Harley Davidson put hard word on AMPS

[Swoop]

AMPS have been saying this for about a year now.

I was led to believe that the reason that the building had two distinct areas in the showroom (accessed via the hole in the wall) was to separate the brands.

Harley Davidson dont make motorcycles: they make Harleys

I thought they made "accessories" (bandannas, underwear, clothing, leatherware, fridge magnets...)

[cruza]

Crapsblots have Ducati and Honda

I guess being a low volume dealer it doesn't really matter.......

[Zedder]

Meh! Some marketing genius in a large American super city is making brand decisions without considering the real world outside a city of 2 million plus. HD have always had 'conditions' around their franchises and some have been clever (like walking distance to the CBD etc) but I'm not so sure about this one. If the dealership can remain a commercial viability with just HD then fine BUT in this country hardly anyone can survive with just one brand and no dealer outside the main centers would survive without quads and farm bikes surely.

Surely Triumph are not really a threat to HD? Yes the market overlaps in some places and some people have purchased HD's because they could not get a bad boy thunderbike cruiser like the new Thunderbird but... Those folks we just as likely to buy some other euro brand anyway.

Sticking to an ideal like this could in some cases actually cost HD market share. How often do you wander in to (say) wgn m/cs for one of Petes coffees (never) or a consumable like tyres etc and see a new HD and think - actually thats not too shabby - I could live with that (this thought lasts until the next bank statement arrives)

If the potential customer has to worry about the next bank statement, they're probably not in the Harley-D target market.

[Paul in NZ]

If the potential customer has to worry about the next bank statement, they're probably not in the Harley-D target market.

Which is why Petes given up trying to sell me one.... I'd have to sell one or both of my 'old worthies' and that wouldnt be on at all....

[ckai]

BMW said the same thing to Hamilton Motorcycles, although it was along the lines of "get rid of Triumph". So they got rid of BMW

[Zedder]

Which is why Petes given up trying to sell me one.... I'd have to sell one or both of my 'old worthies' and that wouldnt be on at all....

Selling "old worthies" is not the way to go. Only under very extreme circumstances should that even be considered.

It's interesting about Harleys and the AMPS scenario though. They aren't my thing (and I have ridden them) just like some cars aren't my thing. However, if others own them it's all good, they're still motorbikes.

[p.dath]

I just got told that Harley Davidson have given the Auckland dealership Auckland Motorcycles and Power Sports an unlimatum to discontinue carrying Triumph motorcycles and become and exclusive "Harley Only" one brand dealership! I think they sould drop Harley, keep Triumph and pick up the Polaris franchise which will add both the Victory and Indian brand brands. The attitude of Harley reminds me of how the Gibson Corporation treat their dealerships and customers, then wonder why they are losing customers to Gretsch/Guild/Fender all manucatured by FMIC - Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

It just means they'll have to put the other brands in a separate show room, such as across the road, down the road, etc.

[Paul in NZ]

Selling "old worthies" is not the way to go. Only under very extreme circumstances should that even be considered.

I agree - I have told Vicki that adding more old chargers is the only possible compromise I'm willing to make ;-)

[Big Dave]

It just means they'll have to put the other brands in a separate show room

Agree.

Seems they are trying to get the best return on the money they (H-D) spend on attracting customers to their showroom. More opportunity to close the sale on the spot.

The argument against this in the NZ marketplace is that there is more 'quid pro quo' to that end with other brands - than in other markets perhaps.

But it's a common automotive industry model. You don't go to a Mercedes dealer to look at a new BMW?

[Big Dave]

There is your problem. Harley Davidson dont make motorcycles: they make Harleys (TM)

Hey brains, :-P

Harley-Davidson is always hyphenated.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Selling "old worthies" is not the way to go. Only under very extreme circumstances should that even be considered.

It's interesting about Harleys and the AMPS scenario though. They aren't my thing (and I have ridden them) just like some cars aren't my thing. However, if others own them it's all good, they're still motorbikes.

absolutely. I just can't afford two bikes at present otherwise I'd have one.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Hey brains, :-P

Harley-Davidson is always hyphenated.

I do in fact look just like this

[HenryDorsetCase]

Agree.

Seems they are trying to get the best return on the money they (H-D) spend on attracting customers to their showroom. More opportunity to close the sale on the spot.

The argument against this in the NZ marketplace is that there is more 'quid pro quo' to that end with other brands - than in other markets perhaps.

But it's a common automotive industry model. You don't go to a Mercedes dealer to look at a new BMW?

Yeah, even if the back end (oooh errr) is the same the showrooms are separate: At Rick Armstrongs in town they have Subaru, Peugeot and SssSSssSssangYonnnnnnnng on the one lot but three different areas with three different sales teams. They also do Mercedes hyphen Benz (see what I did there) and Chrysler out of another site.

[GrayWolf]

very simple to resolve really, with one observation

Lets see if Wellington M/c's is told to ditch Suzuki and ONLY sell HD..... then see if they can survive? That isnt a 'dig' Pete, its a simple look at population/customer base vs possible sales, and Welly is a pretty reasonable size by NZ standards, as well as being very accessible from either Island.
As for comparing Car sales to bike dealers? it's hardly a fair comparison, when you look at the number of cars sold by any brand in a year, then compare to bike sales? Even the top selling brands (outside of Asia) wont come near the figures for even a 'minor player' in the car market. This is a simple exercise in 'Corporatisation'. All jokes about sci fi aside, because of the worldwide financial climate, corporates ARE starting to fall, we recently had the collapse of one of NZ's major building corporate's. What is likely is that brands we thought un-assailable will fall, it's already happened in the UK, there are NO actual English car firms left in the 'mass market', only Ford and Vauxhall (GM). Rover was the last and it's tooling was bought by a Chinese company. Big Corporates do not look at the small market, to HD I would guess that NZ is not even a percent point in sales figures, so they will demand the same ideals as seen in the US/Europe, and not give a rats arse about how it affects their dealers. This could be a good chance for brands like Guzzi, Triumph etc to form a 'group dealership' and have some real opposition to HD, the new California 1400, Thunderbird, Rocket3, Speedmaster etc.. would make a highly attractive opposition package if placed on dealer floors together.....
And dont forget HD's own financial 'mission statement' was to focus on worldwide sales as the market to produce 'growth/maintain profit.. the US is saturated!

[HenryDorsetCase]

And dont forget HD's own financial 'mission statement' was to focus on worldwide sales as the market to produce 'growth/maintain profit.. the US is saturated!

HD shares were $7 just after the GFC: latest I have seen is north of $50. If I was a stockholder (which after all is who companies are accountable to, not their customers) I would be happy with that. I tried to buy some stock but it is pretty hard to do that in NZ directly into a US company. I could be Al Quaida or something - or worse: Japanese...........