H-D has hung on as long as they could. Make a good ROI and buy a Buell before they are all gone. ____________________________________________ Harley-Davidson To Shut Sport Bike Operations. Under the headline "Harley-Davidson Plans To Close Buell Line And Sell MV Agusta," the Los Angeles Times (10/16, Carpenter) reports, "The move comes as the motorcycle manufacturer reports an 84% decline in third-quarter earnings. Shedding its sport bike operations will enable it to focus on its core Harley brand." The Times notes that "the rarity of Buell bikes has been a draw for the brand's small fan base, it's part of the reason Harley-Davidson decided to pull the plug. Just 135,000 Buell motorcycles have been produced in the brand's 26 years, and MV Agusta sells only about 300 a year in the United States. By comparison, Harley-Davidson will produce as many as 227,000 motorcycles this year alone." The AP (10/16) adds, "About 100 salaried workers and about 80 hourly positions will be eliminated from winding down Buell, with most of the cuts by Dec. 18. That comes on top of 2,400 to 2,500 job cuts announced earlier in the year. The company did not offer a time table for selling MV Agusta." The article notes that "third-quarter sales dropped 21 percent to $1.12 billion, but its retail motorcycle sales decline of 21.3 percent was not as steep as the previous quarter's decline." The Wall Street Journal (10/16, B5, Aeppel) quotes chief executive Keith Wandell as saying, "We think we'll bump along the bottom through 2010." Wandell also said that Harley-Davidson has already implemented its strategy and cost structure and offered an optimistic view of the future. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-harley16-2009oct16,0,5830304.story
I know a guy who moved his family from CA to take a job at Buell. This has got to be a kick to the groin.
true... but seriously.. your car was made here... Japanese owned maybe... heck what about your phone, your fridge, your tv, your microwave..... you get my point... the thing is American companies need to take a look at WHAT IS SELLING and start being competitive... get rid of the damn unions that are in it for their own pockets.... This is the greatest Country on earth (and I love my Homeland) but it needs some of these swift kicks int he balls to wake it up... when no-one has money, and are losing their jobs, they are gonna go buy stuff that is cheaper and asian made compared to buying for twice the price just because its made in teh USA... simple... we are all making choices dictated by taste and value... most US companies dont compare or compete... this sucks for the people who'll lose their jobs... but I foresee a lot more of this stuff happening int eh next 4-8yrs.... even beyond that if some hard choices arent made form the top down..
Hmm, maybe I should hold onto my Buell a little longer if it's gonna be a collectors item.. Then again, it is kinda crappy.
