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1340cc
Evolution
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Twin
Cam 88
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The
Beginning or The End? - Harley's Modernization |
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Many
lifelong Harley enthusiasts and bikers know the truth behind
the burgeoning success of Harley Davidson, they did their homework
and realized they were catering to the wrong market. By cashing
in on classic designs from days gone by, they were able to tap
into the RUB (rich urban biker) going through a midlife crisis
and sell him a peice of history that reminded him of his adolesence
and charged him a pretty penny for it. Although it was a slow
progression taking almost 20 years, it's easy to spot the trend
right from the beginning, and that trend was profit at all cost!
The product went from being affordable and easy to work on and
modify, to expensive, bloated and impossible to get parts for.
Need a new tail light lens for that Fatboy? You have to buy
the whole tail lamp assembly at an overblown price from the
dealer, and ten to one the part is stamped "Made In China",
as H-D now outsources most small parts. The "Factory" as it is known today, keeps such a tight reign on it's dealers
and an even tighter reign on prices.
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The
marketing of the name Harley Davidson has gotten so out of control,
that it no longer carries the weight of belonging to a solid
reliable product. Now you'll find everything from officially
licensed Harley toilet paper to Harley Barbie and everything
in between, not to mention how most dealerships now carry some
bikes, but they have a whole warehouse of clothing to sell you
with HD stamped all over it instead of a good supply of parts
to keep you running. The following is a step by step timeframe
as to what many consider the downfall of Harley Davidson. |
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1981
On February 26, 1981, a group of thirteen senior Harley-Davidson
executives, led by Vaughn Beals, signed a letter of intent to
purchase the company from AMF. Settled by June 16, 1981, the
executives celebrated with a ride from York to Milwaukee. 1981
production: 41,586 motorcycles. |
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1983
To get Harley owners more involved in the sport, the company
formed the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), now the largest factory-sponsored
motorcycle club in the world. Also in 1983, tariffs were imposed
on Japanese motorcycles 700CC or larger in response to unf air
trade practices. Instead of relying on their reputation and
trying to regain their market share with better product, Harley
sought to control it without putting any effort into being a
better competitor. |
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1984
After seven years of development, Harley-Davidson introduced
the 1340CC V2 Evolution engine. Designed for high reliability
with a minimum of scheduled maintenance, the engine produced
more power at every speed. While the Evo is still mocked by
hardcore enthusiasts, it has built a reputation for endurance
and reliability with only a few known weak spots. |
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1986 Harley-Davidson returned to public ownership by offering two
million shares of common stock and a concurrent offering of
$70 million principal amounts of subordinated notes due 1996. |
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1987
In March 1987, Harley-Davidson petitioned the International
Trade Commission for early termination of the tariffs on Japanese
motorcycles. In July, Harley-Davidson was approved for listing
on the New York Stock Exchange. Are we seeing a pattern now? |
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1988 The 1988 product line featured the first 74 cu in Sportster,
with 1200 CCs of power. Also, to mark the company's 85th anniversary,
a cross-country ride was held, benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy
Association. 1988 production: 47,325 motorcycles. The Sportster,
long touted as a "girly" bike is now the fastest Harley
manufactured when fitted with the 1200cc power plant. |
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1996-97
With the introduction of the Heritage Springer Softail, Harley-Davidson
forged into the future by staking claim to its biggest asset
-- the past. It was evident to the marketing gurus that the
young professionals they were catering to wanted nostalgia and
could well afford to pay for it. |
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1999 The introduction of the "next" generation of Harley
engines, the Twin Cam 88. With more engineering than ever before,
this new breed of engine has yet to prove itself. The first
engine with fuel injection, it has suffered teething problems,
most notably in an under designed clutch assembly. |
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Stay
Tuned for Our Next Installment - Harley Goes WaterCooled!
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HOME
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| ©1999-2003 The Little Shack That Could
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