Harley Riders gather

[yohji]

But the customised nightster last night was super chio. With brown distressed leather solo spring saddle seat, baffled grip and pedals, dark matt blue, mmmmmm.....$32000 anyone??[/quote

 

32k? Really? sportster going beyond 22k these days?

 

If I didn't remember wrongly, the machine price is $23,700. Maybe $32K is after all the customised bits all added up.

[garyhwk]

 

If I didn't remember wrongly, the machine price is $23,700. Maybe $32K is after all the customised bits all added up.

 

That's right. From what i could see, the only non-stock items were the seat, grips, foot pedals and probably SE pipes. So we're talking ~$10000 for four accessories

 

But like what the HD guy said when i commented on my servicing bill 'Wah, labour is more than half the bill', he said 'Harley is the rolls royce of motorcycle'. He like that say win already.

 

But i must say the look and feel of that nightster is quite priceless. I hope they display it in the showroom. Want to take another look.

[hit.man]

 

That's right. From what i could see, the only non-stock items were the seat, grips, foot pedals and probably SE pipes. So we're talking ~$10000 for four accessories

 

But like what the HD guy said when i commented on my servicing bill 'Wah, labour is more than half the bill', he said 'Harley is the rolls royce of motorcycle'. He like that say win already.

 

But i must say the look and feel of that nightster is quite priceless. I hope they display it in the showroom. Want to take another look.

 

Agree. That nightster is damn nice. Love the seat!

[yohji]

Just gave my Iron a wash. Found A LOT of tiny bits and streaks of melted rubber (I believe from the belt) stuck on the heat shields of the upper exhaust :eek:

 

Tried a little WD40 and some Brasso. Don't dare to try Autosol. How can I remove them without damaging the chrome?

[Throttle]

Just gave my Iron a wash. Found A LOT of tiny bits and streaks of melted rubber (I believe from the belt) stuck on the heat shields of the upper exhaust :eek:

 

Tried a little WD40 and some Brasso. Don't dare to try Autosol. How can I remove them without damaging the chrome?

 

if WD40 cant do the job then use autosol.

do not use brasso.

 

autosol will not damage chrome. i used it for years.

make sure you use soft cotton cloth so it does not scratch.

old cotton T - shirts are good

[yohji]

if WD40 cant do the job then use autosol.

do not use brasso.

 

autosol will not damage chrome. i used it for years.

make sure you use soft cotton cloth so it does not scratch.

old cotton T - shirts are good

 

Oh use Autosol? I dare not use it because I thought it is abrasive. Don't have old cotton Tee. Will use my Triumph Tee Just kiddin!

[mak]

But the customised nightster last night was super chio. With brown distressed leather solo spring saddle seat, baffled grip and pedals, dark matt blue, mmmmmm.....$32000 anyone??[/quote

 

32k? Really? sportster going beyond 22k these days?

 

xr just machine price was already close to 26k

[maxxmadness]

@yohji

 

am humbled by your compliment.

 

sorrie lost all of you guys at relections, really too dark to spot any familiar faces. What say we come out and meet and hava good kopi and chat next week, maybe friday will be a good date?

[conjurer]

great to have met u and the other Iron rider. wish i could stay longer, looks like i missed seeing a cool matt blue bike. i have to agree with u though, there was inadequate scantily dressed female staff to service the event.

 

friday late evening rides are painful. everyone was out, going home, so the roads were congested. not a good time to ride. the turn out for a simple leng kee to keppel ride was amazing. looks like harley owners really desperately needing to ride. i hardly entered 3rd gear, the bike was running really hot. the air cooled bikes would have been even hotter, my radiator fan was running non stop!

 

 

Yah hope to see an interesting showroom with more show girls. I mean female staff

 

Wah maxxmadness is really MAD. He got a sleek looking Nightster (and much more). Learnt many tricks from him too.

 

Finally get to meet garyhwk (yellow 1200s!), conjurer (matte black NRS!) and a couple of other guys too. This is my 1st time riding with the HOGs. It was like a parade. BOOM BOOM BOOM all the way. Traffic was hell but still an experience for me.

 

I was the quietest bike. But since everyone elses are so loud, nobody notice that mine is quiet. I just pretend to be one of the loud ones

[Don Juan]

@yohji

 

am humbled by your compliment.

 

sorrie lost all of you guys at relections, really too dark to spot any familiar faces. What say we come out and meet and hava good kopi and chat next week, maybe friday will be a good date?

 

 

Maxx, long time no see.... should have arranged to meet you at reflections....

[maxxmadness]

Maxx, long time no see.... should have arranged to meet you at reflections....

 

no problem bro, we can meet up when hd has a open house when they shift to the new premises, am sure they will have a big party with.......BEERS..

[yohji]

@yohji

 

am humbled by your compliment.

 

sorrie lost all of you guys at relections, really too dark to spot any familiar faces. What say we come out and meet and hava good kopi and chat next week, maybe friday will be a good date?

 

You deserve the compliments!! Yah I agree, the place wasn't well litted. Can't admire the bikes and babes properly. I think 6pm - 7pm on a Saturday would be better.

 

Yes I like Fridays too .. Railmall is one of my favorite places because we can see our bike right where we are seated But it might be a little far for pple staying in the East side. Any other good places like that (can drink and admire our bikes our seats)?

 

After this event, it makes me feel as if it is against the rules to ride a HOG with stock pipes. Seriously considering pipes now ... but don't know whether to stick to chrome or black pipes. Chrome ones very difficult to wash! I can't get rid of those tiny rubber bits that fell from the belt and melted on the heat shields ....

 

 

 

great to have met u and the other Iron rider. wish i could stay longer, looks like i missed seeing a cool matt blue bike. i have to agree with u though, there was inadequate scantily dressed female staff to service the event.

 

friday late evening rides are painful. everyone was out, going home, so the roads were congested. not a good time to ride. the turn out for a simple leng kee to keppel ride was amazing. looks like harley owners really desperately needing to ride. i hardly entered 3rd gear, the bike was running really hot. the air cooled bikes would have been even hotter, my radiator fan was running non stop!

 

Matte black NRS. Dam power. You belong to the NSHW bro. Unleash the beast there. The thought of that makes my heart beat go up

[garyhwk]

You deserve the compliments!! Yah I agree, the place wasn't well litted. Can't admire the bikes and babes properly. I think 6pm - 7pm on a Saturday would be better.

 

Yes I like Fridays too .. Railmall is one of my favorite places because we can see our bike right where we are seated But it might be a little far for pple staying in the East side. Any other good places like that (can drink and admire our bikes our seats)?

 

After this event, it makes me feel as if it is against the rules to ride a HOG with stock pipes. Seriously considering pipes now ... but don't know whether to stick to chrome or black pipes. Chrome ones very difficult to wash! I can't get rid of those tiny rubber bits that fell from the belt and melted on the heat shields ....

 

Yohji, why don't you try removing the baffle of your stock exhaust first and see how that goes. It should give it a louder sound and even give it more power.

 

Have you tried using GT85 to remove those bits? I guess it's the same as WD40 but don't know whether more effective or not. It won't harm the chrome.

[christine55]

Harley-Davidson may someday build motorcycles overseas

By Rick Barrett / Friday, October 16, 2009 Business & Markets

 

Harley-Davidson Inc., the Milwaukee company with an iconic made-in-America brand, may someday build motorcycles overseas.

 

By 2014, more than 40% of the company’s sales will be outside the United States, Harley executives said Thursday.

 

Starting next year, the company will begin adding 100 to 150 dealerships in Europe and other foreign markets.

 

India is high on Harley’s priority list because of its burgeoning middle-class population and desire for American products.

 

China and eastern Europe also are places where Harley could extend its presence with heavyweight touring motorcycles.

 

Harley assembles virtually all of its bikes in the U.S., although various parts come from overseas. The world’s largest manufacturer of heavyweight bikes has a solid reputation as an American icon, one that is recognizable and popular around the world.

 

"It routinely makes the list of the 100 most valuable brands," said analyst Craig Kennison with Robert W. Baird & Co.

 

About 30% of Harley’s motorcycle sales are outside the U.S.

 

About half of the company’s dealers are in foreign countries, and sales in those markets have grown at a fast clip.

 

As Harley becomes a more global company, it may decide to build bikes in other countries in addition to selling them there.

 

"There is a possibility that we would have to both design and manufacture" a motorcycle for specific markets, CEO Keith Wandell said.

 

Wandell’s comments followed a corporate earnings report in which Harley said third-quarter profit slid 84% and the company would discontinue its brand of Buell motorcycles, based in East Troy.

 

About 100 salaried workers and 80 hourly positions will be eliminated from winding down Buell, with most of the cuts coming by Dec. 18. That comes on top of more than 2,000 jobs that Harley-Davidson eliminated at its factories and headquarters this year.

 

Harley also said it would sell its MV Agusta motorcycle brand, which it acquired last year for $109 million.

 

"The fact is we must focus both our effort and our investment on the Harley-Davidson brand," Wandell said.

Emerging markets

 

The CEO said a bright spot will be sales in emerging markets such as India and China, where newly wealthy riders are looking for bigger, better bikes. Harley recently announced plans to start selling motorcycles in India in 2010.

 

The company already assembles motorcycles in Brazil for that country, as a way to avoid steep import tariffs.

 

But Harley doesn’t intend to manufacture motorcycles in other countries and export them to the U.S., according to Wandell.

 

"We are proud of our made-in-America heritage," he said.

 

It’s difficult to say whether a Sportster, Softail or Fat Boy made in India or China would have the same cachet as a bike made in the U.S.

 

The answer is "probably not," said Don Brown, a motorcycle industry consultant based in Irvine, Calif.

 

"Harley would have to prove that its quality is still the same," Brown said, and without the made-in-America label, the brand would lose much of its appeal.

 

Harley has bikes specifically designed for European countries.

 

What’s important is that Harley keep the same V-Twin engine that’s the heart and soul of its motorcycles, said analyst Tim Conder with Wells Fargo Securities.

 

Harley could use foreign-made fenders and other parts but would have to "dance carefully" when making engine changes, Conder said.

 

The company’s leadership recognizes that growth in foreign markets is likely to outpace growth in the U.S., where aging baby boomers are spending more time with their grandchildren and touring in motor homes than riding a motorcycle.

 

Overseas a focus

 

Wandell had decades of international experience at Johnson Controls Inc., an automotive parts and building controls company, before coming to Harley this year.

 

Harley will become focused on growth overseas, through locally relevant products that embody the essence of the Harley brand, the new CEO said.

 

It might help if Harley modified the bikes it builds and sells overseas to lower the costs, said analyst Ned Douthat with Ockham Research.

 

Doing that would not harm the brand in the U.S. unless the modified bikes were sold here, he said.

 

"Then you would definitely get some push-back" from consumers, he said.

 

Since early this year, Harley-Davidson has been cutting production and jobs and recently said it may relocate its assembly plant in York, Pa., to lower production costs.

 

Between 15 and 30 U.S. Harley dealerships are expected to close in the coming year, which is unusual for a company that’s rarely lost one.

 

"It’s not a bad move for Harley to look outside of the U.S. market, where we don’t see a lot of growth," said analyst Robin Diedrich with Edward R. Jones Investments.

 

Motorcycle industry insiders agreed that Harley may have to someday manufacture as well as sell bikes overseas. But they also warn that the brand may be diminished.

 

"When you go down the international road, it’s hard to say, ’Buy my product, but I don’t want you to build it,’ " said Laurence Richardson, editor of Clutch & Chrome, an online magazine for motorcycle enthusiasts.

 

Investors liked Thursday’s announcements. Harley-Davidson’s shares rose $1.43 to $27.69.

 

Figures in millions except for earnings per share. Percentages are based on unrounded sales and income figures.

[yohji]

You deserve the compliments!! Yah I agree, the place wasn't well litted. Can't admire the bikes and babes properly. I think 6pm - 7pm on a Saturday would be better.

 

Yes I like Fridays too .. Railmall is one of my favorite places because we can see our bike right where we are seated But it might be a little far for pple staying in the East side. Any other good places like that (can drink and admire our bikes our seats)?

 

After this event, it makes me feel as if it is against the rules to ride a HOG with stock pipes. Seriously considering pipes now ... but don't know whether to stick to chrome or black pipes. Chrome ones very difficult to wash! I can't get rid of those tiny rubber bits that fell from the belt and melted on the heat shields ....

 

Yohji, why don't you try removing the baffle of your stock exhaust first and see how that goes. It should give it a louder sound and even give it more power.

 

Have you tried using GT85 to remove those bits? I guess it's the same as WD40 but don't know whether more effective or not. It won't harm the chrome.

 

Yah I might wanna do that ..

 

GT85 doesn't work .. I've just tried Autosol. Doesn't work either. The only thing that works is to use my fingernails to scrap those bits off (probably more than 100 spots) Now I'm thinking whether I should have chrome exhausts ... if I do not want chrome exhausts then I wouldn't bother drilling out the baffles anymore .. hmm ......

[yohji]

Went for a short ride with fx55 this afternoon and we took some photos.

 

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9039/dsc00350a1.jpg

 

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5678/dsc00348a1.jpg

 

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3471/dsc00351a1.jpg

 

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5903/dsc00342a1.jpg

 

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4524/dsc00352a1.jpg

 

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7585/dsc00336a.jpg

 

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3728/dsc00362a1.jpg

[kepaleotak]

Went for a short ride with fx55 this afternoon and we took some photos.

 

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9039/dsc00350a1.jpg

 

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5678/dsc00348a1.jpg

 

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3471/dsc00351a1.jpg

 

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5903/dsc00342a1.jpg

 

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4524/dsc00352a1.jpg

 

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7585/dsc00336a.jpg

 

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3728/dsc00362a1.jpg

 

WAH!!!!! swee... nvr chio....

[kepbin07]

 

Yah I might wanna do that ..

 

GT85 doesn't work .. I've just tried Autosol. Doesn't work either. The only thing that works is to use my fingernails to scrap those bits off (probably more than 100 spots) Now I'm thinking whether I should have chrome exhausts ... if I do not want chrome exhausts then I wouldn't bother drilling out the baffles anymore .. hmm ......

 

hey Yohji, best way to get ride of the melted plastic/rubber on ur heatshields, is juz wipe it off while the exhaust/shields are still burning hot. this work as the melted stuff will be in a molten/semi molten state. be careful of ur fingers n hands. hahaha i got burnt b4. works almost all the time.

[maxxmadness]

nice pictures!! come to think of it, i have not really taken any good photos of my sporty, all just photos from my lousy handphone len.

Maybe i will do that after my servicing this wednesday, at the moment bike is all cocoon up and i riding my other rides..

[conjurer]

very nice, thanks for sharing! looks like u guys had a really nice ride. fx55's black pipes just makes it abundantly clear that u should dump the chrome pipes and go for matt black!

 

Went for a short ride with fx55 this afternoon and we took some photos.

[Don Juan]

no problem bro, we can meet up when hd has a open house when they shift to the new premises, am sure they will have a big party with.......BEERS..

 

 

I may not be in town for the weekend but should be around this friday.... what say you buy me kopi and rojak, Maxx

[maxxmadness]

I may not be in town for the weekend but should be around this friday.... what say you buy me kopi and rojak, Maxx

 

i like your frank approach...

just for that you earn your kopi and rojak from me

[my2sons]

hi there, any sportster bro wants to swap a 2up seats as realise mine too tall for me after i fix my touring seat, 82220634 lionel? congrats to bro yohji, damn nice bike

[IceZ]

Went for a short ride with fx55 this afternoon and we took some photos.

 

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9039/dsc00350a1.jpg

 

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5678/dsc00348a1.jpg

 

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3471/dsc00351a1.jpg

 

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5903/dsc00342a1.jpg

 

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4524/dsc00352a1.jpg

 

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7585/dsc00336a.jpg

 

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3728/dsc00362a1.jpg

 

wah..all black..my fav

can i join in the fun next time..

[IceZ]

hi there, any sportster bro wants to swap a 2up seats as realise mine too tall for me after i fix my touring seat, 82220634 lionel? congrats to bro yohji, damn nice bike

 

talk bout the seats...anyone got sportster single seat for sale?