I'm almost thinking attitude weighs in as much as anything else. I know I do better when my heads on straight. I wish the workers who assembled my 05 RK could make all of them as mine has been absolutley perfect. Everything works great, Gail's Harley in Kansas City treats me well and life is grand. Oh yeah, I just got laid off and it's freezin' here!

 

Good luck on finding aanother job,use the system such as unemployment,you paid into it and deserve what it has to offer.

 

Man I love it!!I hope Harley holds out and they get a whole new work crew to start over with. They can train them on how a motorcycle should be built again. The stock hasn't taken a hit really yet...I'm kinda disappointed there. All I can say is they brought it on themselves on thier own downfall.And we all wonder why american jobs are disappearing.

Someone was saying that they wouldn't buy a harley if they were made overseas. What would you ride? A Victory/polaris....You talk about junk.

 

I was speaking with a guy today, who told me that his brother works at the HD Plant in KC, Mo.

He told me, that his brother gets a new HD every year, that is his to ride at will. During that year, if he finds a buyer for it, the bike is sold at current market value (money goes to HD, obviously), and then HD replaces the bike, with another for him to ride. IF, after a year, he has not found a buyer, the bike is turned back in, and shipped to a dealer, where again, it is sold at current market value. HD, again, replaces the bike, so he has another to ride. He went on to say, that this goes on for 4 years, and on the 5th year, the bike is given to his brother OUTRIGHT by HD, to keep, or sell. His choice.

Can anybody comment as to the validity of this?

 

They don't even give free advice at HD, leave alone free bikes. Even the police departments are paying the current amount for the lease plan which in the past was very little. ( advertising ) The big three auto makers are currently cutting benefits ( and probably quality ) to stay profitable and in business. Harley has alot of supply and wouldn't worry about a month or two production. Probably welcome it as dealers would benefit by getting more for the inventory. They would not have to advertise for help at half the wages and benefits. I think they are at the point they can't continue supporting the total load ( benefits, union demands ) and will go with a cheaper health care plan and outsourcing more components. It will still stay warm in the exec's offices.

 

I know for a fact, you're partially wrong there. Our PD does NOT pay a lease fee at all, and they get a new fleet every year.

 

The first responsibility of any company is the shareholders ... hence the bottom line.All the corporate greed rhetoric gets old. I'm not picking on you personally, but I wish people would learn a little bit about how a publically traded company works before they spout off the talking points, especially the "they don't care about the workers, they don't care about the customers, blah blah freekin blah. If you don't think Harley cares ... don't buy their bikes. This ain't the "F" the factory from back in the AMF days, although some like to pretend it is. The fact of the matter is ... Harley had a solid deal on the table with the union, and the union back out. Harley wanted concessions for NEW employees, not current. Let the workers get a taste of what unions did to the auto industry. Those generous benefits are the reason we pay 20k for a 12k motorcycle. As much as I like my new Ultra ... I liked it better "back in the day" when everybody and their Aunt Nancy didn't own a Harley, or act like spoiled little babies.

 

o which factory is it, the Heritage softail factory or the older one?

 

or both?

 

Panhead 1948, that was the first sensible post here.............

~John