16 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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

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

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• This post has been removed by the author.

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

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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• 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  

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