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  November 20, 2008  
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Reader Survey
1. How much did you pay for your last Harley-Davidson motorcycle?

NEW purchase @ Harley's M.S.R.P. (13) 43%
NEW purchase below Harley's M.S.R.P. (4) 13%
NEW purchase above Harley's M.S.R.P. (5) 17%
USED purchase @ Kelly Blue Book (KBB) or NADA suggested value (1) 3%
USED purchase below Kelly Blue Book (KBB) or NADA suggested value (4) 13%
USED purchase above Kelly Blue Book (KBB) or NADA suggested value (0) 0%
Don't know/Don't remember/Don't want to disclose (2) 7%
Don't own a Harley motorcycle... just a t-shirt (1) 3%

2. After you purchased your motorcycle, what was the first thing you customized/changed/added?

Paint (1) 3%
Exhaust (14) 47%
Gas Tank (2) 7%
Engine/Motor (0) 0%
Trans/Drivetrain (0) 0%
Handlebars (1) 3%
Tires/Wheels (3) 10%
Chrome (4) 13%
Electronics (GPS, Radio, Intercom, etc.) (0) 0%
Fenders (1) 3%
Engine Guard/Highway Pegs (4) 13%

3. What is the total investment you have made in customizing your Harley-Davidson motorcycle

$0 (0) 0%
$1-$500 (4) 13%
$501-$1000 (8) 27%
$1001-$1500 (4) 13%
$1501-$2000 (6) 20%
$2001-$2500 (2) 7%
$2501-$3000 (1) 3%
$3001-$4000 (0) 0%
$4001-$5000 (1) 3%
$5001+ (4) 13%

4. Where did you buy your Harley-Davidson motorcycle?

NEW from Harley-Davidson Dealer (23) 77%
USED from Harley-Davidson Dealer (5) 17%
USED from local owner (1) 3%
USED from ad in print publication (0) 0%
USED from ad on internet site (0) 0%
Still don't own a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, just a t-shirt (1) 3%

5. How many miles on average do you ride your Harley-Davidson motorcycle?

0. I don't own a Harley, just a t-shirt (1) 3%
1-500 miles (2) 7%
501-1000 miles (0) 0%
1001-2000 miles (3) 10%
2001-5000 miles (6) 20%
5001-7500 miles (7) 23%
7501-10,000 miles (4) 13%
10,001 - 15,000 miles (4) 13%
15,001 miles + (3) 10%


Reader Survey
1. Harley-Davidson recently debuted a new motorcycle, the Sportster 1200N Nightster. The motorcycle includes several unique features for Harley including chopped front/rear fenders, side-mount license plate, stop-tail-turn signals, front fork gaiters, rawboned graphics and a new finish on the V-Twin Evolution engine. Bucking the system, the motorcycle features mostly black features instead of chrome. What do you think of the new Nightster design from Harley?

N- Doesn't make it out of neutral (2) 2%
1- First gear because it has some hits, but not enough (2) 2%
2- Second gear thanks to a rolling start with the lessons learned from the V-Rod (3) 2%
3- Third Gear due to the combination of a big engine on a lighter frame (4) 3%
4- Four gear appreciation for Old School motorcycles (26) 20%
5- Fifth gear on the rear end of the Big V-Twins (20) 15%
6- Sixth gear overdrive with the best style, function and price for Harley (73) 56%

2. Which motorcycle are you more likely to buy?

Nightster (114) 88%
V-Rod (4) 3%
Buell (4) 3%
Import (4) 3%
None (4) 3%

3. What is your favorite feature of the new Harley-Davidson 1200N Nightster?

Chopped front/rear fenders (18) 14%
Side-mount license plate (6) 5%
Stop-tail-turn signals (7) 5%
Low seat height (11) 8%
Old school front fork gaiters (10) 8%
Rawbone graphics (7) 5%
New finish on the V-Twin Evolution engine (4) 3%
Black styling, lack of chrome (61) 47%
MSRP- sticker price (6) 5%



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Posted by: Kevin Campbell 10/16/2006

HARLEY-DAVIDSON TO BUILD U.S. ENGINE PLANT


MILWAUKEE (October 16, 2006) - Harley-Davidson Motor Company will move forward with plans to build an additional U.S. manufacturing and assembly plant outside of Wisconsin for expanded production of Big Twin motorcycle engines and transmissions, in support of the Company’s future needs.

The announcement follows an Oct. 16 vote by members of Harley-Davidson’s largest Milwaukee union, the United Steelworkers (USW), not to accept a plan that would have expanded capacity in Milwaukee, tied to cost reductions and improved manufacturing flexibility.

The Company said that the jobs of current Milwaukee production workers are not at risk in the plan to build a new plant elsewhere in the U.S.

In keeping with its normal practice, Harley-Davidson had advised its international and local unions of the need to add capacity and to do so in a way that would significantly reduce future costs and improve flexibility. The USW subsequently asked the Company to identify the specific wage, benefit and work rule changes that would be needed to keep the expansion in Milwaukee, so that it could consider whether to seek the additional work.

Among other things, those wage and benefit changes would have included a reduced wage rate for new union workforce hires, and migrating union employees to a health care plan that achieves cost savings while still providing a premium level of service.

“We’re disappointed with the vote but we need to address capacity, cost and flexibility in tandem,” said Rod Copes, Vice President and General Manager of Harley-Davidson’s Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations in Menomonee Falls. “The proposal the union voted on would have made expansion here comparable to what we can achieve in a new unionized plant in some other part of the U.S.”

“Harley-Davidson is very successful today and all of us want to keep it that way. That means being good stewards and actively managing costs across the entire organization that could be detrimental to our business over the long term if we don’t start to control them now,” said Copes.

The Company and representatives from the international unions will now work together to find the best possible U.S. location for the new engine and transmission plant.

In the last 10 years, the Company’s annual shipments of models containing Big Twin engines have nearly tripled. The last significant investment in V-Twin production in the Milwaukee area was $175 million between 2004 and 2006. In July 2006, Harley-Davidson introduced the newest generation Big Twin engine – the Twin Cam 96 – to enthusiastic consumer and dealer response.

The Company currently has powertrain manufacturing operations at Wauwatosa, and Menomonee Falls, Wis. and Kansas City, Mo.; final assembly operations at York, Pa. and Kansas City Mo.; and components manufacturing at Tomahawk, Wis.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces sport motorcycles in addition to motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and customers.


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