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[matap]

Can Millennials Save the Motorcycle Industry

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-05/can-millennials-save-the-motorcycle-industry

No.  they prefer to use emoji's to communicate and uber so they can continue texting.

[xcaliber]

I think this phenomenon resonates across alot of industries. How many millennials are interested in cars? Specifically , old antique cars?
Interest in the NFL is down but the younger gen is interested in soccer if they are into sports at all. Boxing out  UFC is in. Technology is their interest and that's OK. Generational thing. Will MC's become cool again? Hard to say. They were not cool among our grandfathers but got cool in the 60's. Maybe it will skip a generation and come back as a skybike like in Star Wars . That will be cool. 

[xcaliber]

Give it a few years.  They have 20 different platforms to introduce and somewhere there has been rumors of dual sports or at least entering into the off road segment of some sort.
[/quote]

It's true, HD is entering the off road segment!   https://www.atvrider.com/harley-powered-atv

[hipshot]

HD actually marketed dirt bikes back in the sixties.  And they were Italian two strokes, too!

Technically, the Sportster started out as a dirt bike; they raced on a circular dirt track.  HD was looking for something to break the hold the Brits (Triumph / BSA) had on the flat track circuit.

[SteveS]

Don't forget the 14 or so years that AMF owned them

[diverg]

Don't forget the 14 or so years that AMF owned them

I believe many don't want to remember AMF's ownership period.

[xcaliber]

Don't forget the 14 or so years that AMF owned them

I had a AMF Sportster and never had a problem. It was a quick and fun bike to ride. AMF saved HD's butt in many ways. When they took over in 69 HD was in bad shape.They were bankrupt and almost out of business. Their factories and machinery was old and out of date. They were very inefficent and doing things like they did in the 1920's. AMF poured a lot of money into HD and created the Evolution engine. They also had a 750 liquid cooled bike in the works till the employee buyout and Willie Davidson killed it because he didn't like radiators. AMF did cut back on some QC trying to recoop some of their money. Their was also alot of employee resentment and rumors of sabotage. If you want to read something interesting read about the AMF HD Nova project. What might have been.

[matap]

Give it a few years.  They have 20 different platforms to introduce and somewhere there has been rumors of dual sports or at least entering into the off road segment of some sort.

It's true, HD is entering the off road segment!   https://www.atvrider.com/harley-powered-atv
[/quote]

Hey....you need a hog to catch a hog. 

[hipshot]

Don't forget the 14 or so years that AMF owned them

I had a AMF Sportster and never had a problem. It was a quick and fun bike to ride. AMF saved HD's butt in many ways. When they took over in 69 HD was in bad shape.They were bankrupt and almost out of business. Their factories and machinery was old and out of date. They were very inefficent and doing things like they did in the 1920's. AMF poured a lot of money into HD and created the Evolution engine. They also had a 750 liquid cooled bike in the works till the employee buyout and Willie Davidson killed it because he didn't like radiators. AMF did cut back on some QC trying to recoop some of their money. Their was also alot of employee resentment and rumors of sabotage. If you want to read something interesting read about the AMF HD Nova project. What might have been.

I recall some mighty impressive assessments of the Nova while it was in the developmental stages. IIRC it was a six cylinder engine.  One of HD's problems was that every "radical new concept" they came up with was pretty much a bike the Japanese or Italians had been building for years.

[xcaliber]

Great article here , the picture of the six cylinder engine is awesome.   https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2016/09/19/harley-davidsons-project-nova-look-might/

[MRVTX]

Great article here , the picture of the six cylinder engine is awesome.   https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2016/09/19/harley-davidsons-project-nova-look-might/

Cool article...man, who knows what could've been if those bikes had made it to market.

[xcaliber]

heard an update on HOH. Heard an investor bought the dealership rights. It won't remain where it is. Don't know where but that's the rumor from different sources and when I was in there last week, an employee hinted that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and would know more at the end of this week.

[MRVTX]

heard an update on HOH. Heard an investor bought the dealership rights. It won't remain where it is. Don't know where but that's the rumor from different sources and when I was in there last week, an employee hinted that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and would know more at the end of this week.

Water under the bridge for me, unless they get a new manager and charge fair prices.

[DEMON]

I could use a new helmet, may go by there on my lunch hour tomorrow and see what I can get...  I purchased my 1st VTX from them when they were at the Old location off Bingle.   The few times I had dealings with them they were marginal.  I always liked dealing with Wildwest better. 

I had better service from HD dealers,  Mancuso was good to me, republic was alright too. The dealer in Conroe did some maintenance on for my bike once and they were very good, hell even wash my bike.   

Always sad when a business goes under.

[Rocket67]

Harley shutting down Kansas City Plant

https://www.upi.com/https:/www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/01/30/Harley-Davidson-shutting-down-Kansas-City-plant-amid-sales-drop/2651517326025

Consolidating to a different plant is a good plan.  Restructuring, a good plan.  Electric bike.....not a good plan.  If they want to innovate they need to make a Street Glide with the V-Rod motor.