New York Times

First-quarter profit tumbled 37 percent due to a sluggish motorcycle market, but the company beat expectations.

Click here for complete article

The Prophet

I love reports that lower the bar way down, then act as if the Company is doing well because they "met expectations". Pride comes before the fall.

Close the Museum, unless it is bringing in actual profit.
Cut and slash salaried positions, big salaries first. Operate lean and mean.
Lower MSRP's on all Bikes
Raise prices on accessories, clothing and bling. Suckers WILL buy it.
Close all Riding Schools unless they are actually bringing in profit.
Revise all bonus packages to be directly related to profitability. Everyone, Salaried AND Hourly, gets a bonus, and benefits from profitability.
Begin to re-focus on sport bikes, and dual purpose bikes that will appeal to 20 to 45 year olds.
Re-direct the Harley image away from "Doo-rags" and leather fringe, and more towards responsible ridership, family oriented riding, performance and reliability, etc.

Just some thoughts. Guarantee they will go the opposite way, I can see it already. This is why no one asked me to be CEO of harley!

__________________

• A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
• Motorcyles are not my whole life, but they make my life whole. ` me

SidecarFlip

and your ideas exhibit common sense. Forget that nonsense. When they are about tits up, Willie will ask Osama O'bama (I just made him Irish....) for TARP money to keep going. That's in the cards.

SidecarFlip

On another note, it's been really quiet on the Itallian front. I wonder how HD is doing with MV and all the debt they shouldered.

What a brilliant strategy by MV ownership..... Dump the debt on HD and walk away. Sounds like shades of Diamler and Cerbrus Capital......