Did you see this article?

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/con…

It looks like HD is in trouble for lending money to a bunch of slackers. I can’t comprehend why these people wouldn’t pay off their motorcycle loans first! Taking care of an American company like HD is everyone’s ideal interest. Everyone knows they make the absolute best bikes out there.

Any word on when the government will flood HD with money to make sure they survive this mess?

What do you think?

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Actually Harley Davidson is included in one of the earmarks of the bailout. Microsoft Corp., Boeing Co., United Technologies Corp., Electronic Data Systems Corp. and Harley-Davidson among others are to share 19 BILLION. But it is considered a research earmark.

Harley has a 4 to 5 percent bad return rate I believe, but they actually with the long term loans and higher interest rates, make by far MUCH MUCH more money on the typical loan, one of the highest profits in the loan business. In the last couple years, I have heard they’re finiancing up to half of all loans on HDs

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Lending to those who can't afford to purchase your product is insane. You lose both your money and your product.

The biggest danger to the motorcycling world is that the government might impose import taxes as they did in the 1980's, putting prohibitive tariffs on bikes over 700 cc's. If this happens, the foreign bike riders can kiss their 'busas goodbye. It helped HD, but was extremely unfair to the American consumer. Meanwhile HD will be able to boost the price of their machines because they’re the only hooker on the corner, also unfair to the consumer.

This situation sucks. The gov't needs to stay out of the manufacturing business.

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Government bailout? I didn't see anything in the article that even came close to mentioning a bailout. Don't go jumping the gun and mixing thought with fact.

If you read the article, they also mentioned other manufacturers such as Caterpillar, John Deere and Boeing being in the same financial boat. I'm not excusing anyone for making loans to unqualified buyers, but remember that stupid practice was being Used by plenty of manufactures, retailers, banks and just about everyone except the kid on the street corner selling lemonade. Unfortunately for them, it's coming back to bite them in the butt.

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I don't know what the situation was in the USA before the credit crisis, but here in Australia, housing is so unaffordable in places that people are deciding that they’ll never own a house, so why not buy a Harley, or an FPV or jet ski. Then the interest rates went up, the economy slowed, jobs were lost.(mine included) I’m struggling to pay off a house that I am having built, but know that it is important to my families future to hang in there. If it was a bike or car, it would be gone.
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This has nothing to do with the quality of the bike, but a lot to do with the mindset of the company. Finance bikes to people you know can't afford them, then whine because you aren't getting paid. My son has a classmate with a 2 year old FLHRCI. His monthly payments don't cover the interest. He now owes more money than he bought it for, although he has never missed a payment. He can't sell it because the payoff is still almost $20k. In another 6 months his payments will more than double so he's talking about letting them repo and killing his credit.

I make my living fixing their bikes, but companies that do this deserve what they get.

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the biggest reason i buy 2nd hand harleys and always pay in cash

but just wait, the loser cruisers will pounce on this and feel it is a quality thing…. just watch

and to clarify, it is not a Harley Davidson bailout, it is purely their finance arm in danger

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Each lender who made high-risk loans is in the hurt locker.

Each financial company that bought those loans is in worse shape.

There's nothing in that article that says anything about HD getting bail-out money.

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First off there are no ideal bike's, there are only personal favorite's.

Second you can't blame hd for going after the sub prime customer's. I think people should have a tiny personal responsibility here. If you can't afford it then don't purchase it !!

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If HD cannot have the good sense to have saved a bit of cash by now there is not much hope for them anyway is there. My only question is if they do go down what will bob purchase when his midlife crisis comes along?
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Is it really news that Harley sells overpriced antiques to low IQ dirtbags who have no business buying a $20K POS on a bicycle income?
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Harley Davidson's 2007 “Stick it to the Man” campaign lol!!! Looks like Americans got bend over more on that one…

Ahhh yet another example of corporate greed…

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Also read an article this morning that HD sales were down 37%. I wonder if the consumer is buying less or just looking to purchase quality instead of HD
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Yet another example of greedy corporations trying to pad the books by making dumb loans to dumb people.
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I wonder why they purchased that Italian Bike Company if they are in so much trouble? Sounds like a Joe B story to me.
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Who cares. Get ready to snap up second hand bargain HDs.
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I read and then reread the article and did not find any mention of bailout money. Sure HD has been giving loans to deadbeats for years but that is the only way they have the ability to move their antiquated bikes. 40 years ago they made some of the ideal bikes you could buy. Harley's were the “sport bikes” of the era as well as great all around and Touring bikes. Unfortunately the that time has long pasted and now they only offer the idea of an american made product, as long as you over look where the individual pieces are made (China, Japan, India) are concentrate on the the fact that HD is an american company everything will be fine. The only way to sell enough new bikes and be profitable was the offer credit to anyone and everyone who asked for it and worry about whether or not they could pay the loan back latter when it became a problem. Well now it is a problem, in fact about 9 months ago HD began laying off worker in WI near where I live partially due to this problem. Wait a few more months as the resale value of Used Hardlys really begins to fall as the market floods with them and watch the real problems actually begin. Smart buyers were purchasing twice the bike for half the price from the Jap makers for years and getting their moneys worth, all while hearing this bs about resale value. I always thought it was a myth since any way you slice it a $3000 lose is still $3000.
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First letsget something straight, harley does not make the ideal bike.

next, harley who isnt the most american made bike anymore, has flooded the market with extra Motorcycles for the past 6 years by increasing production and lowering price. What they have basicly done was suck the money in but screwed current owners who's bikes are now worth a WHOLE LOT LESS.

This was their decision, I hope they go to india or korea and china where they import their parts from and borrow the money from them.

While I want american companys, I’ve no time for fake companys and have nothing against non us companys who are honest.