24 Comments:

• While it’s true that America, the country, benefits from the sale of Harley Davidson Motorcycles, the same can be said of all motorcycles, regardless of where they’re manufactured.
  
  Motorcycles made on foreign soil are subject to a tariff upon entry into the United States. Then there are the people who make a living by unloading those motorcycles from the ship. Transporting them to locations all over the country also generates revenue that goes directly into the pocket of Americans. There are dealerships who sell these machines and service technicians who work on them. Let us also not forget the companies who make after market parts for all those metric bikes. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry with most of the money staying right here in America.
  
  Companies like Honda are finding it advantageous to manufacturer some of its bikes here in the United States. With 8 plants and over 20,000 employees, a very large amount of cash flows directly into the pockets of Americans in the form of wages and benefits. By September of 2003, Honda had made a capitol investment of $4 billion dollars right here in the US.
  
  It would be impossible for Harley Davidson to keep up with the demand for motorcycles in this country if it was the sole source, and millions of American riders would be unable to enjoy the open road. The sale of these foreign motorcycles places much needed dollars into the pockets of Americans.
  
  Metric bikes have extremely high quality and value for the dollar. They’re more affordable to the masses in comparison to Harley Davidson and offer a very large variety in style.
  
  I personally ride a 2000 Yamaha Royal Star Boulevard and am the author of the blog you referenced above (although I’m a “he” and not a “she”).

  By  Tone Parsons, at 6/16/2005 03:40:00 PM  

  ---

• What a great response, Parsons. Unbelievably, people are still easily manipulated by the Harley marketing geniuses. I just got tired of getting into this discussion with people who are otherwise...smarter in their everyday lives. Of course, the blank stares you get when you state the facts is priceless. Unfortunately it is almost always followed by some accusation of unpatriotism.

  By  Sal, at 10/14/2007 08:15:00 PM  

  ---

• here's a good article on CNN illustrating the economic impact of Honda in Ohio:
  
  http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/01/auto.main/index.html
  
  Honda purchases $12 billion from American suppliers of parts and materials annually and has invested $6 billion in Ohio.
  
  Harley Davidson makes less than $6 billion in total revenue per year, and what fraction of that is purchases from American suppliers? - Obviously they put far less money into the hands of Americans than does Honda.
  
  If feeding the families of blue-collar America is patriotic then buy a Honda.

  By  Bobrahman, at 5/22/2008 11:57:00 AM  

  ---

• While on a trip to the Amazon, we flew into Manaus, Brazil, which I have to say is one of the poorest cities I have every seen, people were living in cardboard boxes on the "filthy" streets. We boarded a boat to take us to the eco-lodge we were staying at and along the way, our Brazilian guide pointed out this huge mansion that was situated on the Amazon River. He told us that it belonged to the mayor of the city and so did the yacht docked behind the house. Apparently his pay is not very much, about what a teacher would make here in the U.S., so we were a little curious as to how he made his money. The guide then told us that Harley Davidson had a big factory there and that the people who worked there got a ridiculously low wage, but the mayor, got some kind of incintive for making Harley Davidson welcome in his rural town. We saw children with tummies swollen from worms they ingested drinking contaminated water, a man dying of gangrene from a fresh water stingray wound, and people living along the river and tributaries that had shacks with some walls made of tarps only. Yet the mayor of the nearest city lived in a manner better than myself and most
  Americans. I was dissapointed to here that this was mostly due to his side income from H.D., per our guide mind you.

  By  Anonymous, at 10/22/2008 02:33:00 PM  

  ---

• no its not, my husband bought me a ring for valentines day it said on the box made in indonesia needless to say he didnt see it til i caught it now 3 weeks later its bending on the band and the stones are falling out.needless to say we were going to buy 2 new harleys but because of this I will buy 2 new hondas.Harley was the one true made in america store we truly loved but because of this incident I will no longer purchase anything from harley.I am club affiliated and will warn all fellow members of this incident as well as other biker clubs BEWARE OF OVERSEAS HARLEY MERCHANDISE

  By  Anonymous, at 3/07/2009 03:33:00 AM  

  ---

• HARLEY JEWLRY BEING MADE IN INDONESIA AND TEARING UP AFTER ONLY THREE WEEKS

  By  Anonymous, at 3/07/2009 03:38:00 AM  

  ---

• Harley Davidson is a f*ckin' joke! Period! Waaaay overpriced and waaaay overhyped. Kinda like the U.S. itself!

  By  Anonymous, at 4/25/2009 02:31:00 AM  

  ---

• If you want to still buy American, buy Victory. They are built in Minnesota and are much more reliable than Harleys are. Of course the Harley riders call Victory "American rice", but I think that it is out of pure jealousy. Victory is more reliable and better built. Yes it is a metric bike but I think the Japanese have done some things right.

  By  Anonymous, at 5/01/2009 09:57:00 PM  

  ---

• Forks made in Japan, Wheels cast in Japan, Electronics made overseas or mexico, Japan showed them how to cast an engine that didn't leak oil, If it says American made it should be American Made,PS all those fine Genuine HD aftermarket parts MADE IN CHINA WHAT a Rip

  By  Anonymous, at 5/08/2009 01:35:00 PM  

  ---

• This post has been removed by the author.

  By  Stu Pidasso, at 5/20/2009 05:29:00 AM  

  ---

• I'm so sorry that just because you cant afford a Harley,that you must justify the fact that you bought a rice burner. Do you have any facts to back up your statements. I could say that the parts were made on the moon if I wanted to. Doesnt make it true.

  By  Stu Pidasso, at 5/20/2009 05:32:00 AM  

  ---

• Look at the boxes your Harley Parts come in or the tags on all your Americcan Made Harley Clothing or Accessories. They ALL SAY Made in CHINA. DUMBASS. Continue to buy American Made Harley and Finance China.

  By  Anonymous, at 5/26/2009 05:03:00 PM  

  ---

• Did all you American Made Harley Davidson onwers know that your stock shocks are made by Showco, a fully owned subsidary of Honda Motorcycle. The tires are either Germin made or Japanese made and the oil is produce by a mid eastern company. So how can anyone say that Harley davidson is American Made? What losers you Harley Owners are. Spend 20k plus on a bike that is only half as technologically advanced as a Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki or Ducati for double to triple the price. Oh well, like they say... A Sucker is born every second. And Harley Owners are the biggest....

  By  Anonymous, at 5/26/2009 05:11:00 PM  

  ---

• All I ever hear is that Yamaha and Honda are rice burners and how Harleys hold there value better, and they are right you pay 24,k+ for a Harley gives 12-24 mounts warranty verses 16,k for a Yamaha and they give a 5 year unlimited mile warrantee. I will give Them there ego thoughts that Harley holds there resale value by $5k shoot they need to visit Jethrow Bodine any fool knows that if you pay as much as that upfront difference it comes back but I see so many Harleys at Yamaha dealers being worked on it makes me wonder.

  By  Anonymous, at 5/31/2009 07:42:00 AM  

  ---

• you can say all you want about the money they spend here (honda) and the like but the profits still goto to a country that bombed us . In 10 years when people seem to "forget " about 9/11 people will start driving cars or bikes made by the taliban if they were to make them.

  By  joe, at 6/05/2009 07:23:00 PM  

  ---

• You are all a bunch of retards. Harley, Honda, BMW, Kawasaki, Ducati, etc. Who freakin' cares what you ride? I like em all.
  
  For the moron who said America was over-hyped...blow me.

  By  Aloysius, at 7/03/2009 08:39:00 AM  

  ---

• Like most Americans, I find myself underemployed, overworked and underpaid. I own a Honda, not out of non-patriotism but out of necessity. I need value for my money which I get from my bike. I find the less I want, the less I need. I don't need to pay out the wazoo for the 'prestige' of riding a Harley. I got the wind in my face and plenty of cash left in my pocket.

  By  awizardalso, at 7/19/2009 07:53:00 PM  

  ---

• Harley's retain there value cause a sucker is born every minute that will pay it.

  By  Anonymous, at 7/27/2009 06:45:00 PM  

  ---

• Well just look at ANY Harley made the last quite a few years, you will not see a (Made in USA) tag, by law, you must have I think at least 50% US made parts to be allowed to have a made in usa tag. Harleys do not have that tag, they tried to put it on a few years back and were sued. now the say were final assembled proudly in the usa by union workers or something like that, Respectable sources tell me its about 85% foreign parts and there union workers keep getting smaller and they hire more temp workers, They are owner by all different funding companies, some foreign including Davis Funds. Personally I dont care, it does piss me off when I here all this crap from Harley owners when I drive my MADE IN USA Honda VTX from Ohio

  By  Anonymous, at 7/29/2009 08:29:00 PM  

  ---

• Joe, Are you retarded?
  
  joe said...
  you can say all you want about the money they spend here (honda) and the like but the profits still goto to a country that bombed us .
  
  (WE BOMBED THEM YOU FOOLISH FOOL)
  
  
  
  In 10 years when people seem to "forget " about 9/11 people will start driving cars or bikes made by the taliban if they were to make them.
  
  (WHAT DOES HONDA HAVE TO DO WITH THE TALABAN)
  GERMANY KILLED MANY MORE AMERICANS YOU FREAKING IDIOT THAN JAPAN AND I AM GERMAN,
  
  You are a stupid stupid man, for one thing biker clubs started after WW2 with the biggest condition of no German or other non USA made bikes allowed. it was the german bikes that were used so much in the war, Japan really didnt start making then till afterwards

  By  Anonymous, at 7/29/2009 08:39:00 PM  

  ---

• To the fool that said we bombed japan do you rember dec.7 1941? I guess not. And if you ever rode a harley you would know what a real Motorcycle felt like. Harley like all companys needs to get parts where they can for the price that they can stay in biz. I see all you fools riding v twins made in japen that shows me that you wanted a harley but were not enough of a man to buy one now you have to justify your poor choice. because you got made fun of or if you ride around me your jap loving ASSkicked. see my name i,am not scared like you! that must be because you are Pussy Didn't you understand he was referring to Japen sneak attack on us like the 9/11. If it was not for the genrosity usa the japs would still be in the stone age. You are a dumb ass

  By  Frank Patterson, at 7/30/2009 07:44:00 AM  

  ---

• To the Japan bombing: Yes, they did sneak attack our Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor (which was not part of America in 1941) and it was an attack on our Navy, mostly. But, we got the little bastards back less than 4 years later. So, I think us and Japan are fairly even on the "who-bombed-who" list. As for 9/11, it was a terrorist attack with the sole intention of killing civilians, a good bit worse than what Japan did to us, which was still really bad, they deserved everything they got from us. We should have launched a more focused attack at the Taliban and hung that Osama bastard. And look now, Japan is a major player in the world economy. I'll bet that most of the electronics in all your houses are Japanese. In fact, most of the technology you own was either developed or made better by the Japanese: computers, cell phones, TVs, DVD players, CD players, MP3 players...I wish Harley's were cheaper and had some true real American competition. I think it would drive up their quality and bring down their prices. But they have none and rely on people wanting to "buy American" so Harley can have very high prices because no American competition. Anyways, that's my 2 cents.

  By  Aaron_K, at 8/02/2009 11:17:00 AM  

  ---

• To the Japan bombing: Yes, they did sneak attack our Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor (which was not part of America in 1941) and it was an attack on our Navy, mostly. But, we got the little bastards back less than 4 years later. So, I think us and Japan are fairly even on the "who-bombed-who" list. As for 9/11, it was a terrorist attack with the sole intention of killing civilians, a good bit worse than what Japan did to us, which was still really bad, they deserved everything they got from us. We should have launched a more focused attack at the Taliban and hung that Osama bastard. And look now, Japan is a major player in the world economy. I'll bet that most of the electronics in all your houses are Japanese. In fact, most of the technology you own was either developed or made better by the Japanese: computers, cell phones, TVs, DVD players, CD players, MP3 players...I wish Harley's were cheaper and had some true real American competition. I think it would drive up their quality and bring down their prices. But they have none and rely on people wanting to "buy American" so Harley can have very high prices because no American competition. Anyways, that's my 2 cents.

  By  Aaron_K, at 8/02/2009 11:18:00 AM  

  ---

• A fool and his money are soon parted. Since the 60's Harey Daniel-San has used a TON of Asian parts. Now more than ever. Just look at the labels ....
  
  Chinese chrome, Japanese (Honda) made shocks, carburetors, controls, speedos, Indonesian seats, Pakistan and Chinese clothes, seals and gastkets japanese, chinese wheels, lights from Hong Kong, "genuine Harley parts" with "made in china and japan" labels, chinese harley riding boots, ....must i continue?
  
  Its over, you are riding Harey-Daniel-San. Wanna feed american workers? Buy Honda, Kawasaki, yamaha, Suzuki. They bring way more money to American families than that one little brand Harey.
  
  The chrome is chinese and put on in the US.
  
  BTW,I COULD get a Harey, but why? I choose Kawasaki, and keep the money in my bank account. I also have helped two broken down Harleys on the road in the last 3 months. I dont have issues with them, as they angrily do (some are very cool, though) with my bike.
  
  A fool and his money are soon parted.

  By  Anonymous, at 11/16/2009 12:58:00 PM  

  ---

Post a Comment
Back to Homepage