R1200RS + R1250RS Forum
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Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:56 pm
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The news this morning is that, due to the European tariffs imposed by the EU on Harley Davidson, H-D will build a new factory in Europe to build motorcycles that they plan to sell in the EU there in order to avoid the tariffs. They expect that building this factory will take about 18 months. Until that time they will not raise their prices for bikes sold in the EU. However, it is likely that this move will cause layoffs at their U.S. factories.
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2005 Triumph Bonneville T-100; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2011 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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I guess in order to save US jobs, the US HD workers will have to relocate to Europe, where hopefully there will be no outcry about taking the European jobs ...
Regards,
Grumpy Goat |
Zitat von Grumpy Goat im Beitrag #2 They are welcome here in Europe, plenty of vacancies in European manufacturing. Skilled workers don't have problems to find jobs here now, it's relocating (and languages here) that's the challenge. As compensation maybe BMW could start assembling bikes in Spartanburg where they employ 10.000 Americans (plus many more with suppliers) and build 1400 car per day? Trade wars are really helpful for the world... https://www.bmwusfactory.com/manufacturing/production-overview/ Average daily output: Around 1,400 vehicles Total production since 1994: More than 4 million vehicles (since 1994) Number of jobs: 10,000 U.S. Suppliers: 235 |
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For quite a few years now (off and on), the U.S. has been considering imposing a large tariff on European motorcycles of less than 500cc in response to EU restrictions on the importation of U.S. beef. American motorcycle enthusiasts and the American Motorcyclist Association have been protesting this plan ever since it was announced some time ago. Perhaps now it will be imposed, even though there appears to be little link between meat and motorcycles - other than they both start with an "m". As far as I know, of the major EU brands, only BMW sells a motorcycle here that would be hit with this tariff, which I think was proposed to be something like 100% of the value of the bike. If that happened, that would put an end to the sale of the G310 series here, although perhaps Italian motor scooters might also be hit with that tariff.
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2005 Triumph Bonneville T-100; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2011 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #5  I cannot post what I really think, believe me ...
Regards,
Grumpy Goat |
Zitat von Gaucho im Beitrag #4Zitat von Grumpy Goat im Beitrag #2 The thing is...….the starting wage at BMWMFG is ~$16/hr which doesn't include a pension and the employee likely pays ~$3000 per year for company health insurance. These folks aren't like the EU employees that enter the BMW apprentice program. The Harley workers likely get a starting wage around $19/hr. I have no clue about their fringe benefits. In comparison, in 1982, the starting UAW wage at the Big 3 (GM, Ford & Chrysler) or Caterpillar was $22/hr with a defined benefit pension and free health insurance. A USA auto industry job is a pale ghost of what it used to be.
Old Forum Orphan
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Zitat von Gaucho im Beitrag #4Zitat von Grumpy Goat im Beitrag #2 Last night I heard on the national TV news that H-D would be moving their EU production to their existing factory in Thailand and importing their bikes to Europe from there. To the "Faithful" that is likely worse than having them built in Europe. While being "Asian junk" is not quite as bad as being "Chinese junk", it is getting harder and harder for Harley's customers to claim that their bikes are being built in the USA by Trump-supporting American union workers.
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2005 Triumph Bonneville T-100; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2011 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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Here is a motorcycle.com article regarding H-D's plans to address the EU tariffs: http://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/...eu-tariffs.html
Current motorcycle collection: 2002 Yamaha FZ1; 2005 Triumph Bonneville T-100; 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500; 2009 BMW F650GS; 2016 BMW R1200RS; 2011 Zero S 16.6 kWh
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Harley Davidson has been planning to close the factory for years due to lower demand. It just became a convenient excuse to blame POTUS, which is the typical political move these days. Bottom line is the new generation of rider wants performance and modern technology, and we all know how Harley "fits" that requirement!
2014 KTM SDR
2016 1200RS |
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