WHY ARE SO MANY HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIPS CLOSING
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- Опубликовано: 2 июл 2024
- #HARLEYDAVIDSON #HARLEY #MOTORCYCLES
Harley-Davidson is cutting out independent dealers and is pushing the oldest running authorized HD dealer out of business.More changes are on the way, according to Zeitz, including a refocus on core products, a 30% cut in the model lineup, withdrawals from under-performing markets and a renewed focus on eliminating inefficiencies in manufacturing. When Zeitz took the helm in early March, he said the company was initiating immediate changes as apart of a “Rewire” plan. Now, press documents released Tuesday say a more detailed 5-year plan called Hardwire is in the works, with details to be released in Q4.
00:00 WHY ARE SO MANY HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIPS CLOSING0
1:06 Why does Harley Davidson want dealers to invest in 60,000 sq foot buildings
02:20 These dealerships are like Disney Land
03:49 Old school dealerships being squeezed out
05:55 Eaglemark savings
07:50 Dealerships are a hangout
09:20 Harley Davidson wants the service to itself
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Развлечения
HD was the working man attainable dream. Not anymore 😔
Relative what they cost 20 years ago as opposed to know adjusting for inflation they have gone up less than cars have
@@isrstrategies difference is wages haven't gone up
its also the aging demographic doesnt have the money. all the other costs of aging: health care, transpo, food, meds, housing has bled the working class aged americans has left the $25,000 to $35,000 dollar bike a luxury they can no longer afford.
Lol yeah, that $30k underpowered prostate massager was 'obtainable'. The only thing HD had was the sound, and that nice forward and backward unbalanced engine.
They're dead because better technology, was made cheaper, and more reliable. Which is why their new saving grace is.... Korean motorcycles. 😂 Atleast they won't be underpowered now.
I'm not hating, I have a fatbob, and I love it. But it's not cheaper, or more reliable than KTM beside it, or even the 40 year old stripped down goldwing beside that.
@@erisgh0sted961 this is exactly why for my first bike I got a nice used BMW, even the used markets for HD is insane. I'd rather have my f650gs and be able to go off road then overpay for someone's bike that was HEAVILY modified lol
Harley turned their back on the people that made them. Plain and simple. Still own my first Harley but I went to Indian 7 years ago
I too am looking at Indian.
@@3rdFloorblog 👍🏻
Indian has the same prices
The owner of the HD dealership that closed by me said they had to stop being a dealer because Harley told them Harley was only going to produce 1/2 the bikes the produced in the past. They said they would only provide this dealership 1/2 the bikes each year. They told Harley they wouldn’t be able to survive. Harley was basically like oh well. So they now sell every type of bike and used Harleys.
HD just plain cost to much.
Leadership of HD was all over the electric bike model- wanted HD to be the next “Tesla”-
The new model was supposed to be 500 dealerships owned by no more than 50 dealers for the entire US.
Seems that model has failed as the electric motorcycles are no where to be seen!!
Still lots of dealers closed and accepted the buy out- too bad
Sadly. This will backfire on Harly-Davidson. Who at the Motorr Company is making these bad decisions? (Retorical question)
And now the Chinese manufacturers will have an opening. That and Royal Enfield.
They've shuttered so many in western Pennsylvania that I can't list them. The one time I did RUclips deleted my comment. Suffice to say that the closest dealer is now 20 miles away instead of 3. The story behind the closing was right out of the movies...HD called the owners of three surrounding dealerships and told them to buy the inventory or one of them would be shuttered as well. HD refused to allow the dealership to stay on the property and sold it to a company that specializes in providing support services to TV show and movie production companies.
I look for more upheaval, perhaps moving production from York to Milwaukee.
They'll sell less bikes through less dealers for more money. The don't really want the blue collar customer, they want more affluent customers who are willing to pay for the Harley image. I bought my first Harley in 78, a 79 XLH. Could barely afford the bike, and it took over a year to change the exhaust, bars, seat, and add an XLS sissy bar. Now you can just finance all those parts with the bike along with installation. I remember when I finally saved up enough for a set of tapered duals, I was just proud to bolt those on the bike. I am not the customer Harley wants anymore.
The main problem with their thought process is now for the next 5 years people will want to spend less. Royal Enfield with their Meteor 650 and other bikes from China will fill that gap.
Harley will die off and they may not come back this time.
The people who want the harley image are mostly in their 60's and older today. Harley is gonna have to start selling wheelchairs if they want to stay in business.
they want the yuppies who make big money that will spend it...someone who wants to "be cool" so they buy a harley..similar to jeeps.....its a status symbol......ive had the same 1998 honda shadow for 20 some years...she still runs and rides perfect
@@jhaeck1 agreed, the problem is, their research division sucks. I'm in that group, we don't have Harley money and after being through 2 recessions, we are hesitant to spend it on something like that. For us cost analysis is huge.
The reason so many Harley dealerships are closing, is the same reason so many Japanese German Brit & Italian motorcycle dealerships are disappearing…
Harley is partly to blame for this
back in the 1980s. Harley hired a guy named Von Bealls. he was a smart wall street businessman with connections.
Harley was teetering on going out of business because of the massive explosion in the sales of Japanese motorcycles that were cheap, reliable, fast.. at that time Harley Davidson motorcycles were to put it bluntly, crap by comparison. And the public knew it. They weren’t buying them..
New CEO went to Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, and hit him with a pitch that the Japanese were dumping motorcycles here below cost, claiming that was an unfair business practice..
Ronald Reagan was sympathetic to that pitch because Ronald Reagan remembered World War II in which Harley Davidson motorcycles were used by the US military during the war..
The CEO of Harley told Reagan that he had to do something to save the company to save the 600 jobs at the Milwaukee Harley Davidson plant..
what happens next is a typical story about government getting involved in business to “help “the situation..
Ronald Reagan imposed to 45% tariff on imported motorcycles..
I was a salesman part time at a Yamaha shop at that time. I only worked three evenings and Saturday selling motorcycles. At that time, motorcycles like a virago or Seca 750 List price was 2999 for the virago, 3199 for the Seca..
when the tariff hit the nation, that list price for the Yamaha virago jumped to $4750 overnight..
before the tariff, I would go to work, someone would come in to buy a motorcycle, I would get full price plus $130 shipping on every virago we vould get our hands on.. we were a small shop, two mechanics, two parts men, two salesman, the owner and his wife were the accountants bookkeepers of the business.. at times, i was making as much as $700- $1300 a pay in 1979-80-81-1982 -83 feb till may selling motorcycles part time.. I always quit in June because anybody that was going to buy a motorcycle, already had it before June. Then I would go back in January, and start selling again after everyone knew how much income tax they were getting back in the Super Bowl was over..They would start trickling into the show room with cabin fever in February test sitting the seats… The parts department was selling accessories like windshields sissy bars luggage racks crash bars saddlebags jackets helmets gloves chrome parts, the mechanics were installing the parts building new bikes doing 600 miles service checks, the shop was busy. we were selling about 400 to 500 motorcycles a year.. The parts department was jumping, and the service department was supporting two full-time mechanics..
when the tariff hit, overnight the showrooms were deserted. People were not buying these motorcycles that went up by almost 50% in cost instantly. The parts man got laid off first, one of the mechanics got laid off I worked on straight commission part time, but it was not worth going into work. I was averaging three motorcycle sales a week. There was one Saturday I sold seven motorcycles and we were only open five hours that day..
near my home in Pittsburgh, there were 17 Japanese motorcycle shops in those days, one of those shops I actually worked in in the early 70s as a full-time mechanic, with six other mechanics, two full-time builders, three parts men, a service department manager, a bookkeeper/accountant, two full-time salesman. The boss bought lunch every day for everybody. No matter what it was on the menu.. they kept a refrigerator filled with pop, fruit juice, even beer for the employees in the service department. We got to take brand new motorcycles home to use on weekends for free.. working in a motorcycle shop then was a party. It was an escalator going up and we were jumping up the steps three at a time. Sales were up up up. Everybody was making money, bikes were cheap, life was good..
The tariff changed all that. There were 17 motorcycle shops within an hour drive of my home before the tariff.. within four years, there were only five left. And those dealerships survived because the owners actually owned the buildings.. they were family-owned and multiple family members ran the business. Selling and doing parts, and another family member would work the service department or they would have one mechanic that did the building of new bikes, and service..
The party was over.
The 600 jobs at the Harley Davidson factory in Wisconsin were saved because Harleys competition was eliminated..But nobody talks about the over 7000 jobs in the more than 1100 motorcycle dealerships that sold Japanese English Italian and Britt bikes it went out of business within 3 years..The average number of employees at those 1100 dealerships that went under, was seven employees average per dealership. What about those 7700 jobs of Americans that were eliminated Mr. President?
OK so Harley was saved for the moment. The price of Harleys didn’t go down, they went up and they are still going up today. They didn’t upgrade their lineup. They didn’t come out with new models every year. It was the same basic two engines they had in every bike..
they weren’t like Honda. In 1982 I was selling Honda motorcycles. We gave out decks of cards to customers when they would come in to look at the new bikes. The reason we gave out decks of cards is, there was a different Honda model on each of the 52 cards in the deck. That’s how many different motorcycles Honda had available for the public in 1982. Everything from the Honda 90 which at this time they have sold more than 100 million of that model alone. All the way up to six cylinder and even turbocharged motorcycles, and they created the market for long distance comfort luxury touring with the reliable, smooth, affordable, perfect Goldwing..
Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Yamaha also had big touring bikes, and turbocharged bikes.. there was real competition between the factories to outdo each other, while keeping the price low. You could buy a Honda turbo for $4999.. The Honda six cylinder CBS with fairing and bags color matched was $5299..that was before the tariff
after the tariff, everyone cut back because bikes were not selling. To give you an example, the year after the tariff hit, suzuki only had two new models of street bikes available. Just 2…
people were not buying dirt bikes either way they were before the tariff. Dads weren’t buying dirt bikes for their kids. Dads weren’t buying dirt bikes for themselves and their kids to go riding on weekends, and here is where the Harley tariff that we are feeling the effects of today started..
all those kids that never got dirt bikes in the 1980s because of the tariff, those kids today are in their 30s and 40s. Just the age of the typical Harley buyer. so why aren’t they buying Harleys today?
because of the tariff of the 1980s that shut down the market..
those kids didn’t get their first dirtbike in the 80s or 90s. So they didn’t grow up with a lot of motorcycles that would grow into switching to buying a Harley today..
that Harley tariff is still taking its toll here in 2022. The market never recovered never and I’ll give you an example
Before the tariff. Yamaha had a model called the XS 650. very similar in looks and power output to the TRIUMPH 650 twin.. before the tariff one year, Yamaha sold 120,000 of that model motorcycle in the United States. 120,000 XS 650s were sold in one year before that tariff..
since the harley tariff.. Yamaha has never come close to selling 120,000 combined motorcycles in any year since the tariff.. let me repeat that. Yamaha never sold 120,000 of all the different motorcycles that they make, all those different models from little dirt bikes to big luxury touring bikes and motocross bikes and sport bikes, you add all of those models together, they never sold 120,000 motorcycles combined of all the models in any single year since the tariff..
there used to be three BMW shops within 45 minutes of my home before the tariff, now there are zero
there used to be 17 motorcycle shops, Japanese, within an hour of my home before the tariff. Now there is one Honda shop, one Yamaha shop, and no Kawasaki or suzuki shops within an hour of my home. They all went out of business because of the tariff
so if you’re wondering why Harley is hurting today. It’s because, of their 1980s tariff that crushed to the Japanese motorcycle market in this country, and that greatly reduced the number of new motorcyclists that started out on Japanese motorcycles, that would eventually maybe switch to a Harley Davidson.
They’re just are not as many motorcyclists as there once were before the harley tariff..
i’ll tell you another reason Harley is having tough times selling their 1907 basic design machines..
A lot of the people that suffered from that Harley tariff, would never consider supporting Harley Davidson today..
I myself have had 108 motorcycles so far. I have never even considered buying a Harley..
I have a lifetime of friends and acquaintances that are motorcycle enthusiasts like myself. I only know two people that ever bought Harley’s..
there are two kinds of motorcyclists …There are the Harley riders, and then there is everyone else. And they don’t mix..
neither side is right or wrong, they’re just different. They see it different. Some people like buying new Corvettes and Ferraris. Then there are people that like model T Ford’s and 1955 chevys..neither one is wrong, they’re just different
East is east and west is West
and never the two shall meet…
That was well thought out. Also good food for thought. Thanks for sharing and merry Christmas.
That is a Incredible Story!!! I Do want to Thank You so much for that information on the Harley Tariffs!!!! If you Remember back in the Mid 90's do you Remember the Harley Davidson Shortage???? Harley Davidson Stealaship wasn't getting any New Brand New Harley delivery to their showroom!!! I Sure Remember that Bullshit!!! People that were Selling their used Harleys were getting more than a New Harley, Because of the shortage! My Cousin was a owner of Action Motors! They Sell Kawasaki and Hondas! He told me that, There's no shortage! There got these Brand New Harley's in the Crates, waiting for the Price to go up!!! Then release them to the dealership!!! Harley Davidson Motor Company are Bunch of Low Life Scumbags!!! And After Reading your Incredible Story, They're even More Scumbags!!!! Once Again, I Do want to Thank You for your information and I did learn a lot of What Harley Rear Ended the Motorcycle industry in this country!!!!! 🤬
You got it man. Nailed it.
Wow.... Knowledge is Everything... History and Business 101
Definitely the longest comment I’ve ever seen
I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think the new shopping experience fits most Harley riders. It’s definitely not transporting the livestyle Harley did. stand for. I personally don’t like the big shops and prefer the smaller Family owned ones. 🤷🏻♂️
When I was shopping for my '03, went to several fancy dealerships and one hole-in-the-wall where half of the facility was out the back door and across the ally in a warehouse. Bought the bike I wanted for $3K less the the others. I'm sure they're long gone now.
It’s happening with everything not just bikes. Big corporations pushing out or buying out mom and pop stores. It’s sad.
Not a “Harley guy” myself, I went to an all-bike event that was held at my local HD dealership, back in the 2000s. (Bigg’s in San Marcos, CA)
I walked into the showroom, and was surprised at the dearth of actual bikes on the sales floor. By a large margin, most of the facility was devoted to the sale of every (foreign-made) HD-branded article of clothing, bike accessory, and every other random doo-dad known to mankind.
I asked my friend Richard, who owns the dealership, and he told me “that’s just the way it is.”
I've purchased 7 new Harleys in my life, along with about 30 others of varying brands....At 68, I've noticed a sea change with Harley..It seems to have drifted from "American Iron", "Mom and Apple Pie," to more of a yuppee club with an untold amount of over priced trinkets and goodies which are normally peddled by cute young girls to older (make believe Peter Fonda's)....And really, is there anything more nauseating than some grease ball with ape hangers who thinks he's a bad ass, when in reality couldn't go three rounds with snow white...The appeal has diminished...The prices are becoming ridiculous....That's why my next cruiser is either a Beemer or a Triumph....
@@insanewheels It's sad, but true..Ride safe..
I agree with you, Jack... after owning several HD's over the years, I just kinda got tired of all the BS riders that actually believe they were the inspiration for a Bon Jovi song... I always liked bikes and cars for the pure mechanical experience. Particularly an air cooled, low tech bike or car. So, my garage is nearly clear of any HD and it seems to be filling with British branded bikes... couple of Royal Enfield's and as soon as the BSA Gold Star is available in the states, I will have one. It has taken me a minute to accept the liquid cooled Bonneville... but, that will be another purchase in the very near future. Most likely a Speed Twin or a T-120 as these bikes have most all I want from a bike. HD lost my attention years ago... the bikes just became clownish and so damn overdone... they ruined nearly the entire Soft-Tail line with oversized rear tires and "bike builder" celebrity influence... it just got too damn weird.
@@bikernate8902 yep..The Brits are building some nice stuff...Love the Triumphs...And the Enfields appear to be a great bang for the buck...nice machines.....Tell me it's not great to see that BSA logo again.! Leave it to India to revive the classics.....My first new bike I bought when I got out of the army in 76 was a new '75 850 norton commando..red...A piece of art...This summer I bought my 8th new kawasaki klr..(.I ride dual sport)..even when I had a Harley I normally kept a klr in the next stall...May be getting a new triumph in the spring as well......(my last new Harley was a 15 street glide)....beautiful bike but I broke my pelvic bone, so I sold it...when I totally healed (it was a long haul), I went back to the Harley dealer in Spokane...No prices posted....couldn't get a price quote from the cute young girl who kept telling me I looked good on everything I sat on..😎).....So I went and bought a new Triumph Thunderbird...Beautiful bike...don't know why the quite making them...That episode at the Harley dealership ended my run with the HOGs...never looked back...Enjoy the day..
@@jackpeters9048 not gonna BS... Royal Enfield has nailed it on a couple bikes, and I bought both of them... a 650 Interceptor and a Classic 350... these bikes and their engines, frames, paint and detail are unreal for the price. On the 650 I changed out the plastic tail light/blinker combo for a nice BAAK small round tail light and some aftermarket small metal bullet Triumph turn signals. Installed a set of S&S, removed the handlebar cross bar and tidied things up a bit. It looks perfectly 60's and it is raw. The 350 is a slow and lazy machine in the most amazing way.
@@bikernate8902 Enjoy those Enfields..Good looking scoots with great reviews....if I had a dealer within 200 miles I would have bought one.....Ride safe...happy new year!
This past summer I ordered a 2022 Ultra Limited. Put 500 dollars (non refundable) down to get the bike ordered since the dealership did not have any in stock. By the time I drove home the same day I told my wife that I changed my mind and did not want the bike any longer. She said that I was not going to get my 500 hundred dollars back. I said that I will embrace it as a 500 hundred dollar mistake, not a 35,000 dollar mistake. With that we both smiled and went to Popeye's for dinner. 😂
Smart 🤓
It’s what I know, (small dealership owner here). #1 aging demographic (young people are not getting into bikes and old timers are aging out) #2 motorcycles have become extremely expensive and now cost twice what they did 15-20 years ago. #3 trouble getting products #4 trouble finding mechanics to work on the bikes. #5 tighter restrictions both corporate and government on business #6 you can buy parts and apparel from Amazon and Walmart. If you keep doing this, there will not be any independent dealers left. #7 there is a huge expense in just setting up a small shop. It will cost you hundreds of thousands to be w successful independent shop and millions to be a franchise dealer. #8 changing technology and more complex bikes.
OK... I'm an old guy, retired car dealer, and owned a motorcycle dealership in the 1980s. I've watched Harley dealerships with some interest. So many of them thought the boom days would never end: they took on debt beyond understanding, had a frightening tendency to abuse customers, and thought that market growth would cover all their mistakes. This was nonsense, as the motorcycle business has ALWAYS been cyclical...boom and bust, boom and bust, over and over. The shame of all this is that so many of Harley's requirements drove many of the old-line, GOOD dealers out of business. You know those guys: They organized rides to Daytona and Sturgis every year, sponsored flat trackers, always had good aftermarket merch for FAIR prices. They were bikers more than business guys. Alas, they're almost all gone now. I love my old bikes and was not a condidate for a new Harley anyway, but the way my brothers have been treated has given me a very dark view of Harley...and I DO NOTwish them well.
I remember when a Harley dealership was bikes, parts, t-shirts. In 1973 I got my first HD, 1945 WLA 45" as a basket case from my dad for my 16th birthday. we spent about 6 months rebuilding it and I've been on a Harley ever since. I currently have a 2016 Ultra limited that I got a good deal on from a private party seller and honestly I think this the last bike I'll ever buy. To replace my 2016 with a 2022, adding in all the dealer mark ups I'm looking at better than $40,000 (msrp + $9-10,000 mark-up) no way in hell i'm paying that much for a bike.
Funny I did that too.when I was in high school I use to stop at the local HD dealer because he had a collection of military bikes.i got to know the owner after awhile because I wanted to learn about the wla.he eventually took out one to show me how it works.he drove around the parking lot and I was hooked. I eventually bought a wla that needed some work.i tried to finish it before I graduated. years later a surplus dealer got a bunch of was from France and I bought one he had about 20 to pick from.i restored it still have it over 40 years.i eventually bought another one from the owner who bought it at auction in 54. I'm 67 years old and still ride them but my knees are starting to hurt.
The personal feel of an independent vs a corporate owned dealership is a huge deal for many. I think going that route will hurt them, they're already struggling to reach the younger generations and I don't think they can survive without that support.
In my area we had a good independent mechanic shop that serviced Harley's that could buy discount original parts from other dealers. Harley shut that down putting a long established shop out of business. They're just hurting themselves
This is no longer the 80s. This time when the axe falls they won’t be able to survive selling paraphernalia.
@Jim Talbott I agree, with so many others entering the bagger arena, they won't survive.
@@jimtalbott2095 Other manufacturers have other motorsport products to fall back on like snowmobiles, jetskis, and ATVs. HD is a one-trick pony and the children of their demographic aren't the least bit interested in riding motorcycles.
The younger generation doesn't even have a license🤪
Starting in the late 80's, HD was mandating dealerships become 'boutiques' with so much space for motor-clothes and trinkets and other happy-crap. Many old and established dealerships simply did not have that option, or not in the time frame HD gave them. As a result, they lost their dealership contract.
Truth.. they did this to the Mom and Pop dealership I worked at...had been around since the 1940's, made them build a huge McDealership and when the economy tanked they went out of business , sad. Reggie Pink Harley Davidson, White plains NY.....
harley hired a designer...to design their stores...harley pressured dealerships to spend a sall fortune to comply... some small dealerships couldn't justify it...just look at the old HD. access. catalouges from about 1983 and on...their motorclothes got bigger and bigger!
@@davewallace8219 actually stuff really took off in the early 90’s with the Clark Richie showrooms. Our mom and pop sold out, first thing that happened was they sold off the Suzuki dealership that was part of it. But had it not been for Suzuki the dealership probably wouldn’t have made it out of the 70’s. The dealership now has a stage out front and a bar, it’s become an entertainment venue!
@@charlesprice7608 Do they sell Cell phones too??? LOL... Todays world, you can have it..... I remember the old shops and was afraid to go their being too many " rough" looking characters there.... LOL... Good people ran them and you could talk to who was doing the work on your scoot...
@@ricksmith4736 I grew up in that dealership because of the Service Department, they fixed my dirt bikes growing up. Guess I was just so used to it, didn’t even strike me as different. I learned early just because a person wears a suit and tie, doesn’t make them a good person. My dad was a Dr, yet he treated everyone the same.
Harley did the same thing to Dealers two years before the 10th Anniversary. They forced Dealer's to make major changes. A few closed their doors then. I know it put a big hurt on several Dealership because of the added expense to build bigger and/or upgrade the current Dealership. The owners were hoping to make a good profit during that time to help sustain their business. Instead HD corporate made the big bucks and screwed the small loyal guy. FYI. I was working at a Dealership the couple years leading up to the 100th Anniversary. Good Luck to ALL Mom and Pop businesses to beat Corporate greed. Keep up the good job you guys.
I'm 73 and have been riding since I was 18 worked in the industry for a good 35 years, seen the ups and downs.. It just seems to me the soul of riding has faded.. instead of riding for the sport and freedom it become a fashion statement a hip thing to do ..just spend tons of money on a dust collector hardly used just a product for one's ego .
Here in the west end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, CA, there used to be a smaller HD shop named Top Rocker HD. They stocked bikes, they stocked parts, and gave good service, their mechanics were pretty top notch. HD closed them down off of Sherman Way in Canoga Park, and forced relocation to upscale Calabasas, right off of the Ventura Freeway, where an independent Porsche and Lambo dealership used to be. With Covid, the dealerships here would snap up almost every single private party motorcycle they could buy, as soon as it went up for sale, and then tack another 4 to $7,000 on the bike, with an ad for sale, the next day. They were literally monopolizing the used HD motorcycle sales almost everywhere here in CA, as many car dealership owners were now owning multiple HD dealerships in the same regional areas. The other problem is how absolutely insane the dealer "market adjustment" to suggested retail prices have been the past 3 years. People who finance the bikes just eat it, people that buy their bikes outright just aren't buying that many Harleys any more. That and all the social influencers that get bikes for huge discounts, selling the product and Screaming Eagle upgraded hardware. I refuse to buy any HD clothing lines... you can pay me to advertise your product, I'm not spenind 50 to $60 for a damn T shirt that's certainly not worth the asking price, which is how they price most of their apparel. It's a racket.
Exactly what's going on here in Arizona the Rubs and these Super Car Dealerships are buying Harley Davidson dealerships and they don't give a rats behind about customer service only sales
The dealership near me was great. Bought my FLSTSB there in 09. Parts and service guys were all great, really knew their stuff.
The new management that came in after the original owner retired was abysmal. They cut all the competent people loose and brought in all new staff that knew nothing about motorcycles in general but especially Harleys. My last experience with them before they closed the doors for good really summed the whole thing up.
I was in there ordering a part for my headlight assembly (that they'd ordered incorrectly twice at this point) and a guy at the parts counter asked what the employees rode. The one I was working with said, "oh, I don't ride. Motorcycles are dangerous".
I just laughed and said, "I think you're in the wrong place, man"
He wasn't there long, though. The place closed down a few months later and is now an RV dealership.
I'm so glad that I got to enjoy Harley-Davidson in the early to mid-2000s. I Consider that the Golden age that was after the waiting list days but before the crap that's going on now.
The dealership closest to me closed down a year and a half ago
My local Harley-Davisdson dealership moved to a much more remote location on an unmarked tertiary side road, with the building not visible from the secondary road (industrial park type setting). I told the employees that the turn off was hard to see and easy to ride past, making their dealership hard to find. They said they knew but that the local government wouldn't allow them to put a H-D sign on the secondary road. You would think the local government would help businesses to increase employment and generate more tax revenue, but nope.....let 'em struggle for petty reasons.
I have said this before, but HD is selling their future for the margins today. It looks good on earning statements, but as so many note, it is not sustainable.
I was actually interested in the new Nightster that just came out. However, the price made me rethink it. I ended up getting a new Moto Guzzi, which I love, instead. It was significantly cheaper and the rate was 0.9%. I generally say, "don't finance toys." But at that rate, I went ahead and did it.
Frankly, if they want a future, they need to be willing to abandon the "aspirational" strategy and focus on getting new generations of riders.
They need to look at every rider on a non-HD and not say, "well that rider was not profitable under our current strategy." They need to look at that non-HD rider and seriously ask themselves, "what did we do wrong, how did we fail to meet that person's needs?"
Harley doesn't build their bike in the USA any more. Thanks to Republican tax incentives, Harley made money by moving their operations offshore to Thailand three years ago. Indians are far better bikes anyway.
Bought my first HD, an FXE, the summer of the Buyback in 1981, after my SOHC Honda 750 was totaled out from under me. Back then, the Harley experience was a totally different world. Each dealership was unique and funky, with an atmosphere that reflected its owner's personality---- kind of like the bikes they sold. People collected dealer shirts, because walking into a dealership was a memorable adventure. Despite the idiosyncracies, there was a genuine communal feeling shared between the riders and dealers. In the 90s Harley methodically dismantled everything that made the brand special. Indy shops that had supported HD were sued, dealers that didn't comply with new dealership guidelines were driven out of business. The motorcycles from HD might as well be Hondas as the company severed links with it past and heritage. Unmoored from its special place in the industry, it was a matter of time before consequences of these shortsighted decisions were felt. If there's nothing to differentiate the brand from any other generic cruiser or tourer, what's the attraction? Modern riders are fickle consumers, and the dealerships are strictly a consumerist experience, like shopping for any other appliance. BTW, I have four HDs, a 73 XLH in the kitchen, a 1969 XLCH in the bedroom, an 82 Shovel chop, and a 1982 FXB Sturgis (and a 1967 Triumph T100C scrambler). I have no interest in post-86 HDs .
Our dealership was told by Harley that they were going to put two electric motor cycles in his store and that the store needed to put in two charging stations, the dealership agreed. Next Harley wanted him to move the dealership to a different area at a junction of two roads. The owner refused and Harley gave him x amount of time to get it done or they would take the bar and shield sign off the building and sign in front. The shop closed after about 30 years.
Same here. It was located in the center of town and then built bigger and better out by the freeway. He was bought out before he went bankrupt and new owner moved in snowmobiles, dirt bikes and side by sides. New owner had some shady dealings in the past and I only go there if there are no other options.
Rode the Harley electric..it was great..then crush out the numbers.. first the cost and then the range and brand new design and model year.. not a good fit for me.. stayed in touch with a guy who bought one and it had a couple of bugs that Harley ironed out.. Rode a Zero.. was about @40% cheaper than Harley..more range.. better warranty and equal to or better performance.. just seemed crazy to go after the Harley demographic with electric and the enormous resistance from the customer base..
When I was a kid , the best 40 cents you could spend was bus fare to the Harley Dealer
The bunch of us would go on rainy days , customers rode on good days , bought parts on rainy ones . Always treated well , and felt welcome , despite being 10 years old .
Yep! Those days are long gone now💯
You mentioned Pooles in Hamilton, Ontario. I've known those folks for over 35 years. Great people and a daler that was Harley only. They had a small place that I really liked and the motor company forced them to rebuild, which they did. Literally 15 years later I walk in and they tell me they're not a dealer anymore, that they didn't want to try and meet the company's demands that they move close to the highway. That was over 10 years ago and I still go to them because they actually stock parts whereas the fancy dealer close to me doesn't. Harley is forgetting the very people who made them what they are today, it's no longer a motorcycle company, it's a lifestyle company.
I remember when Harley had an image problem because of who they are associated with. Now they have a problem because who they are associated with.
30 years ago, Williams HD in Bound Brook, NJ made me feel like I was their #1 customer the moment I stepped inside. Now, the closest HD dealer to me in NJ takes over a week for a 5,000 mi service because they keep forgetting to get their data cable from a sister dealership.
Mark Barnett told me they had to close the Las Cruces New Mexico store because of the inventory shortage. In 2020 even the El Paso Texas store was barely at maybe 150 to 200 bike in stock when it's usually a thousand or more. And very few were brand new.
We pay the high dollar for these bike's because it is not for their high quality tech savvy bikes, but we pay for the feel of that legendary engine rumbling under our seat, that vibration of the engine and other imperfect things. the thing is their is a joy of enjoying all these imperfections..!
Many have said it here already.They’ve priced themselves out of the market.They offer little in tech, as compared to most of the other brands.They have brand recognition,that’s about it, and even that is losing its appeal.
same as cars.....they dont have any models they make that are affordable.........everythings priced thru the roof.....screw that
@@jhaeck1
I have two and I’ll ride them as long as I can ride.I agree with you 100%.
Most dealers around me are dead on the weekends even with their big events not attracting as they used to. Big Corp and car dealers are taking over and ruining the Harley appeal
Harley has become the Apple of motorcycle companies. Corporate greed, screw 'em!
The major difference is Apple is cutting edge and Harley is not.
Miss those main street storefront dealers. Ours sold H-D and Schwin in the same showroom. The mechanics would stop what they were doing to help neighborhood kids with bicycle parts and advice.
I remember that. We had a shop our area that was a automotive tire joint. They were a HD dealer. They usually had 1 or 2 bikes over into the corner of the office counter area. They didn't have much parts in stock and they didn't have a repair shop to speak of.
This has been going on with automotive brands for a number of years, with similar results. The HD dealer in Mesa is literally a "campus", with hundreds of new and used bikes. I was astonished at row upon row of used 20-21 rigs with 15-150 miles on them. In any case, my 22' FLFBS came from a small dealer outside of Flagstaff, where the whole experience was about as stressful as a massage.
I've recently gotten into "king of the baggers" racing. Those dudes are semi nuts, Harley Davidson's and Indians mostly. But they ride 'em HARD. Spicy 🔥
I recently did a little traveling and stopped at 3 Harley dealerships in another state. The dealerships in my area are not like the ones in this other state. First, the closest dealership to me is a family owned business and has been around since the ‘50s. Then, there are others in the area who started as a family business, but were helped to expand with money from those investors you mentioned. There is still a “feel” of a family owned business to these as well. None of the 3 closest dealerships are very large. In this other state where I traveled, those dealerships were HUGE. But, they did NOT have the foot traffic of my local dealerships. I talked to some of the staff inside and they talked about how slow it was. My local dealership, the family owned one, dominated this year. They sold a ton of bikes. They’ve got a ton of foot traffic and sold a ton of bikes. Sure, they sale other stuff too like t-shirts, but that’s not their main focus. I think we need to get back to our roots and stop trying to create other ways of making money. Just build bikes, sale parts, work on bikes, and treat the customer right.
The HD dealership in San Diego is MASSIVE! It's like the Taj Mahal of HD, with neon and bikes up on the walls and about 100 new bikes of every model!
It was very impressive and screamed Corporate America.
I just went in there to take a piss. I ride an Indian.
I’ve been to that one a handful of times. It’s insane how much money they have and yet DEMAND an absurd amount of cash to get one🤦♂️
Harley focused on t-shirts, and license plate frames, and building bikes that boomers want, without realizing all their core customers are aging out of the market. My early 20's kids see them as cosplay for old guys, the absolute opposite of anything they want, which is middleweight sport / naked bikes, and dual sport and adventure bikes. Harley waited too long to attract younger people, with different products.
@@insanewheels BMW, Ducati and KTM also make T-shirts in the same price range.
The Evo days where Harley could not meet the demand for bikes and people had to be on a waiting list. You have one person on 12 waiting lists and then he would sell the bike for a profit. For the popular models you have to slide the dealer five grand under the table. Yeah in the 90s you could ride your motorcycle for a couple of years and then sell it for more than what you paid for it but not now. There are 8 and 1/2 million Harleys on the used market for sale. Every Harley you've seen the driveway is not getting ready to go for a ride it has it for sale sign on it. And all these guys that think they're going to get more than what they paid for it they're pissing in the Wind. When they kill over and drop dead their relatives are going to sell their overpriced Geezer Glide for 10 cents on the dollar. The prices for used Harleys are so cheap they are a direct threat to the company. You can get a low mileage garage Queen fix up the defects built in by Harley and have a great bike for third the price of a new one without any bullshit fees added to it. Harley-Davidson thinks it shit doesn't stink and it is so wrong about that.
The first HD dealership I ever walked into was in Tulsa in the late 70’s. You could smell the cigarette smoke and gasoline. The guy behind the counter was slouched in a chair reading High Times. The closest dealer to me is about 3 miles away and it’s the largest dealership in Texas. I can tell you that they have turned their back on the customer . I bought 2 bikes from them in 18 months and spent thousands in upgrades, accessories, parts, and motor clothes. Then they tried to hose me on another bike. I walked out and will never return. For anything. Too many good independent shops and mechanics around to put up with HD corporate BS. Every dealership can go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
That’s right!! I know the feeling all too well🙏
I heard the primary cause of nobody going to h.d. dealerships was the crappy attitude of the sales and parts staff
SO my 4 cents ( for inflation). The new CEO that apparently came from PUMA SHOES or some shit wants to make Harley a premium brand( in the sense that only the rich can afford them) You know 50 odd gran CVOs and the like. Word was if you can't afford that then they were buying up secondhand bikes running them through a so many point inspection process and putting a warranty on them . In the hope when you could trade up to a more expensive model you would. By the way I've always been told Harley-Davidson doesn't want to work on anything over 10 years old 🤔The other day I had an independent dealer say it's now 7!!!! 😳Some Shit about getting parts, working on one issue and something else breaks the customer moans and they have to fix it ! Also if you think about it Harley wasn't really making the money on actually selling the bike BUT on the costs of repairs/servicing. My local HD dealership charges $150 an hour. The independent just put his price up to $95 an hour. So let's face it there are dudes out there that can rip an HD motor to pieces and put them back blindfolded. I myself can do basic maintenance, but there are people that haven't got the time or the ability. SO I think it's now common knowledge that us old school like the old stuff. What happens when my independent retires in 6 months to a year? This dude does state inspections at the drop of a hat and will help you out usually immediately! Try that at an HD dealership that wants you to make an appointment one or two weeks in advance. 😳 No HD wants to kill off independents mainly because they are a LOT cheaper and are taking the maintenance work from them. And I know HD dealership maintenance is supposed to be bang up to date but in my opinion there are very few actual mechanics there. They are fitters ,they take a part off after a machine finds a problem and replace a part. My independent can strip a motor down and rebuild it especially the KNOWLEDGE he has on older models. In conclusion Harley cutting down so many models and leaving only the high end and trikes is going to kill them unless they can find rich people to keep them in business. Because the average dude and dudette won't dare look at the prices. HD are no doubt running independents through the ringer making demands on what they must have in their stores to be allowed to sell the Harley-Davidson brand. I've been riding 47 years by the Grace of God and I've seen this Bullshit before. 👍🇬🇧🇺🇸😎
Born & raised in Wisco where H.D is as big of a part of the culture as the GB Packers. I've always wanted a Harley of my own, but I cannot justify dropping as much, if not more, coin as what I spent on my fucking car. Cost of living has gone up. I'm struggling to keep up on bills let alone Hundred Dollar spark plugs for a name plate.
We used to say that Harley was the best if you tour a lot because there is a Harley dealer in every town if you need parts or service. Without that extensive dealer network, there is no longer a reason to buy a Harley over an Indian.
I remember when Harley dealership here was a crappy little building with maybe THREE HARLEYS sitting with a quart of motor oil under them. There would be ONE crappy looking MECHANIC AND A "HELPER" in the back room. Serious.
Yeah…. No where close to that anymore… nor will it ever go back to that sadly😭
@@insanewheelsyeah your right, the "ENERGY" of those small places was NOT A "CORPORATE" DESIGNATED CASH PLAN..
I live in NJ and my local dealership closed a couple years ago and they were in business for 104 years. Yes 104 years. Tramontin HD in Hope NJ. I believe it was a family issue that caused the closing but I don’t know for sure. There were some really good people working there and I hope they found a new HD dealership to work at.
Wow 104 years that's more than a human lifetime is it family run
I live in Hope NJ, they closed because the existing generation wanted to retire, and no one wanted to take over, they saw the HD not wanting small dealers, but wanting large tee shirt shops.
@@vorrdegard2176 yes it was.
Tremontin Harley Davidson was New Jersey HD #1 and was located in Clifton New Jersey.
I knew Bub Tramontin and he was a wealth of Harley Davidson walking history. Bub,s Father and Grandfather started the business in Clifton NJ
. Back in the early 1990s Bub was my guess in his mid 80s , I loved going into the Clifton store and talking to him. ( I bought two new HDs from him ).
Bub told me that the first Tramontin HD was opened in Clifton two years after HD went into business, but that Tramontins was primarily a Automobile dealership specializing in high end cars including Stuz Bearcat.
Bub said that when the depression hit in 1929 his Father buried cars he couldnt sell in Clifton behind the store. True? But Bub said it.
In the 1990s when there were crazy waiting lists for bikes , Bub , if he liked you could find you one. He got me a 1994 Heritage Softtail from a dealership in Altoona Pa with just a phone call. Bub knew everyone in the HD World.
The Clifton Store was right out of the turn of the century 1900s , almost like a small Country store. Maybe 4 or 5 bikes in the showroom.
Bub told me back then that HD corporate was on his back about the size of the Clifton store and that they were moving to Hope NJ 60 miles away , but he was fighting to keep Clifton running because this was his home. He believed that the opening of the Hope store would satisfy HD and save Clifton for him
Clifton closed I think in 1996.
Bub Tramontin RIP. I loved talking to him.
PS: In the window of the Clifton store on display they had a 1906 HD that they sold new.
In 1994 they had more customers than they had bikes because all of the Rolex Riders had decided to buy a Harley because it was cool in their opinion. They also threw money at the Harley dealer left right and Center which is something that they became addicted to. One Harley dealer wanted $1,000 under the table payment for the privilege of buying my Sportster I told him to get fucked. Now a waiting list or something is just a gimmick they're just squeezing the Motorcycle Supply to jam up the price and frankly their bikes aren't worth what they asked for it not even worth half of what they asked for it just sharing all the things you have to do and as far as I'm concerned CVO Harley's or no better than their regular ones and I have seen videos with CBO Harleys having catastrophic engine failure with less than 27,000 miles on them for a bike costing 40 or 50,000 that's totally unacceptable in my book. I remember in the old days you would have Apartments saying no motorcycles. I knew jobs that would tell you you can't ride your motorcycle to work. I knew developments that you wouldn't that they did not allow motorcycles at all. Harley-Davidson is a t-shirt shop that sells motorcycles on the side. They make 3/4 of their income on the crap that they sell there that's all made in communist China or Vietnam. I can buy American made goods from the aftermarket cheaper than what I can get Chinese crap from Harley-Davidson. I hate to sound Showdown but this is the situation and this is the way it is and honestly that's all you can say. Harley-Davidson sells motorcycles that are collection of government regulations nothing more nothing less. Not a real motorcycle anymore. The Chrome penis extension for an old fart who had more money than God yeah sure. The Great American Freedom machine died with the Evolution motor. Now they're trying to buy up all the used bikes so they can sell them at higher prices meanwhile they're drowning and repossession. All the guys that looked at 96 payments at $500 a month just so they can play vroom vroom at bike night when the money gets tight they tell them to come get the Harley. They sold Harley's people who couldn't afford them and now that is turning around and biting them in the ass. Oh well they made their bed now they have to lay in it.
100 fuking percent. If I gotta finance a motorcycle, boat, or any other "toy" then I can't afford it. I did it ONCE when I was young and dumb, I wanted a street bike so bad, but never again. I own 4 H-D and 2 Yamaha and 1 Honda. All old like me and I have fun with them!
Biggest reason is lack of demand. Demographics have changed...Their largest customer base has gotten older...and they have not been adequately replaced by the younger generation who seem to favor the smaller faster bikes. I think Harley's best days are behind them.
We just lost our local independent.
This, after 50 years of service, is a sad story. The buy-out is planning to relocate, near the highway, with a mega square foot facility.
Harley has their way.
marcus
Facts bro! I appreciate your comment!💯🎯
The days of the family owned, small HD dealership were over once HD went public. It’s shameful that a customer has to walk through thousands of square feet of merchandise before they can even see the bikes. It’s almost like the Motor Company is more interested in selling HD branded merchandise than actual bikes.
Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!
The kind of shops you're talking about died out 20 plus years ago. This is not like it was just something recent. When they demanded the Chrome Palace shit A lot of people just decided not to be a dealer anymore it was too fucking expensive. Frankly I don't want to buy a motorcycle from a place that has a huge amount of overhead cuz then I have to pay for it included in my motorcycle. I don't need all the crap that Harley-Davidson has that they want me to pay for. I'd rather have a little hole in the wall shop where I can trust the mechanic who does the work on my bike. My independent shop came to my house to replace a clutch cable so I can go to work and he stopped on the way to work to the shop to go do it you think a Harley shop would do that for a customer hell no. People brag that when they're on a ride that if they need service on their bike or for breaks down is a Harley dealer close by well not anymore. Harley dealers change hand so much and names I can't even keep them straight anymore. Most of them buy a Harley dealership and sell it within three or four years because it's not the money maker they thought it was going to be. But somebody else thinks that they will jump to the chance and they will make money hand over fist and they will find out just like the first guy not worth it. The aftermarket shops are not going to invest in a huge amount of electronic tools that you need to service the brand new Harleys they have nowadays. Me and my old Triumph mechanic broke down my 1965 Triumph to replace the camshaft with wore out after 50 years with simple hand tools and a gear puller. Used to be fun to go to a Harley shop and Yak with people and pick up something and have some dogs and burgers and listen to the music before you went out on a ride now it's not fun anymore. Any shops that have these tie-ins with ridiculous restaurants that charge $20 for a hamburger who are they kidding. As long as there is a bunch of old people with more money than God Harley will always be around because they think that they will be cool. The emperor has no clothes. There I said it yep
Absolutely Fu@ken right on man ! I love the old school independents. Problem is mine is closing in 6 months to a year . Dudes a little older then me . I got out at 62, he's gonna go to 64/65. This shop you can smell the oil in with old school HD parts hanging on the wall. And the real BUMMER is the KNOWLEDGE this dude is taking with him when he splits. Think I might actually cry😭
This is exactly what happened in the area that I live in. 2 dealerships in the area that were each about 10-15 yrs old. Both owned by the same investment group. One closed and the one that stayed open is next to an interstate. The previous dealership was a very small place where bikers worked on the bikes.
Harley already ran most of the independent mechanics out of the service business by refusing to sell parts to them at less than retail in an effort to control the market. Now they are getting rid of the independent dealers out of the market as well for the same reason. Good luck on getting the older bikes serviced now. They want you to buy their new bikes and get ride of the old ones. My oldest bike is a 75 Superglide with less than 8k miles on the clock. I can't get OEM parts on the old bikes anymore, or even the newer bikes over 10 years old. I still have four harleys in the garage, but no more new ones. I understand that they are fighting an uphill battle in the market place, but it's sad to see the direction they are taking.
I was in a dealership for years it is a tough business and became even worse later on when 90% of the customers are really stupid and would not buy one except for the fad. The advertising included "Its the clothes that make the biker" and my favorite "Buy an attitude"!
My hometown in southern Wisconsin had a Harley dealership since 1910. But a couple of years ago the last one shut down. Now you gotta go Uke's in Kenosha or to Milwaukee.
The forced the owners to have state of the art bulding with upgrades this that so some shops that didn’t hVe millions to upgrade the bulding were forced to shut down happen to a bunch here in Canada …
I go to Ukes but, sometimes Woodstock IL (just over the border) has more on the floor. Many good options in Southern WI.
I remember going to Mischlers in Beaver Dam back when they had the old store. BMW and H-D. That was a cool shop. Then in the 1990's
they had to build the required "Harley-Davidson Monster Motor Clothes and T-Shirt Emporium" on New 151 on the north end of town. Closed down in 2020 IIRC. Sad.
John Deere has gone a similar route. I worked with the same dealer for years only to walk in and find the AgPro group had acquired it. After building a relationship, I felt denied. Now it's like a fast food restaurant, rotating staff, and no motivation to help loyal customers.
I'm not upset with the majority of dealerships going under. Almost every locally owned dealership I've gone to searching for a bike has had HUGE mark ups. I'm not spending 30k on a 20k bike or 50k on a 30k optioned bike. Shut em down. They are pushing people to other brands.
The once oldest dealership in america AD Farrow.west broad street columbus ohio.built a huge new dealership in an upscale area surrounded by outlet malls,subdivisions,and a freeway ramp within a stone’s throw.i liked the old location.it had history,an atmosphere about it.new place.owned by a ford dealer now cause Farrow sold out.Don Carson in lancaster ohio had to move his location from downtown to a new store by an offramp.that’s a big expense
My favorite dealership ever! The original place had character, I'd ride or drive 2 hours to visit a couple of times a year. When Harley forced everyone to move next to a freeway off ramp they ruined a lot of mom and pop outfits where you felt like family when you walked in the door.
Their prices are ridiculous ! 30k for a RG ? I want one bad…..but not that bad. They’re pricing themselves right out of the market. 14K for a Sportster 😂😂😂😂
Yup
Mike, I was there at that time in Villa Park, and the original owners sold and Wild Fire opened up. The original owners gave them the middle finger, and that’s the year HD sold bikes to mostly doctors and lawyers and changed the whole market.
HD gets no sympathy from me! They did this to themselves!🤷♂️💯
My local dealer in San Benito, Texas closed last month. Now the closest Dealer is an hour away in McAllen , Texas. I never saw another customer there. I have driven by often for four years and seldom see a customer car or motorcycle in the parking lot. The one time I went there for service, my annual Texas registration safety inspection, they said "sorry, the mechanic took the afternoon off.".
I absolutely still LOVE the 02 Road King that I bought back in 04. Unless I wreck it, I’ll never get rid of it. I can and do work on literally everything except the fuel injection and balancing the wheels and tires. When the FI finally takes a dump, I will try to find another one but if I can’t, I’ve got a bike that is easy to switch to a carburetor. I can easily afford a new bike but I can’t see paying those ridiculous prices. Besides, I would have to go to the stealership, deal with the weasels that they call salespeople that know nothing about the bikes other than the commission that they will make. After my last 2 experiences with my local stealership, I actually hope they go out of business. I’ve known the guy that owns it since he was a teenager working at his dad’s dealership a few hours away. His dad was awesome and treated everyone pretty well. This P.O.S. won’t even allow his moron parts replacers do the tires on my bike because it’s too old. Fuggem! As far as the t-shirt company based in Milwaukee is concerned, if they want to play stupid games, I hope they get the biggest stupid prize that they can. Fuggem too.
This is very true, and also very unfortunate.
Even in a small country like NZ same story. Harley dealers have to have the mega dealerships. However "parallel importing" is allowed, so there are a lot of independent dealers who sell used or near new Harleys. Harley made the Auckland dealer shift premises 3 times, first to a more upmarket location then to build a mega dealership close to a motorway (freeway) off ramp.
That’s wild!
They forced a Harley dealer by me out a few years ago, they were a H.D. dealership for over 100 years, almost from day one. they forced them to move to a very large building, and load it with inventory, the only problem is the north east riding is seasonal and they pretty much starve in the winter months and H.D. really didn't give a shit, they were out of business in about two years. I'm done with them.
I ride a Honda, but for a long time I admired HD. Sometime ago they were righteous, and that was the attraction. Much like the Great full Dead they had followers that didn't care about the price tag it was part of the romance. For the most part to them it was well worth the cost because it gave the rider a sense of being. Consider Stihl, Huscavarna, Dewalt ETC These products were state of the art, and they were purchased at high prices, but to the user they were worth every penny. A few years ago I went into a store and saw Stihl, and Husky in the same display, and it was in a department store. Worlds collided. The bottom line is profit. The goal was to make these items available, and at a price the average Joe can afford. They went quantity over quality. Owners of these company's are no longer righteous and when you mainstream quality goes down,
H.D. Is no longer the icon, rather A corp whose natural drift is toward profits now. . Share holders don't care about the open rode, or the feeling that the rider has gong coast to cost. They are stockholders who want the stock to go up . I see many H.D. riders now too who conform, they want people to see them as they conform into this image of what they think Peter Fonda set the bar for. Black German helmets white beard, orange and black gear pipes that are way to load. They want to be noticed and stand out as old school purest. They go out of their way to illustrate they are being the lone wolf by conforming to a image.created in the 70s The true free spirit doesn't care about gear, looking the part. They are the ones staying under the radar, on secondary roads who don;t desire being noticed at all..
I heard of a Harley shop that was a mom and pop shop that was getting starved for motorcycles while the big Automotive dealer on shops got all they wanted so they became a Royal Enfield dealer on the side and they sell for motorcycles a week. There is no ending to Harley's underhanded wickedness. In the old days in New York there was an old Harley dealer in the Train club and he used to say that he sold hawley's when you couldn't give the bastards away. He told them what they could do with their Chrome Palace shit and he retired. He was one of those good old shops where they knew the part numbers off the top of their heads you know what I mean. And when your bike came out of there it was done right not Slap Ass together like they do now.
My local dealer who I bought six brand new bikes from tried to screw me over the last time I was in, was thinking about a a trike as my older years have taken its toll, they tried to screw me on my trade in, screw me on the interest rate, screw me on the price of the new one.............that day I decided my biking days are over, fuck them. Good bye HD.
I have a different view - Harley Davidson is the American dream. It is a successful American corporation, employing many Americans in a wide variety of jobs, it gives back to its community, and is financially successful. Hopefully they continue to be in the future as they tinker and adjust their business strategies to a changing marketplace. For those that say "now days they are only in it for the money" - let's hope that's right. Any one of us go to the American stock market and buy a few shares in HD, and if you do you want them to be successful. Just like Exxon, Ford, Microsoft, Con Ed, Apple, and many others. We have seen examples of companies that clinged to the time-honored way of doing things. They stuck to their roots, hard. Those companies were called BSA, Triumph, Indian, and Norton. Is that what you want??
HD IS over saturated. They will put their name on ANYTHING and charge a crazy price for it. They're all about making money and nothing else. Soon their sales are going to tank because there will be so many like new used bikes out there. I've never seen a Harley that wasn't for sale once the CPA or lawyers get tired of them. On the other hand it's tough to find a low mile Gold Wing or BMW.
Cycle trader in my area, bmw k 1600 and goldwings as far as your finger will scroll 2017+ with under 50k miles and under $20,000.
I will take a small dealership anyday over a huge annoying environment
My local family owned Harley dealer was small and closed up several years ago. Next nearest dealer is 45 minutes away and a far less personal atmosphere with pricing and fees jacked up over Gold Wing territory. Hope my new DCT Wing gets here by spring.
I have 3 Dyna's, the company dropped this model, the value of my bikes went up.
I have 1 Sportster under blankets also discontinued and the value went up.
In my humble opinion, keep screwing up Harley, because I reap the benefits. Oh, and keep NOT servicing bikes older than 10 years. I have to turn work away because I'm backed up like a 50 year old septic system.
T.S. RACING
Because they have become clothing stores that occasionally sell motorcycles
HD forced out a local dealer that also has Honda and another- I forget. They required so much space filled with so much Chinacrap.. dealer refused, lost franchise. Now Corp HD dealer is over an hour away. I think HD’s business model is fknBS. You want to see a great business model, look at Kwik Trip gas stations. Yes, I know it’s not the same, but many things relate. Managing for a real business manager is managing resources.
DAVOS-RESET did impact all businesses with the EVENT201cvid. It’s a “big thing” - Bush sr?
HD dealerships today are still full of foreign made bikes. It's ironic a Honda dealership rivals the amount of American made bikes these days.
I ordered my 1995 Fatboy in November of 1993 and picked it up from the dealer in August of 1994. I still own that bike to this day.
My two nearest dealers in Chester & Manchester (U.K.) closed in January. Bike meets nowadays are mainly composed of the retired populace.
Oh wow lol
Harley wants no more franchises, they want all there dealerships corporate owned
HD's new CEO said he wants to cater to a high end clientele.
Wants to change the company image from hairy people with tattoos to a new image.
Many forget that you had owned a lot of business and know what your talking about, good video 👍🏻
As a new rider, I thought about buying a Harley, but they just want too much damn money for them. Even something as simple as an 883 Sportster is still priced at $12,000 which is absolutely insane when you can go on google and find a list a mile long of Japanese bikes that offer either a similar experience or way more speed for half the price. It's a shame, because I really would love to own one. I don't know how Harley will survive in the future. I think I've maybe seen 10 other Millennial riders on Harleys in my life and hundreds if not thousands on sport bikes.
My gripe about H-D is that they are bizarrely self-unaware that many of their models have easy to correct fatal flaws that make them unrideable/undesirable. For example the Iron series has spine-jarring severely-limited rear suspension travel with all of your weight on your butt. Why not add 1.5" to 2" length to the rear shocks to make it rideable? I ruled out the Iron and bought an XL1200C instead which had better suspension travel, but its fatal flaw was super long foot pegs and super long peg feelers that scraped severely with minimal lean (I only weigh 165 lbs). It's like nobody at H-D had ever ridden this model into a turn. I installed the rear foot pegs up front and it solved the problem. Why can't H-D sort simple things like this before they leave the factory? Cannot install saddle bags because the pretty chrome rear turn signals are positioned too far forward in the way. Really H-D? Still, the XL1200C is a good platform, decent suspension, reliable engine, and not too heavy, perhaps the best H-D for most people less than 200 lbs. So guess what, H-D discontinued it. Real geniuses!
Sorry I've been gone a minute my boy came home from a 3-year stent. So you know what's up. But glad to be back watching. They are definitely screaming the mom and pops.✌️
Harley has been playing stupid games with their stocks for 20 years and it's finally coming home to roost. They also screwed over all the dealerships, forcing them to undergo massive, expensive makeovers in an attempt to make them boutique stores. After that cost they weren't showing very good numbers which was making the company look bad so they dumped them.
i did the rider academy this past summer at Villa Park, IL and the facility was pretty nice. Im 41 and just started riding so if this is true my entire riding life is in jeopardy if dealerships cant figure out a way to stay around while keeping prices somewhat reasonable. just imagine the teenagers who ride and the future for them
As many restaurants have found, there is a balance in size of structure and income. Really big space costs big money to heat and cool, plus big property taxes, plus more cleaning, etc. etc.The Ducati dealership in Austin is maybe 5K sq. feet and that includes the office and maintenance shop.
Holywood, i worked for Harley Dealers from 1973 till 2010 when 2 strokes put me out to pasture that's 37 years, then i worked in independent shops after that, and you got it right, my 1st dealership was Black Hills Harley/Yamaha in Rapid City, back then it was a tiny hole in the wall in downtown RCSD and the parts counter was more like a Bar, with a few stools and ash trays on the counter and beer in the pop machine . Now it's a massive dealership on deadwood ave with an SRL in Sturgis and Hill City, Same with many of my old dealerships Belton HD south of KCMO became Gails HD , Kens HD in Abilene TX is a huge expansion from what it was, then Tibby's in Springfield Mass they told harley to go fuck off and closed their doors after generations of the only harley dealer in the home of Indian, when i was at Low Country HD we went from a small warehouse looking dealer to a HUGE building looking more like a barn from no farm i have ever seen it's so huge, with 2 floors and a 3 story warehouse, back up here in New England where i finished my career my dealer in western mass was bought out by a dealer group, then the owner of the dealer group died and they closed it, his other store in NH was bought by the New England Dealer Group with whom i play Santa for them at Christmas, and they are expanding buying dealers left and right, they own seacoast, boston, big moose, Rochester, and Granite state, my last dealership in Rhode Island and Framingham mass was bought by a dealer group and the Framingham store closed, Big Bore HD became Minute man HD then was bought again and now id Battleship HD, Kelly's HD is now High Octane, Merideth HD is now Laconia HD all dealer groups, they are ALL High pressure sales and totally lost the old famous Harley customer service.
Sold my Harley's bought a Honda Ruckus and a 69 Honda super cub.
Couldn't be more 😊😊😊😊😁
We had two had dealers close because the owner was a bad manager. Why does darley havidson lose customers, because they blame the EPA for their bad engineering.
Dealerships make money on Tshirts, and maintenance. Selling bikes don't cover the monthly bills.
Many riders like me don't want modern crap and yuppie showrooms.
Buy an antique bike and you will be so much happier as long as you can wrench your own. Too few riders can do any work on their bikes and rely on dealerships for general maintenance.
AMERICA, you are in my prayers
Hoka Hey
That's why my shop Sills was sold and moved and renamed to 4 Rivers, not sure about my first ever Harley Dealer Bruce Walter in Peoria, IL but do know they moved from the small shop that I went to back in 1957, and the owner, Bruce had a sidecar that he rode.
We only have 2 dealers in Scotland,but ironically the Japanese bike dealers are fewer now....No Suzuki or Yamaha dealer where I live and a recently opened Kawasaki dealer (which weve not had for years)is cojoined by the HD dealer... Strange times...
Yup, our dealer saw the writing on the wall and sold out. The new dealer was a multi-store chain that ran into the pandemic the next year. They kept most of the old employees and they told me that even the big dealers couldn't get new bikes. That problem continues although not on that level. I could almost get what I paid for my 2017. Replacing it would be a hassle.
Great video brother. Well said.
Speaking as a motorcycle rider, kawasaki, and honda. Not about HD in particular, I've been riding a motorcycle for almost 20 years. It's getting less fun to ride, traffic is heavier everywhere, road are constantly being fixed, drivers are more distracted with phones, food, , radios, kids activities, working 2, 3 jobs. There was a time the roads around me were quiet after 5pm and weekends. Now there's cars everywhere, businesses open 7 days a week, there's traffic everywhere. People don't pay attention with all their devices, rushing to their 2nd jobs, or kids activities, etc. I recently bought a scooter for a quick ride locally in stop and go traffic, no worries about clutches, but still , everyone's rushed and rude on the road. I may try one more time before I totally give up on riding
Did Willie G. Not have any kids ? Why isn't any of his kids or some other family members running the company ? Instead we have a bunch of foreigners that have such a heavy accent from there home country that you cant hardly understand them, running the company !!!! WTF man ?!?!?!
A lot of what u described about requiring a certain look, location and square footage is how business is done today, sadly. I know someone who had a very profitable Chrysler dealership but corporate came to him and handed him blueprints and said build this out on the highway with your money. We want this look and this square footage and this location. He told them he was doing well at his in town location. They said, build it or our terms or we ill pull your dealership and hand it to someone else who will do it our way. He had no choice. This also happened to a friend of mine who sold electrical fixtures. The manufacturer came in and handed him blueprints for a big showroom. Same deal. Build it or we pull our affiliation and give it to someone else. He also had no choice if he wanted to stay in business. Both corporations wanted their own corporate look, nationwide.
If you're a Western New York rider of older Harleys, please support The Hog Farm. They moved from West Seneca to Springville. I used to patronize them when I lived in Orchard Park. They were sued by Harley-Davidson and won. I ride a Matchless now, so I can't wear a Hog Farm shirt.
Lentner Cycle,Ottumwa,IA. started in 1940 and were asked to sell new inventory to the H-D company. Luckily they remained independent and still service our Harleys.
As a new Harley owner Im struggling to see some of these comments to be true. Back when I started riding in my late teens early 20's I heard the same thing about harleys and how much over priced they are etc etc etc. That was back in 2001-2004 time frame. I rode sports bikes because thats all I could afford. Back then there was NOBODY I knew my age group riding harleys. We all rode with older uncles etc that could afford the harleys. Took a long break and here it is almost 20 years later and I purchassed 2 harleys in the past 3 months. One used ( 2007 Softail Deuce & one new Street glide special ). Im seeing way more of the younger croud buying up Harleys than anyone. Before I purchassed my SG I was going in the dealership 1-2 times a week and people young and old buying new bikes left and right. I also looked up some of the stats on bikes prior to buying either of my recent bikes and Harley is the top selling motorcycle / brand. BTW Out of all the Bikes I have riden through the years Harleys are by far my favorite. I love the family of Harley riders and the help they are are willing to give. Peope will get on here and be negative and complain about spending 30k on a new bike but in the same sentence go and spend 100k on a new truck. So what am I missing here?
I've been to Wildfire myself and Fishers in Elgin when they had maybe 4 motorcycles on the floor!! A lot of my brothers and I helped Fishers get rockin!!!! Then he got big and blew a lot of us off!!!!
CEO is killin harley and being rewarded for it. Planning to sell it to highest bidder. Previous CEO was a bike man and his plan was about to bear fruit when he was let go. Only success HD had was with Pan Amerika since new CEO took over and the Pan Amerika was developed under leadership of previous CEO. RIP HD.
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