What are the chances??

[gunnut]

I've been on this forum for a goodly while now,and most problems seem to be with the newer bikes with regard to the general finish and fuel/oil systems.I also hear of similar problems with my chapter Brothers,in fact one has had his new softtail front wheel replaced Twice because of peeling chrome,and another on his heritage has had his chromed primary cover re done because of the same. Us that ride older bikes (carbs)seem to suffer far less or even not at all.
So I was wondering,is this because of all the out sourceing to China and other cheaper labor markets,and what the chances are that my '96 fxdwg is an all Amercan piece of machinery???

 

[fin_676]

I think that by the time your bike was made the evo engine had been around for a while and most of the issues with earlier ones had been sorted out
Your carb and shocks would be from japan but i think most of the rest would have been made in USA
My bikes seem to be quality products with only minor failures (bas gasket on one and lower rocker on the other)
other issues i have had seem to have been created by previous owners doing upgrades that were perhaps not done too well

Brian

 

[blueglide]

I agree with fin, at the moment harleys are american built, ok-they use some Japanese components (but some Japanese stuff is made in Europe/USA?).
I know that all my bikes have come from the USA to date.
I want my hog to be built in america by an american-I think harley know that and would be nuts to have em built somewhere else (here is one customer who will walk away).

Re the finish issues, I'm out of date on modern manufacturing but chroming/powder coating was/is usually done in a batch, sometimes a process has a glitch and ergo-many pieces are under par but pass QC only to be found out in the harsher conditions of open road use.

It happens to all-Hondas chocolate cams,BMWs fuel pump and so on.Every production line can have a bad day.

 

[glider]

So I was wondering,is this because of all the out sourceing to China and other cheaper labor markets,and what the chances are that my '96 fxdwg is an all Amercan piece of machinery???

I think the bottom line (profit) is what is more important to the MOCO. If they can make a part cheaper elsewhere or have a process like plating done for less money than in the USA, they make a better profit that way. Off shore labor is much cheaper and Taiwan and other countries can do the work that is needed much cheaper than the USA unfortunately. It's not right at all but the bottom line here is profit. Look back at older bikes and the parts that came as chrome that are now black plastic. The MOCO knows that most will want that chrome piece again and go out and buy it.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I think the bottom line (profit) is what is more important to the MOCO. If they can make a part cheaper elsewhere or have a process like plating done for less money than in the USA, they make a better profit that way. Off shore labor is much cheaper and Taiwan and other countries can do the work that is needed much cheaper than the USA unfortunately. It's not right at all but the bottom line here is profit. Look back at older bikes and the parts that came as chrome that are now black plastic. The MOCO knows that most will want that chrome piece again and go out and buy it.

Correct again Boss, H D used to have an accessory catalog called Eagle Iron, guess where all those parts were made Taiwan:s

 

[NELS]

Why is it that a motorcycle costs as much as a car? My car has 4 wheels , heater ,ac, V6 , stereo built in GPS and all the other goodies but cost about the same as my King. Not trying to start something , just don't understand the costs.