Will the Motor Company survive?

[unfknblvbl]

I believe they'll push through and continue to strive. As some have already said they've survived worse. As soon as I learn to how to buy stocks I'm in there. For some (as bigincher said) it's a name/symbol status, but for alot of us it's tradition and as long as we keep tradition alive they'll survive.

[jp13]

They will survive, the strong ones always do. Or they will just raise the price of thier cheap t- shirts to $50 each.

[harold]

I have to disagree with what they have survived, isnt willy g the last of the family actually employed with harley , who really owns the company now , the public right?
I think the guys running harley now love money not harley, nothing wrong with money but, if the moco loved motorcycle's that drive would really really help in saving them.
I know in my heart, harley could be the best motorcycle in the world not just an icon.
Icons fall to food in the fridge and morgages , but customer service and standing by your product and building a plugs and oil bike for people that love riding,thats were loyalty kicks in , its worth the hurt to send business their way.
man friday posted news even honda is closing their bike plant in marryville and converting it to car maufacturing , wow honda sending their production back to japan isnt that something.

[Tommy2Lane]

I sometimes wonder about Harleys chances of survival now, too. They bought M-V and cast it off. They brought Eric Buell in from the cold and cast him off. They must know that the old crowd is dying out. The old school is getting smaller every day and the history books are full of giants that fell by the way by not keeping up and listening. Seen a Studebaker or a Henderson lately? Relics of the past.
On another forum I made a comment that my first Harley was a Sprint. I've always thought that Harley still needed a bike like that. Something the younger crowd can buy without going bankrupt and something that endears that person to the Harley spirit.
With the technology of today it would be so easy to tool up a small twin with a laid back frame. Something like that builder is doing in California with the 250cc engine and the custom frame and paint job. Can't remember his name but he's got dealers everywhere now. The bike is around $3200 or $3500 and I'd 'a bought one in a heartbeat back in the sixties growing up.

[harold]

Im not a banker or engineer, but in my soul I really think Harley could easily be the number one bike in the world, price wise , durability wise , value wise , they only have to want to be.
bad pinion runout , and every one knows it, no exscuse- we can put men on the moon and explore the marianas trench but we cant make a straight crank?
motorcycle's are a lifes love's just as much as a business , Moco that just love the money will have a hard time at it-bikes are more than just a business. See the jap bikes starting to make the same mistake's.
Use people who rode thier bikes in the snow as kids in ur business.
Nothing wrong with making money , but you have to produce rock solid for the money you charge .
Do this and harley will be around till the return of the Lord.
I totally love the harley , its just needs to move from hobby bike to fun bike. Honda , suzuki , kawasaki , yamaha, ktm , bmw , husquvarna, mv , ducati, none of these guys are any smarter than Harley.
The Harley is a great bike to run, I think its the most comfortable bike ive ever ridden , for a cruiser it handles just fine, there is no perfect. Its a cruiser. She is very very good looking cycle.

Their prices have been getting better for parts anyway , Their store people are trying , they should know their product way better. When you solve a guys problem he remember's it and will be a return customer.
The only reason harley will go out of business is because they want to
by virtue of their business practice, every body , every body loves the harleys.
big chubby moms who will never ride nor want to , love harleys , little 3 year olds , most , hear that thing plopping and smile and point.
The only one who doesnt love harley seems to be harley.

[Tommy2Lane]

I don't think it's a question of Harley wanting to be number one in the world. First of all, 90% of their product is a cruiser or tourer. the exceptions are the V-rod and possibly the Sporty, which is really a cruiser. I'd count the Buells in that but, unfortunately...they're gone as far as a Moco product goes.
As long as Harley courts the cruiser crowd, that's all they'll attract. I have countless friends that put speed and cornering on the top of their list...and they always will [by and large]. Ya jest can't put a Hyabusi man on a sporty.
Still, Harley makes one heck of a beautiful, durable ride. How many Yamas, Hondas, Kaws and Suzis are still on the road after thirty, forty, fifty and many more years?
The Japanese, and by extension, the Chinese and Koreans use a different mindset as well as a different engineering process to get the most of horsepower and price.
Speaking of price, it's not often discussed that because these other manufacturers make so many other products they can keep their bike prices down...and still, the base price of a Yama cruiser is only a couple of thousand bucks less than a Harley [I know they use the same front end and brakes and other out-sourced parts, just like Honda and...].
Look at the sticker price of a speciality bike like Ducati. A V-twin inspired pulse-
quickening bike that'll have you cashing in your IRA to own one of the upper echelon ones. But Ducati isn't trying to be the everybody Bike either. Quality bikes for Quality people.
They, like the Moco people, love what they're doing, that's what saved Harley in the first place, old timers not excluded and that's what's kept a little Italian stallion company on top of the bike racer world.
As an aside I leave with this...
I was stationed in Japan in 1970 and 1971. I worked with a little old man who'd fought for the wrong side in the Big One. He was the butt of many jokes from the Americans and Japanese because he always claimed he had a '52 Harley and would soon have it running. Imagine my surprise when he invited me over [he'd never done that for anyone before] and there in his little garage was, you guessed it, a dad-gum '52 FLH. And it was very close to be being finished but I don't think he really cared...he had himself a piece of Harley history! What a look on this old man's face when he pointed it out.
I guess the point is Harley needs to keep that kind of pride alive to stay alive. It is universal.