Big_T112
Pro
Posts: 1061
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posted August 05, 2010 01:07 PM
Alabama may have H-D move here
Harley Davidson is maybe relocating out of WI. They could possible move there operations to an industrial park located in the same one that The Mecedes-Benz plants are at where I work. Labor relations and union problems are what we are hearing is driving them out of the North. Most companys that move to the south are non-union. like Honda, Hyundia, and M-B. Confederate motorcycle plant is right up the road. keeps the labor cost down. IF they come I might have to jump ship.
  
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted August 05, 2010 02:04 PM
Yeah its always about labor & unions...
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Jason Miller StreetBike Seminars
*****DragRacers do it better, because they dont cut Corners*****
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Compton
Zone Head
Posts: 969
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posted August 05, 2010 02:35 PM
Its more about Wisconsin taxing, but everybody else blames the unions. Read up on it and how many other major companys left WI due to this
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b.w.
zx14, little longer, little louder, little lower.
08 Busa, just a little longer and louder and lower than the 14
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Quarter Pounder
Pro
with Cheese
Posts: 1069
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posted August 05, 2010 02:48 PM
well, you can see how the unions are helping drive some of the biggest companies into the dirt. Unions are the death of America. Times have changed and they are no longer needed.
Sucks to see a company pull up it's roots and have to move though. It won't be the same.
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SWB 2008 ZX-14
9.19 @ 151
5.98 @ 123
1.53 60'
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SteveWFL
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted August 05, 2010 02:59 PM
we know the sleezy unions are dieing! If companies don't move to the south, they move overseas.
either way, the faster america rids itself of the unions the better
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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Stu64
Zone Head
Posts: 548
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posted August 05, 2010 03:13 PM
The fat man at the top keeps getting richer, while the poor man at the bottom gets poorer.
So when they move and get cheaper labor do you think they'll pass the savings onto you?
Will the bikes be priced comparable to the other non-harleys? Think Again.....
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SteveWFL
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted August 06, 2010 06:59 AM
quote:
The fat man at the top keeps getting richer, while the poor man at the bottom gets poorer.
So when they move and get cheaper labor do you think they'll pass the savings onto you?
Will the bikes be priced comparable to the other non-harleys? Think Again.....
well, they could do like most companies and move overseas to avoid labor costs. labor is a supply and demand thing on a global scale.
on the other hand, union leaders are fat cats that are NOT out for their members (workers) benefits. fortunately union mmbership in American is declining at a rapid pace.
and in the south jobs are tough and many welcome employers that want to move here vs. overseas 
the state governments give huge concessions to employers to move here, plus the labor is at a fair rate, companies such as BMW, Honda, Nissan pay a lot MORE than the average labor rate for the area.
although I can see why Ford opened plants in Mexico too...
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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Big_T112
Pro
Posts: 1061
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posted August 06, 2010 09:39 AM
Is it really labor cost. In the plant I work at here in Alabama the online job which is hourly grunt work pays $27.78 and hour. floor jobs range from that to $34.93 and hour. Also Alabama gives them the land that the plants sit on. They paid for all of the employee training. payed for the training center. 10 years worth of corp. tax cuts. We are non union. the autoworkers have tried several times to come in. Voted down everytime. We have full BC/BS with dental and a drug card for the entire family paid by the company. We are in our 2nd large expansion. On Mexico.... We got our headlights from a plant in Tenn. The plant decided to save a few bucks and move to Mexico for cheap labor. The quality got so bad on the headlights that they dropped the company and switched to another supplier in the US. I remember on some of the final shipping lines that when the hoods would be shut parts inside the glass cover of the headlights would break off and be rolling around inside the housing. We ended up changing out about 2K sets of headlights out in the shipping yard. It was a real mess. Now the plant wants suppliers within a 200 mile radius of the plant. which has been great for the economy.
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rocket2117
Expert Class
rocket2117
Posts: 106
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posted August 06, 2010 03:36 PM
i had a customer ask me once how can a man making 80 an hr building a car think someone that makes 12 an hr can buy the dang thing
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Flame On
Needs a life
Fuel Air & Spark
Posts: 17104
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posted August 06, 2010 03:58 PM
They should move if its more cost effective & get Erik buell or somebody to desighn some more new bikes.
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77 RD 400
80 GS1000 GT
06 ZX14
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CraigChrist
Pro
BAWLS
Posts: 1043
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posted August 06, 2010 08:48 PM
At this point the only thing that sells harley is the fact that they are made in america... If they were produced overseas they would go out of business.
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60ft-------1.42
1/8th------5.97
mph-------119
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Big_T112
Pro
Posts: 1061
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posted August 07, 2010 12:16 AM
Our local dealer can't keep them on the floor. they are open 7 days a week. They are not for everyone but I like my Road King better than any bike I own. But it's a cruiser, a different kind of riding. When we road to Key West it was 2150 miles round trip. I could not have made that trip on a sportbike. The bike could have but I could not. Got to love those FL. rain storms while riding
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LOCK 2121
Expert Class
Posts: 160
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posted August 07, 2010 04:44 AM
Have you tryed a C14 or a BMW , what other bike's you own ?
Those harly thing's look a littel heavy , if not down right akward, and that lawn mower sound??
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CraigChrist
Pro
BAWLS
Posts: 1043
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posted August 07, 2010 07:14 AM
I'll take a yamaha roadliner or stratoliner over a harley bagger any day. It'll out perform it in every aspect, last twice as long, and cost way less to maintain.
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60ft-------1.42
1/8th------5.97
mph-------119
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davesxx01
Novice Class
Posts: 74
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posted August 07, 2010 08:34 AM
Big T;
You are absolutely correct on your reasoning! Lots of union company's are bailing out of Wisconsin.
It is both a State taxing and union B.S. cause.
I'm forced to be a union member but lucky to be a city worker. H-D may very well leave Milwaukee if the employees and the State don't give in with concessions.
You would do well by making sure that no union ever gets a foot hold anywhere near you. Once there, they will spread like wildfire and ruin your lifestyle and your State!
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'01 CBR1100XX, '06 ZX-14, '08 ZX-14SE Brocks Street Smart, Rick Meyer seat, Risers, Throttlemeister, a few other goodies.
'09 MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR. Arrow full exhaust, Race ECU.
'12 ZX-14R Guhl flashed.
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Big_T112
Pro
Posts: 1061
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posted August 07, 2010 09:02 AM
My buddy that rides with me has a C14, I have had the Road Star silverado and a Road star warrior, Gold Wing and several other bikes. I have a 04 and 06 GSXR1000, 03 Busa, the Road King, sportster, 81 GS1100E, and a 75 Honda CB750 Super Sport. My Road Star Silverado was a 2005 model and I got $4800 for it when it sold. My 99 Fatboy brought $9400 when I sold it. As far as lasting? I have never had one single problem with the Road King at all. Just went on a 2150 mile round trip ride on it this summer. It has 55K on it and never a problem. My friend that works with me has a 98 model with 120K on his. he also took the trip with us. Look it's like this, There not for everybody, I try not to knock any of them. I like all bikes. Out of all the groups the Gold Wing riders and the Harley riders will get on you nerves the most. I still like mine and I still love to ride it. I have owned several ZX14's and if I can get another deal on one I will buy it. I do have a spare 14 motor with a spun #3 rod bearing I can use as a spare. I do dragracing on the side for fun and really enjoy it. As far as sound? Some of my favorites are... A Brock street meg on a ZX14, V&H Big Radius 2 into 2 on the harley, Dump pipe dumping on the turbo Busa when you let out of your burnout, 4 into 1 Mac header with no baffle on the old single cam Honda 750, any of the old KZ900/1000 with the old style Yosh 4 into 1. Ducati's with some carbon pipes, my old V-max with the KerKer 4 into 1 with a comp baffle. My old 81 Honda CB900F Super Sport with the Ontario Motor Tech 4 into 1. All are different and have there own special sound. I guess I am just a true bike nut because I like them all.
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Big_T112
Pro
Posts: 1061
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posted August 08, 2010 05:36 PM
davesxx01 there are unions here. Before I became an autoworker I worked in a Steel Mill. Most of the shop stewards sided with the company and denied your request. Most of them got kickbacks from the compamy. all the overtime they wanted and they didn't have to work, just set in there shack all shift and sometimes got out and walked around. It was no secret either. Someone would have to die or retire to get one of those jobs.
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