After 107 Years In Milwaukee, Harley Could Leave

[visions]

After 107 years in Milwaukee, Harley could leave. Thailand one possibility??? ok.... just joking.

MILWAUKEE – It's the roar that made Milwaukee famous — the distinctive throaty rumble of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. But that much-loved racket could be rumbling away to another state if the company cannot bring down its labor costs.

Harley-Davidson warned employees in April that it will move its Wisconsin manufacturing operations elsewhere if it cannot cut millions of dollars at the factories that build the bikes known as "Milwaukee Iron."

Harley's corporate headquarters would remain here, but that's small consolation to a community that has already endured repeated blows to its civic identity.

"When you think of Milwaukee you think of beer, brats and Harley-Davidson," said Steve Daily, a researcher at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. "Right or wrong, that's what it is."

Full artical here http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100804/ap_on_bi_ge/us_harley_milwaukee_breakup

[Richard-BKK]

First the title of your thread shocked me, I almost had the thought they would move in by Tiger Motor Co. Ltd, but then I realized that Tiger has not so much office space to spare...

(As in another threat we discussed that it's possible that Harley-Davidson is partly owner of Tiger Motorcycles)

[Tigersachsclub]

Hmmm how about here: Chongqing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chongqing

they wouldn't have to ship their parts far anymore....

[Richard-BKK]

Hmmm how about here: Chongqing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chongqing

they wouldn't have to ship their parts far anymore....

You mean on Yu'nan Avenue they surely have some nice space for little on the Dollar available and imagine what they will save on shipping from the Zongshen factories http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zongshen. Shareholders will pie in the pants from happiness

Edited August 5, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[visions]

My God....made in Chonching .....maybe they could get re-badged in the process too......."Lifan"

[Tigersachsclub]

My God....made in Chonching .....maybe they could get re-badged in the process too......."Lifan"

If possible i would prefer a different name as Lifan...not that i am against their product ( actually i don't know it really ) but the name Lifan sounds like some washing powder ...realy sucks this name . can you imagine

"Lifan Sportster 883"

[Richard-BKK]

My God....made in Chonching .....maybe they could get re-badged in the process too......."Lifan"

So far as I know, Lifan doesn't make OEM products for Harley-Davidson. Just guess that Lifan is busy enough with the sales of there own products. Lifan is one of the small selection of Chinese car manufacturers which passed the European safety tests. Lifan not satisfied with only the basic safety standard, pushed for passing the even higher standard crash test – EURO-NCAP – which they also passed. Some models from other more well-known manufacturers don't pass the Euro-NCAP safety test. For example the Lifan 520 Sedan gets a three star safety grade which is a very good achievement, for example the Hyundai Elantra, Peugeot 306, Kia Cerato are also cars with a three star safety grade.

[ttakata]

Hmm, that's sad since I don't know anyone that's ever wanted to live in Milwaukee, ever.

I always assumed it was one of the cheaper places to live in America.

I guess one of the upper midwest States like North/South Dakota, Wyoming, or Idaho would be cheaper and would love the business as there's not much going on in those states.

Depends on what sort of tax breaks the states will give them.

[Richard-BKK]

Without joking, what is the main money flow for that area other than Harley-Davidson. Does it also means that the Harley-Davidson museum moves out of town. Otherwise we can just deleted the whole town of the American map.

I was once told that Harley-Davidson was located in Wilwaukee because it's a Indian reservoir controlled by the Potawatomi Tribe and taxes are being collected and negotiated not by the FEDs but by the local tribe...

I cannot see what would be beneficial for Harley-Davidson to move out of a tribal protective taxing system. They will surely pay more tax entering the national US Tax system, or are they caring up to get themselves for sale... What would be impossible if in a tribal tax system, as the numbers are not public.

[Travelmate]

I ain't sayin nuttin!

Last time I mentioned HD, I got a ban!

[Bobr]

I'm sure any one of the so called "right to work" anti-union states, or even the Chinese could assemble overpriced, gaudy, loud, clumsy and poorly engineered motorcycles with the same indifference to quality the people of Wisconsin did. I cannot think of any other company whose products are all image and no substance to the degree that Harley is.

[BSJ]

People....please stop suggesting Lifan would associate itself with a dodgy company like HD. Even myself no longer wish to own a HD. I have seen the light of motorcyclng freedom........Victory!

[Richard-BKK]

People....please stop suggesting Lifan would associate itself with a dodgy company like HD. Even myself no longer wish to own a HD. I have seen the light of motorcyclng freedom........Victory!

I's very likely that in the near future Victory Motorcycles set-up camp in Prapradang, if I/you would believe the rumors, representatives from Victory/Polaris visited Thailand for the last year several times. And several MOU's are signed to make it possible for Victory to open a grand entry on the Thai market. Does anybody has some real-estate for rent or sale around Victory Monument?

Edited August 7, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[BSJ]

I's very likely that in the near future Victory Motorcycles set-up camp in Prapradang,

If the prices in LOS are the same as those in Oz there will be a lot of Victory motorcycles gathering dust!