How H-D killed itself

[gordonv]

Another nice video from FortNine. Some nice old fotage, along with some scenes of BC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOwxxsPaogY

How much of what he said is true? Sales down, but HD sells their own stock for more/share and their stock went up? What a scam!

[Serk]

They made a deal with the devil, and the devil always gets what's his in the end.

[Savago]

FortNine videos are pretty good, both the tech videos as also reviews of gear/bikes.

[old2soon]

      I M H O he hit the main nail dead square on the head. The aging demographic of All Riders Not just those H/D mounted. The Honda dealers I frequent are having Very similar problems-aging demographic. Kind of an inescapable thing. Most of the P G R Guys i Ride with are Nam Vets. We have a few Sand Box Vets but far less than Nam Vets. 20  30 somehin Riders are scarecer than hens teeth. I actually bid them well-H/D-But they have zero idea to git away from a 100+ year design and-well we Know! RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

I wasn't aware the people living in their parent's basements even had driver's licenses, let alone motorcycles. 

[F6Dave]

That was good.  I've seen several of his videos and they're always interesting.  But I think he left out some important points.  It's been a long time, but here's what I remember about those tariffs:

• H-D was on the verge of bankruptcy.  AMF ownership hadn't worked out very well.  An employee group arranged a buyout to restructure and save the company.  The tariffs were a part of the deal.
• The tariffs ratcheted down about 10% a year and were gone in 5 years.
• As with many taxes, people responded not by paying them, but by evading them.  750 cc bikes became 699 ccs.  Honda shifted large motorcycle production to its new plant in Marysville.  I think my '84 V65 Sabre was made there.  Kawasaki did the same thing with its plant in Nebraska.  My '86 Concours may have been built there.

The tariffs didn't help as much as H-D expected, but the company got lucky a few years later.  Sales slowed in the early 80s as boomers had families, but when they reentered the market they had more disposal income and liked what H-D was selling.  Retro vehicles were becoming popular, but an H-D was already retro!

To be fair, H-D did try making their line more modern, but their base wasn't buying.  The V-Rods and Buells never sold well.  They were working with Porsche on a liquid cooled V-4 but dropped that.  Who could blame them?  When you're make millions selling T-shirts and lingerie, and dealers have waiting lists for new bikes, it isn't easy to invest R&D into products that may or may not have a market 10 years down the road.

[scooperhsd]

yeah, the "HD Tariff"  created a glut in larger Japanese bikes. It's one reason why I was able to buy a NEW 1981 CB750F in 1985. The tariff wasn't the only cause of that glut, but it contributed to it, I'm sure.

[cookiedough]

yeah, the "HD Tariff"  created a glut in larger Japanese bikes. It's one reason why I was able to buy a NEW 1981 CB750F in 1985. The tariff wasn't the only cause of that glut, but it contributed to it, I'm sure.

yah,  I remember in the 80's tariffs caused Honda to make my 1984 magna 700cc engine since 750cc v45 magna and the illustrious I so much wanted V65 magna 1098cc was also made.    That v65 magna was a beast/blast to drive back in the day.

[F6Dave]

yeah, the "HD Tariff"  created a glut in larger Japanese bikes. It's one reason why I was able to buy a NEW 1981 CB750F in 1985. The tariff wasn't the only cause of that glut, but it contributed to it, I'm sure.

yah,  I remember in the 80's tariffs caused Honda to make my 1984 magna 700cc engine since 750cc v45 magna and the illustrious I so much wanted V65 magna 1098cc was also made.    That v65 magna was a beast/blast to drive back in the day.

I had the V65 Sabre.  The engine was smooth and very powerful.  It may have been the fastest bike I ever owned.  Unfortunately those early V4s had reliability problems.  The forked rocker arms actuating a pair of valves didn't get enough oil, and wore the cam lobe.  I had my cams replaced twice under warranty, and a friend had the same done on his 750 Interceptor.

[h13man]

yeah, the "HD Tariff"  created a glut in larger Japanese bikes. It's one reason why I was able to buy a NEW 1981 CB750F in 1985. The tariff wasn't the only cause of that glut, but it contributed to it, I'm sure.

yah,  I remember in the 80's tariffs caused Honda to make my 1984 magna 700cc engine since 750cc v45 magna and the illustrious I so much wanted V65 magna 1098cc was also made.    That v65 magna was a beast/blast to drive back in the day.

The V65 was popular dirt track motor and the issue with it was so much power would lift the front end thus starving for oil from the stock oil sump. The dirt guys built deeper sumps/pickup's to alleviate the issue.
I had the V65 Sabre.  The engine was smooth and very powerful.  It may have been the fastest bike I ever owned.  Unfortunately those early V4s had reliability problems.  The forked rocker arms actuating a pair of valves didn't get enough oil, and wore the cam lobe.  I had my cams replaced twice under warranty, and a friend had the same done on his 750 Interceptor.

[gordonv]

A May HD video on them dying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SynO6LU-tuo

[Bighead]

yeah, the "HD Tariff"  created a glut in larger Japanese bikes. It's one reason why I was able to buy a NEW 1981 CB750F in 1985. The tariff wasn't the only cause of that glut, but it contributed to it, I'm sure.

yah,  I remember in the 80's tariffs caused Honda to make my 1984 magna 700cc engine since 750cc v45 magna and the illustrious I so much wanted V65 magna 1098cc was also made.    That v65 magna was a beast/blast to drive back in the day.

V65 very top Heavy and not one person has ever drove one. They have rode them though.