Harley – big in Japan?

[Bob]

It would appear that Harley-Davidson is carving a niche in possibly the most unlikely marketplace – Japan.

This year’s Harley gathering at Gotemba, in the shadow of Mount Fuji, had a reported attendance of 20,000. Harley sales would also appear to be booming, with 14,000 new bikes registered last year – an increase of 48 percent over the year 2000. A factor in the jump is the scrapping of a rule that prevented two people from riding on one motorcycle on the highway.

"The biggest difference between our bikes and Japanese bikes is we're a lifestyle," said Katsuya Masuda, a sales and promotion manager for Harley-Davidson, which sells in Japan through a network of Harley-only dealers. "We want riders to enjoy our bikes, but also families, too."

[Brian d marge]

It would appear that Harley-Davidson is carving a niche in possibly the most unlikely marketplace – Japan.

This year’s Harley gathering at Gotemba, in the shadow of Mount Fuji, had a reported attendance of 20,000. Harley sales would also appear to be booming, with 14,000 new bikes registered last year – an increase of 48 percent over the year 2000. A factor in the jump is the scrapping of a rule that prevented two people from riding on one motorcycle on the highway.

"The biggest difference between our bikes and Japanese bikes is we're a lifestyle," said Katsuya Masuda, a sales and promotion manager for Harley-Davidson, which sells in Japan through a network of Harley-only dealers. "We want riders to enjoy our bikes, but also families, too."

yup they are right into the lifestyle , not born again 40 yr old but all ages ,, I followed behing a Harly run , Jockey shift , stretched , even captain america ... pulled up to the light and talking with the guy withthe bobber , jockey shift ,,, non of this hard man staunch shit ,,,he had a grin a mile wide ,,,and we both knew , open clutch Jockey shift are the ultimate in cool ...( we had a biker moment !!!)

The rule for two people on the highway has been lifted as of last year I think ,,,,

there are 2 nice harleys round the corner ,,from here , where ..not sure ,,, but they are nice


Stephen

[ZeroIndex]

It would appear that Harley-Davidson is carving a niche in possibly the most unlikely marketplace – Japan.

This year’s Harley gathering at Gotemba, in the shadow of Mount Fuji, had a reported attendance of 20,000. Harley sales would also appear to be booming, with 14,000 new bikes registered last year – an increase of 48 percent over the year 2000. A factor in the jump is the scrapping of a rule that prevented two people from riding on one motorcycle on the highway.

"The biggest difference between our bikes and Japanese bikes is we're a lifestyle," said Katsuya Masuda, a sales and promotion manager for Harley-Davidson, which sells in Japan through a network of Harley-only dealers. "We want riders to enjoy our bikes, but also families, too."

You got any pictures of this? This could be a good thing..... maybe they will like Harley's so much, that they'll send all there sportbikes to NZ really really cheaply, and then I can afford a ZX-6R... probably won't happen though...

[car]

"The biggest difference between our bikes and Japanese bikes is we're a lifestyle," said Katsuya Masuda

Vegetarianism is a lifestyle. Homosexuality is a lifestyle. What he really means is "we like to obscure our chauvinism and avoid direct comparison by hiding behind wooly concepts like 'lifestyle', please buy some more over-priced tassled chaps."

[janno]

I wouldn't have thought Japan would be "unlikely" to jump on the Harley bandwagon. Along with China, both countries are increadibly fashion conscious, Japan is still very wealthy, China is catchin up fast, and both countries regard anything western as hip and stylish.

Not that I'm into making broad generalisations, of course . . .

I'd like to see a Japanese Elvis impersonator on a Harley - that'd sum it up.

[Steam]

Trivia: Japan was making Harleys for their domestic market under the name "Rikuo" from 1935 till 1960, under license. Some pretty collectable machinery now apparently. Harley tools, dies, blueprints, etc.

[Toaster]

Reminds me, i taped the harley davidson factory doco that was on sky a while back.... its about the making of the vrod.

happy to lend it out if I can find the tape!

[Big Dave]

What's the surprise - Harleys are nice anywhere. I'm sure some of you just drink the hater kool aide.

They are pretty, they are well made, they are great fun to ride, modern motorcycles. Ideal even - if you want to keep a licence.

[Swoop]

So. Is there a "tassle factory" somewhere, to supply the upcoming market????

[xwhatsit]

Not a surprise, not because Harley is everywhere, but because Japan is the king of fad. Take a niche, divide it into niches, then dive so deeply into that secondary niche and form a club around it where you all dress up and meet every Saturday and that is my impression of Japan.

Janno's got the right idea.

On a marginally related note, who has seen the Korean lunatic riding around Newmarket/CBD on his Korean-registered mega vibrating Harley (not just joking about the vibes, he's got gigantic ape-hangers which vibrate backward and forth a good few centimetres), with an American flag on the back, super loud exhausts, more tassels than you can tangle in your beard.

The interesting thing is that both him and his wife/girlfriend are very short and tiny and are wearing all kinds of that cowboy/Harley gear including face bandannas. Highly amusing to see it lanesplit past me.

[Brian d marge]

your applying the american RUB steriotype to the Japanese ,,,doesnt work ...

Stephen

[janno]

your applying the american RUB steriotype to the Japanese ,,,doesnt work ...

Stephen

Forgot about you living in Japan - what's your take on our assumption that they all get hysterical over fads, fashion and fitting in?

More than kiwis and yanks? Or about the same, just different things they get fixated on?

[Mr. Peanut]

I posted a thread about this a while ago, the Japanese seem to see the character in machinery. There's a big chopper/bobber cult in Japan.

[Edbear]

Harley's big in Japan?

I thought Harley's were big wherever they were...




(Or have I missed the point,... again...?

[Brian d marge]

Forgot about you living in Japan - what's your take on our assumption that they all get hysterical over fads, fashion and fitting in?

More than kiwis and yanks? Or about the same, just different things they get fixated on?

They can get very fixated , and theres a bucket load of em!! so when they do go made ,,you better have a lot of stock !!

a while ago ,,on TV they said that the Natto diet was good , next morning you couldnt buy Natto for love nor money ( the next week the tv said they had got it wrong )

At the moment , its Billys boot camp , a tybo sp exercise vid .. .. try buying that vid !!!

As for bike they are niche markets , but just like baseball anything american is cool ...

Same to a lesser degree with brit bikes


Stephen