Posted on 10/15/2009 11:06:45 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Yeesh.
Another article on the subject: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2363030/posts
Thanks. I pinged them, too.
Few have the money for stuff like new motorcycles...RVs, boats etc...
I know I sure don’t.
Crap....the only american bike built to compete with rice burners...
A sad day...
Welcome to the new screwed by Democrat America.
pling.........
Strange.
Odd months - HD is the hallmark of “American manufacturing” and has “avoided the pitfalls of the recession economyh”
Even months - HD is closing shops, laying off workers and outsourcing components to China.
So, which is the real HD?
OMG, that’s incredibly sad. Everyone in the M/C industry has been rooting for Buell’s success, and it looked good for them until late last year when rumors started floating.
This should have been their year. Winning race after race against the mighty and many teams of the Japanese manufacturers. And this with a race team of 5 and no more than 200 in the entire company.
Harley should have had a separate marketing model in the EU than here, which would have allowed Buell to capitalize on the huge market of Buell fans over there. However, that’s a very complex issue, but still, I think Buell might still be viable if it had.
R.I.P. to a great brand, and best wishes to Erik and crew.
You’re right. We’re seeing some parallels with the old AMF come to light lately. None of this bodes well for Harley.
I wonder if this will have an impact on the Harley plant in York,Pa
My husband won’t be happy about this. He always said once the truck is paid off he wants to buy a Buell.
Guess he’ll have to settle for a used one.
Word on the street is that it’s going to close, at which point York will extinguish it’s last light and move lock, stock and barrel to Lancaster...
Really don't know much about motorcycles do you?
What Japanese motorcycle does/did the Buell compete with? Their Rotax sourced 1130cc had to go head to head with 600cc bikes to even be competitive on the race track and that old XL engine models were pig toad slow and too fragile to even be on a race track. As for sales, Do you really think Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha & Kawasaki even knew Buell was on the planet?
The Buell is really just poor competition for BMW, Aprilia and MV Augusta (and HD owns MV.) Ducati? Not in this lifetime. No, The Buell was nothing more than a boutique brand and boutique brands just ain't gonna make it in today's market.
“I wonder if this will have an impact on the Harley plant in York,Pa”
I doubt this will have any impact on the York plant, since Harley has decided t close it. They are looking in right to work states to build a new plant. This comes from Motorcycle Dealer News.
HD is also dumping their ownership in the Italian manufacturer.
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