Damn Six your going in on The MoCo!!!
A lot of what you say has some truth but honestly HD’s tech is difficult to navigate and understand. They make poop a lot harder than it needs to be. With that being said your friend probably didn’t do the most recent update on his Nav system so maybe that’s why he couldn’t find the dealerships. I actually collect the poker chips from dealerships and my navigation has led me to every one with no trouble.
Far as the performance and style of bikes H-D makes that’s a reflection of the consumer. Go on a HD forum and read what’s said!!! It’s ran, controlled, and mostly posted by Grumpy Old Men..... They want leaky old slow loud Shiny bikes that resemble bikes made from 40 years ago. Some of them old bastards still claim Carbs are the way to go and the government can dictate or monitor them through ECU’s and fuel injection!! I’m not making this poop up! Everytime HD has tried to innovate or revitalize the brand there was severe pushback from the H-D masses. Just look @ the new Fatbob they came out with. Probably the coolest looking corner carver Sport Cruiser they’ve ever produced!!! And pretty much every H-D owner over 40 HATES it....
You can’t be mad @ the Gourmet Restaurant if it’s patrons fall in love with their Cheeseburgers.... If the people want it you have to supply until they ask for something else
I agree with you(and told him to try another update).
The problem is still HD management.
They could still make their classic bikes, but they Must also move forward.
Very, very few businesses can survive unless they adapt to the changing times.
I've never been a big HD fan, just not my style, but, I didn't really hate them until they ditched Buell.
They shot themself in the foot, and have been bleeding out ever since...oh well, dummies.
How long can their customer base buy the same bike? Apparently not much longer.
The FatBob you talked about, I think you posted here when it came out, and it Is a cool bike.
Ultimately, it's their image. HD shirt, socks, jeans, underwear, bandana, etc. Ride to the bar/restaurant, hang out, talk all things HD, ride to next stop, repeat. Or, just a hardcore biker and/or gang member(gang, not club), and those guys are die hard...and most aren't buying new bikes.
Make the same old same old(in shrinking numbers, hence the flooded used market), And, go in a new direction.
Ask anyone here to pick their favorite sportbike(Busa or other), now, pretend you don't know what it is.
Now put a HD sticker on it. Would You buy it? Would I? Probably so.
I love Japanese sportbikes, always have, but, I could get on board with an American designed and built HD sportbike. Buell fans did. And as said above, I think styling hurt Buell sales. However, He did alot of inovative things, including be sucessful in Superbike. It could be done again.
As of now, HD is going to fade into history, and build and sell bikes in places most of us have never heard of. Why? Because it's that...or fold.
Why buy the latest HD new, when you can get it used for wayyyy less? Because the majority of buyers bought the hype, it quickly wore off, and they walked away, and are selling their problem.
I have no sympathy for them.
