Forbes Magazine Report: Wall St Rumor - Honda to buy Harley Davidson

[usmctpdog]

Wonder what it would be like if someone took over BMW motorcycles ? Maybe Better?


http://www.forbes.com/2007/06/22/harley-davidson-honda-markets-equity-cx_er_0622markets19.html?partner=yahootix

[mjordans2000]

I can't even imagine how our Harley riding brethren would react to that. They'd be longing for the good old days of AMF.

[scottydawg]

When you consider what would happen to sales of their bikes let alone the fact the Justice Dept. would never let the deal fly... it is clearly a silly rumor.
Now the Harley take over of Ducati... that is something that makes more sense.

[deputy5211]

Oh, the horror!

[usmctpdog]

Well stranger things have occurred eh? Considering all the "HONDA" parts that have been manufactured as OEM parts directly for HD for the past 30 years it really is not that much a stretch is it? If someone approached BMW I for one would think of that of an improvment if they added a substantial dealer base . . . .

[tkramer]

Here's the most interesting part of the article:

Harley is also an unexpected victim of the subprime crunch, its financial services arm battered by higher defaults on its subprime loans.

So they'd gotten into the predatory finance business? Must've been the next phase to extend their predatory marketing prowess. :rotf:

[ronk1200lt]

If things really got bad they would just hive off their finance arm like General Motors did last year.

[grifscoots]

Here's the most interesting part of the article:



So they'd gotten into the predatory finance business? Must've been the next phase to extend their predatory marketing prowess. :rotf:Everybody deserves to wad at least one Harley in their life. I've wadded three (ok, I had a leetle help).

[PATTERSON]

Let Honda buy them out!!

Pat

[Tat_n_Telle]

Just think - all that clothing would have to be changed to "Honda Davidson".

Honda Davidson T-shirts, Honda Davidson doo-rags, Honda Davidson jackets, belts, socks, underwear........

[pozo_izquierdo]

Just think - all that clothing would have to be changed to "Honda Davidson".

Honda Davidson T-shirts, Honda Davidson doo-rags, Honda Davidson jackets, belts, socks, underwear........

You are right Tat, but the positive side is that it would still be HD...so not all the HD labelled stuff needs to be changed /thrown away.

But think about Kawasaki-Davidson or Suzuki-Davidson or Yamaha-Davidson...now any of those would have been a REAL nightmare for the HD folks.:p All your precious brand labels down the drain overnight:rotf: .

Regards

[hschisler]

Just think of all the HD owners who would spontaneously burst into flames when they got the news that the premier Japanese m/c brand took over their beloved company. They would have to eat their words from all the "rice-burner" jokes over the years. :D

[usmctpdog]

I think most of the " Little Testosterone Pirates " know by now that most of their Harley is made by Honda anyway... Wheels, instruments, shocks, Starters, electrics, etc...