Its sad to see somebody pour everything into something and lose. Especially with HD help in your first 10 years. HD partnership in the next 10 and HD ownership for the last 6.
Pretty deep pockets to still go under.
I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.
Quote: hmmmm, maybe smashing up the Blast wasn't the best plan.
Well ya see Dave, I kept WARNIN' Erik that he could take this whole "mass-centralization" thing TOO FAR, but would he LISTEN???!!! (I must give credit here to a certain Paul Ellingson of San Diego CA for that line, who's letter in this month's "Cycle World" had me bustin' up with laughter)
And yeah guys, this really is sad news for all of motorcycling, as it's always a shame when an innovative engineer such as Erik Buell actually has the balls and fortitude to see his brainchild become a reality for many others to share out there on the road, but much too soon it appears is succumbed by the pressures of the marketplace out there eventually also.
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
I wonder where Eslick is gonna go??? he has done a pretty good job of rideing that thing to the winners circle. of course its been running against the 600s but still he seems to be a very capable rider so i have to wonder where he will end up???
Go question there newt! Ya know, this question of yours here has me wondering if maybe Buell's recent expansion of his racing ventures and the costs involved in it might've heavily contributed to this situation, and thus further giving credence as to why John Bloor has always seemed reticent to enter into any large scale racing venues with his Triumph company all these years?!
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
i'm sure what i'm about to say will stir up some stuff,but i kinda like doing that so here goes.Harley is a victim of their own success.i've been saying this for some time,but they were never meant to sell as many motorcycles as they did during their peak sales years.they simply road the RUB/wannabe wave that ensued after The American Chopper craze.i remember that up until 8 years ago you used to be put on a waiting list to be able to buy a new harley.now that all the people who like playing biker on the weekends have been laid off Craigslist is flooded with 1 or 2 year old bikes that are practically brand new going for cheap,so basically Harley sold A LOT of bikes to people who aren't serious about motorcycling and inadvertantly flooded the used market to the point that they can't sell new ones,and it's sad that to compensate they hack Buell instead of scaling back on the 10 different softail models,or 10 differnt dyna models,or 10 different touring models
I agree with Jake 100%. I remember there being a list to buy a Harley, and the resale was almost the same as purchase price for a 4-5 year old bike. Too bad for the guys who bought their bikes in the late '90's as a sort of investment, had the market not gotten flooded, they might actually be worth something now.
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In 2002 they UGLIFIED the bikes so bad, they were doomed.
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They (Harley) drop like a rock in value just like anything else. My craigslist here always has dozens for sale for cheap. Only problem is that cheap is their payoff. Most folks wont but a bike with a lien from a private seller. Too much hassle waiting for and getting titles.
Even at their used prices, used Harley is not moving well either.
They are a victim of their own success. But they are big enough to survive this little bump. Dumping Buell and MVA is really a drop in the bucket for the overall health of the company long term.
I think it is a forgone conclusion now that their PA. plant is gonna get shut down for a long time in the very near future.
I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.
Ya know Brian, "looks" were never Buell's prime objective. His bike's were always much more leaned in the "Form Follows Function" mode. And because he mostly used Harley engines, a company much more geared towards the reverse of that famous design principle, he was in a way always in pursuit of an "oxymoronic" outcome.
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
I found this out a little while ago on TriumphRat and I suspect it'll gnaw at me for a while. I'm really just disgusted at HD right now, moreso than ever before. I will never own a new HD, as they're just a sad, greedy pathetic excuse for an American company. I hope these tough times finally crush them, though I suspect it's nearly impossible for the motorcycling world to be that lucky.
times are tough and it is hard to make sales right now, this is sad and knowing what it means to pour yourself into your business, your dream....this is a sad day....We feel for ya Erik Buell.......
Quote: I found this out a little while ago on TriumphRat and I suspect it'll gnaw at me for a while. I'm really just disgusted at HD right now, moreso than ever before. I will never own a new HD, as they're just a sad, greedy pathetic excuse for an American company. I hope these tough times finally crush them, though I suspect it's nearly impossible for the motorcycling world to be that lucky.
We are very quick to blame Harley for the end of Buell. Buell is the reason for the end of Buell. A product either sells or it doesn't. Harley kept Buell alive for a few decades. He never could have survived without Mr. Davidson's loyalty and investment. For the last 16 years Harley poured money and support into him. Do we think Buell could have ever made a dealer network??
AS far as Harley worried about the bottom line of the parent company first. Well, yep, that is right.
Its sad but Harley is not the bad guy here. The economy is the bad guy here. Erik Buell, I am sure, has not one bad thing to say about Harley Davidson or the family. They treated him very well.
I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.
Well said Ron! Yep, I too think H-D kept Erik's venture alive probably longer than it would have without Willie G and his boys support. And that was probably due to H-D feeling it would like to "dabble" in the sportbike business the years of their partnership.
And because of the current economic conditions, many companies, regardless the type of their product, are turning inward and turning their focus back to their core product, as Bob[bking] said above. And with H-D's "core product" being primarily retro styled motorcycles(and of course clothing...good one there erle!!! ), H-D probably felt they had no choice but to pull the plug on Erik.
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
It's not the first time. Airmachi and Trihawk got the same treatment. Not sure about that motorhome outfit they had for a while, they had it up for sale, but I never heard whether they found a buyer. If they are shutting down the York plant, that probably means the end of their line of military bikes as well.
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
Quote: We are very quick to blame Harley for the end of Buell. Buell is the reason for the end of Buell. A product either sells or it doesn't. Harley kept Buell alive for a few decades. He never could have survived without Mr. Davidson's loyalty and investment. For the last 16 years Harley poured money and support into him. Do we think Buell could have ever made a dealer network??
AS far as Harley worried about the bottom line of the parent company first. Well, yep, that is right.
Its sad but Harley is not the bad guy here. The economy is the bad guy here. Erik Buell, I am sure, has not one bad thing to say about Harley Davidson or the family. They treated him very well.
The quote from Erik Buell's announcement was so spot on regarding Mr. Buell's delusion, again, "We proved that a small group of passionate and inspired people can compete against industry giants."
Really?
Like you said Ron, Harley carried Buell. If Buell could compete they should have got off the teet.
i went with my cousin to the local harley dealership yesterday so he could get oil for his bike.i started talking to one of the sales guys and this "genius" is convinced that in the spring Harley's will start selling like hot cakes again now that the economy has "recovered".i don't know about you guys but here in Ohio the unemployment rate is over 10%.and just because the stock market has recovered it hasn't stopped companies from laying people off(like Harley is about to do)or created jobs to put people back to work.it's sad but i think it will be a long time,possibly up to 5 years to put everybody back to work.and people have sacrificed so much that when they do get back on their feet they are going to have a long way to go after that to be able to have discretionary cash to spend on things like motorcycles.
I think Harley's woes are as much about market saturation as it is the economy. First saturate the states, now they're desperate and trying to go abroad. I wonder how many $20k road kings they're gonna sell in India?
times are tough and it is hard to make sales right now, this is sad and knowing what it means to pour yourself into your business, your dream....this is a sad day....We feel for ya Erik Buell....... 
), H-D probably felt they had no choice but to pull the plug on Erik.