Another one bites the dust

[oseaghdha]

Harley-Davidson shuts doors on Buell

Too bad. Not a fan but they were trying.
We are so screwed in this country.

[STEPPENWOLF]

http://www.buell.com/en_us/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1pFLg3t5q4

[81xsproject]

Yeah, too bad. They had finally started getting it right, too...having everything made and designed overseas, calling it Hardley, and assembling it here

[WMarshy]

Yeah, too bad. They had finally started getting it right, too...having everything made and designed overseas, calling it Hardley, and assembling it here

LOL funny how that works... I prefer the looks of the Buell over other modern sport bikes. If I was to buy a sport bike it would be a Buell.

[oseaghdha]

Not paying attention

Did not realize HD also owns MV Agusta and Cagiva, which have been shutdown as well.

I would have loved to have had an F4.

Just because.

[crazy steve]

Maybe I'm being cynical, but I have to wonder if part of the decision is due to the fact that the no-factory-involvement S&S-built 'Buell Clones' have been whipping butt in NHRA Pro Stock Bike this year (they own both ends of the national record for the class), with a good chance of winning the championship over the heavily-funded factory/V&H team.

A bit embarrassing to get beat by a 'copy' of a bike you sell....

And it's a 'old-tech' pushrod motor to boot.

'78E original owner

[Bigfoot]

Surprised they didn't get a bail out.

[devilschld]

bail out where were they for my bail out 15 yrs ago? i had to do it on my own

[jjwaller]

Surprised they didn't get a bail out.

They were already bailed out in the 80's.
Remember the collapse of the bike market because
of the large tax on bikes over 700cc's? And the introduction of all
the 700cc bikes? Which were huge fails.
That was the HD bailout.
No HD comments.

[The Lorax]

It's a shame that Buell is going the way of the Dodo. I liked a lot of the design innovations that Erik Buell came up with. I don't know if he was the first to come up with them, but I liked them nonetheless. I really liked the 1125R, it looked good, apparently handled good, and was fast to boot, what's not to like eh. anyway, I find it unfortunate that they are going away. have a nice day and ride safe

[Crazcnuk]

"They were already bailed out in the 80's."

Harley wasn't bailed out, AMF was going to shut them down. The employees got together to buy the company.

"Remember the collapse of the bike market because
of the large tax on bikes over 700cc's? And the introduction of all
the 700cc bikes?"

I believe this was actually an insurance thing. The Ins Cos put big premium jumps at certain sizes, so the mfgs made bikes just under those steps.

Hardley just realized they couldn't complete, toe-to-toe, so they went with making a limited number each year and that's it. Each dealer only gets a few of each model. Hence having to order in advance if you want to guarantee you get what you want.

[trbig]

Harley wasn't bailed out, AMF was going to shut them down. The employees got together to buy the company.

Well... thirteen of them did anyway. But then they got the US International Trade Commission to impose a 45% tariff in 1983 on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacities specifically to protect Harley-Davidson.

So I guess it would be a matter of what you considered a bailout. They have ASKED for a government bailout, but last I heard hadn't got that, but they did get a bailout from Warren Buffet and another company to the tune of 600 million bucks.

http://www.my68flh.com/2009/02/04/ha...lion-bail-out/


Tod

[Crazcnuk]

Kewl, never knew about the tariff. Being in Canada, we probably didn't care.