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vi5

(13,305 posts)
3. It's not just the tarrifs it's their entire business model....
Tue Jul 24, 2018, 10:32 AM
Jul 2018

....they switched from being a meat and potatoes American motorcycle company to being a "lifestyle brand" more concerned with selling t-shirts and high priced motorcycles to middle aged hedge fund types going through mid-life crisis.

Gibson guitars did the same thing and essentially priced beginners out of buying their actual products, and focused more on t-shirts and branded logo items. And both companies have suffered for it. They deserve every bit of misery they get for the decisions of their shitty CEO's, both of whom were hired for their resumes and not for their actual knowledge of or interest in the products they were charged with selling.

I own both a Harley and a Gibson guitar both of which were bought years ago. But never in a million years would I ever recommend anyone in the market to buy a new product from either of those companies. Anyone would be better off buying one of the countless used items in great shape from older folks who went through the aforementioned mid-life crisis, realized they weren't going to be a Hells Angel or the next Jimi Hendrix and are opting to unload barely used product at great prices.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Thanks, Trump! Cracklin Charlie Jul 2018 #1
It's not clear from the article that sales decline is due to tariffs Raven123 Jul 2018 #2
+1. Quarter ended on July 1 dalton99a Jul 2018 #10
WSJ BS ArizonaLib Jul 2018 #13
I know some people resent their moving plants outside the US csziggy Jul 2018 #29
It's not just the tarrifs it's their entire business model.... vi5 Jul 2018 #3
Agree with your post. Harley also has another problem - ooky Jul 2018 #14
Gibson's number one competitor are used Gibsons. Kotya Jul 2018 #23
Yep. Especially since both don't do much depreciation... vi5 Jul 2018 #26
they're also over-priced, under-styled, and under-qualitied, if you know what i mean. nt TheFrenchRazor Jul 2018 #30
Exactly.... vi5 Jul 2018 #31
Harley workers in Cult 45 say they will still vote Trump sarcasmo Jul 2018 #4
And when those workers get laid off ... aggiesal Jul 2018 #6
Those damn immigrants stole their jobs IronLionZion Jul 2018 #16
Still a very profitable company ... aggiesal Jul 2018 #5
A local police dept. near me Ohiogal Jul 2018 #7
Payback to all those tRumpers and rich SOBs that buy these motorcycles infullview Jul 2018 #8
Companies backing trump and putin duforsure Jul 2018 #9
maybe if harley switched to burning clean coal dembotoz Jul 2018 #11
Maybe they can share in that $12 billion farmer payout (nt) matt819 Jul 2018 #12
USA! USA! USA! louis-t Jul 2018 #15
Harleys are craptastic axm Jul 2018 #17
And built to be extra noisy. Stupid, just stupid. Merlot Jul 2018 #20
True workinclasszero Jul 2018 #25
I am a motorcycle rider. Calista241 Jul 2018 #18
Not so fast there gay texan Jul 2018 #19
oh, I so hope they don't buy Ducati and ruin it Merlot Jul 2018 #21
In 2009, Harley bought MV Agusta, the fabled Italian brand, for $109m Calista241 Jul 2018 #22
Wow, there's a business strategy as well designed as their bikes. Merlot Jul 2018 #27
I don't think Saab-Scania made a profit on those cars either jmowreader Jul 2018 #32
Trump will kill off Harley Davidson workinclasszero Jul 2018 #24
Just another thing Trump failed at and destroyed. Just like: Oneironaut Jul 2018 #28
When folks blame everything on Trump melm00se Jul 2018 #33
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