WIBW Television, out of Topeka, KS, reports that Big Dog Motorcycles laid off 20 of its employees yesterday.

The company is blaming a downturn in the economy, the housing market decline, and the financial lending crisis. 2007 was apparently a really bad year for the custom motorcycle maker. Last March, the company went through another round of layoffs, with 10 employees getting the boot.

Big Dog is a manufacturer that thrives on customers with disposable income, kinda like Harley Davidson. On the other hand, manufacturers like Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha can thrive in lean times by selling cheap, and highly fuel-efficient motorcycles.

Paul Hansen, marketing director for Big Dog, manages to find a silver lining in all this...

Our goal is to resize the company to a level that can be successful, even in a down market. The good news is that once the economy rebounds, Big Dog Motorcycles is perfectly positioned to continue to be the dominant player in our market for years to come and hold our position as the world’s largest manufacturer of custom bikes. We are a sizable company with excellent dealers, a great brand name and a strong diverse line-up of new models. We expect a respectable 2008, even with a murky economy.

I disagree. 2008 is going to be even worse for jobs and the economy. It won't take until 2009 until things get better for the average American.

Labels: Big Dog Motorcycles