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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3525 on: June 26, 2018, 04:26:03 pm » |
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According to one of the books I have on H-D history, at one point, H-D actually requested the feds drop the tariffs on their competitors once they felt they were on stable ground again. I believe that may have happened around the time they went public in '86 and the Evo had been in production for two years. That motor saved the company.
They did - it was quite a bit early - couple years, I think. It was a very good move, but they had done very well with that little bit of protection. I think that was also to help with the IPO - would not have looked good to Wall Street. And Hondapottamus in particular was dumping massive amounts of bikes at 'half-price' just to get the market share - when that stopped, they didn't need the help so much. The rest of the bike companies didn't really show up in that big bike market at the time. It was a good motor, but I never really cared much for it... I mean, how are you gonna tell when you are getting low on oil if there isn't a slow leak to remind you when it stops...?? Shovelheads rule!! Also, too smooth...they weren't called 'Milwaukee Vibrators' for nothing... and yeah, it fit! |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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Conan71
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« Reply #3526 on: June 26, 2018, 04:53:44 pm » |
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There is no doubt that HD has made previous moves and was closing down their KC plant before the trade war started: http://www.nydailynews.com/newswires/news/business/harley-shutting-missouri-plant-sales-decline-article-1.3787607That article says production peaked at 1.1 million in 2005 and is down to an estimated 236,000 in 2018. That's a really tough business climate and I'm sure we could speculate on a litany of reasons (and many would certainly play into it). But when a company is fighting for sales they need every edge they can get. They cannot absorb another 15% hit to sales because the President thinks it makes him look better. I'm confident Harley prefers to make as many bikes in the USA as possible, they already have the plants and capacity here, the executives live here, and their fans want them to. But...adapt or die, a 30% tax on Harley's made in the US and sold in the EU makes it an easy choice to build the bikes overseas. It basically forces their hand, unless they sacrifice the company for Trump's ego. My other point was that the Trump regime cannot have it both ways. Either patriotic companies do business in the US no matter what, or they are expected to chase lower taxes. The article is a bit confusing. There is no indication if that was overall U.S. sales by all manufacturers or if that was H-D's own figure. U.S. motorcycle sales peaked at more than 1.1 million in 2005 but then plummeted during the recession. They've had trouble coming out of that trough because of demographic shifts. As baby boomers stop riding, there aren't enough millennials taking up the slack, analysts say. Ah, here we go appears to be all MC sales: https://www.statista.com/statistics/183549/us-sales-of-motorcycles-since-1990/ |
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"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first” -Ronald Reagan
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Conan71
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« Reply #3527 on: June 26, 2018, 05:01:03 pm » |
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They did - it was quite a bit early - couple years, I think. It was a very good move, but they had done very well with that little bit of protection. I think that was also to help with the IPO - would not have looked good to Wall Street. And Hondapottamus in particular was dumping massive amounts of bikes at 'half-price' just to get the market share - when that stopped, they didn't need the help so much. The rest of the bike companies didn't really show up in that big bike market at the time.
It was a good motor, but I never really cared much for it... I mean, how are you gonna tell when you are getting low on oil if there isn't a slow leak to remind you when it stops...?? Shovelheads rule!! Also, too smooth...they weren't called 'Milwaukee Vibrators' for nothing... and yeah, it fit!
Evo I can tolerate. From TC-88 forward, they are too smooth and no slop in the transmission when you shift. When I owned my restoration business, I refused to work on anything newer than a Shovel other than some limited work on friend's Evos. I still own two Evos, one is an '86 Liberty Edition FXR, same as the one Vaughan Bealls and other HD bigwigs were pictured with on the floor of the AMEX in 1986, and a 1993 Electra-Glide. Great bikes. The '86 still has much of the pedigree from the collaboration with Porsche on the Evo. I've also got 1931 and 1935 VL models as well as 1948 and 1949 125 S two stroke Harleys.  |
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"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first” -Ronald Reagan
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3528 on: June 27, 2018, 08:57:06 am » |
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Evo I can tolerate. From TC-88 forward, they are too smooth and no slop in the transmission when you shift. When I owned my restoration business, I refused to work on anything newer than a Shovel other than some limited work on friend's Evos.
I still own two Evos, one is an '86 Liberty Edition FXR, same as the one Vaughan Bealls and other HD bigwigs were pictured with on the floor of the AMEX in 1986, and a 1993 Electra-Glide. Great bikes. The '86 still has much of the pedigree from the collaboration with Porsche on the Evo. I've also got 1931 and 1935 VL models as well as 1948 and 1949 125 S two stroke Harleys.
Nice group of bikes! Love the 30's bikes! Also like all the clunking and mechanical sounds/feels. I must admit, I do like the rubber mounted engine (Tourglide) and 5 speed tranny. Need the chain sounds, though, primary and drive. Just got the old shovel and I don't expect to get anything else unless I can find a nice old ElectraGlide - 60's or so... A '35 VL with a sidecar would be one sweet cruising bike for Sunday afternoon tooling around for me and my bride...!! |
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« Last Edit: June 27, 2018, 08:59:59 am by heironymouspasparagus »
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3529 on: June 27, 2018, 12:41:11 pm » |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3530 on: June 27, 2018, 04:20:09 pm » |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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guido911
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« Reply #3531 on: June 27, 2018, 11:10:25 pm » |
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Not a good week at SCOTUS if you are a lib.  |
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Someone get Hoss a pacifier.
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Ed W
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« Reply #3532 on: June 28, 2018, 06:24:00 am » |
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An excerpt from H-D's expert trolling of the Great White Dope (satire): " “If you think we’re going to be intimidated by a guy who couldn’t ride two wheels to save his softail, you’ve got a lot of turnpike left to travel.” The escalation in road warrior metaphors comes hard on the kickstand of Donald Trump opening his throttle at Harley-Davidson earlier today, after the U.S. president took exception to the company’s insistence on doing business according to free market economics, rather than co-operating with the new model of American capitalism which – oddly enough – relies on overt government interference, and intimidation. " http:// [url]https://outabouter.com/2018/06/28/harley-davidson-begins-production-of-new-model-the-wall-glide/[!/url] |
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Ed
May you live in interesting times.
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3533 on: June 28, 2018, 07:52:42 am » |
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Not a good week at SCOTUS if you are a lib. “There are two novels that can transform a bookish 14-year-kid’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish daydream that can lead to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood in which large chunks of the day are spent inventing ways to make real life more like a fantasy novel. The other is a book about orcs." -- John Rogers Try the orc book sometime...it's better. For you, your kids, and the world. |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3535 on: June 28, 2018, 11:50:22 am » |
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He is obviously a 'Fellow Traveler' and yet, somehow his Minions are oblivious. Amazing, isn't it? |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3537 on: June 28, 2018, 12:33:14 pm » |
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Trump keeps going after Harley Davidson. 3 days running now. And of course, lying all the while. Hey, Minions, I asked Breadburner exactly what moral code he lives by that allows him to rationalize this psychosis away - how about the rest of you ?? https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/trump-blasts-harley-gets-facts-162623397.html |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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heironymouspasparagus
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« Reply #3539 on: June 28, 2018, 04:07:06 pm » |
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If it turned out to be true, just another crime he could be guilty of - insider trading. SEC should check his recent stock purchases. |
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"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?" --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.
I don’t share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently. I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.
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