Harley-Davidson closing in Center Valley (PA)

[Javaman]

http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-allentown-crossroads-harley-davidson-closing-20111017,0,4071169.story

The dealership at 5118 Route 309, which opened in 1995, will close on Oct. 28, according to a worker who answered the phone Monday. The dealership's owner did not respond to numerous phone calls seeking comment.

The impending closing will leave Lehigh and Northampton counties without a close Harley dealership. Those still open in the region include dealerships in Parryville, Carbon County, Sellersville, Bucks County and Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County. The Schoch Harley-Davidson in Stroudsburg was listed for sale this summer, according to published reports.

Crossroads will join a series of Harley-Davidson dealerships to shutter in recent years, in-part as the brand contracts to weather the lackluster economy.

In the last two years, Harley has shuttered at least 64 locations throughout the nation, which put the number of Harley dealerships at about 650, its number in 2002, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported in January.

More at link...

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Like Harleys or not, they are an American made product. The Lehigh Valley area is already pretty depressed, this certainly won't help.

[madrchsod]

1. i remember reading a women commenting on harley`s made in america campaign..

she pointed out that the machines that made the harley were all purchased from japan. the latest contract the workers were basically forced to sign was to say the least very bad. two wage tier wages with temp workers. the workers at oshkosh learned from the harley contract and negotiated out similar language in their contract.

harley`s are expensive middle class toys that are no longer affordable in today`s labor market.

[ThomWV]

2. Our local Harley Dealership is building a new and much bigger facility

The local Harley dealership (Triple-S HD, Morgantown, WV) is building a new facility that is over twice the size of their existing sales/service on the other side of town. It may not seem to be a prudent move financially but I think that view is short-sighted. Actually I think its a wise investment and bound to make the three owner's money.

The reason for this is the demand for the bikes is out there like a well planted seed in fertile ground. Look at who buys Harley's*. Its old farts, mostly recently retired, and they are paying for them with that first draw out of the retirement funds. These bikes are not being bought up by young guys and gals, its their retired fathers and grandfathers writing the checks. So far we've only see the early edge of the baby-boom retirement surge that is coming just as sure as tomorrow morning, and just like old farts today those old farts that will be coming along tomorrow will have that one last fling, that new Harley that they have wanted for years but couldn't afford.

There are a couple of things you won't lose any money investing in. Way up there are the things that pamper to the needs or desires of the retiring boomers. Cruise ships, Harley's, and adult diapers are my guesses as the best bets.




* Disclaimer, I own 5 motorcycles, 2 of which are Harley's

[LeftyMom]

3. I don't know- around here the used bike market is probably undercutting new sales.

I just went through this helping my dad shop for another bike (he doesn't understand the internet so I had to look up prices and print out ads for him.) Most of the dealerships here have gone under, because the economic mess has a bunch of guys selling off their low miles, garage kept midlife crisis bikes so they can pay other bills. Who'd buy a brand new bike when they could buy a barely broken in one at a fraction of the price?

[ThomWV]

10. True that, but it can't defeat the bell-curve of future retirees

Seriously, retirement incomes may be shrinking and more and more nest-eggs are being lost. but you can't beat the numbers and there are millions of them retiring in the next decade and a huge number of them have modest, let us say 50 to 200 grand stashed away. They will take that bite of their dream before they cash out for good. Oh, and the used market can't keep up. Two reasons, first is the curve, simply more and more potential buyers with money in their accounts come into the non-working world every day and the other more morbid reason is that many of these bikes crash or just find themselves stuck away in a garage somewhere, forgotten until after the funeral.

[Demit]

4. Don't forget cat food.

Not every 'old fart' will have the disposable income for gala cruises and heavy-duty motorcycles.

[ThomWV]

14. You are certainly right about that, but an awful lot of them do

You'd be surprised how many soon-to-be retirees have at least a little bit of savings. Many of us contributed something to retirement funds that still actually exist, many more have money in CDs or IRAs. Not big money mind you, but modest retirement savings. Its a shame that there are any at all, but the cat food eaters are certainly not the majority of retirees just as the unemployed are not the majority of Americans.

[Scuba]

5. But, but, but...

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/harley-davidson-profit-soars-on-sales-growth-2011-10-18

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. American made? Not really

They are American assembled from parts from many nations.

[Romulox]

7. That's not a very pointed critique. Do you reckon Japanese bikes are made with 100%

Japanese content? If not, where is this perfect, "made in one nation!" bike that you are implicitly contrasting the Harley against? :shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. Some Japanese bikes are equally assembled in the USA

One of mine was made in Lincoln, Nebraska.


The claim that is HD American Iron meme is bogus

[Romulox]

9. The ones made in Japan are made using components from around the world, too. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. Indeed, there is no such thing as a motorcycle or car with single nation lineage

which is why the HD chants are so much BS

[Romulox]

12. And, therefore, what follows? We don't care about Harley workers, because we imagine

some impossible motorcycle with content from only one nation? :wtf:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. Not at all, but debunking nationalistic tripe is always a good thing

[Romulox]

15. I haven't seen any "nationalist tripe". The jobs of working Americans aren't some footnote in

some debate, either way. REAL people, REAL jobs. :shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. The jobs in Lincoln (Kawasaki plant) are just as valid as those at HD dealerships

And the products no less American

[Romulox]

20. That's nonsense. If the product isn't "all or substantially all" sourced from US, it can't claim

"Made in the USA". Most autos and other machines assembled in the USA by transplant companies can't make this claim, and my guess your Kawasakis fall under this category.

You're sitting in front of a computer. You call yourself "professor". There are OBJECTIVE standards as to these issues. Do your research FIRST. Write the thesis SECOND (if at all.) :hi:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

22. I suggest you review the domestic content of HDs and do not confuse marketing hype with reality

[lumberjack_jeff]

25. Can you provide a link to the HD % of domestic components? Thx. n/t

[Kurmudgeon]

16. Buy foreign and ship money out of the country. Research your purchase instead of making excuses.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. HD in PA is no more American that the Kawi plant in NE

[Kurmudgeon]

19. You saying that doesn't make it true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson
"Headquarters Milwaukee, Wisconsin,United States"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_Heavy_Industries
"Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (川崎重工業株式会社 Kawasaki Jūkōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha?) (English pronunciation: /kaʊ.əˈsɑːki/; TYO: 7012) is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo."

Small American company versus HUGE foreign conglomerate, and you can't even tell which one is more American?

Just another set of fangs set in the neck of the American economy. And you're supposed to be a professor?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

21. You clearly have not been paying attention

- The claims that HD is an American made MC are clearly bogus
- The jobs in the Nebraska plant are as American as the jobs in PA dealership

Yes they are different sized corps. Guess which one treats its workers better...

[Kurmudgeon]

23. Apparently you suffer from delusions and think that American cities are not in the US.

"York, Pennsylvania – Vehicle Operations: Manufacturing site for Touring class, Softail, and custom vehicles.
Tomahawk, Wisconsin – Tomahawk Operations: Facility that makes sidecars, saddlebags, windshields, and more.
Kansas City, Missouri – Vehicle and Powertrain Operations: Manufacturing site of Sportster, VRSC, and other vehicles.
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin – Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations plant, two types of tours."

The jobs at Kawasaki as well as most imports have foreign nationals controlling and sending their profits back to THEIR home country.
We weren't talking about job satisfaction, which is a completely different topic, so quit trying to change the subject.
The Harley Davidson motorcycles are built in the American cities I listed, prove otherwise if you can.
Please, don't repeat yourself yet again with no proof.....professor.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

24. Some Kawis and all HDs are ASSEMBLED in the US from domestic and foreign parts

HD runs about 20% based on parts count, higher if based on cost. They are also subcontracting out additional work after the last contract forced on the work force.



Perhaps you should read for content...

[Kurmudgeon]

27. Got a cite for that?

[lumberjack_jeff]

26. I'm not a Harley guy, but I did notice at the last bike show that they were price competitive. n/t