Discuss Detroit » Archives - July 2008 » Motorcycle manufacturing « Previous Next »
Top of pageBottom of page

Benjo
Member
Username: Benjo

Post Number: 46
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 9:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

With today's ridiculous gas prices, more people are riding motorcycles. With all the skilled autoworkers out of work in our area, I wonder why one of the big 3 or a startup company doesn't start making bikes here in the Detroit area. I'd love to have a reliable motorcycle made right here in Detroit.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg

Post Number: 1694
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 9:49 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Harley-Davidson chief Jim Ziemer is not enjoying an easy ride
The iconic bike company has been hit by falling sales and has cut jobs. Is it near the end of the road?
Sunday Times, June 29, 2008

....In the first quarter of this financial year, Harley-Davidson saw worldwide sales drop 5.6% - a decline particularly acute in its home market, where the fall in revenues was near 13%.....


Read the entire article
Top of pageBottom of page

Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug

Post Number: 275
Registered: 03-2008
Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 10:01 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Not surprising..Harley sells an "image," not a motorcycle. People have been buying them as "investments" for the past couple decades, and the bottom has fallen out of the market, not unlike the housing market.
Folks don't wanna pay twice the price for half the bike when times are tight and resale's a joke..

Japanese bikes are selling like hotcakes..and oddly enough, both Honda and Kawasaki are closing their American assembly plants.
Meanwhile, the cheap third-world rip-offs have made their appearance in America..
It'd be pretty hard going for an American motorcycle company to make a start at this particular point in time..
If we use Harley as our benchmark, the Japanese & European bikes are all several light years ahead in every aspect except for loony "potato-potato" exhaust noise and branded aftermarket merchandising..
Top of pageBottom of page

Lefty2
Member
Username: Lefty2

Post Number: 1475
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 10:23 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You can get your very own Detroit made bike right here. (Ferndale made actually)
http://detroitbros.com/777/

The 60's kids who grew up and bought a lot of Harley's and drove sales trying to relive their childhood. Now that boom is slowing down.
Top of pageBottom of page

Wally
Member
Username: Wally

Post Number: 427
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 10:31 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Zrx_doug is right on. People didn't buy Harley's for an economical ride. They're toys for middle aged faux-bikers with expendable incomes. Nobody looking for a motorcycle to save a few bucks on gasoline is going to look at a Harley. They cost more than many small cars. The only bike Harley sells that comes close to Japanese bike pricing is the Sportster. This area seems like it would be great to start up a motorcycle company selling bikes that the average Joe Shmoe can afford, with all the unemployed engineers and skilled workers, although the union factor would most certainly inhibit anything of the sort to happen.

Add Your Message Here
Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.