Harley Davidson shutting down US factory, moving jobs to Bangkok ................

[Evmetro]

I don't know if you recall, but from 1969 through 1981, HD was owned by AMF and their quality dropped dramatically (according to their faithful following). AMF actually kept them afloat, or as you mentioned, the superior Jap products would have sent them bankrupt. 13 investors bought back the company in 1982 and turned it into a $10 billion company.
That said, HD does have a very large following, mainly because they are built (despite still having their design flaws, see my above post) here in America (and the fact that they literally dominate the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle division). That could change if they become built overseas and imported back here far more than "the cultural support has been gradually replaced by lefties and feminized men who resent America" has anything to do with it.

I spent a big portion of my life riding Harleys, and am very familiar with the culture. I can assure you that the culture has changed dramatically. Feminized men have infiltrated the culture, and the pride of owning American iron has slipped away. It is alive and well for many, but not enough to block sales of less expensive bikes that are built better. I suspect that what the opening post is about is just another nail in the coffin for Harley.

[Superfreak]

Trump said he was going to save American jobs.

Why didn't he keep his word?

Learn how multi national companies work. Then look and see that this decision was done under OBAMA.

Then understand that there is no way any President can keep all jobs in the US. It makes no sense for Harley to make bikes here and then ship them overseas. Too costly and in markets like you find in Asia, that will price them out of competition.

[Evmetro]

I don't know if you recall, but from 1969 through 1981, HD was owned by AMF ... (despite still having their design flaws,

I had a Shovelhead AMF bike for many years, and it did indeed leave me stranded too often. Despite the design flaws though, it did provide a riding experience that could never be achieved by the jap bike companies.

[RB 60]

I spent a big portion of my life riding Harleys, and am very familiar with the culture. I can assure you that the culture has changed dramatically. Feminized men have infiltrated the culture, and the pride of owning American iron has slipped away. It is alive and well for many, but not enough to block sales of less expensive bikes that are built better. I suspect that what the opening post is about is just another nail in the coffin for Harley.

I don't ride, but many of my friends do and have never mentioned a change in "culture," so I'll take your word for it.
One thing I do admire about many Harley riders is their sponsorship of rides for charities, local fire/accident/cancer victims and especially their support of our veterans.

[cawacko]

I don't understand why people still rely on rawstory as a source. Here's left wing Snopes even saying this story is b.s. Harley has already decided to consolidate their K.C. plant back in 2015. That was two years before the tax cut passed. That was when Obama was still in office.

I know we're "contards" and uneducated and idiots but falling for stories like this means one is educated and enlightened?


https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/di...onsin-tariffs/

El Oh Freaking El. You groaned this post showing the OP was false Nordberg? Can you be a bigger hack?

[cawacko]

Snopes did NOT say the story was BS.

From wacko's Snopes link:

WHAT'S TRUE

Harley-Davidson has announced the closure of at least one of its United States factories; the company also announced that it would be opening a manufacturing plant in Thailand.

I would expect nothing less from you than this Zap. Thanks for not disappointing.

[cawacko]

I am sorry to hear this, it was my hope the tax cuts would be good for something if they were going to happen. Disappointing

What tax cuts did you get in 2015?

[Irish Exit]

Nope just verifying the details from another source

Okay. They are largely a rich old person's ride. As boomers age, their market was bound to dry up. Cutting costs by going overseas with some manufacturing will delay their inevitable bankruptcy. We have a guy locally who used to customize them for a lot of very wealthy folks and celebrities as fast as he could get them done. Huge backlogs. It was why we would have random celebrities being spotted in our nowhere city--they were coming to inspect the progress or pick up their rides. That all dried up in last 3 or 4 years.

[cawacko]

350 employees from the KC plant are LOSING THEIR JOBS.

THAT is the truth.

Just stop.

[Nordberg]

Learn how multi national companies work. Then look and see that this decision was done under OBAMA.

Then understand that there is no way any President can keep all jobs in the US. It makes no sense for Harley to make bikes here and then ship them overseas. Too costly and in markets like you find in Asia, that will price them out of competition.

You learn. the fact is we actually have given tax breaks to help companies move abroad. But China is not cheating. The companies moved lock ,stock and intellectual property to get cheaper, unprotected labor and no environmental regulation. You can actually produce in several countries, like automobile manufacturers do. Many of the companies that moved, were very profitable. They just saw a way to make even more. patriotism only works on the poor. The rich are internationalists who see the US as just a market.

You are for what Perot warned us about, the workers making the same wages across the globe. Lower and lower .

[cawacko]

You learn. the fact is we actually have given tax breaks to help companies move abroad. But China is not cheating. The companies moved lock ,stock and intellectual property to get cheaper, unprotected labor and no environmental regulation. You can actually produce in several countries, like automobile manufacturers do. Many of the companies that moved, were very profitable. They just saw a way to make even more. patriotism only works on the poor. The rich are internationalists who see the US as just a market.

You are for what Perot warned us about, the workers making the same wages across the globe. Lower and lower .

Look at you mirroring Trumps rhetoric about globalization. Funny that huh?

[Superfreak]

You learn. the fact is we actually have given tax breaks to help companies move abroad. But China is not cheating. The companies moved lock ,stock and intellectual property to get cheaper, unprotected labor and no environmental regulation. You can actually produce in several countries, like automobile manufacturers do. Many of the companies that moved, were very profitable. They just saw a way to make even more. patriotism only works on the poor. The rich are internationalists who see the US as just a market.

You are for what Perot warned us about, the workers making the same wages across the globe. Lower and lower .

you understand little about global economics. Nor do you give a shit about workers or you would recognize how far they have advanced worldwide. Or is it that you hate brown people succeeding?

[Superfreak]

Look at you mirroring Trumps rhetoric about globalization. Funny that huh?

yep... who knew he was such staunch Trump supporter.

[Callinectes]

Don't see how they can cite the tax cuts and Trump's tariffs when they made those plans to open the Thailand plant due to increased demands and Thailand's 60% tariffs on the motorcycles, before any of those things existed. It's simply a case of the Asian market growing and the American market lagging.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN18L0DA

Yep, I rode HDs for 40 years, and worked in HD dealerships for 5 years. I started noticing that in my 50's, I was about the youngest guy in the store. The customer base in the US is getting too old to ride. About four years ago, Polaris started making Indians again. Really nice bikes with an excellent proprietary engine. I've had 2 of them since and they're the best bikes I've ever owned. But I am 61 years old now, and I'm still one of the youngest customers in the dealership. I do hope Indian hangs in there for a few years though. It's gonna be rather tedious looking out the window of the retirement home at nothing but crotch rockets whizzing by.

[zymurgy]

this has been long in the works.

demographics say they are in trouble long term - young people are not interested in motorcycles.

partisan idiots will blame a political party, because they are partisan hacks. Don't be a partisan hack like the op

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/12/mill...eys-sales.html