Non-Gun, but fun to watch!

[MikeBjerum]

How many of you live on a major route to Sturgis, SD?

Today is day one of Rally!!!

The big time vendors rolled in last weekend and set up.  Today is the first day they can buy their permits and have them good through the end - Sunday the 15th.

I was heading east on I-90 this morning, and I lost count at nearly 200 bikes in a forty mile stretch.  That does not include the campers or enclosed trailers that I suspect had bikes inside.

Some day I have got to get there!

Followed some of these web cams last year, and it gets pretty good by the weekend.

http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/webcams/

[PegLeg45]

Always wanted to go to Sturgis.


*Read an article on Yahoo news today that said H-D is considering moving operations out of Milwaukee.   

[Big Frank]

Most of the accesories are already made in China. Maybe they'll build the whole bike overseas.

[Dakotaranger]

My mom and Step-dad couldn't wait to get out of town for those that week

[fightingquaker13]

Most of the accesories are already made in China. Maybe they'll build the whole bike overseas.

In which case there will be zero reason not to buy a good Jap imitation for 2/3rds the price. Damn shame if they do it.
FQ13 Who wonders what happened when Levis leaves, now Harley and Toyota comes for the cheap labor. WTF?

[Sponsor]

[texcaliber]

We still got Victory Motorcycles.

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/victory-motorcycles/Pages/Home.aspx

[billt]

Most of the accesories are already made in China. Maybe they'll build the whole bike overseas.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/04/business/main6742079.shtml

Their mainstay the last 25 years have been the baby boomers. They have the bucks to buy these things, but are now getting too old and losing interest. Most are thinking about how they'll retire in a recession that is pretty much lined with turds every step of the way. The younger generation, ("Generation X"), who have been pretty much raised as technology junkies, has no interest in overpriced, 70+ year old technology motorcycles. Harley Davidson has got to get their selling price down if they want to stand a chance in the future. Even that might not save them as the young, upcoming motorcycle set would rather invest their money in 190 MPH crotch rockets, than rolling couches.  Bill T.

[MikeBjerum]

We still got Victory Motorcycles.

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/victory-motorcycles/Pages/Home.aspx

Nope 

Storm Lake, Iowa and Roseau, MN are reeling from the announcement of Polaris pulling out much of their production.  I can't remember where it is going, but Mexico comes to mind.

Storm Lake will weather the storm because of its location, but Roseau is on the edge of the world and doesn't have much else to fall back on.

[MikeBjerum]

In which case there will be zero reason not to buy a good Jap imitation for 2/3rds the price. Damn shame if they do it.
FQ13 Who wonders what happened when Levis leaves, now Harley and Toyota comes for the cheap labor. WTF?

FQ - I debate this cost thing with people all the time.  People look at the $23k tag on an Ultra Classic decked out and compare it to a smaller Jap cruiser.  If you compare apples to apples you find pretty quick that HD is no more expensive than the imports (however, you need to find Jap bikes that use the technology like port injection, fly by wire, etc.).

My complaints on HD have been the high priced 1k and 10k servicing they require.  But, if you include it in the purchase price it is easier and doesn't raise the price that much.

[tt11758]

FQ - I debate this cost thing with people all the time.  People look at the $23k tag on an Ultra Classic decked out and compare it to a smaller Jap cruiser.  If you compare apples to apples you find pretty quick that HD is no more expensive than the imports (however, you need to find Jap bikes that use the technology like port injection, fly by wire, etc.).

My complaints on HD have been the high priced 1k and 10k servicing they require.  But, if you include it in the purchase price it is easier and doesn't raise the price that much.

You make a valid point, Mike.  A loaded Ultra Classic and a loaded GoldWing like your's are in the very same price range.

btw, Polaris (Victory) is SPIRIT Lake, not Storm Lake.  Unless they've moved since I toured the plant.