Jap bits on Harleys

[Dooly]

Just wondering, how many bits on Harleys are outsourced, or made in Japan/Thailand/China/Fiji, wherever.
This bloke I know reckons that Harleys are all made in the US, and all bits etc.
Seems a bit niave in this day and age.

[chubby]

Sounds a bit naive to me too. Its a bit like saying all Triumph parts are made in the UK. HD thrive on the 'made in US for US' hype, it is their largest market. I have no doubt that they outsource a lot of the bits that go on their bikes and they wont freely admit how much in case there is a public backlash.

Throw in the whole economy argument over production, assembly, cost and profit and I can't see how they would be 100% US made. But they will put their name on it.

Having said that i do believe (please correct me if I am wrong) that all the bikes are assembelled in US..... but expecting them to be all of american parts is a little suspect. Even if the supplier is american, did they manufacture in the US?

Ultimately, does it matter? I'm more worried about quality than where its made. Of course similar quality and I'll buy local, within reason.

[Tank]

I looked at some Kitchen stuff the other day. Box was all in Italian colours, had an Italian looking chief pictured on the front.

Has designed in Italy on the side (large font) and in small font made in China on the bottom.

Im picking HD have their design shop and assembly - but some of their stuff would have to come from o/seas. Esp the after market addons.

[HornetBoy]

Just wondering, how many bits on Harleys are outsourced, or made in Japan/Thailand/China/Fiji, wherever.
This bloke I know reckons that Harleys are all amde in the US, and all bits etc.
Seems a bit niave in this day and age.

funny you say that ,the other day i was mucking around with the speedo on the sporty and was pointed out to the fact that on the back was "Made in japan" id say that most of the electrical parts from harleys are made form asia as they are the largest makers of electronics etc.

They pride them selves on all american etc but its really only that they assemble the parts in America. (The mjority of the parts tho are not U.S.A made) .

Didnt really suprise me really

[slimjim]

nope i too heard that only h-d's assembled in usa have hd stamped on steering head some are made oversea's

[firecrab]

nope i too heard that only h-d's assembled in usa have hd stamped on steering head some are made oversea's

nope. they're all being assembled in the states.
On my bike, there's a sticker saying something along the lines: "Proudly union made in the USA"

[sinfull]

funny you say that ,the other day i was mucking around with the speedo on the sporty and was pointed out to the fact that on the back was "Made in japan" id say that most of the electrical parts from harleys are made form asia as they are the largest makers of electronics etc.

They pride them selves on all american etc but its really only that they assemble the parts in America. (The mjority of the parts tho are not U.S.A made) .

Didnt really suprise me really

Did the same when i bought a new 1200 sporty back in 1990 ! Had the gauges off (made in japan) took the front gaurd off to polish up the alloy staunchens (made in korea i think it was or aisia somewhere) rims had made in italy stamped on em ! Began to wonder what was made in the US

[nallac]

Began to wonder what was made in the US

The name and legend, thats all that counts for some.

[avgas]

Parts are made in china and south America currently, bikes are not yet made anywhere but the US.
Wish i could say the same about Ford and GM
However to put minds at ease, the Chinese parts for American manufacturers are in top notch factories, not the scum u see on TV.
Friend had an interesting case ordering a DELL recently, ordered from China, from DELL usa website, got sent from DELL SOUZHOU (china) to DELL HK to DELL USA, then from DELL USA to DELL SHANGHAI (china) then from DELL SHANGHAI to DELL NZ. Paper work was wrong so it was sent to DELL USA, then direct to him in NZ. He paid all taxes and duties (it was still cheaper than DELL NZ) and took it on the plane with him back to china.

[Crasherfromwayback]

nope i too heard that only h-d's assembled in usa have hd stamped on steering head some are made oversea's

Not true. While they have plenty of Japanese components on them, they're ALL made in the US of A.

[chubby]

at the risk of being a nob.

I suppose it all depends on your definition of made.

HD's are all put together in USA. so the bike could be considered to be made then? As otherwise its just a collection of parts and not a bike?

I imagine the parts that make it up could be made anywhere is the world and especially as we get into bulbs, rubber linings on the boards, fuses, cables and then we could get the 'made' part from where each part is manufactured.

Then we could get to the raw materials that are used in the manufacturing of the part that goes onto the bike.

Depending on your viewpoint and point of argument we could get very silly.

Then we could argue is it the design or the engineering or the assembly or the registration of the company that makes the country of origin?????

To run a silly argument. Black sand and coal from NZ is shipped to Japan to be used in the smelter industry. Some of the products are probably found on Honda's. Does this make a Honda NZ made??? Nah, but you can see the silliness of the argument and now compare that to HD.

[popelli]

Not true. While they have plenty of Japanese components on them, they're ALL made in the US of A.

except in the late twenties when they set up a factory and made some in Japan

[Crasherfromwayback]

I was talking 'the now'

[McJim]

I'm proud of the number of bits of my Ducati that have "Made in Italy" stamped on 'em!

[Tank]

Not true. While they have plenty of Japanese components on them, they're ALL made in the US of A.

They push the USA 'thing' for marketing - nothing else. Just business.

Assembled in the USA just dosnt have the same ring to it.

I wonder how many of the parts must come from the 'made in' country for it to be legally called that? 10%, 5%, 80%

Else I could build a bike made 100% of Chinese made parts, assemble them in my garage and call it a NZ made bike.

"Buy Kiwi quality" Heck - I could even get the g'ment to put them on the buy NZ made TV advert.