Say it ain't so Willie G - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dynalow · #1 08-04-2010, 06:46 PM

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Milwaukee without Harley Davidson...???

About those manufacturing jobs.....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38561236/?gt1=43001

Somewhere I have a picture of me shaking then Governor Jim Doyle's hand at the 100th Anniversary Parade in Milwaukee in 2003.

Yo Guv, what up !!!!

PaulC · #2 08-04-2010, 06:53 PM

So in what part of Mexico will the new manufacturing facility be located?

#3 08-04-2010, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

So in what part of Mexico will the new manufacturing facility be located?

I wouldn't build anything in any part of north america.

Jim B. · #4 08-04-2010, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

So in what part of Mexico will the new manufacturing facility be located?

The state of Dysfunction, maybe?

I would wonder what the big new HD Mexican made Road Kings would sound like.

When they idle, the US ones now, sound like they are going "Potato, Potato, Potato".

The word for potato in Spanish is papa.

So would the new Mexican ones have the iconic sound, with a Spanish accent, ie,

"Papa, Papa, Papa"?

Pooka · #5 08-04-2010, 07:01 PM

You can wait two months for their answer or you can read it here today!

Everybody is losing jobs and factories are closing all across the country. This sounds bad, but if your city just lost a big plant then it is a sure thing the building is still there. Now it is just empty.

So they are headed for someplace where the rent is cheap and the labor supply is non-union. Incentives from states will also help and you can bet that Harley is playing every state against each other. I would if I were them.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma, there is a very big Mercury Marine plant that is supposed to be empty soon. Of course, MM could always change its' mind and stay, but right now it looks like they are leaving. Stillwater is a pretty town with a major university, OSU, and lots of people with-in driving distance that know how to make high quality mechanical things. People like those that currently work at Mercury Marine, for instance.

Texas is another option. Lots of places there to work out of, a right-to-work state that offers a very attractive incentive package to companies to re-locate there. And both Oklahoma and Texas are closer to a customer base that can use Harley's products mostly year round.

But I would bet they are going somewhere. I have never seen a company announce something like this if they did not have a firm offer in hand.

HuskyMan · #6 08-04-2010, 07:02 PM

well that just blows. Harley is the last bastion of real American companies. If they move to someplace stupid like Mexico, I"m gonna move to another planet.......

Skid Row Joe · #7 08-04-2010, 07:04 PM

Looks like our $300,000,000.00 loan from Berkshire-Hathaway, Inc. to HD @ 15% APR - is having some effect on the firm.

Skid Row Joe · #8 08-04-2010, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pooka

You can wait two months for their answer or you can read it here today!

Everybody is losing jobs and factories are closing all across the country. This sounds bad, but if your city just lost a big plant then it is a sure thing the building is still there. Now it is just empty.

So they are headed for someplace where the rent is cheap and the labor supply is non-union. Incentives from states will also help and you can bet that Harley is playing every state against each other. I would if I were them.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma, there is a very big Mercury Marine plant that is supposed to be empty soon. Of course, MM could always change its' mind and stay, but right now it looks like they are leaving. Stillwater is a pretty town with a major university, OSU, and lots of people with-in driving distance that know how to make high quality mechanical things. People like those that currently work at Mercury Marine, for instance.

Texas is another option. Lots of places there to work out of, a right-to-work state that offers a very attractive incentive package to companies to re-locate there. And both Oklahoma and Texas are closer to a customer base that can use Harley's products mostly year round.

But I would bet they are going somewhere. I have never seen a company announce something like this if they did not have a firm offer in hand.

The Stillwater, OK. HD dealership closed up two years ago or so or more. When I rolled by in my coach, you could have shot a shotgun through the building without hitting anything.

The handwriting is on-the-wall for HD. They had a nice product - just a lousy business plan......

Jim B. · #9 08-04-2010, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

The Stillwater, OK. HD dealership closed up two years ago or so or more. When I rolled by in my coach, you could have shot a shotgun through the building without hitting anything.

The handwriting is on-the-wall for HD. They had a nice product - just a lousy business plan......

Vaguely seems to me that this is deja vu all over again.

Didn't AMF, the bowling ball company,or whatever it was, have some sort of a bout with them back in about 1982 or so???

"AMF" means something QUITE different today: "Adios, Mother F*****" " ..

A street racer's expression,

I say that when I smoke some ricer with my coupe

(See pic. below.)

#10 08-04-2010, 07:19 PM

HD made a nice bike.... prior to WW2.

All the boomers who still riding them are pushing 60, the kids are riding ricers.

Skid Row Joe · #11 08-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Vaguely seems to me that this is deja vu all over again.

Didn't AMF, the bowling ball company,or whatever it was, have some sort of a bout with them back in about 1982 or so???

"AMF" means something QUITE different today: "Adios, Mother F*****" " ..

A street racer's expression,

I say that when I smoke some ricer with my coupe

(See pic. below.)

JimB.,
Don't get me wrong - HD is/was one H E Double LL of a business! It just looks like they ran out of customers/sales - so to speak. Not unlike GM and Chrysler.

Berkshire-Hathaway, Inc., and another well-monied firm, between them, loaned HD $600,000,000.00 recently at 15% APR! Who borrows or loans money on those terms? Apparently, HD and the two investment firms, that's who.

You can better believe that Warren Buffett is not in the welfare business in doing so. There has to be a plum in it for him, if HD defaults! Of course 15% APR is nothing to sneeze at.

But here again - case-in-point case study how a Union can kill an otherwise good company.

HD will survive - even if Berkshire-Hathaway, Inc. ends up owning the whole enchilada. It's too good of a market-sector to ignore the recent success of the firm.

Jim B. · #12 08-04-2010, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

JimB.,
Don't get me wrong - HD is/was one H E Double LL of a business! It just looks like they ran out of customers/sales - so to speak. Not unlike GM and Chrysler.

Berkshire-Hathaway, Inc., and another well-monied firm, between them, loaned HD $600,000,000.00 recently at 15% APR! Who borrows or loans money on those terms? Apparently, HD and the two investment firms, that's who.

You can better believe that Warren Buffett is not in the welfare business in doing so. There has to be a plum in it for him, if HD defaults! Of course 15% APR is nothing to sneeze at.

But here again - case-in-point case study how a Union can kill an otherwise good company.

HD will survive - even if Berkshire-Hathaway, Inc. ends up owning the whole enchilada. It's too good of a market-sector to ignore the recent success of the firm.

Joe:

I have the impression that maybe Warren Buffett, while not in the Welfare business, may have also took advantage of circumstances to save a truly American icon that was in trouble.

I don't blame him for doing so under a strict businesslike advantage when the risk to him and BH was so high.

You seem a LOT more plugged into this than the rest of us, can you provide further insights here, or at least a studied guess, as to the underlying motivations that are at play?

#13 08-04-2010, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Joe:

I have the impression that maybe Warren Buffett, while not in the Welfare business, may have also took advantage of circumstances to save a truly American icon that was in trouble.

It sounds like he took advantage of circumstances to make a 15% loan. I assume he looked into the liquidation value of the company, including the value of the name, prior to making that deal. I'm sure the name will survive, just like Indian.

ImBroke · #14 08-04-2010, 08:02 PM

HD was doing well when everyone was riding the credit/housing wave. All kinds of things crumble during hard times. Never owned a hog, never will. I'll take a used Goldwing.

#15 08-04-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBroke

HD was doing well when everyone was riding the credit/housing wave. All kinds of things crumble during hard times. Never owned a hog, never will. I'll take a used Goldwing.

The HD has become the 2 wheel equivalent of the 'vette; with a similar demographic. How may 75 year olds will be riding in 20 years?