interesting discussion from another board

[Haya01B]

Forgot the Pontiac GTO was made in Australia.

 

[hellbent]

I really dont care where my bike was made. If American companies want my money, they have to put out a competitive product at competitive prices. In 18 yrs of riding I think I've had about 1 of everything Including a few hogs and loved most of them. But have you seen the new honda fury? My neighbor just bought 1 for $13g. See what that money will get you in a harley shop. I love pretty much anything on two wheels but I dont care for a company that plays on peoples "loyalties" just to overcharge for an inferior product.

 

[Haya01B]

I really dont care where my bike was made. If American companies want my money, they have to put out a competitive product at competitive prices. In 18 yrs of riding I think I've had about 1 of everything Including a few hogs and loved most of them. But have you seen the new honda fury? My neighbor just bought 1 for $13g. See what that money will get you in a harley shop. I love pretty much anything on two wheels but I dont care for a company that plays on peoples "loyalties" just to overcharge for an inferior product.

Preach Brotha! Preach!

 

[hellbent]

If we really wanna talk brand loyalty let's do CHEVY vs.FORD! I'll be BOWTIE till I die!

 

[lar300mag]

Cant say that I am brand loyal to any company, but in addition to my Busa, I also own a Harley, even with the 100 year old technolgy springer front end. I do get to see alot of people reactions to me while riding either one. Some of the Harley crowd turn their nose up at me when I ride the Busa and when I ride the Harley, it goes the other way, Metric riders do the same to me. So if I can afford an over priced Harley, a Busa, or what ever I choose to buy, so be it, its my money. As they say- Live to Ride. BTW, If we want to make fun of people and what they have, lets make fun of the men who drive mini-vans.

 

[kml]

Truthfully I think the "Buy American, Harley vs. Jap" is a straw man argument used after the fact to rationalize an argument that has racist underpinnings.

I have never heard a argument made when the vehicle in question is made by white people. Triumphs, Bentleys, Jaguars, Urals, BMW, Mercedes, Lotus, Ferrari, Lamborghini Fiat etc. etc.

Has anyone ever heard anybody ever say,
"what did ya buy that Ferrari Wop car for? You should a bought American instead of sending our money over to them eyetalians".

cheers
ken

 

[trojan2k]

When I bought my wifes car a few years back it was about being practical. Living in New England we wanted All Wheel Drive. Really liked the Fusion but firstyear and front wheel drive wasn't what we wanted.
Ended up with a Subaru Legacy. Gas mileage and all wheel drive and room for the future baby. My surprise was it said "Built in Indiana".
"Buy American"

 

[hellbent]

+1 on the minivan

 

[ditchdr]

I owned a motorcycle repair shop as well as have bought and sold thousands of motorcycles over the years. Everything from Aprilla, to Harley, to Yahmah's.

Not a single one of them was " Made in America". Harley gets a lot of its sheet metal from Mexico, some of their motors are german, brakes are from one country and so on and so fourth.


If you want a 100% american made bike. You can do it. But you have to get a frame from a American company, engine from a American company, shet metal from a American company, Tires from a American company, Wheels from a American company, and so on a so fourth. Good luck on finding leather for the seat that is American!!!!!!!



Bottom line, no matter the make of the bike, if you take care of it, it will last. I have driven a HD from Key West FL to Alaska and bck with out a single problem. HD holds a false resale value. That was good for me when I was buying and selling, but sucks for someone who wants to get one.

Also,, little info for buyers out there, I dont give a rats behind what you have done to your bike. I dont care about chrome, a big bore kit, widers tire, aftermarlet rims etc etc etc. at the end of the day it is still the bike that you bought. So if you hve a HD you put 10K worth of upgrades to, it will not sell for market price plus 10K.

 

[Darth Z]

If we really wanna talk brand loyalty let's do CHEVY vs.FORD! I'll be BOWTIE till I die!

Touchy subject there! I' m all for Chevrolet, and would NEVER chose a Ford product over a Chevrolet counter-part if I have a choice. Although I do own a 2001 Camaro Z28 and an 1988 Mustang GT. I bought the Z28 in 2000 as a primary driver, and the GT a couple years ago as a beater for work. Although I do wanna restore the Mustang. I was looking for a beater, wasn' t too worried about the make or model, just wanted something kinda sporty, two doors, bucket seats, preferably a manual, and if possible....blue. Got the Stang for $500.

BTW, If we want to make fun of people and what they have, lets make fun of the men who drive mini-vans.

It all depends on the [URL="

[/URL]! Now I would DEFINITELY drive [URL="

[/URL] to the store to get a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread! I' ll stick to making fun of the baby-boomers driving the late model Bettles.

 

[Schism]

i can favor both ends of the spectrum. you both make valid points and he is just defending what little we have left in this country "MADE IN AMERICA".

 

[ibified]

I would never hate on someone for buying a harley....but i WILL tell them that a harley just isnt my thing. I tell them "to me, you're paying twice as much for an inferior product....for what you paid for your road king, i could have bought 2 VTX1800s, which are more reliable, easier to fix, better looking, faster, and bigger."

I've actually had a couple harley guys tell me that they love the busa, but woud be afraid to get on it for fear they'd kill themself. I tell them that if they crank on the throttle like it's a harley, they probably would...

 

[Turbo-Torch]

I think the Toyota Tundra is in about the same range as that. I think they build the titan in TN, dont they? They build the Tundra here in Indiana, and Nissan builds a TON of vehicles in TN. Honda builds a lot of their cars in Ohio, BMW SUVs and Z4s are built in SC, the mercedes SUV is built in Alabama....

The more you look at things, the more the line blurs. Personally, I KNOW the money goes back to Japan. I get it. But, if the car is assembled/built here, its still a blue collar AMERICAN worker that I am supporting. Thats MY bottom line.

Some money goes back but how much compared to what goes into our economy? The money going back to Japan is the typical guilt trip card co-workers always try and hit me with.

You have Toyota of America, Subaru of America ect. They purchase American land on which American construction workers build the assembly plants. Taxes are paid on the land and buildings. They employ thousands of Americans to work in those plants.
Then you have the property and buildings for thousands of dealerships throughout the country and the taxes paid out for all of that. The dealerships then employ sales people and mechanics.
Everybody who works for those companies pay income tax. Each car sold is taxed plus plates ect.

Also I've yet to hear any complaints over working conditions or pay in plants like Toyota or Subaru...both of which contribute to the economy in my home state of Indiana. Although I'm sure the UNIONS would love to protect those poor enslaved employees! And fwiw I've been in a union myself for 17 years and know exactly how corrupt they can be.

I own both foreign and american made vehicles and don't feel the least bit guilty when I purchase something from Toyota, Honda ect.

 

[StromBusa]

I try to buy domestic as much as possible, all US brand cars/trucks, but I simply have too much passion for motorcycles to not buy the ones that suit me best. One time my buddy bought an amf Harley "enduro 185" or something like that, Biggest piece of junk I ever saw, My Hondas ran like tops. My taste is just not for the rubber mounted twins and Harley has been doing well without my help, although that took a big turn lately. They ever get reasonable I'll get one just to have it I suppose, I can ride the other bikes. Peeps overseas need jobs too, as long as they reciprocate. Getting to be one big family with some noted exceptions.

 

[UncleSteve]

It's a world market, a person can try and "buy American" pull their hair out trying. So many components are made in other country's.

Take all the things in your house out that are not made in the US and see what is left over. You may find yourself sitting on the floor in the dark.
And if you took out the foreign labor that built the house, you may not have a house.

 

[StromBusa]

Be nice if we made more stuff that peeps wanted.

 

[ibified]

Be nice if we made more stuff that peeps wanted.

Well, there are problems with that idea:

1) the plant to make the stuff is gonna cost more to build here. then its gonna have to have safety inspections, etc.

2) the company is gonna have to buy the equipment to make the stuff that people want.

3) the company is gonna have to staff the factory with people - people who are ALL going to excpect to make 20 bucks an hour for a job that pays 25 cents an hour in other countries.

By the time you make the stuff people want, it costs 10 times as much to purchase as the stuff made in china, even if you figure in the exchange rate and shipping costs.

 

[hellbent]

Don't get me wrong guys, I love Harleys. Some day I'm gonna build that panhead bobber I been dreamin' of. I don't hate on anyone's ride of choice, I love and and ride them all. It's the Harley corp. I got issues with them forgetting where they came from. Remember the AMF days? Loyalty my arse. They'd sellout to Honda without thinking twice if the money was right.

 

[SkootRRgirl]

I agree with 05 busa LE, everyday stuff comes from other countries ALL THE TIME, if you ride Koodos to you. Bottom line the governments all over the world take your money for a small nominal prize and use it to blow up other countries with their nuclear bull shi. Who cares who rides what we are riding that's all that matters. We ought to be grateful for what we have and not what we don't