well....... McDonalds is still doing well. So, we got that going for us and thats a good thing.

 

At one time Most if not all HD Wheels were Made in Australia .. Far better Quality than the present ones Made in China .. What I have on my Super Glide .. Only Replacement Wheels would consider are the HD Triple Chrome Thunderstars made there in Australia .. Like had on my FXR4 ..

 

Early Dynas went good , but I liked them more when the D was not there though too, more so.

 

Well, If the Harley wheels are made in china, I guess Ill look into costal moto. I think they make those in the states. I think......

 

You waited till you got home before checking where the boots were made? I check everything BEFORE leaving the store, but it usually doesn't matter. If I like the product, I'll buy it.

 

If you go with that logic, would you have to take you bike apart and return many of the foreign-made parts ?

 

I wouldn't know why Viet Nam, Japan, England, Korea, Germany or Mexico would be any different from each other if someone is down on countries we've been involved in wars with. All these countries have taken the lives of our servicemen or citizens in past conflicts. Most of these countries are now allies and trade partners, which USA businesses depend on for exporting their products to these countries.


On the other hand, we've not been in direct wars with China, Thailand, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and many other countries we trade imports/exports with.


And if someone is just hardcore against buying foreign-built goods, I see that as an all-or-nothing philosophy. Buy 100% American-only and own it, or accept that we have lived in a truly global economy for half a century and be okay with it. Doesn't make sense to me to complain about anything foreign related to Harley-Davidson while using a pc, iPad, smartphone or other device you knew good and well was built offshore even before you ever looked at it. Might want to check the pedigree on your petroleum products, groceries, television and undershorts too.

 

100% agree. I'm not sure its even possible to only buy completely American made anymore. Some where, some how, some product will have some component made in another country. That's just the facts. I haven't bought an "American" made vehicle in 30 years. Not because I didn't want to. I just feel vehicles like Toyota or Honda a much better value for my dollar. The last one I bought a Pontiac Grand Am. Ran great for about 40k miles. After that, clutch went out, three control modules went out, cloth interior rotted away, paint clear coat peeling. Finally got someone to take it off my hands for 300 bucks. Only had 90k miles on it. If Ford or Chevy made vehicles that went for 200k miles, I would reconsider, but even then, lots of parts in Ford and Chevy are foreign made.

 

We simply do not live in a terrarium any more. We have competition from foreign competitors, and its a good thing. For many workers in foreign countries, they vastly improve their lives by going to work in a factory in conditions nobody here would consider. Its simply a matter of efficient allocation of capital. Everyone does what they are best and most efficient at doing. Globalization has lifted literally billions of people out of poverty.

And I would argue its *enabled* huge growth in our own economy. "We need to make iPhone in this country!" you say? I dont think there's a market for a $4000 iPhone. So yes, these things exist because we can take advantage of commodity pricing of labor (from foreign countries), in exchange we have entire industries that would not exist without it.

 

When it comes to shoes and clothes I don't think we have much choice. I agree it's a shame Harley boots are made in Vietnam but it's not like there are a whole lot of options anymore. I can't remember the last pair of American made boots I bought. I'm not sure anybody even makes boots (or clothes) in the USA anymore.

Edited to add: I'm wearing a pair of Harley boots right now that I bought on sale at Sears a couple years back. I just took them off to see where they were made. China! Surprise, surprise. They are really comfortable boots though, and they've held up quite well.