Are Harley Dealers closing in your area?
#111
Goodbye Farmington Hills Harley
https://www.livingstondaily.com/stor...ls/2353534001/
Another Dealer is closing....or consolidating, as Harley likes to say
Another Dealer is closing....or consolidating, as Harley likes to say
Last edited by SirHarley; 09-19-2019 at 02:03 PM. Reason: correction
#113
#114
#115
#116
#117
There in lies the gist of the problems at Harley-Davidson. Harley dealers have to self support on one product line. Indian Dealers can also sell other makes and brands, and service them. I know that in some areas, Harley-Davidson is doing well. I believe they will survive. But in rural areas, a Dealer cant make it on one brand. We have a Honda/Kawasaki dealer who does strong business and could use the boost from selling and servicing Harleys. But the Nearest Harley dealer is an hour away. And the next nearest is an hour in the other direction. I think that needs to change. At least in rural areas. Hunters and Farmers out here are crazy about those Off Road Vehicles,(OHV) maybe Harley should make a line of those too.
#118
I was in a family owned Dealership today, and the parts counter guy opened up a little about Harley. He said that he felt Harley was pushing sales of bikes a little too much. If they didn't meet the quota, they would be put on probation. (His words) Singly owned dealerships were especially sensitive to that pressure. He stated that he was worried about where all this was going. I think we know...lol! I wont say the dealer name or name the parts guy but he did seem realistic about things. In the same dealership, I made a phone call to parts a while back, and the guy on the phone sounded like a robot. He told me that of the nearby dealers that had closed this year, they were all "Stealing" from the factory. I asked the guy at the parts counter today, if "stealing" from the factory was a spin on Not selling the dealer quota allotted, and being unable to pay for the bikes delivered. He said that he wasn't sure about that.
Then I mentioned to him about the news that "Harley pulled the plug on LiveWire production" yesterday and he didn't know about that, but another parts guy did. They were amazed that Harley had 5-6 years to perfect the bike, and still didn't get it right. There was a large lunch crowd in the restaurant, but no one on the dealership sales floor, or parts department. Either way, there were no bells ringing there today while I was there. And this was after they were closed for a holiday yesterday.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/14/ha...fter-ev-debut/
Then I mentioned to him about the news that "Harley pulled the plug on LiveWire production" yesterday and he didn't know about that, but another parts guy did. They were amazed that Harley had 5-6 years to perfect the bike, and still didn't get it right. There was a large lunch crowd in the restaurant, but no one on the dealership sales floor, or parts department. Either way, there were no bells ringing there today while I was there. And this was after they were closed for a holiday yesterday.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/14/ha...fter-ev-debut/
#119
I was in a family owned Dealership today, and the parts counter guy opened up a little about Harley. He said that he felt Harley was pushing sales of bikes a little too much. If they didn't meet the quota, they would be put on probation. (His words) Singly owned dealerships were especially sensitive to that pressure. He stated that he was worried about where all this was going. I think we know...lol! I wont say the dealer name or name the parts guy but he did seem realistic about things. In the same dealership, I made a phone call to parts a while back, and the guy on the phone sounded like a robot. He told me that of the nearby dealers that had closed this year, they were all "Stealing" from the factory. I asked the guy at the parts counter today, if "stealing" from the factory was a spin on Not selling the dealer quota allotted, and being unable to pay for the bikes delivered. He said that he wasn't sure about that.
Then I mentioned to him about the news that "Harley pulled the plug on LiveWire production" yesterday and he didn't know about that, but another parts guy did. They were amazed that Harley had 5-6 years to perfect the bike, and still didn't get it right. There was a large lunch crowd in the restaurant, but no one on the dealership sales floor, or parts department. Either way, there were no bells ringing there today while I was there. And this was after they were closed for a holiday yesterday.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/14/ha...fter-ev-debut/
Then I mentioned to him about the news that "Harley pulled the plug on LiveWire production" yesterday and he didn't know about that, but another parts guy did. They were amazed that Harley had 5-6 years to perfect the bike, and still didn't get it right. There was a large lunch crowd in the restaurant, but no one on the dealership sales floor, or parts department. Either way, there were no bells ringing there today while I was there. And this was after they were closed for a holiday yesterday.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/14/ha...fter-ev-debut/
#120
The three closest dealers to me are 5, 11 and 22 miles away. There are others nearby too, but i take mine to one an hour away.