Jamie

Harley just posted its first quarterly (Q4 '09) loss since 1993. That's minus $218.7 mio or minus 94 cents a share. Sales fell 40% to $764.5 mio.

Mgmt priorities (I have yet to go through the whole report)?: Further cost cutting (Buell and MV are mentioned), return to earlier profitability levels (???) and... the "new Indian strategy" already mentioned (and questioned) on this forum as a booby prize.

Rubbish, I dare say.

Jamie

The Prophet

Jamie,

Any chance that you could attach the financial report link?

Rubbish for sure. On this forum, we saw this coming from a mile away. This downfall might be just what the "real" bike companies needed, as it will open up a large, lost market for real, performance based, large capacity bikes, ala T-Bird, Rocket III.

Trouble is: Imagine the average "weekend warrior" style biker wannabe trying to handle an actual performance bike. Varroom... into the nearest obstacle.

Maybe training, or proof of ability should be mandatory for someone trying to purchase a bike > say 1000 CC?

Ride Safe!

Bob (in Japan)

"Syanara"

__________________

• 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

Jamie

[QUOTE=The Prophet;3645]Jamie,

Any chance that you could attach the financial report link?

/QUOTE]Hi Bob,

The --vast-- damage is on all wwbourse e:sites by now. Try Bloomberg.com for an easy and handy copy of the --too lenghty to post here-- report, analysts' commentaries included.

One subtle and thus utterly hilarious (to me) change from the pre-report HD communication verbiage is that the elusive "Indian prospects" have now been elevated to "affluent Indian prospects"

A new wreath floating on the holy gutter.

Saronaya and CHEERS. Jamie

Speedtrip

Requested link:

Harley-Davidson posts 4Q loss, first in 16 years - Yahoo! Finance

motowebmaster

Normally, I like browsing around H-D shops and looking at the bikes, but felt some degree of separation from almost every promotional or marketing effort when I was filling out the survey sent out on the day of the earnings report.

I like the bikes and clothes; some of the accessories and events. As the questions went through what existing marketing efforts and promotions would be a positive influence toward a purchase, it was strange that I couldn't check anything.

The experience wasn't fun.