I see a Chinese made Hog in the future

[godfire]

Where are we going to work when all the jobs are in China and India?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Analysts-say-new-Harley-CEO-apf-14868490.html

[HayHauler]

More than half of the Harleys are made over seas these days already...  And the Harley clothing is much worse than the parts. 

Hay 

[Disco]

I've often wondered what the country of origin breakdown was for bikes made by HD versus the Marysville Hondas.

[hueco]

Here we go with the Harley put downs again. Come on. Get a little class. I have owned both Harleys and Hondas for 35 years. Right now I have a 1998 Valkyrie Tourer, a 2007 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic and a 1964 Harley Panhead that I have owned since 1974. They are like my kids. I love them all for different reasons and in different ways. You put down one of my kids, you put them all down. We are motorcyclists here . Not 1 percenters. Free country.  

[Lyn-Del]

Sorry, this time I'm not seeing the put downs to Harley.  I tease about HD, though I'm more serious about disliking their Sportsters as unreliable.

What this thread is about is the fact that the "American Bike" is having more and more of its parts manufactured overseas.  And the question was brought up about what percentage of HD parts are made overseas compared to the percentage of Valk parts. Both bikes are/were assembled in the US, qualifying as American built, but not all parts were manufactured in the US.

[semo97]

What I have heard was back in 1999 or earlier bikes were made with 70% american made parts it could be stamped on the engine made in the USA, my 99 valk I/S has it. In 2000 they changed it to 80% american made parts it could be stamped made in the USA. I have not looked on any 2000 or newer valks to see if it has it, or on any HD of any yr. Did honda up the % in 2000 or lower it?

[hueco]

What about this? A global economy. Hondas made in America for American consumption. Harley Davidsons made in China for Chinese comsumption? The world is turning upside down. Keep your powder dry.

[daytona]

Here we go with the Harley put downs again. Come on. Get a little class. I have owned both Harleys and Hondas for 35 years. Right now I have a 1998 Valkyrie Tourer, a 2007 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic and a 1964 Harley Panhead that I have owned since 1974. They are like my kids. I love them all for different reasons and in different ways. You put down one of my kids, you put them all down. We are motorcyclists here . Not 1 percenters. Free country.  

So then, you don't have a issue with sticking a label on it, when that is all it takes to demand twice the cost! Like a RCA/Zenith DVR that is nothing but a Sanyo, with a US name! for twice the price?

[hueco]

Whatever,daytona. I ain't going to get into a pissing contest bout it.

[daytona]

Whatever,daytona. I ain't going to get into a pissing contest bout it.

[HayHauler]

For what it's worth, I've wanted a Harley for all of my adult life.  The Valk came to me from my brother at a price I couldn't refuse.  I already had a Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic, but I really wanted the Valk. 
I will get my Harley in the next couple of years, when my son gets out of college.. 

I ain't buying new tho, I want a 2003 (Anniversary Year) FAT BOY, cause that's just who I am...   

Ride what you want, but ride dammit!

Hay 

[Houdini]

I've never had any desire to own a Harley.  I started riding street bikes in the mid-seventies and at that time Harley's were the worst piece of crap imaginable.  My friends and I refused to go on group rides with any Harleys because they overheated, vapor locked, had electrical issues, poured oil, you name it and it would break on them.  I understand some of those issues have been addressed in the last 30 years but in my mind they are still over-priced for what they are.

I always thought it would be cool to belong to a cohesive group of riders like the Harley guys, and then I discovered the VRCC.  We may be a small group in comparison but the camaraderie is undeniable. 

I've almost exclusively owned Honda's for over thirty years and probably will continue to own them.  I enjoy cleaning and polishing my bikes, bolting on some chrome and doing required maintenance.  I don't want a bike that requires constant wrenching just to keep it running. 

If I won a Harley in a raffle I would sell it ASAP, before it breaks, and probably use the money to buy a Gold Wing.

[hotglue #43]

I'm on a harley now.... because my 1800 goldwing was a POS....
it ran and handled great....but the overheating issues ( honda said they would put a resister inline to the gauge to fix it...it wasn't really overheating)  was total bs...when the aluminum engine goes tink,tink,tink.....it's HOT.....
Then there were the frame breaking issues...recalls to have some welder grind and reweld the main frame.....I couldn't buy into that either.... heat effected zones around the weldment area will cause problems.....
I was soooo disgusted with the 1800 gw, I wouldn't even ride it....didn't want to sell it to someone... if the frame broke they could sue...
Traded it to a dealer that has hondas, harleys, suzukis......and got a good trade and price on my electraglide....
The Harley has been a good ride... has the best wind management of any bike I have ever had.
As far as cost, I paid $2000 more for a new 2004 Electraglide than I paid for a new 1997 Valk in 1996, and a lot less than a 2004 gw would cost.
Honda left a pretty sour taste in my mouth....and they really don't have ANYTHING out there that intrests me....
If I were to buy a new bike today, I'd have to look HARD at the Triumph Rocket 111 Touring.

[daytona]

Don't take me the wrong way! I agree with just ride damit! Harley! American as apple pie! But I feel they have riden the status symbol like our auto mfg till it bit em in the arss. Who better to make the best there is in the world than us? I'm lookin hard at one of the Buell 1125's cause its doing well with a good rider, against the 600 rice burners!! Price is rite too! But HD has been priced way too high! $23K for a roadking when a Gw was 18! 

[HayHauler]

I'm on a harley now.... because my 1800 goldwing was a POS....
it ran and handled great....but the overheating issues ( honda said they would put a resister inline to the gauge to fix it...it wasn't really overheating)  was total bs...when the aluminum engine goes tink,tink,tink.....it's HOT.....
Then there were the frame breaking issues...recalls to have some welder grind and reweld the main frame.....I couldn't buy into that either.... heat effected zones around the weldment area will cause problems.....
I was soooo disgusted with the 1800 gw, I wouldn't even ride it....didn't want to sell it to someone... if the frame broke they could sue...
Traded it to a dealer that has hondas, harleys, suzukis......and got a good trade and price on my electraglide....
The Harley has been a good ride... has the best wind management of any bike I have ever had.
As far as cost, I paid $2000 more for a new 2004 Electraglide than I paid for a new 1997 Valk in 1996, and a lot less than a 2004 gw would cost.
Honda left a pretty sour taste in my mouth....and they really don't have ANYTHING out there that intrests me....
If I were to buy a new bike today, I'd have to look HARD at the Triumph Rocket 111 Touring.

And a dam fine sounding specimen too Hot Glue!  I heard that baby run Friday night at the GOTF. 
I still want a 2003 Anniversary Fat Boy to ride around town.  No matter what others may say.

Hay 

[RainMaker]

There's entirely too much Harley bashing on this site.  Who cares what someone rides as long as they ride? 

[godfire]

There's entirely too much Harley bashing on this site.  Who cares what someone rides as long as they ride? 

My original question was, “Where are we going to work when all the jobs are in China and India?” 

This question was based on the new Harley’s CEO and his passion for offshore manufacturing. Continually shipping jobs overseas and importing products is not good for this country. Hueco, I wish your definition of a global economy existed. CEO’s know that when you consider shipping, inventory delays, and quality problems offshoring is sometimes more expensive; however, tax incentives make it attractive. That has to change!

I started riding in the 70’s. In my neck of the woods it didn’t matter what you rode. If you did ride a Harley it was probably a Sportster. Baggers were for old men. Today I own a 91’ stock Sportster, I bought it with the intent of making into a chopper, or a bobber, but as I got into it and realized that it was stock I decided to leave it alone. Some day I’ll have a soft-tail custom. Something about that po-ta-to, po-ta-to. Is music to my ears. But I never plan on getting rid of my Valk, Something about sitting at a light and not being shaken to death appeals to me also.

[EASTEX]

  Men @ Women just enjoy being able to ride. About 3 yrs ago both my knees went bad.
Had both worked on. hard to walk any great distance now, 100 yards! Then must rest. Just can't
stand on them very long. When riding they swell up like a basketball. The people on this board that know me know I have ridden many a mile on a Valk and Goldwing. I only wish I could ride and go places as I once did. I would leave home and be gone 3 weeks roaming
around this great USA and loved every minute of it, rain, cold whatever.
So just ride and hug each others neck and pray we can still ride 4 yrs from now.
 

[hueco]

Men @ Women just enjoy being able to ride. About 3 yrs ago both my knees went bad.
Had both worked on. hard to walk any great distance now, 100 yards! Then must rest. Just can't
stand on them very long. When riding they swell up like a basketball. The people on this board that know me know I have ridden many a mile on a Valk and Goldwing. I only wish I could ride and go places as I once did. I would leave home and be gone 3 weeks roaming
around this great USA and loved every minute of it, rain, cold whatever.
So just ride and hug each others neck and pray we can still ride 4 yrs from now.
 

EASTEX, you have my sympathy. Nov.11,2003 Veterans Day. I had my right knee replaced. Thats when i bought my Valkyrie with the intention of triking it. After recovery and rehab I was in better shape than I had been in 30 years. Never did trike my Valk. It just turned over 40,000 miles. I hope ya get better.

[EASTEX]

  I AM IN A PEEEEEEEEEING CONTEST WITH INSURANCE AT THIS TIME AS I AM READY FOR A REPLACEMENT AND THEY SAY NOT BAD ENOUGH YET.
WE SHALL SEE.