How to save Harley Davidison
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From: Mark Olson on 16 Jul 2010 12:41 TOG(a)Toil wrote: > I'm not the only one who wonders whether depenedence on a single core > product can be carried on indefinitely, though. I cited Porsche for a > good reason. Since H-D's target demographic seems to be in no danger of drying up, what would make you think they are in any danger of going under? They have a loyal following, new potential owners are coming along on a regular basis, and they have proved now that they can continue to profitably sell the same type of bike, recycled into various forms, more or less indefinitely. And what about Porsche, what single core product, in your view, were they overly dependent on?
From: tomorrow on 16 Jul 2010 13:44 On Jul 16, 12:28 pm, "TOG(a)Toil" <totallydeadmail...(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > On 16 July, 17:05, "tomor...(a)erols.com"<tomorrowaterolsdot...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > < > snip> > > > > > Since Harley sold ~22% of all those 500cc+ motorcycles in 2007, and > > just under 25% (24.78% by my rough calculations) of all those > > motorcycles in 2009, I'm not sure how one could support the claim that > > they are a "small volume producer," again, unless you are comparing > > their sales of heavyweight motorcycles to other companies' combined > > sales of lightweight motorcycles, step-thrus, mopeds, scooters, > > watercraft, and ATVs, in which case H-D is "small volume" and BMW, > > Ducati, and Triumph are all, I suppose, "infinitesimal volume" > > producers! > > HD *is* a small volume producer, really, and yes, BMW, Ducati and > Triumph are even smaller. Moto Guzzi smaller still It's impossible to > argue otherwise. How do you define "small volume producer," then? Anyone who doesn't produce millions of scooters and mopeds?
From: tomorrow on 16 Jul 2010 13:46 On Jul 16, 12:49 pm, "Bob Myers" <nospample...(a)address.invalid> wrote: > I have to wonder why we seem to get into these discussions > regarding the health - and possible "cures" for poor health - > of H-D or any other motorcycle company. Yes, we all like > and ride motorcycles, etc.., etc., etc.. But the quality, > popularity, desirability, etc., of a given bike rarely has much to > do with the state of the company that made it, in financial terms > (excepting of course that dire financial straits can clearly start > to have a negative effect on the quality of the products of that > company). Whether you like H-D motorcycles or hate them, > they are what they are, and they will be that regardless of whether > H-D as a business sinks or swims. > > And there's certainly nothing special or unique about a given > company, in terms of the reasons for success or failure, just > because it happens to be in the motorcycle business. Companies > fail pretty much for one or both of just two reasons - they fail > to produce something that the market wants (failing to keep up > with changing markets is a part of that, of course), or they fail > to make their products at a cost which permits them to be > profitably sold. That's pretty much it, criminal activities on the > parts of the company principals aside, of course. In short, there's > nothing new or special here just because it's Harley (or Ducati > or BMW or whoever). So...what's the interest here? Well, it's reeky, and it's wintertime, and no one can get out for a ride, and.... erm, .... never mind.
From: J. Clarke on 16 Jul 2010 13:58 On 7/16/2010 12:28 PM, TOG(a)Toil wrote: > On 16 July, 17:05, "tomor...(a)erols.com" > <tomorrowaterolsdot...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > < > snip> > >> >> Since Harley sold ~22% of all those 500cc+ motorcycles in 2007, and >> just under 25% (24.78% by my rough calculations) of all those >> motorcycles in 2009, I'm not sure how one could support the claim that >> they are a "small volume producer," again, unless you are comparing >> their sales of heavyweight motorcycles to other companies' combined >> sales of lightweight motorcycles, step-thrus, mopeds, scooters, >> watercraft, and ATVs, in which case H-D is "small volume" and BMW, >> Ducati, and Triumph are all, I suppose, "infinitesimal volume" >> producers! >> > HD *is* a small volume producer, really, and yes, BMW, Ducati and > Triumph are even smaller. Moto Guzzi smaller still It's impossible to > argue otherwise. I do accept what you say that HD is digging itself > out of a hole, though, and I accept that HD is successful in its home > market. > > I'm not the only one who wonders whether depenedence on a single core > product can be carried on indefinitely, though. I cited Porsche for a > good reason. Porsche however solved their problem by becoming part of Volkswagen or vice versa (that deal went though so many gyrations I've lost track of who ended up where). Perhaps Harley will become part of Ford?
From: The Older Gentleman on 16 Jul 2010 14:07
J. Clarke <jclarke.usenet(a)cox.net> wrote: > Never drink to excess--it can make you shoot at tax collectors and miss. > -- The Notebooks of Lazarus Long Sounds almost P J O'Rourke-ian. -- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F Triumph Street Triple Suzuki TS250ER GN250 Damn, back to six bikes! Try Googling before asking a damn silly question. chateau dot murray at idnet dot com |