http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio MilesAndSmiles.net gegomez@mac.com 2008-06-19 05:59:16 -0500 hourly 1 2008-06-19 05:59:16 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20050305093719/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20050305093719/index.html

WELCOME! Välkommen - Witajcie - Velkomin - Hau Koda

Date Created: Jul 07, 7777, 06:07 AM

Thanks for wheelin' by MILES AND SMILES! You will find all HARLEY-DAVIDSON all the time with news, rants and more. Read a bit from The_Articles and click some pix. Man, its impossible to get enough Harley stuff, dig? Please tell your riding buddies too. Comments or Questions = Email MilesAndSmiles.net!

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NEWS : Possible Early Retirees Learn about Harley Package

Date Created: Jun 19, 2008, 05:56 AM

Possible Early Retirees Learn about Harley Package Jun 18, 2008 (York Daily Record)-- Harley-Davidson is sharing details of an early retirement package with production employees in Springettsbury Township, company spokesman Bob Klein said Monday . But he is unaware whether any early retirement offers have been made. The company is looking for volunteers to take early retirement to begin cutting the overall production workforce in Springettsbury Township by about 300 workers. If and when the company cannot find 300 workers to retire, it will resort to permanent layoffs at its Eden Road facility to make up the difference. Klein said it could be a few weeks to a few months before all workers know where they stand. Production employees with the least experience would be the first to go during permanent layoffs, Tom Boger, business representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 175, said earlier this spring. Boger could not be reached for comment today. Harley said in April it plans 730 total job cuts companywide this year because of poor domestic motorcycle sales. About 370 of those workers are hourly production employees. About 300 of the cuts are coming from the company's York operations, Harley's largest manufacturing facility. Klein said the process of reducing Harley's production workforce is running behind Harley's plans to eliminate about 360 nonproduction employees. Most nonproduction employees are being cut from the Milwaukee operation, where volunteer retirees have been identified, Klein said. The remainder of employees are expected to find out soon whether they will lose their jobs. Klein said he did not know whether Harley was making any of the nonproduction cuts in Springettsbury Township.

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NEWS : Temporary Layoffs Set to Begin at YORK Plant

Date Created: Jun 19, 2008, 05:52 AM

Layoffs Set to Begin at YORK Plant Harley-Davidson is laying off workers at its Springettsbury Township facility next week beginning Monday. Rebecca Bortner, a company spokeswoman, said Wednesday the temporary layoffs are in addition to Harley's planned shutdown from June 30 through July 3. The number of layoffs for the week beginning Monday was not immediately known. Renee Henry, a worker at the plant for eight years, said she and other employees were informed about the layoff last week. Most, but not all, of the workers got the notice, she said. Henry said she wasn't surprised. "We knew it was coming," she said. Harley said in April more layoffs like the one it ordered for four days in fall 2007 - when the Springettsbury Township facility shut down to cut production - were on the table for the future. The company's first quarter 2008 earnings, released April 17 were down, showing particular weakness in the North American market. The company also said in April that it would permanently cut about 300 workers from the Springettsbury operation, in addition to another 70 production workers in Milwaukee and elsewhere. Harley also plans to cut about 360 nonproduction workers company wide. The company said it hopes to make most of the workforce reductions with early retirees. Harley spokesman Bob Klein said Monday potential retirees were receiving information about an early retirement package in Springettsbury Township, but Advertisement to the best of his knowledge, no offers had been made. The June 30 to July 3 shutdown is to allow for the company's annual line changes to make new motorcycles for the next model year. Tom Boger, business representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 175, could not be reached for comment. Henry said she is worried financially about not working for two weeks. But she is single and said those with families are probably more worried. "It gets a little tight around the belt," Henry said. EARNINGS The company's first quarter 2008 earnings released April 17 were down, showing particular weakness in the North American market. Accompanying the earnings release, the company also said in April that it would permanently cut about 300 workers from the Springettsbury operation, in addition to another 70 production workers in Milwaukee. Harley also plans to cut about 360 nonproduction workers companywide. The company is hoping to make most of the workforce reductions with early retirees.Harley spokesman Bob Klein said Monday potential retirees were receiving information about an early retirement package in Springettsbury Township, but to the best of his knowledge, no offers had been made. The June 30 to July 3 shutdown is to allow for the company's annual lines changes to make new motorcycles for the next model year. The number of layoffs for the week beginning Monday were not immediately known.

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Museum - Capturing the Harley Spirit

Date Created: Jun 10, 2008, 06:48 AM

Harley-Davidson Museum - Capturing the Harley Spirit One month away from its grand opening, Milwaukee's Harley-Davidson Museum has unveiled a crowning touch: a 16-foot-tall, 5,000-pound, hill-climbing bronze biker. The larger-than-life image - one-and-one-half times life size, to be exact - emerged from beneath black drapes Monday afternoon. The sculpture is of a vintage 1930 Harley rider, frozen in a skyward wheelie. Its daring young driver, with only one hand on the handlebars, has reached the pinnacle of an uphill ride - and is on the verge of falling backward and wiping out. The idea, said its creator, was to glorify biker culture while avoiding cliché images. No Marlon Brando, no Peter Fonda. The sculpture, standing on the most visible part of the museum campus in the Menomonee Valley, depicts a sport called hill climbing, which was popular in the 1920s and '30s. The precarious bronze biker has no fear in his eyes. One leg is flying off the bike. "It's really a piece of realism, but in a romantic way," said Jeff Decker, a Harley enthusiast who designed, sculpted and welded the 200 bronze pieces. The piece was a gift from the family of Willie G. Davidson, a senior vice president and chief styling officer at Harley who is the grandson of one of the company founders, William A. Davidson. Hill-climbing epitomizes motorcycle competition and thrill, Davidson said. "We are a family of artists and passionate motorcyclists," Davidson said, introducing the piece with his family. The objective of hill climbing was to race up steep hills that often had names like "widow maker." Participants invariably wiped out, Decker said. "He is crashing," Decker said of the helmetless young rider. "But every hill climber crashes. It's part of the race." Harley CEO Jim Ziemer, on hand for the ceremony, called hill-climbing one of the early "extreme sports." "It was a matter of speed and balance," and it was for hard-core bikers only, Ziemer said. Museum opens July 12 Davidson called the museum, which opens to the public on July 12, a milestone for his family and his company. The facility, replete with exposed steel-beam architecture, is meant to reflect the city's factory past. Given that Harley has a worldwide following - it exports to 70 nations - the museum has potential to be a major international tourist attraction. The statue stands in the middle of the campus of museum buildings in the city's Menomonee Valley, once the heart of the city's industrial economy and rail yards. Access to the museum grounds will be available to the public for free, 24 hours a day. Inside, admission for non-members will be $16 for adults, $10 for children 5 and older, $12 for seniors and students, and free for children younger than 5. Exhibits will include a hill-climber motorcycle from roughly the same vintage, although Harley didn't build that many, said curator Jim Fricke. The archives, in a separate museum building with fewer windows, has footage of hill-climbing competitions replete with de rigueur wipeouts. Looking up at his creation, Decker called the biker "heroic" and "acrobatic." "These guys," Decker said, "broke arms and legs."

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NEWS : Harley Softail Stars in New Indiana Jones Movie

Date Created: May 23, 2008, 10:22 PM

From a Harley-Davidson Press Release: A Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic features prominently in the new Indiana Jones movie "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" opening in theaters across the country on today. Customized Springer Softail Classics will join H-D Museum Collection Shia LaBeouf riding the 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic Directed by Steven Spielberg, the latest in the series of cult Indiana Jones movies stars Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf along with a 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic customized to reflect the movie's 1957 period setting. The bike's starring role comes during one of the film's signature action-packed chase scenes, and features Shia LaBeouf tearing through a college campus with Harrison Ford along for the ride as a passenger. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company prepared five bikes for this movie and was closely involved with the on-set handling of the bikes. After the completion of the filming, two of the bikes will be returned to the Motor Company and will be on display in the soon-to-be-opened Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Museum, which opens to the public on July 12 in Milwaukee. IRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: RE: Indiana Jones Bikes / HD Press Release For the record, I built all five bikes for the new Indiana Jones film. My crew also was in charge of handling the bikes / upkeep on set for MC stunts . Harley Davidson provided Paramount with the bikes and parts. Myself, and two of my mechanics built the bikes. At no time, did we even meet anyone from the Harley Davidson Company. I would greatly appreciate you amending or correcting the information on your web site. This is how I make my living and I do not work for Harley Davidson. I would be more than happy to talk to your publication about the process of building these bikes for the film. Best Regards, Justin Kell Los Angeles, California

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NEWS : Even At 105, Harley-Davidson Continues To Attract New Riders

Date Created: May 22, 2008, 07:46 AM

Even At 105, Harley-Davidson Continues To Attract New Riders In 2008, the iconic motorcycle manufacturer commemorates 105 years of American know-how, chrome, leather and steel. But instead of looking in the rearview mirror at its rich history, Harley-Davidson is keeping its eyes on the road ahead by continuing to welcome new riders into an already diverse family. Join the Party Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle manufacturer that offers a branded rider education program in 42 states through its authorized dealerships. Known as the Rider’s Edge New Rider Course, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation-certified program includes both classroom instruction and training on a controlled range. Students learn how to ride on a Buell Blast, a lightweight, easy-to-handle motorcycle with a rider-friendly design. Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country also offer the Rider’s Edge Skilled Rider Course for motorcycle enthusiasts interested in taking their riding to the next level. Since its inception, Rider’s Edge has trained more than 138,000 students--and 39 percent of those students have been women, evidence that motorcycle riders can be anyone at all. A survey in late 2003 showed that 84 percent of students get their licenses after completing the course. Among riding fundamentals, the course also addresses key safety principles, including: Positioning--Maintaining the proper lane position is part of an effective street-riding strategy. Visibility-Part of riding safely is making yourself and your bike visible to other drivers at all times. Know Your Limits--This applies to all riders, regardless of skill level. For some, this means keeping your bike at home during inclement weather or congested rush hour times. On successful completion of the course, students receive an MSF Completion Card, which may help them get their motorcycle license and receive a discount on motorcycle insurance, depending on their state of residence and insurance provider. To learn more about an anniversary event near you or how to enroll in a Rider’s Edge course, visit the Web site at www.harley-davidson.com . America is going “hog” wild in honor of a milestone anniversary.

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Online Application Maps Out Fuel Stops for Any Road Trip

Date Created: May 22, 2008, 07:43 AM

Harley-Davidson Online Application Maps Out Fuel Stops for Any Road Trip HOUSTON, -- Motorcyclists just got an interactive tool that will make it easier to map out their fueling pit stops for cross-country road trips. Thanks to Harley-Davidson(R) Ride Planner version 2.0, riders have immediate access to customizable maps that include the more than 14,000 US Shell-branded gasoline stations along any route. The Harley-Davidson(R) Web-based Ride Planner allows motorcyclists to pre-plan their trip utilizing an interactive map, which identifies the locations of authorized Harley-Davidson(R) dealers and now, Shell-branded stations. Shell has long offered a Web site for the public to search for Shell stations by city or zip code at http://www.localshell.com and see which amenities each station provides, including convenience stores, operating hours, ATMs, air/water, and soon, more items such as restaurants. However, using Ride Planner 2.0 at http://www.harley-davidson.com will allow riders to identify all Shell-branded sites along each potential route. Additionally, they will be able to get an aerial satellite view of the station and its surroundings prior to the trip. "The alliance between Shell and Harley-Davidson to bring this level of convenience to motorcyclists was an obvious fit," said David Bunch, Shell general manager of North America retail marketing. "The inclusion of Shell locations in the updated version of Ride Planner helps ensure riders will know where to fill up with the quality premium gasoline recommended for their bikes. This adds a level of certainty by ensuring riders can make it to their destination without running out of gasoline, which will make every ride that much more enjoyable." While Ride Planner 2.0 is already being used to plan both regional and national trips, this summer it will see its highest profile ride to date with the Ride Home to the Harley-Davidson(R) 105th Anniversary Celebration. Riders can already go online to choose from 105 official starting points, or map out a personalized trip from their own garage. Ride Planner 2.0 is easier to use than a traditional map because it offers multiple interactive methods to create and edit a ride plan. New, dynamic locations along each route, satellite imagery and highlighted points of interest make trip planning that much more enjoyable. Motorcyclists -- and motorists as well -- who are looking for specific route suggestions should be sure to check out the roads overlay feature that presents highlighted routes on the map with an overview, rating and reviews by other riders. "The interactive features on Ride Planner 2.0 were designed to help Harley-Davidson riders and owners achieve the ultimate motorcycling experience," said Joanne Bischmann, Harley-Davidson vice president - licensing and special events. "For example, we wanted riders to be able to easily locate quality fuel stops along their route, which is why we chose to partner with Shell. Not only are they the leading gasoline brand in the US, but they have over 14,000 stations from coast to coast. We are also pleased to give them the distinction of exclusive fuel provider of the 105th Anniversary Celebration." About the Shell & Harley-Davidson(R) Alliance For more than 100 years, both Harley-Davidson(R) and Shell have been providing riders with the quality products for an enjoyable ride -- Shell with premium fuels and Harley-Davidson(R) with premium motorcycles. The alliance between Shell and Harley-Davidson(R) includes: -- Shell is designated as the exclusive fuels sponsor of the Harley-Davidson(R) 105th Anniversary activities -- Visibility of Shell in the online Harley-Davidson(R) experience As the alliance between Harley-Davidson(R) and Shell evolves, more information will be available on both companies' Web sites at http://www.harley-davidson.com and http://www.shell.com/us.

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Sells $1B in Bonds Amid Flagging Sales

Date Created: May 22, 2008, 07:39 AM

Harley-Davidson Sells $1B in Bonds Amid Flagging Sales Harley-Davidson Inc. on Wednesday said it has sold $1 billion in bonds, providing cash that one analyst suggested could help the struggling motorcycle maker weather a deteriorating market outlook. The announcement comes a month after the Milwaukee-based maker of one of America's most iconic rides said it will cut its work force by 8 percent and trim bike shipments by the thousands. Harley-Davidson agreed to sell the bonds on May 15, according to documents filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. "We expect proceeds to be used to repay commercial paper borrowings and for general corporate purposes," wrote Standard & Poor's credit analyst Andy Liu. Shares of Harley-Davidson fell $1.18, or 3 percent, to close at $38.85 Wednesday, near their 52-week low of $34.10. Shares hit their 52-week high when they closed at $64.44 on May 24, 2007. Harley-Davidson's fortunes have been ebbing for the last few years, and were especially disappointing earlier this year. Worldwide retail sales of Harleys had fallen 5.6 percent between January and March, the company said last month. The U.S. heavyweight motorcycle market, of which Harley has about a 50 percent share, saw sales drop 14 percent in that quarter. There was positive news in the overseas market, where Harley's sales were up 17 percent in the period, but those sales represent only about a third of all Harley shipments. The company last month also cut its guidance for 2008, saying it expected earnings to decline by 15 percent to 20 percent. Previously it predicted growth of as much as 7 percent. Harley-Davidson has said it will cut this year's shipments by between 23,000 and 27,000 units. To achieve those cuts, the company will temporarily idle plants and change daily production rates, changes that chief executive Jim Ziemer said will result in the loss of about 370 unionized employees over the next few months.

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NEWS : Harley Ads Leave Worry in the Dust

Date Created: May 07, 2008, 09:51 AM

Harley Ads Leave Worry in the Dust Defiant Campaign Said to Be Inspired by Customers' Mood DETROIT -- Economy got you down? Take some advice from Harley-Davidson: "Screw it; Let's ride." The motorcycle maker's bold new U.S. ad campaign carries an in-your-face theme and tough-talking copy ("Fear sucks") that came from the company's customers, said Mark-Hans Richer, who last summer became Harley-Davidson's first CMO after leaving General Motors Corp. The print and online ads, from Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis, are the result of "road research," gathered by the marketer and staffers by interacting with customers at rallies, races and rides, Mr. Richer said. According to market research conducted by Harley Davidson and Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis, customers would rather be out riding their bikes than obsessing over the economy. "We started hearing it a few months ago" from owners who don't fret about the economy or financial doom and gloom in the press, Mr. Richer said. "We wanted to reflect that mindset." No fear here That's why copy in print ads and online reads "Fear sucks." There was some discussion about the wording, Mr. Richer said, but the agency nailed the big idea on the first try. Mr. Richer said research with "real people in the real world is probably more meaningful than getting 12 people in a room" for a focus group. He didn't pre-test the ads because the work reflects how Harley's customers think and feel. The media flight, which started a few days ago, runs through mid-June. Since then, more than 3,125 visitors to harley-davidson.com have signed on to "Write your rally cry," although most are adopting the "Screw it" credo. Whitman-Hart, Chicago, handles the site, while Carmichael Lynch created the online and offline ads. Profit dips, but revenue rises The effort comes just weeks after the marketer announced first-quarter results, posting net income of $187.6 million, a 2.5% drop vs. the year-ago period on revenue of $1.31 billion, nearly 11% better than a year ago. Jim Ziemer, CEO of Harley-Davidson, said U.S. retail sales of its motorcycles slid by 12.8% in an increasingly weakening economy. "Although these retail results are disappointing, Harley-Davidson's U.S. dealers outperformed the heavyweight-motorcycle industry, which was down 14%," he said in a statement. AD AGE Magazine

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NEWS : It's OFFICIAL : Harley-Davidson Museum to open July 12

Date Created: May 07, 2008, 09:40 AM

It's OFFICIAL : Harley-Davidson Museum to open July 12 It's been in the works for years, but the Harley-Davidson Museum is finally set to throw its doors open to the public with a grand opening celebration July 12. Planned festivities include a custom bike build, a tattoo artist, live music and dining at the museum's restaurant and cafe. More than 450 motorcycles will be on display at the new 130,000-square-foot museum, which sits on 20 acres in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. While the motorcycles Harley-Davidson has manufactured in its 105 years are the main draw, the culture of Harley-Davidson will also be brought to life with photos, videos, clothing and never-before-seen archival documents. The Harley-Davidson Museum is located at 400 W. Canal St., Milwaukee. Tickets for the grand opening go on sale May 20 at www.h-dmuseum.com/tickets. You can also watch the museum being built on Harley's live webcam, complete with time lapse photography.

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MARKETING : Harley Says SCREW IT, LET'S RIDE!

Date Created: May 06, 2008, 10:31 AM

Harley Says SCREW IT, LET'S RIDE! Over the last 105 years in the saddle, we've seen war, conflicts, depression, recession, resistance and revolution. But every time this country has come out stronger than before. Because chrome and asphalt puts distance between you and whatever the world can throw at you. Freedom and wind outlast hard times. And the rumble of an engine drowns out all the spin on the evening news. If 105 years have proved one thing, it's that fear sucks and it doesn't last long. So Screw It, Let's Ride. You Just GOTTA See IT . . . . . . www.harley-davidson.com/screwit

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson's CEO Calls Decision to Cut Jobs 'excruciating'

Date Created: Apr 28, 2008, 08:12 AM

Harley-Davidson's CEO Calls Decision to Cut Jobs 'excruciating' Harley-Davidson Inc.'s chief executive officer James Ziemer told attendees of the company's annual shareholders meeting Saturday morning that he "agonized" about the recent decision to cut the company¹s work force by about 730 employees. "Excruciating is the word," Ziemer told a gathering of several hundred shareholders who attended the meeting at the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. "Make no mistake, I agonized over this decision. In fact, it was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make." The Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer announced April 17 that it planned cut motorcycle production and slash 370 hourly production workers and 360 non-production employees over the next several months as a result because the sluggish U.S. economy has slowed demand for the company's products. "The erosion of consumer confidence in this country has lasted longer and runs deeper than most economists predicted," Ziemer told shareholders. "Very few businesses have escaped the impact and the entire motorcycle industry has been affected." Ziemer said it's "undisputable" that the economic slowdown in the United States has affected retail sales for Harley-Davidson's dealers. Harley plans to ship 23,000 to 27,000 fewer motorcycles in 2008 than in 2007, resulting in total planned 2008 shipments of between 303,500 and 307,500 units. "Our decision to reduce our motorcycle shipments and our work force was driven by what our dealers have been experiencing at retail along with the continuing turmoil in the economy," Ziemer said. "I believe the actions we are taking are the right actions. We have an obligation to our dealers as well as all of our other stakeholders to manage Harley-Davidson for the long term and that's what we are doing in this situation." First-quarter net income for Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) slid 2.5 percent to $187.6 million compared with $192.3 million for the same period a year ago. Earnings per share in the quarter were 79 cents, a 6.8 percent increase compared with 74 cents for the year-ago period. Per-share results rose because of stock repurchases. Revenue for the quarter was $1.31 billion, compared to $1.18 billion in the year-ago quarter, a 10.8 percent increase. The cuts in motorcycle production and jobs will "better position Harley-Davidson and all its stakeholders for an economic environment in the U.S. that continues to be challenging," Ziemer told shareholders. Harley-Davidson chief financial officer Thomas Bergmann said many companies are facing similar challenges. "However, at the end of the day, this is an incredibly strong company with solid fundamentals and a great future," he said. Ziemer and Bergmann both said that they believe Harley-Davidson¹s shares are "undervalued." The company's stock closed at $39.35 per share on Friday, up 85 cents from the prior day's closing price but well below the 52-week high of $65.22 recorded on April 27, 2007.

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Ups Its Dividend 10%

Date Created: Apr 28, 2008, 08:09 AM

Harley-Davidson Ups Its Dividend 10% NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson, Inc. said Saturday it was raising its quarterly dividend 10% to 33 cents a share. HOG 39.35, +0.85, +2.2%) made the announcement following its annual shareholder meeting. The new dividend applies to the second quarter and is payable June 20 to shareholders of record as of June 5, the Milwaukee-based company said

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THIS SUMMER : Got Your HD 105th Anniversary Tickets Yet?

Date Created: Apr 25, 2008, 09:30 AM

Got Your HD 105th Anniversary Tickets Yet? Memorial Weekend will be here before you know it! If you are thinking of hitting the 105th in Milwaukee or just want to have a very nice HD collectable, get your tickets to the 105th! THE OFFICIAL 105th Anniversary Pages at HARLEY-DAVIDSON The official 105th Anniversary Celebration Ticket Package is $65 USD. First-class all the way from the Motor Company! Ride on brothers!

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson to Cut Jobs, Ship Fewer Motorcycles

Date Created: Apr 18, 2008, 09:57 PM

Harley-Davidson to Cut Jobs, Ship Fewer Motorcycles Harley-Davidson Inc. on Thursday said that it will cut motorcycle production and slash about 730 jobs as the sluggish U.S. economy slows demand for its iconic motorcycles. The Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer also reported that it expects full-year per-share earnings to drop as much as 20 percent. First-quarter net income for Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) slid 2.5 percent to $187.6 million compared with $192.3 million for the same period a year ago. Earnings per share in the quarter were 79 cents, a 6.8 percent increase compared with 74 cents for the year-ago period. Per-share results rose because of stock repurchases. Revenue for the quarter was $1.31 billion, compared to $1.18 billion in the year-ago quarter, a 10.8 percent increase. U.S. retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles were down 12.8 percent in the first quarter. Jim Ziemer, Harley-Davidson's CEO called the results "disappointing," but said that Harley-Davidson's U.S. dealers outperformed the heavyweight motorcycle industry, which was down 14 percent. Harley plans to ship 23,000 to 27,000 fewer motorcycles in 2008 than in 2007, resulting in total planned 2008 shipments of between 303,500 and 307,500 units. "We've said on a number of occasions that we would closely monitor the retail environment and regularly assess our wholesale shipment plans and remain committed to shipping fewer Harley-Davidson motorcycles to our worldwide dealer network than we expect they will sell this year," Ziemer said. Ziemer said the shipment reduction will occur through temporary plant shutdowns and adjustments to daily production rates. The company did not provide any further details on the plant shutdowns. About 370 hourly production workers and 360 non-production employees will lose their jobs over the next several months as a result, Ziemer said. For 2008, the company expects earnings per share to decrease between 15 and 20 percent compared with 2007, resulting in expected earnings per share of $3 to $3.18. The company expects to ship between 76,000 and 80,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the second quarter of 2008.

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NEWS : Harley Net Falls 2.5% on U.S. Sales; Job Cuts Planned

Date Created: Apr 18, 2008, 09:54 PM

Harley Net Falls 2.5% on U.S. Sales; Job Cuts Planned April 17 -- Harley-Davidson Inc., the biggest U.S. motorcycle maker, said first-quarter profit fell 2.5 percent and predicted full-year earnings will decline as much as 20 percent as U.S. sales drop. The Milwaukee-based manufacturer also said it will eliminate jobs and close plants temporarily to reduce shipments to dealers. The 105-year-old motorcycle company is grappling with a slowdown in consumer spending amid tighter credit and a faltering economy, which has eroded demand for its premium bikes that can sell for more than $30,000 when customized with chrome and leather accessories. In January, Harley forecast profit per share for the year to rise as much as 7 percent. Harley fell 70 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $36.09 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have dropped 23 percent this year. ``They are at the epicenter of a perfect storm: higher energy prices, weak consumer spending and unfavorable credit conditions for consumers,'' said Richard DeKaser, chief economist at National City Corp. in Cleveland. Harley's product ``is a discretionary item,'' he said. Net income in the latest quarter was $187.6 million, or 79 cents a share, compared with $192.3 million, or 74 cents, a year earlier, Harley said today in a statement. The 2008 per-share figure is higher because of company stock repurchases. Revenue rose 11 percent to $1.31 billion. `Hold' Recommendation ``This was worse than we expected given the comparison for last year,'' said analyst Robin Diedrich at Edward Jones & Co. in St. Louis. She has a ``hold'' recommendation on the shares and doesn't own any. A strike at the York, Pennsylvania, plant in 2007's first quarter trimmed earnings in the year-earlier period by eliminating four weeks of production of Fat Boy and other pricey cruisers. Harley said it will implement temporary plant closings, in addition to shedding 370 unionized workers. The motorcycle maker also plans to eliminate 360 non-production jobs, or about 10 percent of non-union staff in its North American operations, Chief Financial Officer Thomas Bergmann said in a conference call today. The plan to eliminate a combined 730 jobs represents the biggest employment reduction since Harley first sold stock to the public in 1986. `Primary Cuts' While some cuts will come through attrition and early retirement, most ``are primary cuts,'' Chief Executive Officer Jim Ziemer said in an interview. About 80 percent of the assembly worker jobs to be eliminated will occur at the York factory. Harley will reduce shipments to dealers by as many as 27,000 motorcycles this year. The company said it expects to deliver 76,000 to 80,000 bikes this quarter. U.S. retail sales of Harley motorcycles fell 13 percent in the quarter, Ziemer said on conference call. Harley is reducing shipments to dealers because of ``U.S. retail trends and uncertainty about the future of the economy,'' he said. ``There's no sign of when things may turn around.'' A drop in the dollar's value, which made Harley products less costly in international markets, helped prevent a bigger decline, analysts said before the results were announced. International retail sales rose 17 percent, led by gains in Canada, Asia-Pacific markets and Latin America, the company said. Growth Overseas Motorcycles produced for sale abroad grew to a record 33.5 percent of total shipments last quarter, up from 26.4 percent a year ago, Ziemer said. ``Growth in international markets will continue to outpace the U.S. for the foreseeable future,'' he said. Ziemer said 2008 profit will fall to $3 to $3.18 a share. Harley plans total 2008 motorcycle deliveries of 303,500 to 307,500, the company said. The company earned $3.74 a share in 2007. ``The real silver lining is that the things affecting the company are related to the economy, not its business,'' said fund manager Jeffrey Malcom at Towson, Maryland-based Horan Capital Management LLC. Horan holds 383,948 Harley shares as part of a $500 million equity portfolio. ``The stock has already been taken to the woodshed,'' Malcom said. ``I'm comfortable that three, four, five years down the road the U.S. economy will have rebounded, which will benefit the company.'' The first-quarter earnings topped analysts' estimates. Harley was expected to earn 77 cents a share, the average of 17 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Harley repurchased 2.6 million common shares at a cost of $100.1 million during the first quarter, the company said. Harley had 236.5 million shares outstanding as of March 30. Motorcycle shipments in the quarter totaled 71,868 units in the quarter, up 6.1 percent from a year ago, the company said. Retail unit sales in the U.S. fell to 46,572 from 53,426 a year ago. By comparison, international retail sales rose to 19,989 from 17,107 a year ago.

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NEWS : Harley Davidson and Tighter Credit

Date Created: Apr 12, 2008, 07:25 AM

Harley Davidson and Tighter Credit A softening U.S. economy is throttling Harley-Davidson's sales, according to one analyst. Consumers have been cutting back on purchases of big-ticket items, given a softening job market, tightening credit and high gas prices. Wachovia Capital Markets analyst Timothy Conder said U.S. bike retail sales in the first quarter have declined between 7 percent and 9 percent from a year ago, while sales of used bikes remain relatively stable. Conder said dealers have attributed the recent decline to a softening U.S. economy, declining home prices, a sharp decline in consumer confidence, tigher credit and a sluggish labor market. Also, Harley Davidson Financial Services Inc., which finances riders' purchases of the motorcycles, has tightened its credit standards. Earlier this year, Harley Davidson posted a 26 percent lower fourth-quarter profit, as sales dropped 14 percent in the U.S. At the time, Chief Executive Jim Ziemer said consumers were holding off on larger purchases, given the cost. Harley-Davidson motorcycles start at $6,695, but can often cost more than $20,000.

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NEWS : More than 1,000 Best Western Hotels Become 'Rider-Friendly'

Date Created: Apr 09, 2008, 05:38 AM

More than 1,000 BW Hotels Become 'Rider-Friendly' BIKERS CAN REST THEIR HARLEY-DAVIDSON® MOTORCYCLES AT MORE THAN 1,000 BEST WESTERN HOTELS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA Best Western's "rider-friendly" hotels offer designated parking, wash stations and wipe-down towels PHOENIX (April 7, 2008) - More than 1,000 Best Western hotels in the United States and Canada have been identified as "rider-friendly," the company announced today, offering motorcycle riders wipe-down towels at check in and access to a wash station at no additional cost . In addition, some properties offer designated parking, tar remover, sunscreen and lip balm. The hotel chain's commitment to designating participating hotels as "rider-friendly" is part of a multi-year agreement between Best Western and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company to bring travel benefits to Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. "Best Western recognizes that Harley-Davidson and motorcycle enthusiasts have unique needs when on the road, and we're committed to providing them with amenities that make their rides more enjoyable," said Dorothy Dowling, Best Western's senior vice president of marketing and sales. "We're thrilled that more than 1,000 Best Western hotels are `rider-friendly,’ and we will add to this total throughout the year." Harley® riders can also register for the Gold™ Crown Club International Ride RewardsTM program, a free, specially-themed rewards program for Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. Harley-Davidson® owners or enthusiasts can register by going to www.bwrider.com. Once registered online as Ride Rewards members, Harley-Davidson® riders will earn 10 points for every U.S. dollar (or Canadian equivalent) spent on qualified room rates, or 250 airline miles per qualified stay, at any of the 4,000 Best Western hotels worldwide, including the 1,000 "rider-friendly" properties in North America. By joining Best Western's Gold Crown Club International Ride Rewards loyalty program online, Harley-Davidson enthusiasts will automatically receive Gold Elite status, which includes 10 percent bonus points on every Best Western stay and the ability to purchase points for award redemption, along with other signature benefits. As a complement to Ride Rewards, Best Western will also serve as a preferred hotel chain for Harley-Davidson's interactive Web application 'Ride Planner', found at www.harley-davidson.com/experience. Using Microsoft® Virtual Earth™ technology, the application maps out a variety of picturesque U.S. "Great Roads" and shows Best Western hotels and Harley-Davidson® dealerships along the way. Each property listing features hotel descriptions along with a directory of services and amenities. A 10 percent savings is available to customers who book their Best Western reservations through this Web site, or by calling 1-888-224-BIKE. For more information on the Ride Rewards™ program, or to search for Best Western's "rider-friendly" hotels, visit www.bwrider.com or www.harley-davidson.com/experience. ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL Best Western International is THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN®, providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* independently owned and operated member hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. An industry pioneer since 1946, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Best Western's diverse property portfolio, its greatest strength, stems from a business model designed to give owners maximum flexibility to address market-specific needs. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western recently embarked on a five-year mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. Since 2004, Best Western has served as the Official Hotel of NASCAR®. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.bestwestern.com.

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Employees in Wisconsin Approve New Labor Agreements

Date Created: Apr 07, 2008, 07:11 AM

Harley-Davidson Employees in Wisconsin Approve New Labor Agreements MILWAUKEE, April 4, 2008 -- All three unions representing Harley-Davidson NYSE: HOG employees in Wisconsin voted today to ratify new collective bargaining agreements with the Company. The new four-year agreements, which cover approximately 2,210 employees, became effective retroactive to April 1. The Company has individual labor agreements with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2-209, representing about 1,700 employees and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Lodge 78, representing about 150 employees, in the Milwaukee area; and with USW Local 460 in Tomahawk, Wis., which represents about 360 employees. "Harley-Davidson has a long history of working with our union partners to manage the business. We thank our employees and the union leaders for their important contributions to the success of these negotiations and to the success of Harley-Davidson," said Harold Scott, Harley-Davidson Vice President, Human Resources. "The new contracts balance Harley Davidson's need to responsibly manage our business for the long term in a competitive global market with our desire to continue to provide a strong wage and benefits package for employees," Scott said. In addition to improvements in wages, the new contracts provide for the establishment of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) for bargaining unit employees, under which they can use HRA dollars to help pay for out of pocket health care costs. Other health care plan provisions are designed to moderate the rise in plan costs yet maintain Harley-Davidson's position as a provider of top-tier health care benefits. Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces sport motorcycles in addition to motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and customers.

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NEWS : Harley CEO Gets $4.1M in Pay for 2007

Date Created: Apr 04, 2008, 08:02 AM

Harley CEO Gets $4.1M in Pay for 2007 NEW YORK (Associated Press) - The chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson Inc. received compensation last year that the motorcycle maker valued at almost $4.1 million, a drop of nearly 4 percent from the previous year, according to a regulatory filing Tuesday. James L. Ziemer's compensation included a salary of $875,534, according to the company's proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That's a slight increase from the base salary of $824,551 he received in 2006, when his total compensation was valued at about $4.25 million. Ziemer, 58, who has been president and CEO since 2005, received no money under a nonequity incentive plan. In 2006, he received $989,461 under that plan. The company said in the filing that no executives received bonuses because they did not meet performance incentive targets. The company's profit fell about 10 percent in 2007. In 2007, Ziemer also received $76,011 in other compensation, including a cash payment of $29,600 in lieu of other perks. He also got stock and option awards with an estimated value of $3.14 million at the time they were granted, an increase from $2.36 million in the prior year. The Associated Press calculations of total pay include executives' salary, bonus, incentives, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. They may vary from totals listed in the summary compensation table in the company's proxy filed with the SEC. The Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker ended the fourth quarter with profit down 26.3 percent due to slumping U.S. motorcycle sales amid a weakening economy. Revenue fell 7.7 percent to $1.39 billion in the period as worldwide retail sales volume dropped 6.1 percent. In the U.S. sales volume was down 14.2 percent. For the year, Harley's profit fell to $933.8 million from $1.04 billion in 2006 while revenue slipped 1.3 percent to $5.73 billion from $5.8 billion in 2006. Worldwide sales volume fell 1.8 percent in 2007, while U.S. vehicle sales were down 6.2 percent. But internationally, Harley's sales finished the year up 13.7 percent. Shipments for the year were down 5.3 percent to 330,619 motorcycle units, from 349,196 bikes in 2006. Harley-Davidson cut its bike shipments in the wake of expected falling sales and even idled its plants for a week in November. Ziemer has called the retail environment "challenging" for this year. The company expects moderate growth in both earnings per share and revenue, however. Analysts expected slightly lower revenue and higher earnings in 2008. The company is due to announce first quarter earnings on April 17. COMMENT : Wonder what Wille G. earned in 2007?

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NEWS : Harley Davidson Puts Labor Issues to Rest

Date Created: Apr 04, 2008, 07:59 AM

Harley Davidson Puts Labor Issues to Rest On Friday the United Steelworkers and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 2-209, is expected to approve a 4 year deal with Harley Davidson (HOG). Terms have not been disclosed. Last summer 2,900 workers in York., PA struck and finally agreed to a 12% pay raise over 4 years and the agreement is widely thought to be a blueprint for the current negotiations. Now that HOG has put to rest labor issues, the timing of this is very good for the company. Dealer inventories are reported to be tight all over and the spring selling season is beginning in earnest. With that being said, the last thing HOG would want at this time is a labor dispute that would cause delivery disruptions to dealers. While 2008 is not supposed to be a banner year for sales by any means, all evidence is that the company and its dealer network have done a wonderful job controlling inventory levels. With possible labor issues behind it, HOG will now be able to control production on its own term to assure steady inventory levels.

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson and Police Motorcycles Hit 100

Date Created: Mar 09, 2008, 10:35 PM

Harley-Davidson and Police Motorcycles Hit 100 They are the riders who some would consider the luckiest, since motorcycle police officers spend most of the workday on two wheels. For the law enforcement that carry out their duties in the saddle of a Harley-Davidson, 2008 is a special year. As if the Milwaukee motorcycle manufacturer didn't already have enough to celebrate this year, 2008 marks 100 years of Harley-Davidson Police Motorcycles. To honor the last 100 years of police motorcycles, Harley-Davidson is planning a number of exciting activities during the 105th Anniversary weekend as well as commemorative moments on the production side. For any law enforcement agencies buying motorcycles from Harley-Davidson this year a 100th anniversary decal will be added to the front fender. On the non-duty side, active or retired officers can buy one of the new 2008 Peace Officer Special Edition models featuring a premium metal tank medallion as well as a police badge medallion on the front fender. Some events marking the century of police motorcycles during the 105th celebration in Milwaukee will run from Wednesday, August 27, through Saturday, August 30. One special event is the first ever Harley-Davidson sponsored Riding Skills Competition. The competition will be comprised of individual training and skills timed competition cone patterns, based on the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety and Harley-Davidson's Police Motorcycle Operator Course. The Riding Skills Training Competition will be limited to the first 200 registered persons in each event. The Grand Prize, a new 2008 Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Police Road King (FLHP) equipped with emergency equipment, will be awarded to the department of the winning competitor in their name. A second Grand Prize, a 2008 Harley-Davidson Peace Officer Special Edition FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic, will be awarded to one participant registered in the competition and/or at least two of the classroom forums. Both the 2008 FLHP Police motorcycle and 2008 Peace Officer Special Edition FLHTCU will be the final Police motorcycles built for the 2008 model year.

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NEWS : Aerosmith Cancels Show At H.O.G. Concert In August

Date Created: Mar 09, 2008, 07:33 PM

Aerosmith Cancels Show At H.O.G. Concert In August Due to unspecified medical reasons, Aerosmith is not going to headline the Harley Owners Group's 25th anniversary celebration at Miller Park this summer. The Aug. 28 concert including Kid Rock, Sugarland and Joan Jett will now be free to H.O.G. members. Other scheduled musical acts to play during the Harley 105th anniversary weekend celebration include DB Bryant, The Billy Bob Thornton Band, Jason Michael Carroll, and Big Bob and the Ballroom Blitz, plus comedians Greg Giraldo, John Bowman and Lewis Black in addition to the Stunt Zone featuring stunt riders and motorcycle drill teams, a Ride-In show sponsored by Dunlop Tires, the Wall of Ink tattoo contest and many more scheduled activities.

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NEWS : Daytona Bike Week Sales Remain Strong

Date Created: Feb 29, 2008, 08:42 AM

Daytona Bike Week Sales Remain Strong Local Dealers Say Business Up 15 Percent Daytona Beach, Fla. -- As Bike Week roars in, the tough economic times and rising gas prices are raising concerns around Daytona Beach. The motorcycle industry as a whole is down roughly 8 to 10 percent. But at Destination Daytona and other dealers around Central Florida, those numbers don't hold true. "Our business has been good here; we've been pretty much up about 15 percent here in Daytona," Harley dealership owner Bruce Rossmeyer said. Rossmeyer owns the largest Harley-Davidson dealership in the world, and it is raking in the cash, so much so that it's helping to offset slumping sales in his other 14 stores. "Business isn't what it used to be, and generally, the economy isn't what it was. You have manufacturers, big companies laying off a lot of people and buying a Harley isn't something you have to have," Rossmeyer said. Even with the economy in the skids and gas prices sky high, bikers like Tom Severino are still coming. He's from Massachusetts. "It didn't have an affect on us at all," Severino said. It didn't stop Ron Jacobs from Myrtle Beach, either. Jacobs said people will come regardless. Rossmeyer said the industry may be down, but the love of riding is strong, so expect a large crowd. He said local business is so good he's expecting to sell 500 bikes this month alone; more than 50 percent of Harley Davidson dealerships across the country won't even sell that many. Bike Week continues in Daytona Beach through March 9. See the VIDEO : http://www.wesh.com/video/15444782/index.html

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NEWS : Harley Sales Down, but '08 Models Doing Well

Date Created: Feb 26, 2008, 09:12 PM

Harley Sales Down, but '08 Models Doing Well MILWAUKEE - Consumer credit woes, coupled with a blustery winter across much of the United States, have created financial head winds for Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Retail sales remain weak, although not significantly worse than an expected 15 percent decline, according to a recent survey from Robert W. Baird & Co. Industrywide, U.S. sales of large motorcycles, the most profitable class of bikes, fell 5 percent in 2007, according to an annual U.S. regulatory filing Friday from Harley. Baird analyst Craig Kennison surveyed 86 Harley dealers across North America for their assessment of business trends in the first seven weeks of the year. Sales were slightly below dealer expectations, Kennison said, although 35 percent of the dealers said new motorcycle sales were better than expected. "Many dealers (32 percent) think that new bike inventory is too high," Kennison said. Some dealers were frustrated by the late delivery of models such as the Rocker, new for 2008. Forty-eight percent of the dealers said they were selling new Harleys for below the manufacturer's suggested retail price - a nagging problem that recent production cuts haven't fully addressed. "That's partly a sign of the economy we are in, and it's partly due to the inventory levels" at some dealerships, Kennison said. Twenty-eight percent of the dealers said it had become more difficult for customers to obtain motorcycle financing. Half of the dealers said that Harley should offer more sales incentives, and they complained that interest rates were too high. Harley is being cautious about its 2008 outlook. The company has pledged to ship fewer motorcycles than what it expects dealers will sell this year, helping to shore up prices. Last week, Harley-Davidson Financial Services, the company's consumer lending division, securitized $486 million in retail motorcycle loans for an estimated loss of between $4.1 million and $5.4 million, according to a regulatory filing. In part, the loss was driven by volatility in the capital markets, the company said. Out of a total amount of $540 million, Harley-Davidson Financial Services retained notes for $54 million in retail motorcycle loans. The company had to retain the $54 million on its balance sheet because of weak market demand, analyst Robin Farley with UBS Investment Research wrote in a note to clients. "If the securitization market remains difficult, Harley is willing to use $1 billion-plus of its own balance sheet to provide liquidity to Harley-Davidson Financial Services," Farley wrote. "Also, subprime borrowers are approximately 15 percent of Harley's sales. Management plans to continue subprime lending, since stopping subprime loans could have a materially negative impact" on Harley sales. Sun Journal

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NEWS : Harley Confirms Motorcycle Sales Down Industry-Wide

Date Created: Feb 26, 2008, 07:25 AM

Harley Confirms Motorcycle Sales Down Industry-Wide Harley-Davidson is setting the tone and expectations for industry wide sales in the upcoming year. Harley-Davidson Inc. said industry wide U.S. sales of large motorcycles fell 5 percent last year. Consumers bought 516,100 motorcycles with engines of at least 651 cubic centimeters in 2007, a drop from 543,000 a year earlier, Harley said Friday in a regulatory filing. The sales figures were collected by an "independent third party" from the manufacturers, Milwaukee-based Harley said, without identifying the compiler. Harley sold 255,100 Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles, a drop from 271,700 a year earlier. That trimmed Harley's large-motorcycle market share to 49.4 percent from 50 percent. Honda, the world's largest motorcycle maker, had U.S. market share last year of 14.2 percent, down from 15.1 percent a year earlier, Harley said in its filing. Clutch and Chrome

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NEWS : No Duty Cut on Harley Davidson: India

Date Created: Feb 26, 2008, 07:22 AM

No Duty Cut on Harley Davidson: India CHICAGO: Having relaxed emission norms for import of Harley Davidson motorcycles, India has informed the US that it cannot cut duties but will allow the American cult bike to be sold through dealers’ network. The US Trade Department raised the demand for a duty cut on the Harley Davidson bikes at the meeting of the India-US Trade Policy Forum here early this week, but the Indian side did not agree to it, a high level official said. "After all, the bike is going to be imported by rich people. Let them pay duty," the official said. India imposes 60 per cent duty on import of motorcycles. However, Davidson Inc, the biggest motorcycle maker in the US, facing slackening growth in the home market, will now be able to stock and sell its bikes in India. "This means, instead of delivering its bikes to individual buyer, the company can appoint dealers in India," the official said. The India-US Trade Policy Forum is co-chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab. India had liberalised the emission norms for Harley Davidson last year but the high end motorcycle could not really take off its sales operations in the country, since the rules allowed it to sell only to individual buyers. Harley Davidson was hoping to get a breakthrough in the Indian market on low duties at a time when the market expansion in the US is slackening in the face of worsening consumer confidence. Times of India

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Securitizes Loans

Date Created: Feb 26, 2008, 07:19 AM

Harley-Davidson Securitizes Loans NEW YORK—Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc. said Wednesday its financial services division has securitized $486 million in retail motorcycle loans for an estimated loss of between $4.1 million and $5.4 million, according to a regulatory filing. The loss was driven in part by volatility in the capital markets, the company said. Out of a total transaction amount of $540 million, Harley-Davidson Financial Services Inc. retained notes for $54 million in retail motorcycle loans. Additionally, the company said it has entered into a new $300 million credit facility, which will provide additional liquidity to its unsecured commercial paper program and help fund operations. As a result of the new facility, Harley-Davidson Financial Services may issue commercial paper of up to $1.7 billion with maturities of up to one year from the issue date, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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NEWS : Harley Davidson Owners Get Their Own Social Network

Date Created: Feb 26, 2008, 07:17 AM

Harley Davidson Owners Get Their Own Social Network Good news for men with big hair, big beards and big bikes. You've now got your very own social network based around Harley Davidson bikes. It's called Harley Social, and it lets you create a blog, and upload photos and videos of your glorious vehicle. Oh, and there's also a Harley Social Girls section, offering a selection of Harley-loving ladies - many of whom seem to be riding bikes in their bikinis, which I'm sure is frowned upon in the highway code. They don't have beards, either. With a thriving subculture of Harley fans, it's a good idea for a niche social network, and the site certainly looks slick. Sadly, a Raleigh Chopper social network would be more my level when it comes to bike-based Web 2.0 services. Anyone fancy launching one? www.HarleySocial.com

]]> 2008-02-26 07:19:37 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080207212728/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080207212728/index.html

NEWS : Harley-Davidson Shutdown Starts June 30

Date Created: Feb 07, 2008, 09:27 PM

Harley-Davidson Shutdown Starts June 30 Harley-Davidson plans to shut down its Springettsbury Township plant for the four days before July 4 because of a different way the company will make motorcycle frames in the 2009 model year. The shutdown is officially four days in length, but in practice it will be a full work week off because of the July 4 holiday. The four days off will be unpaid for employees, who can opt to use vacation time. Michael Dimauro, spokesman for the Springettsbury plant, said the move is one Harley hasn't made in recent years. The company plans to use the time to integrate its new frame-assembly operation. "We have to tweak the line to use the new frame assembly," Dimauro said. Dimauro said the motorcycles will have a different style, "but how we make it is probably the biggest difference." Dimauro said the information was posted for workers at the plant this week. The shutdown is only scheduled for Harley's York County operation. The company expects to keep using this frame assembly for future models, Dimauro said.

]]> 2008-02-07 21:30:46 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080125092429/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080125092429/index.html

NEWS : Harley-Davidson Q4 EPS Fall 19.6%; Revenues Down 7.7%

Date Created: Jan 25, 2008, 09:24 AM

Harley-Davidson Q4 EPS Fall 19.6%; Revenues Down 7.7% MILWAUKEE, Jan. 25 -- Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) today announced its results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2007. Revenue for the quarter was $1.39 billion compared to $1.50 billion in the year-ago quarter, a 7.7 percent decline. Net income for the quarter was $186.1 million compared to $252.4 million, down 26.3 percent versus the fourth quarter of 2006. Fourth quarter diluted earnings per share were $0.78, a 19.6 percent decrease compared to $0.97 in the fourth quarter of last year. During the fourth quarter the Company repurchased $153.3 million of its common stock. Revenue for the full year 2007 was $5.73 billion compared to $5.80 billion in 2006, a 1.3 percent decline. For the full year, wholesale shipments of Harley-Davidson(R) motorcycles were 330,619 units, a 5.3 percent decrease compared to 2006. Diluted earnings per share were $3.74, declining 4.8 percent compared to 2006. 'Harley-Davidson managed through a weak U.S. economy during 2007,' said Jim Ziemer, Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. 'As we announced in September, we reduced our wholesale motorcycle shipment plan for the fourth quarter, fulfilling our commitment to our dealers to ship fewer Harley-Davidson motorcycles than we expected our dealers worldwide to sell at retail during 2007,' said Ziemer. 'While these are challenging times in the U.S., our international dealer network delivered double digit retail sales growth in the fourth quarter and for the full year of 2007. And our customers around the world have a lot to look forward to this year with the new motorcycles we are bringing to market, the opening of the Harley-Davidson Museum, and hundreds of rides and events leading up to our 105th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee this summer,' he said. For 2008, the Company once again plans to ship fewer Harley-Davidson motorcycles than it expects its worldwide dealer network to sell. The Company also expects moderate revenue growth, lower operating margin, and a diluted earnings per share growth rate of 4 to 7 percent compared to 2007. For the first quarter, it expects to ship between 68,000 and 72,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which compares to 67,761 units in the first quarter of 2007. 'Looking ahead, we will continue to manage the Company to generate long-term sustainable shareholder value while protecting the brand. We expect the U.S. economy to continue to be very challenging in 2008, and we will closely monitor the retail environment and regularly assess our wholesale shipments throughout the year,' said Ziemer. Motorcycles and Related Products Segment -- Fourth Quarter Results Revenue from Harley-Davidson motorcycles was $1.12 billion, a decrease of $105.5 million or 8.6 percent versus the same period last year. Shipments of Harley-Davidson motorcycles totaled 81,206 units, a decrease of 11,642 units or 12.5 percent compared to last year's fourth quarter. Revenue from Parts and Accessories (P&A), which consists of Genuine Motor Parts and Genuine Motor Accessories, totaled $165.2 million, a decrease of $14.0 million or 7.8 percent from the year-ago quarter. Revenue from General Merchandise, which consists of MotorClothes(R) apparel and collectibles, totaled $73.4 million, an increase of $2.8 million or 4.0 percent over the year-ago quarter. Gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2007 was 35.7 percent of revenue compared to 38.0 percent for the fourth quarter last year. Fourth quarter operating margin decreased to 18.1 percent from 22.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006. Motorcycle Retail Sales Data During the fourth quarter, worldwide retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 6.1 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2006. U.S. retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 14.2 percent for the quarter. The heavyweight motorcycle market in the U.S. decreased 9.0 percent for the same period. Retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles increased 17.4 percent in the Company's international markets during the fourth quarter of 2007 compared to the fourth quarter of 2006. Fourth quarter retail sales increased 10.9 percent in Europe; Canada was up 45.9 percent; and Japan was up 4.5 percent. All other international markets combined were up 28.6 percent. For the full year of 2007, worldwide retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 1.8 percent compared to the prior year. In the U.S., Harley-Davidson dealer retail sales decreased 6.2 percent for the full year; international retail sales increased by 13.7 percent. The U.S. heavyweight motorcycle market was down 5.0 percent for the full year of 2007. Additional data is listed in the accompanying tables. Financial Services Segment Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) reported fourth quarter operating income of $38.6 million, a decrease of $9.1 million or 19.1 percent compared to the year ago quarter. The decrease is primarily due to a $6.4 million write-down of retained securitization interests. Income Tax Rate The Company's fourth quarter effective income tax rate was 35.5 percent compared to 35.1 percent in the same quarter last year. Fourth quarter 2006 effective income tax rate was lower primarily due to the retroactive reinstatement of the federal research and development tax credit. Harley-Davidson, Inc. -- Twelve Month Results For the full year 2007, Harley-Davidson motorcycle revenue was $4.45 billion, a decrease of $106.9 million compared to 2006. P&A revenue totaled $868.3 million, a 0.7 percent increase over last year's $862.3 million. General Merchandise revenue totaled $305.4 million, a 10.1 percent increase compared to $277.5 million during 2006. HDFS operating income was $212.2 million, a 0.7 percent increase over last year's $210.7 million. Cash Flow Cash and marketable securities totaled $405.3 million as of December 31, 2007. Cash flow from operations was $798.1 million, and capital expenditures were $242.1 million during the full year of 2007. In 2008, capital expenditures are expected to be between $240 and $260 million. Stock Repurchase The Company repurchased 3.2 million shares of its common stock at a cost of $153.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2007. For the full year 2007, the Company repurchased 20.4 million shares at a total cost of $1.15 billion. On December 31, 2007, the Company had 238.5 million shares of common stock outstanding. As of December 31, 2007, there are 23.1 million shares remaining on board-approved share repurchase authorizations. An additional board-approved share repurchase authorization is in place to offset option exercises. Company Background Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces sport motorcycles. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and their retail customers. Forward-Looking Statements The Company intends that certain matters discussed in this release are 'forward-looking statements' intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as the Company 'believes,' 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'plans,' or 'estimates' or words of similar meaning. Similarly, statements that describe future plans, objectives, outlooks, targets, guidance or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Certain of such risks and uncertainties are described below. Shareholders, potential investors, and other readers are urged to consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are only made as of the date of this release, and the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company's ability to meet the targets and expectations noted depends upon, among other factors, the Company's ability to (i) continue to realize production efficiencies at its production facilities and manage operating costs including materials, labor and overhead, (ii) manage production capacity and production changes, (iii) manage supply chain issues, (iv) provide products, services and experiences that are successful in the marketplace, (v) develop and implement sales and marketing plans that retain existing retail customers and attract new retail customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace, (vi) sell all of its motorcycles and related products and services to its independent dealers and, (vii) continue to develop the capabilities of its distributor and dealer network, (viii) manage changes and prepare for requirements in legislative and regulatory environments for its products, services and operations, (ix) adjust to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices, (x) manage access to reliable sources of capital and adjust to fluctuations in the cost of capital, (xi) manage regional and worldwide demographic trends and economic and political conditions, including healthcare inflation, pension reform and tax changes, (xii) anticipate consumer confidence in the economy, (xiii) manage the credit quality, the loan servicing and collection activities, and the recovery rates of HDFS' loan portfolio, (xiv) retain and attract talented employees, (xv) detect any issues with our motorcycles or manufacturing processes to avoid delays in new model launches, recall campaigns, increased warranty costs or litigation and (xvi) implement and manage enterprise-wide information technology solutions and secure data contained in those systems. In addition, the Company could experience delays or disruptions in its operations as a result of work stoppages, strikes, natural causes, terrorism or other factors. Other factors are described in risk factors that the Company has disclosed in documents previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company's ability to sell its motorcycles and related products and services and to meet its financial expectations also depends on the ability of the Company's independent dealers to sell its motorcycles and related products and services to retail customers. The Company depends on the capability and financial capacity of its independent dealers and distributors to develop and implement effective retail sales plans to create demand for the motorcycles and related products and services they purchase from the Company.

]]> 2008-01-25 09:26:47 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080123082543/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080123082543/index.html

NEWS : Bad to the Cross Bones

Date Created: Jan 23, 2008, 08:27 AM

Bad to the Cross Bones Harley's 2008 softail merges post-war nostalgia with ultra-modern cool. The sign outside the Viper Room offered the most minimal of clues. "Newest dark custom" was all it said. But lurking inside, under an appropriately black motorcycle cover, was Harley-Davidson's latest: the 2008 Softail Cross Bones, a bike that spins back the hands of time to an era when Harleys weren't ridden by dentists. Everything about Saturday night's unveil spoke to its intended audience. The Hollywood nightclub, the vintage rock soundtrack, the grainy skateboard videos. They all screamed Gen X and Gen Y, rather than baby boomer, with an old-school bobber-type bike that finds its cool in the past. The new Cross Bones harkens to a time when thrill-seeking WWII pilots returned to civilian life and adopted motorcycles as their preferred mode of transport, chopping all the extras off their bikes to ride faster and recapture the uncertainties and highs of combat. That mindset lives on in both the design and psychology of the Cross Bones, which cross-breeds Harley-Davidson's history with the company's recent embrace of modern technology and its new focus on younger buyers (which may find a parallel in returning Iraq war veterans). Though inspired by Harley's earliest overhead-valve engines -- the 1930s knuckle head and '40s pan head -- the Cross Bones uses the same fuel-injected 96B twin cam that Harley introduced for the 2007 model year. Though counterbalanced for less vibration, it's also rigidly mounted to the frame so riders still feel like they're riding a motorcycle. The idea, it seems, is to give the bike a moderately nostalgic feel along with its retro style, but one that isn't so nostalgic as to be painful. The Cross Bones is a softail, after all. The swingarm only mimics the lines of a rigid. There are coil-over rear shock absorbers to stop fragile spines from taking the impact; they're just hidden below the powertrain. The 30-inch-tall solo seat is also mounted with a pair of coils. And it's adjustable by an inch, so shorter-legged riders can slide it forward -- the better to reach the old-school, half-round foot boards. Other retro touches that give this bike some edge without making it unrideable: a front fender that's chopped to an inch of its functional life, baby ape-hanger handlebars that won't solicit tickets from the authorities, and a pair of straight slash-cut pipes. I'm not one to parrot the company line, but I think Bill Davidson nailed it when he used the term "bad ass" to describe the new Cross Bones on Saturday. Based on its looks and philosophy, Harley's latest really does seem more authentic, less poseur-like. Or maybe I'm just showing my age, which squarely fits with Harley's must-have demographic. 2008 FLSTSB Softail Cross Bones Base price: $16,795 Powertrain: Rigid-mount; fuel-injected; air-cooled; twin cam 96B; pushrod-operated overhead valves with hydraulic, self-adjusting lifters; two valves per cylinder; 6-speed cruise drive Displacement: 96 cubic inches, or 1,584 cc Maximum torque: 87.9 pound-feet at 2,750 rpm Seat height: 30.19 inches (unladen) Dry weight: 700 pounds Claimed fuel economy: 35 mpg city, 54 mpg highway From LAtimes.com

]]> 2008-01-23 08:27:17 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080122080359/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080122080359/index.html

NEWS : New Harley-Davidson Softail Cross Bones Makes Dark Debut

Date Created: Jan 22, 2008, 08:05 AM

New Harley-Davidson Softail Cross Bones Makes Dark Debut MILWAUKEE, Jan. 21 -- The new Harley-Davidson FLSTSB Softail Cross Bones cuts the aggressive profile of an authentic custom bobber, but with some dark twists that deliver a wickedly fun and emotional riding experience. The new Softail model was announced today at the Harley-Davidson Winter Dealer Meeting in San Antonio. With the retro look of a Springer front end and other post-war era bobber styling cues like a sprung solo seat, half-round rider footboards, Gloss Black round air cleaner cover and chopped front fender, the Softail Cross Bones rides with a Black and Polished Twin Cam 96B powertrain, 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission and truly unique Softail suspension. "Only Harley-Davidson could do this bike," said Bill Davidson, Harley-Davidson Vice President, Core Customer Marketing. "It's a motorcycle inspired as much by our early Knuckles and Pans, as by our desire to deliver innovative technology and content to make the ride today as magical and transforming as only a Harley-Davidson can. Cross Bones is a bike that makes me want to strap a blanket across the handle bar, hit the campgrounds on my next road trip and get totally in touch with what's right about this land." As the latest of several Harley-Davidson Dark Customs, Cross Bones melds stripped and chopped custom creativity with rough and raw finishes. Soul mates of the Cross Bones include the Nightster, Night Train, Night Rod Special and Street Bob. Check out more on Dark Custom motorcycles at http://www.harley-davidson.com/darkcustom. As each Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycle declares its styling independence with exclusive components and inspired craftsmanship, the Cross Bones is a bold addition to an already free-spirited family. Many features of the Cross Bones and other Softails are reminiscent of restless riders of the past, whose defiant attitude resonates with those who march to their own beat in any generation. The Softail name originates from its rear suspension design, with a swingarm section that honors the lines of a vintage rigid frame, while delivering a smooth, comfortable ride. Hidden horizontal coil-over rear shock absorbers are strategically mounted out-of-sight below the powertrain. The counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B powertrain is rigid-mounted in the Softail frame to give the rider a core connection to the motorcycle. Harley-Davidson Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) is standard on all Softail models, as is the 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission with its accommodating clutch lever effort. The Softail Cross Bones takes on the road with a rebellious expression accentuated by a Gloss Black painted Springer front end with chrome springs, black bucket headlamp and black mini ape-hanger style handlebar. While the chopped front fender exposes more of the front wheel, a Bobtail fender does the same for the wide 200 mm rear tire. Tires with matching treads ride on Steel Laced wheels with Gloss Black painted rims. The sprung solo seat, gloss black round air cleaner cover and old-style half-round rider footboards form a nostalgic focal point of the Cross Bones, recalling images of a classic era on this contemporary motorcycle. With two coiled springs underneath, the adjustable two-position Cross Bones seat rides in modern comfort at a height of 26.6 inches. A distinctive Softail horseshoe-shaped oil tank with the time-honored Harley-Davidson patent badge is located below the seat. An authentically designed five-gallon fuel tank sports a gloss black "cat-eye" styled console with accessible ignition switch and a new speedometer face. A hand-laced leather tank panel on the console compliments the sprung solo seat. A straight shot exhaust system with chrome slash-cut mufflers provides optimum performance and stands out in contrast to the Cross Bones' many darker components. The FLSTSB Cross Bones is available in premium custom graphics with wicked striping and paint featuring new Dark Blue Pearl, Dark Blue Denim, as well as Vivid Black, Black Denim, Olive Pearl and Pewter Denim.

]]> 2008-01-22 08:05:33 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080122075727/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080122075727/index.html

NEWS : Springsteen to Play Harley 105th

Date Created: Jan 22, 2008, 08:02 AM

Springsteen to Play Harley 105th MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will headline Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration this summer in Milwaukee. The motorcycle maker says the Boss will perform on Saturday, Aug. 30 at a venue Harley calls the Roadhouse at the Lakefront, which is just north of the Milwaukee Art Museum. The public is invited to attend but they must purchase Harley-Davidson anniversary tickets, in addition to tickets for headliners. The anniversary tickets are on sale now and cost $60 plus fees. Tickets to Bruce Springsteen go on sale April 5 and cost $40 plus fees. The other headliner announced Monday is Daughtry, who will perform the same night on the Summerfest grounds. Additional acts include Los Lonely Boys, Black Crowes, ZZ Top and Peter Frampton. GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY Admission to the Daughtry concert at the Summerfest grounds is included with the two-day Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration ticket package. Admission to the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert requires a separate ticket purchase in addition to the Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration ticket. Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration ticket packages are currently on sale for $60.00 plus $5.00 tax, shipping and handling at http://www.harley-davidson.com/105th. The ticket package includes a laminated event ticket good for a two-day entry to the Summerfest grounds, a signature 105th folio, a one-time entry to the Discovery World and its special Harley-Davidson exhibit, an event guide, a Signature 105th Anniversary copper wristband, a commemorative key chain, and a 105th Anniversary flag and American flag. Tickets for the August 30 Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band concert at the Roadhouse at the Lakefront are limited and will go on sale April 5, 2008, at http://www.harley-davidson.com/105th. 105th Anniversary Celebration ticket holders will be eligible for the opportunity to purchase one general admission ticket to the Springsteen concert on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last, for each 105th Anniversary Celebration ticket they have purchased. Cost of the separate ticket for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert is $40.00, plus $2.50 shipping and handling. The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) previously announced a major concert for its 25th Anniversary featuring Aerosmith and Kid Rock at Miller Park, Thursday, August 28, 2008. Only H.O.G. members have the opportunity to purchase tickets to the concert, which go on sale March 12, 2008. The concert follows the free day-long Club H.O.G. 25 event for H.O.G. members on the Miller Park grounds. In true Harley-Davidson style, the Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration will also feature four days of non-stop activities throughout Milwaukee. While many 105th Anniversary events will be available only to ticket holders, the Main Street at the Lakefront exposition, an outdoor festival will be free and open to everyone. This venue will also have free motorcycle parking and will be a perfect meeting and gathering place. There will also be free events at Harley-Davidson facilities in the area, and of course, the 105th Anniversary Parade on Saturday, August 30, 2008, will be a must see event. For more information on all the 105th activities and the limited edition 105th motorcycles, and to order a 105th Anniversary ticket package, visit http://www.harley-davidson.com/105th. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson's web site at http://www.harley-davidson.com. Website: http://www.harley-davidson.com/ Website: http://www.harley-davidson.com/105th/ H-D Official Entertainment Info

]]> 2008-01-22 08:02:36 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080115074407/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080115074407/index.html

NEWS : Harley-Davidson Announces Daytona Bike Week Activities

Date Created: Jan 15, 2008, 07:44 AM

Harley-Davidson Announces Daytona Bike Week Activities MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson female enthusiasts are encouraged to enter for a chance to win a spot on the Harley-Davidson Women’s Day Ride, held March 4, 2008, and join Karen Davidson, great-granddaughter of one of the Company’s founders, as well as the six Get Down to Daytona contest winners on the last leg of their ride into Daytona. To enter, women riders should go to www.harley-davidson.com/womensride by Jan. 23 and fill out a short entry form. There is no purchase necessary, but women are encouraged to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Summer Camps (a small donation of $25 or more is greatly appreciated). Women riders must ride a Harley-Davidson or Buell motorcycle and must be in Daytona on the morning of March 4. On Jan. 25, 80 women will be randomly chosen to participate in the ride. Each rider will receive a 2008 MDA Pin, a special flag with MDA and H-D logo for their bike, and be entered in a special MDA drawing for a Harley-Davidson women’s jacket. The top three fundraisers will also receive a special gift. Daytona Bike Week Women’s Activities Tuesday, March 4, is Harley-Davidson Women’s Day at the Ocean Center. The Women’s Day Ride will arrive at the Ocean Center at approximately 10 a.m. Upon arrival, Karen Davidson will introduce the six winners of the Get Down to Daytona contest. Interactive seminars will be given throughout the day on how to pick up a motorcycle, customization and MotorClothes. More details will be announced in the next few weeks. At the Daytona International Speedway Wednesday, March 5, from 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., there will be women-only demo rides on select 2008 Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles. Demos are free, but riders will need to bring a helmet (full-face helmet and long pants for Buell demos) and a valid motorcycle license. Each woman who takes a demo ride during that time will be automatically entered into a drawing for a women’s helmet. Men who come along with the women who participate in this special demo time will have the opportunity to attend a customization seminar and Q&A session with a Harley-Davidson factory technician. All week at the Ocean Center, March 2-8 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., women can visit the Harley-Davidson Interactive Women’s Area featuring giveaways and prizes, motorcycle information, and a historical and informational women’s display. About the Get Down to Daytona Contest The six winners in the Harley-Davidson Get Down to Daytona contest were announced Dec. 12, 2007, and were chosen from more than 200 women who submitted videos about their motorcycle mentor. Each winner will receive an expense paid road trip for two from Atlanta to Daytona Bike Week ’08 alongside Karen Davidson, great-granddaughter of one of the Company’s founders, as well as a three nights stay in Daytona. The six winners are: Carol Dicicco from Chalfont, Pa.; Tonya Lamia from Rockford, Ill.; Kimberly Ryon from Harford, Pa.; Shelli Strand from Birch Run, Mich.; Jennifer Thorne from Mt. Pleasant, Pa.; and Teresa Weston from Hermitage, Tenn. For more information and to watch the six winners’ videos, visit www.harley-davidson.com/womensride. Check back later this month for full profiles on each woman, as well as in March for coverage from their anxiously awaited trip to Daytona Bike Week ’08. About Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces sport motorcycles in addition to motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and customers. H-D Press Release

]]> 2008-01-15 07:46:31 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080108081727/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080108081727/index.html

NEWS : Bumpy Road Ahead for H-D in 2008

Date Created: Jan 08, 2008, 08:17 AM

Bumpy Road Ahead for H-D in 2008 The American motorcycle manufacturer leads the retail pack for sales and is celebrating it's 105th birthday with a grand opening of a museum in August. But Harley-Davidson is in for more bad news this year and is likely to face drag from a generally sluggish economy, a financial analyst predicted today. The company is likely to reduce production this year to stabilize dealer inventories and avoid heavy discounting and promotional pricing, Wachovia Capital Markets Senior Analyst Timothy Conder wrote. He maintained his "market perform" rating on H-D, which trades under the symbol HOG, but reduced his valuation range to $45 to $50, from a previous range of $51 to $54. Part of the risk to the company is its financing business, HDFS, which Conder says accounts for half the powersports industry's financing. Conder held onto his $3.77 earnings per share estimate for 2007, but dropped his 2008 estimate to $3.88 from $4.01. A 5.5% production decline (to 330,005 units) for 2007 and another 2% decline for 2008 are baked in. The 2008 estimate of 323,405 units is down slightly from a previous prediction of "flat." He also expects the OEM's gross margins to contract by 65 basis points, based on "a leaner mix of higher end cruiser and touring shipments, and higher manufacturing overhead absorption." Despite expectations for a couple of challenging years, Conder complimented H-D's management. "We will continue to look for opportunities to again consider becoming more constructive as we admire Harley?s strong management (including their willingness to make difficult short-term decisions such as production cuts vs. ongoing financing promotions to preserve the integrity of the brand), unlevered operating company balance sheet, and solid mid-30% returns on equity, which continue to help support ongoing accretive share repurchases," he wrote.

]]> 2008-01-08 08:19:30 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080103190122/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20080103190122/index.html

NEWS : H.O.G. MEMBERS WON’T “WANT TO MISS A THING”

Date Created: Jan 03, 2008, 07:01 PM

MILWAUKEE (January 2, 2008) - Today, the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) announced that legendary rockers Aerosmith and Kid Rock will headline its 25th Anniversary concert at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, on Thurs., Aug. 28, 2008. The ticketed concert caps the free day-long Club H.O.G. 25 anniversary celebration that coincides with Harley-Davidson’s 105th Anniversary events during Labor Day weekend in Milwaukee. “Camaraderie of the open road is at the core of the H.O.G. experience, so what better way to celebrate 25 years of H.O.G. history than by riding the world’s best motorcycles to Milwaukee with thousands of your closest friends,” said Mike Keefe, vice president and general manager, Harley Owners Group. “Our event also celebrates the start of the next 25 great years of riding together with H.O.G.” Only H.O.G. members will have the opportunity to purchase the 40,000 tickets available for the 25th Anniversary concert at Miller Park. Concert tickets go on sale Wed., March 12, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Central Time (CT) and will be sold on a first come, first served basis, including 6,000 seats on the stadium infield. H.O.G. members can purchase as many as 25 tickets for $25.00 each exclusively via H.O.G.’s members-only Web site, www.members.hog.com. H.O.G. was launched as the official riding club of Harley-Davidson in 1983. Today, the organization is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in the world, boasting more than one million members in 130 countries worldwide. H.O.G. members regularly celebrate the Harley-Davidson dream by riding together and participating in a variety of state, national and international rallies every year. CELEBRATE ALL DAY AT CLUB H.O.G. 25 In addition to the ticketed evening concert featuring Aerosmith and Kid Rock, the free all day Club H.O.G. 25 on the Miller Park grounds will feature live musical entertainment and comedians, a ride-in motorcycle show with the chance to win awards, including the 7th Annual Willie G. Award, MDA fund-raising activities, performances by stunt riders and motorcycle drill teams, the H.O.G. Wall of Ink, exhibits and more. Admission to the Club H.O.G. 25 events preceding the concert is free to H.O.G. members and one guest. For more information about H.O.G. or ticket availability, visit www.hog.com.

]]> 2008-01-03 19:02:59 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071218075328/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071218075328/index.html

NEWS : Be a Part of Harley-Davidson History

Date Created: Dec 18, 2007, 07:56 AM

Be a Part of Harley-Davidson History Know someone who lives and breathes Harley-Davidson? A Living the Legend rivet at the Harley-Davidson museum is a gift that gives any H.O.G rider a great excuse to hop on the bike and head out to Milwaukee next year. Currently under construction and due to open some time next year, the Harley-Davidson museum will be a 20-acre testament to the company’s 105 years of tradition. Displayed on the grounds will be rows of rivets bearing personalized messages from H-D fans. Individuals can buy 3-inch rivets with three lines (up to 18 characters on a line) of text. These will be set into curved steel walls at the museum. Larger 6-inch rivets will be displayed on plaza and are available for purchase by dealers, H.O.G chapters, suppliers and other organizations. The individual rivets are $250 while the large ones are $1,500. A rivet is one of the strongest bonds around, connecting everything from I-beams to your favorite blue jeans. But it’s more than a fastener. It's also a symbol of the bonds of Harley-Davidson® brotherhood and sisterhood, whose approach to living is a pure, undiluted devotion to something bigger Living the Legend™ rivets are made of a tough, electropolished stainless steel and are available in 3” and 6” sizes. Show the world exactly where you stand by customizing a rivet with your own personal message. Living the Legend rivets will be displayed on a curved steel wall or a special plaza throughout the grounds of the Harley-Davidson Museum. And remember, because your rivet will be displayed on the grounds, it will be exposed to the outdoor elements, taking on whatever nature throws at it. Rivet Info at H-D

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NEWS : Senators Want More China Harley-Davidson Sales

Date Created: Dec 04, 2007, 09:25 PM

Senators Want More China Harley-Davidson Sales WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four U.S. senators urged the Bush administration on Tuesday to raise pressure on China to open its market to U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc, which has struggled with sluggish sales this year. "The Chinese market should be a hog heaven for U.S. motorcycle companies, but China's unfair trade practices are slamming the brakes on Harley sales," Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a statement ahead of high-level U.S.-China talks next week in Beijing. "Fair trade must be a two-way street," said Sen. Robert Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat. "China's roadblock to Harley- Davidson is unacceptable. There will always be a demand for a classic like Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but artificial barriers are threatening U.S. jobs." Fellow Democratic Sens. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin and Claire McCaskill of Missouri joined Schumer and Casey in urging U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez to press China on municipal regulations that limit or even ban heavy-duty motorcycle use in urban areas. Harley-Davidson has been in China for two years, but has made almost no sales because of those rules, the senators said. The iconic American motorcycle manufacturer contributes to employment in each of the four senators' states. The company employs 8,500 workers in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri and supports another 1,300 tire manufacturing jobs at the Goodyear Dunlop tire plant in Buffalo, New York. In October, the company said its third-quarter earnings fell more than 15 percent from last year because of sluggish sales. Chief executive Jim Ziemer said the company had to cut production because of the difficult U.S. business environment. Opening the Chinese market to Harley-Davidson motorcycles "would create growth opportunities and help secure American jobs," the senators said. Reuters

]]> 2007-12-04 21:27:55 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071202212511/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071202212511/index.html

NEWS : GOING HOG WILD

Date Created: Dec 02, 2007, 09:29 PM

GOING HOG WILD Knowing its buyers love add-ons, Harley beefs up factory options Harley owners are driven to customize their bikes. It may start with a simple set of handgrips and advance to a wheels-up makeover. The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. is fully aware of this addiction and feeds it through a parts and accessories catalog that offers 7,000-plus items in more than 800 pages. For example, fenders and gas tanks sport flames. Just about every piece of chrome can be replaced with another having cool designs to mix and match. An owner could spend a ton of money turning a blank canvas of a bike into a masterpiece--"art on two wheels," as Willie G. Davidson--grandson of the company's founder and styling guru--likes to call it. Pouring over the catalogs, interviewing custom painters and providing the labor to transform a plain Jane into a Cinderella takes time, patience and cash--plenty of it. For some, the thrill of the hunt is part of the fun. For those who'd rather ride than hunt, there's the Harley- Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations offerings. For 2008, there are four Screamin' Eagle factory customs: Dyna, Softail Springer, Road King and Ultra Classic Electra Glide. The mission of the Custom Vehicle Operation is to "create aspiration" through high-impact accessories that may find their way to the catalog while highlighting existing accessories. It allows them to test new visions in styling. Big motors, big tires, big paint and big fun--the unit's motto says it all. The first CVO model was born in 1999--the FXR2. For 2008, Screamin' Eagle Dyna gets a new fuel tank console that includes the speedometer, ignition switch and lock. It is finished with a flush-mounted gas cap and a fuel gauge with hidden LEDs. Also new is an adjustable handlebar. The 21-inch front wheel is supported by 43-mm lowered inverted forks and the 17-inch rear wheel sports a 170-mm tire. The lowered front fork and reduced fork angle make for sharper cornering, and the larger front tire improves handling. The Screamin' Eagle Softail Springer gets a new 18-by-3.5- inch wheel fitted with a 130-mm tire (and wider fender) that improves handling, even at slow speeds, because of the improved stability. The exposed, high-flow, forward- facing "heavy breather" intake filter allows the engine to breathe more freely, yielding 5 percent more torque than the standard model. Other new components include a chrome horn cover, color- matched frame inserts and braided cables and lines. For the first time, anti-lock brakes are available on the Screamin' Eagle Road King and Ultra Classic models. The ABS is unique in that there is no bigtoothed tone wheel as found on some other bikes. Instead, a small disc impregnated with 17 magnets is an integral part of the wheel bearings, and pickups on the fork and swing arm send signals to the ABS module behind the right side cover. The only clue is an additional wire snaking up the front fork. Like a similarly equipped car, riding a bike with ABS takes some practice and an instructional video accompanies each one sold. Grabbing a handful of front and mashing on the rear brake is not how most of us learned to safely stop a motorcycle. For the first time, the CVO Road King and Ultra Classic get throttle-by-wire. Gone are the two cables. Now one wire runs inside the handlebar with the throttle plate opened by a computer- controlled electric motor. Throttle feel is remarkably unchanged, making the system transparent. Also new on both touring bikes is a six-gallon fuel tank, up from the standard five-gallon tank for more range between fill-ups. The Road King has a new removable handlebar riser cover with integral turn signal indicators. The cover makes handlebar adjustments easier and the indicators are visible with a quick glance. The new isolated drive system smooths the ride with rubber blocks in the final drive sprocket to absorb vibrations in the powertrain in much the same way a vibration damper smooths out an automobile's engine. The isolated drive system is most appreciated when accelerating and shifting, but it's also helpful when cruising. The Ultra features a new dualcontrol heated seat plus a new power-locking system with remote key fob. A serialized 105th anniversary package, available in limited quantities on all four models, features a Crystal Copper and Black Onyx paint scheme with real gold-leaf graphics. All CVO models are hand-painted and pinstriped, getting 10 coats of hand-applied finishes. Each anniversary bike also wears a numbered cloisonne badge.

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NEWS : Iconic Motorcycle Daredevil Evel Knievel Dies at 69

Date Created: Dec 01, 2007, 02:46 AM

Iconic Motorcycle Daredevil Evel Knievel Dies at 69 CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Evel Knievel, the red-white-and-blue-spangled motorcycle daredevil whose jumps over crazy obstacles including Greyhound buses, live sharks and Idaho's Snake River Canyon made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69. Knievel's death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for years, suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs. Knievel had undergone a liver transplant in 1999 after nearly dying of hepatitis C, likely contracted through a blood transfusion after one of his bone-shattering spills. He also suffered two strokes in recent years. Longtime friend and promoter Billy Rundle said Knievel had trouble breathing at his Clearwater condominium and died before an ambulance could get him to a hospital. "It's been coming for years, but you just don't expect it. Superman just doesn't die, right?" Rundle said. Immortalized in the Washington's Smithsonian Institution as "America's Legendary Daredevil," Knievel was best known for a failed 1974 attempt to jump Snake River Canyon on a rocket-powered cycle and a spectacular crash at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. He suffered nearly 40 broken bones before he retired in 1980. "I think he lived 20 years longer than most people would have" after so many injuries, said his son Kelly Knievel, 47. "I think he willed himself into an extra five or six years." Though Knievel dropped off the pop culture radar in the '80s, the image of the high-flying motorcyclist clad in patriotic, star-studded colors was never erased from public consciousness. He always had fans and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years. His death came just two days after it was announced that he and rapper Kanye West had settled a federal lawsuit over the use of Knievel's trademarked image in a popular West music video. Knievel made a good living selling his autographs and endorsing products. Thousands came to Butte, Mont., every year as his legend was celebrated during the "Evel Knievel Days" festival, which Rundle organizes. "They started out watching me bust my ass, and I became part of their lives," Knievel said. "People wanted to associate with a winner, not a loser. They wanted to associate with someone who kept trying to be a winner." For the tall, thin daredevil, the limelight was always comfortable, the gab glib. To Knievel, there always were mountains to climb, feats to conquer. "No king or prince has lived a better life," he said in a May 2006 interview with The Associated Press. "You're looking at a guy who's really done it all. And there are things I wish I had done better, not only for me but for the ones I loved." He had a knack for outrageous yarns: "Made $60 million, spent 61. ...Lost $250,000 at blackjack once. ... Had $3 million in the bank, though." He began his daredevil career in 1965 when he formed a troupe called Evel Knievel's Motorcycle Daredevils, a touring show in which he performed stunts such as riding through fire walls, jumping over live rattlesnakes and mountain lions and being towed at 200 mph behind dragster race cars. In 1966 he began touring alone, barnstorming the West and doing everything from driving the trucks, erecting the ramps and promoting the shows. In the beginning he charged $500 for a jump over two cars parked between ramps. He steadily increased the length of the jumps until, on New Year's Day 1968, he was nearly killed when he jumped 151 feet across the fountains in front of Caesar's Palace. He cleared the fountains but the crash landing put him in the hospital in a coma for a month. His son, Robbie, successfully completed the same jump in April 1989. In the years after the Caesar's crash, the fee for Evel's performances increased to $1 million for his jump over 13 buses at Wembley Stadium in London — the crash landing broke his pelvis — to more than $6 million for the Sept. 8, 1974, attempt to clear the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in a rocket-powered "Skycycle." The money came from ticket sales, paid sponsors and ABC's "Wide World of Sports." The parachute malfunctioned and deployed after takeoff. Strong winds blew the cycle into the canyon, landing him close to the swirling river below. On Oct. 25, 1975, he jumped 14 Greyhound buses at Kings Island in Ohio. Knievel decided to retire after a jump in the winter of 1976 in which he was again seriously injured. He suffered a concussion and broke both arms in an attempt to jump a tank full of live sharks in the Chicago Amphitheater. He continued to do smaller exhibitions around the country with his son, Robbie. Many of his records have been broken by daredevil motorcyclist Bubba Blackwell. Knievel also dabbled in movies and TV, starring as himself in "Viva Knievel" and with Lindsay Wagner in an episode of the 1980s TV series "Bionic Woman." George Hamilton and Sam Elliott each played Knievel in movies about his life. Evel Knievel toys accounted for more than $300 million in sales for Ideal and other companies in the 1970s and '80s. Born Robert Craig Knievel in the copper mining town of Butte on Oct. 17, 1938, Knievel was raised by his grandparents. He traced his career choice back to the time he saw Joey Chitwood's Auto Daredevil Show at age 8. "The phrase one-of-a-kind is often used, but it probably applies best to Bobby Knievel," said former U.S. Rep. Pat Williams, D-Mont., Knievel's cousin. "He was an amazing athlete... He was sharp as a tack, one of the smartest people I've ever known and finally, as the world knows, no one had more guts than Bobby. He was simply unafraid of anything." "He was no dummy," said high school classmate Sonny Holland, the former Montana State football star and coach. "I'll never forget a poem that he made up when we were seniors about his friends and the people he hung out with. It was incredible. Everybody was just astounded when he recited it in front of the whole school." Outstanding in track and field, ski jumping and ice hockey at Butte High School, Knievel went on to win the Northern Rocky Mountain Ski Association Class A Men's ski jumping championship in 1957 and played with the Charlotte Clippers of the Eastern Hockey League in 1959. He also formed the Butte Bombers semiprofessional hockey team, acting as owner, manager, coach and player. Knievel also worked in the Montana copper mines, served in the Army, ran his own hunting guide service, sold insurance and ran Honda motorcycle dealerships. As a motorcycle dealer, he drummed up business by offering $100 off the price of a motorcycle to customers who could beat him at arm wrestling. At various times and in different interviews, Knievel claimed to have been a swindler, a card thief, a safe cracker, a holdup man. Evel Knievel married hometown girlfriend, Linda Joan Bork, in 1959. They separated in the early 1990s. They had four children, Kelly, Robbie, Tracey and Alicia. Robbie Knievel followed in his father's footsteps as a daredevil, jumping a moving locomotive in a 200-foot, ramp-to-ramp motorcycle stunt on live television in 2000. He also jumped a 200-foot-wide chasm of the Grand Canyon. Knievel lived with his longtime partner, Krystal Kennedy-Knievel, splitting his time between their Clearwater condo and Butte. They married in 1999 and divorced a few years later but remained together. Knievel had 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild. AP

]]> 2007-12-01 02:46:25 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071127074007/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071127074007/index.html

NEWS : Harley-Davidson Idles 5,400 workers

Date Created: Nov 27, 2007, 07:40 AM

Harley-Davidson Idles 5,400 workers Some 5,400 Harley-Davidson Inc. workers are out of work this week as the motorcycle maker cuts production because of falling sales. The Milwaukee-based company announced in September it would shut down production at plants in Wisconsin, Kansas City, Mo., and York, Pa., this week as part of a planned cut in production. A shorter layoff is better than a long one, said Frank Larkin, a spokesman for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents workers at Harley-Davidson plants. At least workers were able to prepare for it, he said. "We were informed early on this was being proposed and we were able to relate to our members they would need to begin planning financially for one week without a paycheck," he said. Employees will still receive benefits during the week, he said. Harley-Davidson spokesman Bob Klein said the plant in York, Pa., the company's largest, has 2,800 workers idled this week. There are about 1,750 workers idled in Wisconsin at power-train operations in Wauwatosa and Menomonee Falls and another in Tomahawk. The Kansas City, Mo., plant has 850 workers idled. Workers in Pennsylvania weren't phased by the shutdown, said Tom Boger, the business representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 175 union. He said it was short and they had time to prepare. "People seem to be OK with it," he said. "It seems to be just no problem." Boger also said the shutdown was well-timed to go with the start of deer hunting season in Pennsylvania, meaning workers wouldn't have to take days off to hunt. Last month, Harley-Davidson reported its third-quarter profit fell 15.3 percent amid a continued sluggish U.S. market for motorcycles. The company said it expects next year to be difficult, too, as domestic buyers become more cautious about their spending given rising oil prices and slumping home sales. The company cut bike shipments and earnings expectations in September. Shipments were down 10.8 percent to 86,535 units in the most recent three-month period. Harley-Davidson expects full-year shipments to be between 328,000 and 332,000 units, down from 349,196 units last year. Shares of Harley-Davidson fell 8 cents, or 0.17 percent, to $46.45 on Monday. Business Week

]]> 2007-11-27 07:44:02 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071122154206/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071122154206/index.html

NEWS : Harley-Davidson Promotes Executives

Date Created: Nov 22, 2007, 03:43 PM

Harley-Davidson Promotes Executives Harley-Davidson Inc. said Tuesday that it has promoted seven of its executives under a recently announced organizational restructuring. The Milwaukee-based heavyweight motorcycle manufacturer promoted Dave Bozeman, 39, to vice president, advanced manufacturing, responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of advanced manufacturing technology. Bozeman previously was vice president and general manager, Capitol Drive powertrain operations and advanced manufacturing. Bill Davidson, 46, was promoted to vice president, core customer marketing. He will lead marketing activities to current Harley-Davidson customers. Davidson, the former director, motorcycle product development, is the great grandson of founder William Davidson, and the son of senior vice president and chief styling officer William "Willie G." Davidson. Bob Farchione, 57, was promoted from general manager of parts and accessories to vice president, engineering platform teams. Farchione is responsible for the engineering and product development efforts associated with Harley-Davidson motorcycle platforms from concept to manufacturing. Pat Keller, 55, was promoted to vice president, Engineering Centers of Expertise. Keller is responsible for the engineering and product development efforts associated with major Harley-Davidson motorcycle systems. Former managing director, Asia Pacific and Latin America, Jeff Merten, 43, was promoted to vice president, North American sales, and is responsible for the revenue, sales objectives and ongoing development of the U.S. and Canadian markets for all motorcycles, parts and accessories and general merchandise. Patrick Smith, 47, was promoted to vice president, general merchandise, and is responsible for general merchandise brand direction. Michael Van der Sande, 41, was promoted to vice president and managing director, Harley-Davidson Europe and will continue to lead the sales, marketing and distribution activities for Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles, parts and accessories and MotorClothes throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Milwaukee Business Journal

]]> 2007-11-22 15:43:35 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071020091624/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071020091624/index.html

NEWS : Harley-Davidson 3Q Profit Falls 15.3 Pct

Date Created: Oct 20, 2007, 09:16 AM

Harley-Davidson 3Q Profit Falls 15.3 Pct MILWAUKEE (AP) — A continued sluggish U.S. market for motorcycles pushed Harley-Davidson Inc.'s third-quarter profit down 15.3 percent, and the motorcycle maker said it expects next year to be difficult, too. Domestic buyers are seeing oil prices rising and the home market crumbling, so they're being cautious about spending, even when it comes to the iconic brand's bikes, Chief Executive Jim Ziemer said in an interview. "It's all of those, with the consumer on the sidelines saying 'We're going to wait and see what's going on,'" he said. Domestically, sales were down 2.5 percent in the three months ended Sept. 30, while the overall U.S. heavyweight market fell 4.4 percent. Overseas, Harley's sales were up 8.8 percent. Worldwide retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles were flat in the quarter, down 0.2 percent. Revenue dropped 5.8 percent to $1.54 billion from $1.64 billion last year. The company had figured sales would be difficult, so they cut bike shipments and earnings expectations in September. Shipments were down 10.8 percent to 86,535 units. Net income for the quarter totaled $265 million, or $1.07 per share, compared with a profit of $312.7 million, or $1.20 per share, a year ago. The earnings decline still beat Wall Street projections. Analysts had expected a profit of $1.05 per share on revenue of $1.52 billion, according to a survey by Thomson Financial. Revenue was slightly above analyst expectations of $1.52 billion. Harley-Davidson shares fell 65 cents, or 1.33 percent, to close at $48.30 Friday. Ziemer said the results were disappointing but not unexpected. The company knew in September that sales were slowing and expects a challenging environment next year, he said. "We know what we have right now, we're going to manage the business prudently and cautiously, and err on the side of being very cautious," Ziemer said. The company lowered its earnings expectations for the year last month and maintained those on Friday. Harley anticipates 2007 net income to drop 4 percent to 6 percent, to a range of $3.69 to $3.77 per share. Analysts have predicted earnings of $3.73, according to Thomson. The company reported a 2006 profit of $3.93 per share. Harley also kept intact its 2008 earnings expectations of growth between 4 percent and 7 percent, on moderate revenue growth and lower operating margins. It had previously forecast earnings growth between 11 percent and 17 percent for 2008 as well as 2009. Last month, Harley-Davidson announced it was no longer providing 2009 guidance. The Milwaukee-based company expects full-year shipments to be between 328,000 and 332,000 units, down from 349,196 units last year. For the first nine months of the year, worldwide retail sales were down 0.8 percent, with U.S. sales down 4.7 percent, slightly outpacing the overall U.S. heavyweight market's drop of 4.4 percent in the same period. International sales were up 12.9 percent for the year. Revenue so far this year fell 1 percent to $4.34 billion, while earnings per share have fallen 0.3 percent to $2.95 a share. The company expects international sales to continue outpacing domestic ones, as they've been doing for the past three years. International sales are growing as Harley-Davidson takes over independent distributors in countries such as Italy and Australia, Ziemer said. International bike shipments account for nearly 27 percent of shipments so far this year, compared with 22.5 percent last year. Harley repurchased 9.7 million shares of stock, at a cost of $509 million, during the quarter. So far this year, the company has repurchased 17.3 million shares at a cost of $1 billion. UBS analyst Robin Farley wrote in a research note that UBS expected the company to repurchase $200 million in stock in the quarter. Each $100 million of repurchase may add 2 cents to earnings per share for the full year in 2008, she wrote

]]> 2007-10-20 09:17:51 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071016092147/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/gegomez/blogwavestudio/LH20050304120358/LHA20071016092147/index.html

News : Harley Hopes Riding School will Provide Sales Edge

Date Created: Oct 16, 2007, 09:23 AM

Harley Hopes Riding School will Provide Sales Edge CHICAGO - Harley-Davidson Inc has warned Wall Street that its third-quarter earnings, due on Friday, won't be pretty. The U.S. motorcycle maker has also admitted its full-year results will disappoint -- and slashed its outlook for next year and completely withdrawn its forecast for 2009. The immediate problem, the Milwaukee-based company says, is the "uncertainty" surrounding the health of the economy in the United States, its most important market, where falling house prices have made consumers reluctant to buy big-ticket toys like motorcycles, boats, motorhomes and trailers. "The economy's a little soft and people have cut back a little bit," says Peter Jankovskis, the chief investment officer at OakBrook Investments in Lisle, Illinois, which owns Harley shares. But whether the current woes are a short-term phenomenon that will fix itself once consumer confidence returns, or masking the start of a long-term, more significant demographics-driven slide is a matter of debate among analysts. Jankovskis is upbeat. "Once the economy recovers," he says, "Harley will recover, and when it does, Wall Street will come back to it." But others are less optimistic. Harley's sales growth has been slowing since 2002 due to what analyst Bob Simonson at William Blair & Co. calls "the subtle but important decline" in males 40 to 50 years old -- Harley's traditional customer. As a result, Simonson sees the company's earnings "stagnating" in the near term and wonders if Harley is "approaching the point of maximum profit uncertainty with cyclical pressures" intensifying its demographic problems. "It's going to be an issue for them for the next 12 to 15 years," Simonson says. "That's just in their face." The stock, which was trading above $75 last fall, has tumbled 30 percent this year, most of that during the last three months. However, it has bounced off the 52-week low of $45.67 it hit early in October. BACK TO SCHOOL Harley has made growing ridership among nontraditional groups -- like women and minorities and people under 35 years of age -- a top priority. "With their core constituency not growing, what will partially offset that slowdown is growth domestically among younger folks and females," Simonson says. One of the key ways it's promoting ridership is through its Riders Edge: The Harley-Davidson Academy of Motorcycling. Rider's Edge is essentially an intensive entry-level motorcycling skills course offered at 170 U.S. dealers. Ray Ochs, the head of curriculum development at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), an education group supported by 12 bike makers including Harley, says it is unique in the industry. "In the street motorcycle market, Harley is the only one that has branded training," Ochs says. Riders Edge uses MSF-developed materials and training but "makes the experience a Harley-Davidson experience," Ochs says. Since Riders Edge's inception in 2000, Harley has trained more than 100,000 riders. Last year alone, 27,000 new riders went through the program, according to Harley, 40 percent of them women, 30 percent of them under 35 and 14 percent of them minorities. In the process, the course has helped Harley turn one-bike households into two-bike households by "getting people" -- mostly women -- "off the backs of bikes and up front at the controls," said Harley spokesman Bob Klein. While much of the four-day program focuses on instilling safe riding skills, Riders Edge also pushes -- not so subtly -- Harley's product line. During a recent session at a Harley dealership in Tinley Park, Illinois, a suburb southwest of Chicago, participants were instructed twice to walk around the dealership on a kind of treasure hunt. Among the assigned tasks: "Sit on a motorcycle" on the showroom floor and "try gauging the feel of the throttle and clutch. ... See if you can determine whether or not adjustments might have to be made for you." Kent Hoefling, a 47-year-old school district employee who took the Rider's Edge class to prepare for the road test required for a motorcycle license in Illinois, says he didn't find the marketing component of the program too heavy-handed. "The Harley push was not that hard," he says, "I think it's a good way to market their product." But not foolproof. Hoefling, who is 47, smack dab in the center of Harley's die-hard demographic, wound up buying a big Honda manufactured in Maryland rather than a hog. "I know it's not U.S.-owned," he says, "but Hondas are a very good bike and at a great price point for me." REUTERS

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NEWS : Variations on the Icon of the Highway: Harley-Davidson Design Team Balances Heritage, Innovation

Date Created: Oct 07, 2007, 08:51 PM

Variations on the Icon of the Highway: Harley-Davidson Design Team Balances Heritage, Innovation Oct 07, 2007 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information -- When designing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, sometimes a paper bag or a bar napkin will suffice for capturing the initial inspiration. Willie G. Davidson, grandson of one of the founders of the iconic motorcycle company, once sketched a design on a brown paper bag he found in a parking lot. That drawing, which Davidson did while returning from the annual Sturgis, S.D., motorcycle rally, resulted in the Harley-Davidson "Sturgis" bike introduced in 1991. Davidson still has the drawing as proof that inspiration sometimes comes at odd times. "We constantly have new ideas for bikes. But I can't talk about them because I love my job and don't want to get canned," Davidson said in an interview last week. For more than 40 years, Davidson has guided the designs of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The company named its product development center after him, and the design team draws inspiration from "Willie G" as their styling guru. "The philosophies that he has taught us over the years are instilled in how we view things. In essence, he has touched every product," said Ray Drea, a Harley styling director. Harley-Davidson is the world's largest manufacturer of heavyweight motorcycles. The 104-year-old maker of Fat Boy, Sportster and Electra Glide cycles has 10 stylists responsible for ushering designs from the drawing board to final production. It's a lengthy, arduous process involving engineers, cost accountants and manufacturing specialists. But, at the beginning, the process sometimes starts with an individual who has a dream for a new motorcycle design. "I think we are in the emotion business. That's a very important part of what we do," Davidson said. Harley's product development center is housed in a steel-and-glass building tucked behind the company's manufacturing plant in Wauwatosa. The center has a large conference room called "the bunker" where company executives review designs and prototypes. The bunker's tall glass windows have motorized shades to keep prying eyes from getting even a glimpse of bikes that might not be released to the public for years, if ever. "I love it when the shades move up and down. I can't resist being a kid once in a while," said Louie Netz, a Harley vice president and styling director. Secure design studio Above the bunker, there's an 11,000-square-foot-design studio and model shop where artists work with drawing boards, clay, wood and plastic to breathe the initial life into a motorcycle design. The studio has a "motorcycles only" elevator. People use a spiral staircase to reach the facility, which is strictly off-limits to the public. From a raw concept to a finished product, a Harley design might go through dozens of changes. Netz, who has worked at the company more than 30 years, describes the process as the "gantlet." "Art has to be tempered with science," he said. "But data and research only, I think, would lead to an unemotional product." Designing a complete motorcycle, such as Harley's V-Rod, can take up to a decade and involve a million test miles. Harley introduced the V-Rod in 2001, partly as a way to attract younger riders with the bike's European, sport-bike styling. "We started with a clean sheet of paper. We wanted a whole new look," Davidson said. "The V-Rod doesn't appeal to everyone, but it was an important step for us." Harley redesigned the Sportster for 2004. Not since the 1950s did the company make so many changes to its most basic, least expensive road machine. For 2007, Harley introduced the Nightster, a macho, rawboned member of the Sportster family. The Nightster's design was led by Rich Christoph, the youngest member of Harley's design team. Raised on a farm in northeastern Iowa, Christoph spent his youth tinkering with motorcycles to make them go faster and look cooler. At one point, he dropped out of college but later finished with an art degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Christoph wanted the Nightster to look like it was handmade by a cycle tinkerer. He worked closely with Davidson to give the bike a slightly "illegal" look. "In my mind, I was designing a bike for people who build motorcycles in garages. I wanted a 'rat rod' rather than a pretty bike," he said. Harley products don't leave the nest until they've been approved by a committee of 12 executives. Generational challenge The designers must bridge a generation gap between baby boomers, who turned the Harley brand into an icon, and younger riders who may have no brand loyalty at all. It's a constant balancing act, according to Davidson. "We are accomplished designers. We could design a motorcycle that looks nothing like what we are about . . . but I think that would be wandering too far from our heritage. There are historical elements in our designs that, over time, have become very important to our identity. Our brand really is everything. We treat that with great respect and reverence and try to keep the flame burning. That's our job." Motorcycle design is as much about art as science. Opinions vary widely on how well Harley has done in coming up with fresh designs. The company has catered to a well-established market. It has played the "nostalgia card" well, said Hector Cademartori, USA representative for the Motorcycle Design Association. But Harley might have become too good at designing cruisers and touring bikes at the expense of other designs. "I think Harley is painting itself into a corner where it will have difficulties attracting new customers. I don't think the V-Rod is enough," Cademartori said. "You can grab a Harley catalog from 1989 and it looks pretty much the same as today's catalog," he added. But at least Harley has a colorful past to draw from, a claim that some motorcycle manufacturers can't make. Also, Harley has made hundreds of product improvements over the years and has added new technologies such as antilock brakes. "I think if people really study and ride the bikes, they would understand the tremendous improvements that have been made," Davidson said. As for styling: "I think looking in the rearview mirror is perfectly logical, to a certain extent. Our company has a glorious history, and we are extremely proud of that." Target date: 2012 Right now, Harley is designing bikes for release in 2012 and beyond. It's a complex process, but at the end, the bikes have to strike an emotional chord with riders. "Motorcycling is a culture of people with a little gasoline in their veins," Davidson said. "When you spend time in the (bike) saddle, you have time to think. . . . Then, back home, you get to the drawing board." Everyone on the Harley design team is a motorcycle rider. As part of their jobs, company executives are required to attend motorcycle rallies, including the big annual events in Sturgis, S.D., and Daytona Beach, Fla. "You can't design these things from an ivory tower," Davidson said. "We follow the motorcycle culture closely," he added. "Our lunch hours are spent in the conference room looking at race videos. . . . It's kind of a total immersion, but we love it." The designers have a hard time getting away from work, especially when they go home to Harleys in their garages. For the most part, they have a great deal of creative freedom. "Form follows function," Netz said. "But both form and function report to emotion. It's part of the look, sound and feel of a Harley."

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson Museum Already Creating Tourism Buzz

Date Created: Sep 26, 2007, 07:44 AM

Harley-Davidson Museum Already Creating Tourism Buzz The Harley-Davidson Museum, scheduled to open in Milwaukee's Menomonee River Valley in the summer of 2008, has begun marketing itself as a meeting destination that can accommodate groups up to as many as 15,000 people. The backdrop of the industrial steel, glass and brick Harley-Davidson Museum buildings, combined with motorcycles and exhibits, create a one-of-a-kind venue for events, according to Stacey Schiesl, director of the Harley-Davidson Museum. The museum's indoor event spaces are equipped to handle as many as 1,050 people. For outdoor events, the museum's open green spaces can accommodate as many as 15,000 people. The museum grounds, which will be open to the public, will feature picnic and seating areas in outdoor spaces, allowing people to gather and enjoy the unique museum architecture and Milwaukee riverfront. "The Harley-Davidson Museum is not your typical museum and by hosting an event at the Harley-Davidson Museum, you're not just giving your guests an unforgettable experience, you're giving them a glimpse into life less ordinary," said Stacey Schiesl, Harley-Davidson Museum director. "While your guests will have plenty of stories to read from the museum exhibits, the best stories will come from their experience at your event." Partnering with Levy Restaurants, a wide variety of menu options will at available at the museum. "The Harley-Davidson Museum is already generating exciting buzz in the hospitality industry as convention, meeting planners and group tour operators are always looking for that one-of-a-kind venue to host events and bring visitors," said Doug Neilson, president and chief executive officer of Visit Milwaukee. "This Museum, with its variety of indoor and outdoor event space, historic bikes and incredible exhibits, is going to be a significant new addition to the Milwaukee tourism landscape and attract groups from throughout the world." The museum already has begun taking reservations for events held after Labor Day 2008. For additional information, visit www.h-dmuseum.com/specialevents. CHECK Out the Museum Contruction WEBCAM !

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NEWS : Production Cuts Lead to One-Week Layoffs at Harley-Davidson

Date Created: Sep 14, 2007, 10:31 PM

Production Cuts Lead to One-Week Layoffs at Harley-Davidson Sep 14, 2007 — Harley-Davidson will cut production by closing its Springettsbury Township plant and others for one week this fall, the company said Friday. The Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker, which continues to face low dealer sales, told its workers Friday that the company will shut down the week of Nov. 26 its final assembly plants in Springettsbury Township and Kansas City, Mo. In addition, Harley-Davidson will shut down that week its powertrain operations in Wauwatosa, Wis. and Menomonee Falls, Wis. and its Tomahawk Operations in Tomahawk, Wis. The company will not pay its employees during the week-long shutdown, said Bob Klein, a spokesman for Harley-Davidson. Workers temporarily laid off as a result of the shutdowns will continue to receive health care coverage, said Rebecca Bortner, a company spokeswoman, in an e-mail. The manufacturer will recall all its laid off workers after the shutdown, Klein said. “The company regrets the temporary impact the shipment reduction will have on so many of its employees as well as its dealers, suppliers and customers,” Bortner said in the e-mail. “The company believes this solution is the best option for balancing the needs of our stakeholders while doing what's right for the long-term prosperity of the company.” On Sept. 7, the company stated that it expects to reduce its third-quarter shipments to between 86,000 to 88,000 motorcycles. Previously, the company had planned to ship between 91,000 to 95,000 motorcycles within the third quarter. Full year shipments are expected to be in the range of 328,000 to 332,000 motorcycles. Overall reduced consumer spending and low dealer sales in August are to blame for the production cuts, the company has said. . This year has proven tumultuous for Harley-Davidson and its workers. In February, most of Harley-Davidson's unionized workers at its Springettsbury Township plant voted to strike when the company and the union could not reach an agreement on a contract. The work stoppage lasted three weeks and ended when workers approved a three-year contract Feb. 22. York Daily Record

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NEWS : Harley-Davidson's Profits Hit a Speed Bump

Date Created: Sep 07, 2007, 10:18 PM

Harley-Davidson's Profits Hit a Speed Bump The Motorcycle Maker Pegs Problems to a "Difficult Time for The U.S. Consumer" Harley-Davidson Inc on Friday cut its expectations for motorcycle shipments for the third quarter and said 2007 earnings would come in 4 percent to 6 percent lower than 2006 as it cited a "difficult time for the U.S. consumer." The U.S. motorcycle maker also said it was withdrawing its 2009 outlook. The company said it expected to ship 86,000 to 88,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the third quarter, after originally planning for 91,000 to 95,000. Harley-Davidson forecast 2007 earnings of $3.69 to $3.77 per share, compared with $3.93 in 2006, and said revenue would decline modestly. Analysts on average expect 2007 earnings per share of $4.12, according to Reuters Estimates. It was not immediately clear whether that figure compared directly with the company's forecast. Harley-Davidson Chief Executive Jim Ziemer said initial reports about the 2008 model year motorcycles from its dealers "have been excellent, but this is a difficult time for the U.S. consumer." "Against the current economic background, we no longer expect worldwide dealer retail sales to increase during the second half of 2007," Ziemer said in a statement. "As a result, the company has decided to reduce its planned shipments of motorcycles to its dealers for the remainder of 2007." For 2008, the Milwaukee-based company said it expected moderate revenue growth, lower operating margins and earnings growth of 4 percent to 7 percent as it sees continued challenges in the U.S. retail motorcycle market. The company had said in July that, looking ahead to 2008 and 2009, it expected earnings-per-share growth of 11 percent to 17 percent. Copyright 2007 Reuters

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NEWS : Harley Wins One in Court Over Use of "HOG"

Date Created: Aug 17, 2007, 10:08 AM

Harley Wins One in Court Over Use of "HOG" A bit of advice from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals: be careful using the word "hog," at least when marketing a product or service to Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders. Harley-Davidson scored a court victory in the federal appeals court recently over a travel company for its use of the word "hog" as part of a cruise package dubbed "HOGS ON THE HIGH SEAS" (which now prefaces its web site with a very prominent disclaimer). The travel company, called Top Quality Service Inc. and founded by long-time riders Dean and Debbie Anderson of Virginia, began offering the cruises in 2001. The Andersons wanted to offer an alternative to the big bike rallies for Harley enthusiasts, though vacation-goers were not allowed to bring their motorcycles aboard the cruise ship. Harley-Davidson filed suit saying using the name "Hogs" was a copyright infringement, because its riders' groups are known as Harley Owners' Groups or HOGS. U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert ruled last August in favor of Top Quality. On Aug. 2, a three-judge panel of the appeals court, voting 2-1, reversed that judgment and sent the case back to Clevert. Dissenting from the majority was Appeals Court Judge Terence Evans, a Milwaukee native who showed no signs of being a homer. The majority found that Clevert erred in applying an earlier copyright infringement case that Harley lost to this case. In one of his typically entertaining opinions, Evans writes that "hog" is a generic term for motorcycle and quotes the departed gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson to back him up. Evans concludes by labeling Harley's case "hogwash." No word yet on which other similarly-named enterprises Harley might also go after. Milwaukee Sentinel

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