Munkstump asked:
Okay. First off, I’d like to say I’m not a Harley owner, nor a Harley hater. I’ve driven Harleys, and I’ve driven many other kinds of motorcycles.
Like music, all different types are appreciated for different things. I don’t believe people should compare the NASA-grade rice-rockets with the agricultural-grade Harleys. It is stupid to compare them. Would you compare a Buick station wagon to a Corvette? They all have their intended purposes.
That being said, I’d like to ask a question about Harley fans without being labeled as “jealous” or “ignorant.”
There are many, many Harley fans who believe the phrase “ride American”. They buy, or intend to buy, Harleys.
Harley makes good $ selling motorcycles on that premise, but they also make more $ selling merchandise.
Why then, is every single “official” Harley-Davidson logoed shirt, boot, jacket, etc, made in CHINA?
There are domestic companies that can be subbed-out for this work.
Why does this not bother H-D fans at all?
I don’t own a harley yet, but i’ve been putting together a hardtail from pre-evo HD parts.
I like rice-racers too, but would not buy one cuz they need to be very anally maintained for their intended use, and all of the parts are a million bux.
I’ve owned several bikes, and my current is a 84 bmw r65 boxer twin.
All of my riding gear is made in the states, except my helmet cuz i couldn’t find a USA one.
Chippewa makes gr8 boots, Schott, Vanson, Bates all carry at least some domestic jackets and pants.
Lucky is an American denim manufacturer, unlike Levis and the rest.
Kato, you ask how can I blast HD for making clothing overseas?
Because they push the “BUY AMERICAN” joke in their advertising. How sickening is it to have a HD shirt that says “American legend” when the shirt is made in anything but? And then you say “who cares?” I don’t know, but the buy-american HD owners should.
All I’m saying, is for the price, they can afford to have the clothes subbed out to american garment manufacturers or leather crafters.
Having a foriegn TV in my home does not make me a hypocrit, not only because there are no other options, but because I don’t go around with a buy-american shirt or bumper sticker. I am not telling anyone to buy American, just asking whiy it doesn’t bother HD fans that the gear is foriegn.
Read the whole question next time, “top contributor”.
This question was aimed at people who’s primary reason for buying a HD was it’s domestic manufacture. Your story does not apply, because you don’t care where your bike was made.
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Okay. First off, I’d like to say I’m not a Harley owner, nor a Harley hater. I’ve driven Harleys, and I’ve driven many other kinds of motorcycles.
Like music, all different types are appreciated for different things. I don’t believe people should compare the NASA-grade rice-rockets with the agricultural-grade Harleys. It is stupid to compare them. Would you compare a Buick station wagon to a Corvette? They all have their intended purposes.
That being said, I’d like to ask a question about Harley fans without being labeled as “jealous” or “ignorant.”
There are many, many Harley fans who believe the phrase “ride American”. They buy, or intend to buy, Harleys.
Harley makes good $ selling motorcycles on that premise, but they also make more $ selling merchandise.
Why then, is every single “official” Harley-Davidson logoed shirt, boot, jacket, etc, made in CHINA?
There are domestic companies that can be subbed-out for this work.
Why does this not bother H-D fans at all?
I don’t own a harley yet, but i’ve been putting together a hardtail from pre-evo HD parts.
I like rice-racers too, but would not buy one cuz they need to be very anally maintained for their intended use, and all of the parts are a million bux.
I’ve owned several bikes, and my current is a 84 bmw r65 boxer twin.
All of my riding gear is made in the states, except my helmet cuz i couldn’t find a USA one.
Chippewa makes gr8 boots, Schott, Vanson, Bates all carry at least some domestic jackets and pants.
Lucky is an American denim manufacturer, unlike Levis and the rest.
Kato, you ask how can I blast HD for making clothing overseas?
Because they push the “BUY AMERICAN” joke in their advertising. How sickening is it to have a HD shirt that says “American legend” when the shirt is made in anything but? And then you say “who cares?” I don’t know, but the buy-american HD owners should.
All I’m saying, is for the price, they can afford to have the clothes subbed out to american garment manufacturers or leather crafters.
Having a foriegn TV in my home does not make me a hypocrit, not only because there are no other options, but because I don’t go around with a buy-american shirt or bumper sticker. I am not telling anyone to buy American, just asking whiy it doesn’t bother HD fans that the gear is foriegn.
Read the whole question next time, “top contributor”.
This question was aimed at people who’s primary reason for buying a HD was it’s domestic manufacture. Your story does not apply, because you don’t care where your bike was made.
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Tags: American Legend, Bmw R65, Bux, Garment Manufacturers, Gr8, Hardtail, Harley Davidson, Harley Fans, Harley Owner, Hater, Kato, Logoed, Many Other Kinds, Nasa, Rice Racers, Rice Rockets, Riding Gear, Schott, Station Wagon, Vanson
OK Monk Have you noticed that even on here if you will read like I have been the negative brand comments are usualy coming the other way instead of being made by the harley riders I wish there were a seperate catagory for each brand going Then if you want to make your elect pit bike go a blistering 22 mph you could find advice easy or the power curve on some wild v twin cam Here it is just one big pile
And they dont care about Harleys any more than we care about their crotch rockets but still it is them 85% of the time that make the comments
Now it is true if we wanted to buy one of their bikes we prob could buy 2 or 3 of their 650s or 250s even 1000s I perfer to ride -buy-sell harleys as for the great american clothing store you are right on and no i wont buy grease rags from harley .The T shirts that I sell are made by Burlington in Denton NC and I sell them for $10
Sorry I kinda got on a soapbox but for real see who is saying what ? A Harley rider or a little Zit with a 125 goochie he cant get the air filter off of
Now watch the neg reaction see how many bad answers I get
My guy rides a Heritage Softtail, doesn’t buy the HD clothing.
He owns a pair of their boots, that’s it. He shops around for his riding clothes, wants quality, not a name brand. You are right though, for the price of their ’stuff’ it should be American made.
“First off, I’d like to say I’m not a Harley owner, nor a Harley hater.”
“I don’t believe people should compare the NASA-grade rice-rockets with the agricultural-grade Harleys.”
Those two statement do not go together well.
Agricultural grade?
Yes, I chose to be offended. On general principle, if nothing else.
You’re dead wrong about “every single “official” Harley-Davidson logoed shirt, boot, jacket, etc, made in CHINA?”
My belt buckle (the only piece of HD clothing I own) was made in Taiwan. (Yeah, I know it’s R.O.C., but their still independent, and it’s an island).
Truthfully, the answer lies in the word you yourself used to describe them: fans. It’s a shortened form of fanatics.
Fanatics are those that hold a belief and cannot be swayed no matter what evidence is produced contrary to their beliefs.
The problem is there are much more beginners that buy Harleys, that have no idea what a good or a bad motorcycle is.
The beginners expect their new HD to be reliable and not needing any maintenance similar to their car.
Then they get shocked when their 1 year old HD breaks down and it costs $3000 for a major top end engine repair.
Then these same people that own a HD cut down people that own Japanese Bikes, calling them rice burners.
Little they don’t know many Japanese Bikes like Honda are American made.
First of all, Harley doesn’t make their clothing. Their clothes are licensed and made by other manufacturers. I know this because I used to work in a Harley Dealership.
I’ve had customers complain about stuff being made in China. I tell them half their bike is made in China, and if they shouldn’t blame HD. They should blame the labor unions for asking for $50k per year for stamping sheet metal.
And as far as Harley making good money on their merchandise, dealerships make most of their money on their merchanise. Dealerships are also independently owned.
My decision to buy a Harley had absolutely nothing to do with it being American. I have spent 30 years on Japanese motocross bikes and have no issue with giving one of these companies my money. I bought the Harley because in my eyes it just looked better than the Jap cruisers. The paint, the chrome, everything looked better to me. As far as the shirts and all that crap, who cares. How many things do all of us own that are made over seas? How can you blast a company like Harley for having stuff like this made in China when most likely almost every appliance, TV, etc. in your home comes from another country? That is very hypocritical.