annual sales). Two of my accounts have recently announced they are out-sourcing LESS and bringing more manufaturing back into local confines and controls. They both claim they can build local and sell globally and be competitive and grow.

By the way, one of those accounts is within five miles of the HD headquarters in Milwaukee.

My bet is "assembled in India" will not be well received, unless the price of a typical HD is dropped over $3,000.
 
My bet is "assembled in India" will not be well received, unless the price of a typical HD is dropped over $3,000.

Why? A lot of parts on current HDs are sourced from Mexico and China.
The local HD dealer here in town just went out of business. Lack of revenue was blamed.
 
Having to pick up a bike after an "awchit" was what decided me to sell my beloved Yamaha Venture Royale and buy the 04Rt. That Yamaha was the best road bike I've ever ridden including a Vincent Black Shadow and numerous Japanese bikes. The BMW 2004 RT was a joy to ride and work on but the 2006 RT is a quantum leap better.

I wish that BMW would devise an interlocking device where the side stand would not retract (fold up) unless the clutch was pulled in. It seems most of the laydowns are the result of a bike rolling forward and collapsing the side stand. I know, "make it foolproof and a better fool comes along".

I learned the hard way to leave the bike in 1st gear when on the sidestand.

Ralph Sims
 
My bet is "assembled in India" will not be well received, unless the price of a typical HD is dropped over $3,000.

The India H-D plant is assembling for the Indian market for that reason. A CBU unit imported is subject to a 110% tax while the CKD assembled in India is subject to only a 60% tax.
 
Like BMW, H-D has a huge global market. So, it might make lots of economic sense to assemble in a location with cheap labor, closer to the sales market. As noted, a big proportion of the parts going into a H-D are manufactured in countries other than the USA. It's the same with autos, airplanes, and appliances. The idea that you can "buy American" or "buy German" is not possible.

For many years, whenever riders of Gold Wings were in parades, riders of H-Ds would sit on the sidelines and shout "Why don't you buy American?" Apparently the shouters didn't comprehend that (until just recently) all Gold Wings were manufactured in Ohio, even for sales in Japan. Not just assembled in Ohio. I don't know who might keep track of such things, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the percentage of American made parts was higher in GLs than in H-Ds. I've seen crates of parts at the H-D engine plant with names such as Showa and Keihin.

pmdave
 
Is the Wing still made in Ohio? I thought they moved production to Japan 2-3 years ago when they reorganized production after a big capital investment in Japanese plants.
 
I believe all GL production has been moved to Japan. I'm not sure about other products formerly built at Marysville.

So, the question is, how much of the latest GLs are actually manufactured in Japan? For instance, are the frames or transmissions or whatever built in China or India, or does Honda have the resources to keep everything in-house?

pmdave
 
I believe all GL production has been moved to Japan. I'm not sure about other products formerly built at Marysville.

So, the question is, how much of the latest GLs are actually manufactured in Japan? For instance, are the frames or transmissions or whatever built in China or India, or does Honda have the resources to keep everything in-house?

pmdave

I did some quick searches. The Wing production has moved back to Japan while other off road powersports and power equipment products made in Marysville plant but no two wheelers.

Content of the products built in Japan may be a moving target. In previous articles I have read the Kumamoto plant was an assembly plant with new technology applied that allows for shifts between model poduction in very rapid turns. Those articles referenced using prodcution from new or redone Japanese foundries and subpart manufacturing plants that had previously been built. All as part of a long term capital investment to revitalize their Japanese plants. The huge hit Honda has taken in sales may mean that in the near future the product will truely be a UJM.
 
A curious turn of the worm.

Chevrolet parts are being built in Mexico. BMW components are being manufactured in China. H-D in India. Honda parts are being made back in Japan. Sounds like a smooth move by the Japanese, wot?

pmdave
 
At this time, the HDs made in India are intended for sale in India. They have prohibitive import tariffs and local assembly solves that.
 
And then there is my 86 R80 with the self retracting side stand. It can't be lowered when I am sitting in the saddle, and a strong breeze will cause it to collapse. Fortunately, the center stand is very easy to use.

In 22 years of owning my R80RT I've very rarely used the side stand. Even as I type this the bike is on it's center stand.
 
So... much for our "export" theory of improving the E=konomy komrade...

:scratch If it's the CBU v CKD issue the assembly plant seems like a work around a high tax tarrif allowing current H-D employees (with the exception of part of the assembly group) still having a shot at more work.
 
In 22 years of owning my R80RT I've very rarely used the side stand. Even as I type this the bike is on it's center stand.

I've only had my R80RT for about a dozen years and I need the sidestand because of my short legs. Fortunately, a prior owner installed a Reynolds that is easy to use. The only problem is the moment of terror one gets when you turn left after you forget to retract it. It would have been more than a moment of terror if the fence had been about 5' closer.
 
Interesting...Do you dismount without using the sidestand?...just curious.

Yep. No matter what I do, I can't get the side stand down until I'm off the bike. Fortunately, the center stand is so easy to deploy that a child could use it.

That contrasts with my 2005 R1200GS on which I nearly always deploy the side stand before dismounting. The GS is tall, top heavy and really acts like it wants to fall over when it's not moving.
 
I've only had my R80RT for about a dozen years and I need the sidestand because of my short legs. Fortunately, a prior owner installed a Reynolds that is easy to use. The only problem is the moment of terror one gets when you turn left after you forget to retract it. It would have been more than a moment of terror if the fence had been about 5' closer.

My K100 had one of those cool side stands that retracted when the clutch was pulled in. I once had a small mob of Electra Glide owners absolutely enthralled when I showed them how it worked. If BMW had put a balance shaft on those bikes, they would have been nearly perfect.
 
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