Quote: HD wouldnt exist if the govt didnt place tariffs on the imports and effectively subsidize a dead company with a very obsolete product. Now look at Polaris, a much more profitable company, one that has created a product on its own against stiff competition and created a excellent product. Now they buy a company that has resurrected one of the iconic brands in motorcycling history, the oldest American one, and endeavor to make it a new and exciting product. Whereas the last two Indian incarnations focused on low production and high priced bikes, Polaris is investing a ton into it and repositioning it pricewise to be competitive versus HD, add to it they have immensely studied Indian design over time and are working to build on it and the legacy. I think this is smart, brave, and will succeed as Polaris does with their other products, plus they wont beg the govt to save them and effectively have the others pay for them to exist as HD did.
Harley-Davidson is a motorcycle company only. Currently only 4% of Polaris is involved in motorcycles, they have a low percentage invested and produce only one engine in various states of tune for all their bikes. Instead of buying Indian maybe Polaris should have invested in producing a full line of bikes under the Victory brand.
By the way those tariffs you brought up from decades ago were exactly what the Japanese were using against American products imported into Japan.
2011 Triumph America (10/2011 to 07/2014)
2012 Harley Davidson 1200C Sportster
2014 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide
