Robcig, I've been ever watchful, but yeah, a bit lax in recent verbal stoushes.
As to 2013 pricing, I'm disgusted.
Part of the reason I have not responded until now is I was going to look at the complete price list and update my spreadsheet, and may still, but for now and to answer your question more fully, I think what HD has done with 2013 prices shows a level of arrogance and synacism that I find disgusting.
See here for one example: http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_AU/Motorcycles/ultra-classic-electra-glide.html#!specs
Note that the HD Ultra is priced at $36,995 in Aus and $40,495 in NZ. This is an ~ 10% increase in NZ pricing and no change in Aus from 2012. There are a number of thoughts this raises;
1/ Why an increase in NZ? The exchange rate for NZ$ has been fairly consistent and has not changed dramatically in the last year. Have they heard my argument and realised that blind freddy can see Aussies were being ripped off? Probably. Have they adjusted the price in NZ to reflect the actual exchange rate? No, a 10% increase is about what they might add to lessen the insult to us ripped-off Aussies without completely screwing the NZ market - if they had added 25% to reflect the full exhange rate Kiwis would have stopped buying or bought direct from overseas and imported their own. Something Kiwis can do which Aussies can't because of our Government legislated fuckup. So in summary, HD Australia has set the NZ price at a point that lessens the insult to Aussies but does not entirely screw the NZ market. As I've argued before, they could have dropped the price in Aus to match what they sell for in NZ but as Aussies do not have a free market we cannot force this. We need to get legislation changed. I'll come back to this point below.
2/ One egotist on this forum who owns a Harley that he rarely rides, imported all his own extras to undercut dealers, does his owns service to ensure dealers make not a penny off him and then says he thinks it is important that we pay a premium for Harleys as it helps support Australians, but who admits he only owns one because it is expensive and strokes his ego that others cannot afford the same, has argued that bikes are priced the same in Aus and NZ, as they where in 2012 and before, because Kiwis earn less and HD is such a good-hearted and well-meaning organisation that they have taken the poor Kiwis capacity to pay into their pricing scheme. He will obviously need to explain why HD Australia has now slapped a 10% increase on NZ prices. What, did all Kiwis get a 10% raise? Not fucking likely!! I always said his argument was coplete bullshit.
3/ The Aussie dollar has now been on pare or above the US dollar for a good spell and appears likely to stay at about this level. Without going through the entire argument, as anyone reading this thread will have heard it all before, this is just price gouging. How many years will HD think they can do this for? Remember, they have hedged their currency exchange (locked in exchange rates for years ahead) so have very little if any downside risk and are therefore likely making money both on the pricing of bikes and on the currency dealings.
4/ Remember, HD Australia is owned by HD US. All profits are consolidated back into the US companies coffers!! We are a host that they leach off of and we are served up by our Government through legislation that eliminates a free market.
5/ All motorcycle manufacturers worldwide build to a UN set of 'harmonised' standards. Trivial compliance exceptions for bikes do exist but largely any model of any bike sold anywhere in the world is identical to every other bike of that same model sold anywhere else. As a result, Aussie compliance is a farce. Ask any of the shops doing compliancing and they'll laugh about the money they charge to change a light bulb so the bike is 'Australian compliant'. NZ accepts the compliance plates of almost every country; Japan, US, Germany, England, Australia. Any compliance plate is adequate because bikes are all built to a UN standard. Worldwide, bikes are so close to identical that it's hard to tell them apart. Our Government insists that we have Australian compliance plates. HD will not allow us to buy bikes in the US with Aus compliance plates and import them ourselves as it would undermine the US owned HD Aus business.
6/ The Australian Government will not let us import new bikes until we have owned and ridden them overseas for 12 months. Why? What magic happens after 12 months that makes a bike acceptable that could not happen after 12 minutes? The answer is it crushes the ability for a free market. Who can save money by spending 12 months overseas just to import a bike?
So, Robcig, there's my thoughts for now. Let's see how many of the mutts go on the attack. Hey John-boy, what about that price increase in NZ? Kinda blows you argument don't it.
Oh... Greygo... You still at it!!
Sorry guys, cant help myself.
Greygo, lets just say for the sake of argument, ya right and us poor bumb aussies are gettin ripped,
Where gettin ripped cause where ill informed dumb fucks who know no better, right,
But you. oh enlightened one know better,
Just answer one fuckin question: why would you knowingly, go buy a product, that you know your being ripped off then fuckin winge, winge, winge, fuck, I raised 3 daughters and collectively, they never come close to you in the winge stakes.
In fact, why dont ya sell ya bike, buy a dozen postie bikes and annoy Honda for a while.
Ok, some of my humour is crap to some forum members, but at least i try to make em laugh. Be fucken happy for a fleeting moment in your life.
While im on a roll, I paid $31000 in 2008 for my bike [ AVATAR PIC] did I pay too much, Dont care. is a porche cheyane worth the asking price, no no no , but plenty buy em. Just sick of cunts who constantly bring ill will to an enthusiests forum, I get the shits too and have a spray, but i get over it.
Cause my evil twin, Evil Mick is having a little restypoos at the moment, I thought that I, Mild Mannered Mick might have a little say.
Most blokes work hard and save and save and eventually find themselves in a position that they can finally buy there dream bike, They ride there pride and joy out of the dealership with a big shit eating grin. We have all been there and know the feeling. Some of us have been lucky enough to do it a few times. My first experience was on a 1984 custom softail.
But in the new digital age, Many join a harley forum to engage with like minded harley enthusiests and enjoy participating and reading the posts cause where all different, funny, sad, happy, take the piss and learn a bit about the bike.
So they sign up and what do they see. Some bloke that constantly tells em how much therve been ripped off, ect. you get the idea. Remember, youve just bought your pride and joy and you read that shit on a forum that your trying to take a positive interest in.
Now, ive not checked so this is unresearched comment, but Im wondering is there a Ferrari forum that attracts blokes who have worked there buts off, built up a successful life and so find themselves in a position to buy there dream sportcar. They go on a Ferrari forum and the first thing they read is that theres a bloke on that forum that contantly tells them that they have been ripped off by Ferrari, the Government, ect.
Reckon that would go down like a lead balloon.
We are being screwed, and not just by ALL motorcycle maunfacturers who charge more for products here than in other markets. See here for issues in another market segment.
Many many posts ago I suggested that if Honda were smart they would discount the price of the Goldwing and could steal a lot of business away from the dumb-fucks who think customers are cash-cows that they can milk. Well looky here, a new stripped down Goldwing for $25,000.
Read about it here. motorcycles.honda.com.au/Latest_News/20121221/Hondas_Goldwing_Stripped_Bare_To_Reveal_The_F6B
Will HD pay attention of are they really determined to give the entire market to Honda. Honda is the market leader in many other segments, why not in touring bikes as well?
