Posted 8/21/2009 1:04 am
Lent money? Maybe they have a finance arm, but usually banks lend, amirite? They have a new sports tourer lined up. Germany and Japan are no longer in recession. HD will be making record profits soon.
Posted 8/21/2009 2:59 am
This thread just reminded me. I've hardly heard any harleys at all this summer. I guess they're all for sale or rotting in garages.
Yeah, but most of the time they were packaging the loans and selling them on - you didn't think that this securitization idea only applied to mortgagages, did you - there is lots of this toxic paper around, based on everything from houses to CC debt.
The Jap bikes vs BMW do make it super hard, but if it took HD 20+yrs to incorporate ABS and other safety devices, where BMW and Jap bikes and even Chinese bikes have been doing it, somethings wrong.
I think their attitude has been "if it's not broken, don't fix it" - look at harley engines they were (and still are, in most models) using the same 45deg OHV V-Twin engine that was state of the art back in the mid 30's when it was designed.
And the so called "revolution" engine is anything but; it's another V-Twin - but now it's 60 degree, 4 valves/cyl and OHC. It's a pity they had already used up the name "Evolution", since it would be a more accurate description.
Nope, they are out there, being ridden by people who are not afraid to go outside. A lot of them are ridden by men who have actually touched a girl. Some have touched many girls, and I'll wager that some have had sex with girls.
Maybe you are living on the different side of the basement this year and that is why you don't hear them.
No, it does not. If they were desperate they would be lowering prices or having rebates or such. This is marketing, people see 'get back what I paid' and fall for it. If someone is just getting into riding it is not a bad deal for your first bike. I think the trade in period should be two years rather than one, but that's just me.
The ont ehing HD's have going for them is that the v/twins aren't water cooled. Motorcycles are about simplicity, and water cooling adds many complications. I got rid of my v/4, 16 valves, water cooled, chain drive mc(honda vfr750) and got a old Yamaha XS1100 which is an air cooled, shaft drive 8 valver.Simpler.
Posted 8/22/2009 4:17 pm
Troof. If I ever do straddle a M/C again (if only for reasons of gasoline desperation) then it won't have a fucking chain. Fuck that shit.
Chains and their adjusting, lubing and replacing every 10-20K is a major hassle. I like shaft drive, and I did have a belt drive on a Kawasaki 440 that I liked.Some HD's have belt drive. I approve.
