Reconsidering Happiness

Whoa!  My two previous posts on the current state of the Harley-Davidson state was clearly like a sad country song in an old rundown coffee shop, yup one of those “bummer zones” so, we need a change of scenery.
Speaking of, have you been to Nashville?  If you haven’t been to the Country Music Hall of [...]

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Are You Significant

This is the question I’ve been pondering over after having an opportunity to spend a couple of hours with “No Barriers” founder Neal Petersen.
To save you some time the short version of Neal’s story is — He is a black South African who grew up poor and disabled during apartheid yet achieved his dream of racing/sailing solo around [...]

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Buell Adds Viral Marketing Fuell

The public has been manipulated so many times, that when something extraordinary happens and becomes instantly viral in our networked world, many people cross their arms and say – “not real!”
They say the public is cynical.  Who’d blame them?  What with the Borat and Eminem “butt kiss” at the MTV awards show — it was [...]

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Buell Recall

With the ink barely dry on the new logo Buell, a subsidiary of Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc., is recalling about 400 units of its 2009 XB12Ss for a front brake line that may contact the front tire.
Obviously contact with the front tire could cause a hole to develop in the front brake line and allow fluid [...]

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The Harley-Davidson Bucharest Empire

Once upon a time, a century or so ago, there was actually a shortage of information.  In small towns, people would even interrogate strangers passing through just to find out what was going on in the world.  Those days are long gone and today we have the reverse problem.  There is too much information.
Which brings [...]

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The Game Of The Name

Choosing a name, either for a product or a whole company, is not an easy task.  Every serious prospect is typically registered to one company or another — often car manufacturers — and although many are not in actual use, the right to that name, and all the possible variations or abbreviation of it, are [...]

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Harley-Davidson Lip Service

Now more than ever, Harley executives say that customer experience is critical to how motorcycle firms compete.
They’re right: research indicates a high correlation between good customer experience and increased customer loyalty.
Unfortunately not all dealers get high marks from their customers. And that translates into lower sales, higher churn, and lost business that goes to competitors.  [...]

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Time To Sell Harley Brands

Anyone can purchase Harley-Davidson industry reports which discuss motorcycle demand and forecasts.  Topics often include market size, product segmentation, technology trends, environmental and regulatory factors, trade, market environment, product forecasts and the like.
Or you can wait and watch your inbox as the news or sales promotions roll in for an indicator on the state of [...]

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Buell Recall Blues

If you follow any of the recall news you’d think not much is being made correctly these days.  No exception on the motorcycle front as there have been a number of recalls in the past week.  Most notable is Buell recalling 624 units of its ‘08-’09 XB12XT and ‘09 XB12XP motorcycles. The windshields could become [...]

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Troops Dying On Motorcycles

Military life is a lot about adrenaline (shooting weapons, parachuting out of planes, repelling from Blackhawks, etc.), not to mention the amount of testosterone filled “hoorah” recruits go through during basic that gives many the feeling of invincibility.
However, military personnel and motorcycles are a lethal combination as the News Observer reports that since 9/11, more [...]

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