Bummed by economy? Harley-Davidson says 'screw it'

Harley-Davidson has a message for those bummed out by bad economic news: "So screw it, let's ride." Minneapolis ad firm Carmichael Lynch created the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker's new slogan.

[Lay Offs]

Harleys new slogan is a slap in the face. They lay off over 700 people and then turn around and say lets ride? People can't afford to ride,$15,000 bikes and then insurance, maybe they should re-think the slogan. Since sales are down and stores are closing maybe the customers have said SCREW Harley?

[BUDMAN]

I'D FIRE THE AGENCY

[Scoot Boot Rider]

Maybe Harley should rethink.......... and go the way ofg the Chinese Scooters.........
70-90 mpg...... one-sixth the cost...

[pick a side]

Lay Offs wrote:

Harleys new slogan is a slap in the face. They lay off over 700 people and then turn around and say lets ride? People can't afford to ride,$15,000 bikes and then insurance, maybe they should re-think the slogan. Since sales are down and stores are closing maybe the customers have said SCREW Harley?

700 people are being layed off because people can't afford bikes and insurance. Duh. What slogan would you suggest? "Sorry we are laying off 700 people but we can rehire them if you buy a bike"?!

[frank]

harley's slogan should be "our junk is way overpriced and the japanese make a much better product for half the price."

[Slogan]

If they did not spend so much money on a BAD campaigne maybe that money could have gone to saving some jobs.

[Long Time Harley Rider]

Labor unions have had their place in the past but they have had to come into reality with the auto makers and guess what, American cars compete pretty well now a days. I love my 2000 injected RoadKing I bought used years ago and I love vintage cars. Actually I sold my hotrod that got 9mpg and replaced it with the Harley because I enjoy it much more often. But this purchase was based on emotion for old American iron. I didnt buy it because it was the fastest, lightest or cheapest. Harley just wont ever move over seas or tell the unions "No we wont pay you $50+ an hr. with a sweetheart insurance and retirement plan to put the wheel on the bike, put the wheel on the bike, put the wheel on the bike" and if the unions didnt abuse this fact so much Harleys sticker prices would be more in line with other makes and have a bigger market share and thus there would be more room for more workers and more security for them. They just cant keep workers on if they arent selling bikes.
The EPA is about to kill off pushrod motors completely in the next 3 yrs! Read the restrictions for emissions. No new car has come with a pushrod motor for at least 15 yrs. V-rod motors will be in baggers sooner than you think. HD finally went all fuel-injection across the board on all models in 07', to buy them some time, though they introduced it in 99'. Noise restrictions are also getting tighter. Did you know HD makes a superior gear box with angle cut gears instead of straight cut for the Japanese market. Not only is it quieter but stronger and smoother. Harley sadly cant just stay the same in a changing world. Now this is REALLY going to make existing bikes hold their value very very well but thats not going to help the motor co much more than selling parts. Theyve got some serious growing pains coming. I really hope HD has the guts to move into the modern world of emissions, noise and labor issues.

[St_Pauly_Girl]

I wish I had a Harley! Haters

[Proper New Slogan]

Judged:

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When you get the ED you get a H-D!

[Para]

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frank wrote:

harley's slogan should be "our junk is way overpriced and the japanese make a much better product for half the price."

As far as it being a "better product" that's debatable. It's a different product, the Japanese motorcycle companies and Harley make different products targeted at different buyers. The typical buyer of the Japanese motorcycle is much younger and less educated than the typical Harley buyer.
If more of you people would buy American motorcycles and cars our economy would be in alot better shape.

[Hardley Driveableson]

If Harley-Davidson® made a product with technology from post-World War II I might be interested. Until then its just more overpriced junk emanating from Milwaukee.

[pips]

i would never buy a harley. this guy is a idiot typical buyer of jap bikes less educated lol thats bs look harley is junk a image thing jap bikes are state of the art mine ninja got 65000 miles and runs like a top. for i can get 2 very nice jap bikes for the price of your harley. you say buy american i say buy WHATS BEST . and the last guy i seen on a harley was a snaggle tooth red neck and his bike broke down

[The Truth]

The truth is HD is headed for trouble again, dealers are now back to MSRP and less, selling less bikes and more are being delievered everyday. They have the NEW BIG showrooms are in debt. Dealerships are for sale and their second locations are closing. The owners of these locations are saying SCREW IT.

[Al Franken]

Long Time Harley Rider wrote:

Labor unions have had their place in the past but they have had to come into reality with the auto makers and guess what, American cars compete pretty well now a days. I love my 2000 injected RoadKing I bought used years ago and I love vintage cars. Actually I sold my hotrod that got 9mpg and replaced it with the Harley because I enjoy it much more often. But this purchase was based on emotion for old American iron. I didnt buy it because it was the fastest, lightest or cheapest. Harley just wont ever move over seas or tell the unions "No we wont pay you $50+ an hr. with a sweetheart insurance and retirement plan to put the wheel on the bike, put the wheel on the bike, put the wheel on the bike" and if the unions didnt abuse this fact so much Harleys sticker prices would be more in line with other makes and have a bigger market share and thus there would be more room for more workers and more security for them. They just cant keep workers on if they arent selling bikes.
The EPA is about to kill off pushrod motors completely in the next 3 yrs! Read the restrictions for emissions. No new car has come with a pushrod motor for at least 15 yrs. V-rod motors will be in baggers sooner than you think. HD finally went all fuel-injection across the board on all models in 07', to buy them some time, though they introduced it in 99'. Noise restrictions are also getting tighter. Did you know HD makes a superior gear box with angle cut gears instead of straight cut for the Japanese market. Not only is it quieter but stronger and smoother. Harley sadly cant just stay the same in a changing world. Now this is REALLY going to make existing bikes hold their value very very well but thats not going to help the motor co much more than selling parts. Theyve got some serious growing pains coming. I really hope HD has the guts to move into the modern world of emissions, noise and labor issues.

Labor unions(Teamsters) Dems and environmentalists wackos are all in cahoots to maintain high energy prices.

FACT!

[St_Pauly_Girl]

pips wrote:

i would never buy a harley. this guy is a idiot typical buyer of jap bikes less educated lol thats bs look harley is junk a image thing jap bikes are state of the art mine ninja got 65000 miles and runs like a top. for i can get 2 very nice jap bikes for the price of your harley. you say buy american i say buy WHATS BEST . and the last guy i seen on a harley was a snaggle tooth red neck and his bike broke down

Your just not cool enough for a Harley that's all. It's ok though.

[Long Time Harley Rider]

As for as high gas prices go heres the deal. Ive been riding on 2 wheels on the streets since I was 15 1/2. My first bike was a 200cc 2 stroke Vespa. Ive had Jap, Ducati, a few Harleys and Ive always felt smart at the gas pump.
Today with record prices it costs me less than $20 to fill my bike and get around for a WHOLE WEEK.
If gas went to $5 a gallon, it would cost me $25 to get around for a WHOLE WEEK. Personally I would GLADLY pay it to have less people in Suburbans, Excursions,Hummers and whatever over the top vehicle with one person in it self-absorbed on a cell phone off the road and not endangering myself and everyone else on.

[Will Steger]

enjoy the ride harley dudes-the dems are going to take your bike away due to high emissions.

Fun huh?

[Al Franken]

Long Time Harley Rider wrote:

As for as high gas prices go heres the deal. Ive been riding on 2 wheels on the streets since I was 15 1/2. My first bike was a 200cc 2 stroke Vespa. Ive had Jap, Ducati, a few Harleys and Ive always felt smart at the gas pump.
Today with record prices it costs me less than $20 to fill my bike and get around for a WHOLE WEEK.
If gas went to $5 a gallon, it would cost me $25 to get around for a WHOLE WEEK. Personally I would GLADLY pay it to have less people in Suburbans, Excursions,Hummers and whatever over the top vehicle with one person in it self-absorbed on a cell phone off the road and not endangering myself and everyone else on.

After the shooting in Saint Paul this weekend over some tacos, I will stay in Woodbury.

And then the Libs want us all to live in Saint Paul and take the lightrail to work everyday.

Maybe not a good idea-ya think?

[Mary]

Long Time Harley Rider wrote:

As for as high gas prices go heres the deal. Ive been riding on 2 wheels on the streets since I was 15 1/2. My first bike was a 200cc 2 stroke Vespa. Ive had Jap, Ducati, a few Harleys and Ive always felt smart at the gas pump.
Today with record prices it costs me less than $20 to fill my bike and get around for a WHOLE WEEK.
If gas went to $5 a gallon, it would cost me $25 to get around for a WHOLE WEEK. Personally I would GLADLY pay it to have less people in Suburbans, Excursions,Hummers and whatever over the top vehicle with one person in it self-absorbed on a cell phone off the road and not endangering myself and everyone else on.

They have a model with chains and a snow blower on it?

Oh yes, global warming. Soon you will be riding it year around. But the Summer temperatures will average 140 degrees. Winters will be nice. Lows in the 90's.

[Long Time Harley Rider]

Hummm maybe were getting off track here but Ive been around Europe including Sweden and Norway in the winter and Ive never seen anyone driving anything close in size to a suburban,excursion or a hummer. A 4 cyl with 4wd actually deals pretty well with deep snow and frigid conditions.
My point is China and India are looming on the horizon with huge fledgling oil consumption markets as the middle class are able to afford personal vehicles. Gas IS NOT going to be cheap and plentiful anymore. To have one person commuting around in something that can haul 10+ times the weight of an average family is rather obscene.