Posted on 06/09/2013 9:22:54 AM PDT by TurboZamboni
MILWAUKEE—Some motorcycle enthusiasts feared Keith Wandell might be the outsider who drove Harley-Davidson into the ground. Instead, he may be remembered as the guy who kept the motorcycle maker on the road. Wandell grabbed the handlebars at the motorcycle maker in the heart of the economic crisis in 2009. Harley lost $55 million that year, as buying a motorcycle stopped being an option for many consumers.
"We had to make, quickly, some big, bold, decisions," he said in a recent interview.
Wandell was the first CEO from outside Harley, so those decisions were watched closely. Not all were well-received. He got the union's approval to use temporary workers, which enabled Harley to time its production closer to the peak bike-buying season, saving time and money. He relied less on middle-aged men in the U.S. to buy the bikes. And he focused the company on doing what many say it does best: making big, powerful, premium-priced Harleys. But that meant getting rid of some popular secondary brands.
The company made $624 million last year, the best annual profit since 2008. It also boosted profit by 30 percent in this year's first quarter, compared to the same period in 2012. With lower costs and more efficient production, analysts say Harley is in a good position to grow as the global economy improves and in better shape to weather any future downturn.
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
Hee hee hee!
*Or* you could go total snowmobile and buy a CanAm “trike”.
;D
Riding a motorcycle didn’t kill him.
A moron driving a car did.
My condolences for your loss.
Absolutely.
I must say a whole lot of people who I assume believe in Personal Responsibility sure have it out for Motorcycles. If you choose to ride, it’s usually a Car that will do you in, but people who ride know what’s out there.
His Parents are fighting for the City of Los Angeles to install Left Turn Arrows like we have down in Orange County where I live. The particular Intersection has had a few other fatalities over the years.
When I was twelve, I started riding Dirt Bikes. Don’t ride nowadays, but I still think I’ll get back on a Bike before I check out.
Thanks for your condolences. His Mother is still dealing with it. Good days and bad days. He was her only Child. She wasn’t thrilled when he joined the Marines, thinking she would lose him overseas. Then this happens in her own backyard.
Take care my Friend and be safe wherever your travels take you. Off to bed for me.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nVSrF0LLSCk/S-tOqYHgERI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/6CG6_03bLC4/s400/outlaw-biker-gangs.jpg")
Bikers today are posers mostly on bikes real scooter trash could have never afforded
T Worse yet is fake MC outfits with cuts and rockers and side patches and all that pretending to be hardcore
Guess all the serious guys have died off....or getting old like nam vets
I'm a former cafe rider but I did like the MC boys well enough....wouldn't have left my wife alone with em though unsupervised....actually have a dormant Outlaws MC who works for me....trust him with my life
Hubby rode with the Warlocks in FL many years ago.
[says he was ‘never a member’]
His best friend was the president.
We know lots of Pagans, Norsemen, a couple Outlaws and several other ‘minor’ MCs you wouldn’t know by name.
Seriously good people.
They’ve watched over me for years and I feel more comfortable with them than just about anybody else.
Hubby’s left me in their charge many times.
To quote one guy who was ‘babysitting’ me, “You’ll never be safer than you are right now”.
:)
That is one of the things that disgusts me about FR more than anything else.
The rabid anti-Harley/biker mentality of some.
Aren’t we supposed to be the gutsy, freedom loving, nanny-state hating side?
It baffles me.
More people die in bathroom accidents than motorcycle crashes.
Let’s all stop bathing and stink safely.
Again, very sorry about the son.
I can’t imagine.
I was an occasional “guest rider” with some of the Outlaws back in ‘69.
My popularity stemmed from the fact that the hard bags on my Guzzi were drilled to let the water run out so the beer and ice didn’t “slosh around.”
(I said “beer.” It was more often Colt45 Malt Liquor.)
:D
We just talked to a nice guy who’s thinking about a trike to haul the club’s beer and stuff.
Hopefully, we’ll hear from him again and build him a ride.
He was a really cool, intelligent guy.
Gave him a bunch of business cards for his brothers with the promise of ‘good deals’.
We’d be tickled to death to work with more clubbers.
They’re always great customers.
Story from 1994.
The annual flat track races in Frederick is a *huge* Pagans gathering.
It was July and hotter than 9 yards of hell, sitting in the infield of that track.
Hubby was off somewhere visiting with his buddies and I was nearly heat stroked, sitting limply by the bike as there was no shade anywhere.
Suddenly,the sun was blocked out.
I looked up and this HUGE Indian was purposefully positioning himself to create shade for me.
He never said a word.
Never met my gaze....just stared straight ahead like he was on duty.
Nothing...just that blessed 20 degree temperature drop to ease my suffering.
He stood there for at least 2 hours until hubby returned and took me to the grandstand and the bathroom.
That’s just one of *many* random acts of chivalry I’ve experienced from clubbers.
Bloomberg probably will ban cycles next.
New group will be called “Mayors Against Anything Enjoyable”
Ain't it though?
We jest but what could be more horrifying to control freak politicos than huge hordes of vast majority conservative/libertarian bikers?
They wear their independence boldly on their sleeves and are infamous for being notoriously hard to herd.
I’m surprised we have not been outlawed already.
In 1994, a feral took a shot at one of our group and when the city cops arrived, they stopped and shook us down instead of even bothering to go into the projects to get the shooter.
(Try not to look surprised)
And class is being able to handle envy with dignity and poise..:)
not to worry. a high speed choo choo or light rail awaits.
Or a silently implied, "DILLIGAF?"
;-)
Well, yeah, there’s that, too.
;D
I hate trains.
[’cept for my Night Train, that is]
There’s still a few of them around SoCal.
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