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Harley-Davidson and Triumph are motorcycle companies that survive only on motorcycles, parts and accessories. Every other major manufacturer has a much larger parent company to carry them through the tough times. Triumph is even more remarkable since it is privately owned.

I do agree about competition being good, but fair competition not foreign dumping in an effort to drive a domestic manufacturer out of business. The reason Harley brought out the 6-speed transmission is because of Victory...but Harley would never admit that.



Harley Davidson is a clothing and branding company. AMF was genius in that regard. I read 2 years ago that they make more money on branding than they do on motorcycles. Polaris had to start a company from scratch. I would wager to say that they now sell as many or more motorcycles than Triumph. They didn't have 100 years of several broke companies legacies to build on. Now they do, with a brand new line of bikes with a brand new motor.

It is going to be interesting for sure. The consumers win all the time when competition hits. While in Sturgis lots of bar and shield folks standing on line to ride the polaris bikes. Spirit Lake Iowa is in America. Americans build Victory and Indian just like Harley.



Actually it's 56.5% of the U.S. market now with only 5% of total revenue from selling Harley gear.

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For the first six months of 2014 Polaris combined motorcycle sales totaled $181,995 not bad. Second Quarter Performance Summary (in thousands except per share data)

SOURCE

Harley-Davidson motorcycle sales totaled (in thousands) $2,785,953 Parts $469,707 General merchandise $140,500

SOURCE

Just the facts.



HD does not own clothing or leather factories. They get royalty from the logo that is produced and sold by 3rd parties certified as Official HD. Last year you are correct that they made 400 million. You have to bare in mind they didn't pay for those shirts, jeans, helmets etc. The merchants did. 400 million cost them next to nothing.

Now I said the AMF marketing was genius. I promise I was not starting an argument. I think we have to say that the majority of logo items get sold, especially as they have no real shelf life. They can sit for a long time. I think we can say HD does not own the dealers or the mail order folks either. That is big profit. So HD made net money less than 800 million in 2013. Look at the math again.

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They do better with the logo than the bikes. Now that is not a bad thing. John Bloor or Scott Wine would kill to have their logos sell like that. As an example people still bought Indian Motorcycle logo wear and Indian had been dead for 50 years.

I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.