Decided I needed a change of scenery here at the ole truck stop I've been holed up in for the last couple days so I drove over to the fuel island and put some fuel in my tanks. While inside settling up I was in line next to a guy that was driving one of those Harley-Davidson rigs. Sooooo I asked him if business has been as bad as I'd been hearing? He said it's been pretty bad but it's starting to pick up lately and he is feeling pretty optimistic.

Just thought I'd share that.

 

I thought the f150 was the biggest rig Harley Made?

 

I think they are running either Kenworth T2000's or W900's

 

This guy was driving a Columbia. I think all of them I've seen lately are Columbia's. Harley is contracting it out now.

 

Is it the real thing or is it a spring is coming thing?

 

I've looked and its hard to find production numbers for Harley-Davidson's....actually never did find what I wanted.

But its good to hear things are starting to pick up.

 

I haven't actually read any #s on HD, except what I see on here. BUT, in some articles I've read, Japan bike exports overall, are down over 55%.

I do not darken the doors of any dealer, enough to talk to someone, either.

Glad it's looking up for somebody. Been so dammd long since the phone rang, might jus' as well turn it off.

BUT, that's fairly "normal" this time of year.
Starts getting to the end of March, will know 'what' kinda season it'll be.

They are STILL laying off up here, according to the other "they". Get a kick out of these jack butts. Rate 'was' 7.2%, and 1450 people got laid off. The 'new' rate, 7.16%, because 1640 either died, quit looking, ran out of bennies, or otherwise, became, INVISIBLE.
So the jobless rate is "OBVIOUSLY" headed the other/right direction. Dammd, that's GOOD to know.


Like she said. Usually by now, we have had a few calls for that "Graduation/Confirmation" redo. So far ??? Zip.

 

I wonder if the "talking heads" that read the news, quit talking about how BAD everything is, if things wouldn't get a lot better really soon?

 

I was just over at ABC Harley in Waterford, MI, where the parts guy says they had a great January. Hard to believe that a Harley dealer in SE Michigan of all places could have a great January, but he rattled off some numbers that seemed decent - mostly touring bikes.

 

When the economy is bad, I would imagine this time of year (early riding season) would show a marginal improvement in H-D sales. Could tell it by looking at my closest dealer floor. The same scoots have been there for several months.