Harley-Davidson To Build Bikes in India: (Obama Abandons Another American Icon To Overseas)

CNN ^

[MindBender26]

Harley-Davidson, the iconic American motorcycle brand with a cult-like following, has announced it has chosen to build its second assembly plant ever outside the United States in India.

The "complete knock down" plant or CKD is expected to be up and running in the northern Indian state of Haryana in first half of 2011. Parts made in America will be put together for the Indian market in Haryana.

[MindBender26]

Read between the lines.

First it will be an assembly plant. Then they will begin to make a few parts, "especially for the Indian market."

Then they will be "so successful" making those parts, they will begin to manufacture the rest of the cycle there.

Give them 10 years and all Harleys will be made in India and shipped here.

And of course, Obama will tell the Great Unwashed that this creates more good jobs in America!

Thank you, Mr. President!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

H-D announced this about a month ago.
There was a small mention in the WSJ...

[SC DOC]

How will they reach the handlebars?

[Rational Thought]

Obama outsourcing jobs? It can't be????

[kickonly88]

The gubmint keeps driving businesses out of the country.

[sam_paine]

Harley-Davidson makes motorcycles?

I thought it was just a tshirt and jacket designer brand.

[Yet_Again]

Obama outsourcing jobs? It can't be????

I used to wonder why liberals were so supportive of outsourcing...It's because (1) it's the most effective way of draining America of its wealth and redistributing it to the third world and (2) the unions support it because they see millions of new workers that they can enroll as dues paying members. The Chamber of Commerce set in the Republican party supports it because of the positive short term boost it gives to financial statements. Lost in all this is the destruction of America's future.

[Carry_Okie]

Obama outsourcing jobs? It can't be????

He'll screw anybody as long as they buy our bonds.

[Charlespg]

Harley Davidson is a party to this too

[ken5050]

Wanna bet they’ll make a new model called “Indian”

[Carry_Okie]

You know the Chinese have taken their products to the very edge just to screw the customer out of another tenth of a penny. You know the Koreans will cut corners in their manic desire to win. You know that the Japanese stuff is beautifully engineered and assembled but seldom sufficiently rugged.

But I have never liked Indian manufactured goods. There's just something inept about them.

[ken5050]

Wanna bet they’ll make a new model called “Indian”

[ScottinVA]

Once again... nicely done, FUBO. Is this key to producing those mythical 50K jobs you’ve been crowing about?

BTW, since you’re over there... don’t come back. Ever.

[HiTech RedNeck]

This reads as strictly for the Indian market. This isn’t any different than Toyota making Toyotas in the States for sale in the States. Out of Chinese parts.

An India-built Harley would probably be less likely to “mark its spot” than a US union built Harley. But so would an independently US built Harley.

Harleys today are cram full of Chinese parts. Indian parts might be an improvement.

[dragnet2]

Give them 10 years and all Harleys will be made in India and shipped here.

I give them 5 years...The cheap low wage labor is irresistible.

[ozarkgirl]

The way I heard it there’s a big market in India for Harleys. If they buy a fully assembled motorcycle - they have to pay huge taxes on it. If Harley assembles the parts here and has them put the motorcycle together in India - they can sell a lot more there due to reduced cost to the consumer.

Do I have a source for this, yeah, a guy here at work. I’m just saying there may be more to this story than shows on the surface. And it may keep more American’s employed by putting the pieces together here.

And, maybe America should have huge taxes for buying assembled goods from another country. Then we too could put our workers to work by assembling parts we buy from oh say China.

[HiTech RedNeck]

India will be “ept” enough if it has to eat its own dog food.