[QUOTE=Keithhu;21131000]Regardless of the direction, good or bad, the market will correct itself and only time will tell if the new strategy is working. I don't happen to agree with killing off long-standing mom-and-pop enthusiast-based dealerships in favor of mega dealers who will fall lock-step into HD's new marketing and pricing strategy. The true common man enthusiast riders who built the company are being cut out in favor of people who will pay to be in the new club but won't carry the brand forward as true rider enthusiasts. It's high margins per unit over market share. HD is slowly losing riders to other brands. I've said in other threads, it's the Porsche model. It's going to be an exclusive club for those who can afford it. If you can't afford it, buy your HD on the secondary market. Porsche's CEO has stated there will be no entry-level Porsches. If you want an entry level Porsche, buy a used one. That's where HD is going: being exclusive and not inclusive for all.

 

[QUOTE=Keithhu;21131000]You been living in a f----ing cave?

 

[QUOTE=tmac00333;21131404]Well no. But I see new bikes come out, they look nice to me, they are expensive like a lot of other bikes.

All this other crap seems like childish drama to me. Buy the bikes or don't.

 

[QUOTE=Keithhu;21131000][QUOTE=Keithhu;21131453]Ha. When you're ready, just go ahead and try to buy one. You'll see what the childish drama is about.

 

[QUOTE=mikefmoto;21131461][QUOTE=Keithhu;21131000]

Well I just did some quick math. The inflation adjusted value of $33K today in 1995 dollars is about $16K. The MSRP of an Electraglide in 1995 was about $14K. So I think its a lot of drama.

 

In the 1980's, I bought Japanese bikes because Harleys were 3x the price, twice the weight and had only about half the power.

Now, under Jochen Zeitz's leadership, the company has fallen so far that its bikes are 3x the price, twice as heavy, and only have half as much power as competing bikes.

 

Wasnt materially different in 2018, yet you purchased a FatBob

 

Yes, because I'm older, I can afford it, and my tastes matured. I'm the one who changed, Harley hasn't. Although that reinvention of the Softail line, and especially the Fat Bob, pushed me over the edge to being a fan.

And I also had a deposit down on a Pan America, tried to buy a LiveWire at a reasonable price, and am highly optimistic about the new "PhotoShop Glide" coming perhaps next year, and I think them making a Chinese bike for sales to Chinese people at a price they can afford is the right move. So, yeah, somebody get a torch and burn PumaBoy(TM) at the stake, he's ruining everything!

 

[QUOTE=Keithhu;21131472][QUOTE=mikefmoto;21131461]
Yeah & Gas was what .90cents, you could spend $100.00 on groceries and eat for 2 weeks, Inflation has hit all markets currently Hard - I work for an Electric Utility.............. just wait and see what the future holds there. Bottom line is in the time frame you mention mid 90`s wages were pretty decent & one could save to buy their toys, People now cant save & the "toys" are gonna take a hit, hell - watch & see what happens to the housing market - people were writing letters to sellers, paying thousands over asking price............. those days are gone & developers where I am are holding off as reassessments are the big thing (yeah raise interest rates then Taxes)

Right now Harley is in a Bubble & Milking it for all its worth, the day will come when trying to sell 1 bike for what two costs wont work & they`ll lay off, down size their taj mahal dealerships to try and make it work................ then the CEO goes bye bye and a new guy comes in to make em more affordable, ramp up sales, hire & all will be good again for a while - its all cyclical.

 

[QUOTE=Keithhu;21131472][QUOTE=mikefmoto;21131461]$2k is a large difference in 1995 money.
My point around the drama is try to buy that bike for $33k with the new way of buying a bike under the new HD. It'll be closer to $40k with all of the B.S. games. That's the drama.