10-25-2013, 12:06 AM
I haven't read much Harley bashing in this thread. Seems most of the posts on here are in agreement that Harley is doing a lot of things right.
Well I hope I don't come off as trying to sound intellectually superior ( don't think I do ) cause that would certainly be a ruse, but I do have a lot of experience having owned many bikes from many manufacturers, and having spent 17 years working in the motorcycle business having been a store manager, a sales manager, parts manager and service manager for deslerships of Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Moto Guzzi and Norton. I am familiar with the industry practices from both behind and in front of the counters.
Harley does just about everything right from a manufacturers standpoint... They know their market better than anyone ( certainly better than the Japanese who are all over the place with products) and in doing so have the most loyal customer base. Harley does spot on advertising. Harleys dealers do a great job for them and are rewarded with list price sales in most cases, and the Harley aftermarket is vibrant and strong. Can't fault that business model at all.
Harley doesn't counter balance their engines because they don't want to change the character of their bikes. They want them to vibrate and shake some. It is what most of their customers expect. It's also why they don't have multiple cylinders, counter balanced engines, liquid cooling, or shaft drive. Those things are not desired by the faithful. Harley knows its customers, like you said, better than anyone. Harley certainly has the engineering and manufacturing ability to provide those things, for example as on the V rod, but V rods don't sell. Road Kings, Dynas, and Sportsters sell, so harley will keep making them until they are forced to change.
Honda may have a technically superior product line, but their dealers are inept, except that they are actually very good at driving customers away, the aftermarket sucks, Honda does minimum advertising, and the loyalty to the brand is weak. A very poor business model.
BMW has it's fanatics
Harley has it's fanatics
Moto Guzzi has it's fanatics
Triumph has it's fanatics
Tough to find fanatics for a Japanese brand. Honda probably comes the closest, but it's fanatical fan base is certainly weak compared to the others. Goldwing owners are probably the closest you'll find in the Japanese product line.
Well I hope I don't come off as trying to sound intellectually superior ( don't think I do ) cause that would certainly be a ruse, but I do have a lot of experience having owned many bikes from many manufacturers, and having spent 17 years working in the motorcycle business having been a store manager, a sales manager, parts manager and service manager for deslerships of Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Moto Guzzi and Norton. I am familiar with the industry practices from both behind and in front of the counters.
Harley does just about everything right from a manufacturers standpoint... They know their market better than anyone ( certainly better than the Japanese who are all over the place with products) and in doing so have the most loyal customer base. Harley does spot on advertising. Harleys dealers do a great job for them and are rewarded with list price sales in most cases, and the Harley aftermarket is vibrant and strong. Can't fault that business model at all.
Harley doesn't counter balance their engines because they don't want to change the character of their bikes. They want them to vibrate and shake some. It is what most of their customers expect. It's also why they don't have multiple cylinders, counter balanced engines, liquid cooling, or shaft drive. Those things are not desired by the faithful. Harley knows its customers, like you said, better than anyone. Harley certainly has the engineering and manufacturing ability to provide those things, for example as on the V rod, but V rods don't sell. Road Kings, Dynas, and Sportsters sell, so harley will keep making them until they are forced to change.
Honda may have a technically superior product line, but their dealers are inept, except that they are actually very good at driving customers away, the aftermarket sucks, Honda does minimum advertising, and the loyalty to the brand is weak. A very poor business model.
BMW has it's fanatics
Harley has it's fanatics
Moto Guzzi has it's fanatics
Triumph has it's fanatics
Tough to find fanatics for a Japanese brand. Honda probably comes the closest, but it's fanatical fan base is certainly weak compared to the others. Goldwing owners are probably the closest you'll find in the Japanese product line.