"Don't forget the Japs were dumping bikes on this market for well below cost to manufacture"
Yeah, for about two years in the early/mid 80s, after a recession caused the bike market to collapse, and also the value of the Yen to collapse. They were "dumping" unsold stock for whatever they could get for it. Nevermind that they hardly even built anything directly competitive with Harley at that time. Certainly to claim that the Japanese were trying to drive H-D out of business with this tactic is ridiculous, because H-D was no threat to anyone at the time.
I don't think I ever impied the the Japs were trying to drive HD out of business. They were "dumping" (the government's word, not mine)large CC engine motorcycles at well below manufacturing costs. Unfair trade was the issue if I remember correctly.
For any Jap bike over 700 CC's sold there was a tariff applied. HD got 4 years of "protection". The company had improved their situation enough that they asked to have the tariff lifted for the last year.
At the time I agreed with the government. HD would not be here for those workers to strike if not for the action taken then. Oh, and the company's ability to right itself.