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Seems like good ol HD don't like Forums

  • HOG-JOCKEY
    HOG-JOCKEY
    13 years ago
    The Mo-Co should wake up to themselves.
    They trade as "Harley-Davidson" not HD not Harley not v-twin not chopper
    The fact that they do not understand is that their name is generic .Anything that has been a household word for a hundred years is impossible not to be generic.
    Harley style has been used to describe many metric cruisers and being called a Harley man doesn't entitle them to ten bucks.
    Holden made a HD model car did they have to pay royalties?? NO

  • Parko
    Parko
    13 years ago
    Does that mean 'Harleyheaven' would be under scrutiny as well?
  • Parko
    Parko
    13 years ago
    There wouldn't be too many businesses not authorised to sell Harley products. I can understand what happened to HD bitz, but to chase down the Chinese market would be impossible.
  • Bonkerz
    Bonkerz
    13 years ago
    +1 for what Chopaweeza said. If your brand name turns into a generic term and you are failing to at least try to protect it your fucked in the legal system. Even the Wiggles will chase you down if you use their name :P
  • Fatman
    Fatman
    13 years ago
    Hmmm...HD Wiggles sounds good. A mens nudist club that rides Harleys. Harley Davidson couldn't buy the publicity that conceppt would bring.
  • als1200
    als1200
    13 years ago
    Gee you can't fart these days without some one talking about sueing! Hope fart isn't registered! What happened to hd biz? One time I found it the next gone!
  • Parko
    Parko
    13 years ago

    HD bitz was knocking the guts out of the licensed dealerships.

    HD then found out threatened to take legal action against him.

    In short he was dobbed in.

  • Isaac
    Isaac
    13 years ago

     

    Whatta crocka shit. If true it serves to remind us all that HD has lost the personal touch, that EVERYTHING is about dollar$$ and not passion. Forums are a bunch of fans havin' a yak about their favourite topic. Where's the f*ckin' harm?

     

     

     

  • Dragon Man
    Dragon Man
    13 years ago

     I can see the MoCo's side of it. Many companies, groups, Forums etc don't bother checking first, and could possibly bring a bad name to the company. They are just trying to protect what they have built up over more than 100 years.

    Notice the article also says the MoCo rarely takes action.

     
    When I opened my Harley Shop in Ballarat all I had to do was ask for permission to use the name 'Midwest Harley', to which the MoCo gladly said Yes. Then I was given a lengthy story about the thousands (yes THOUSANDS) of business's that have given their company legal problems because they turned out to be things like Brothels, Gambling Houses, illegal Breweries, Moonshine factories, dodgy bike Mechanics, poor quality clothing suppliers, etc, etc.
     
    As I found out, if you ask first, and are not some illegal or dodgy scam, then they don't mind saying yes.
    But they do keep an eye on you. They just like to be asked first.
     
    Even here in Oz there are Motorcycle related businesses that aren't Authorised Harley Dealers using 'Harley' or 'HD' in their name like 'Cruisin Harley Tours - Melbourne', HD Developement Melbourne, Pacific HD Trading, etc.
     
    But if you have no connection to Motorcycles whatsoever, then you are exempt from any copyright laws. You can use Harley in your name if you have a bookshop, a swimming school, a Piano Tuning business etc.
     
    Some examples using Harley:
    Survey Company    http://www.harleygroup.com.au/
     
    Childrens Clothing   http://www.harleyandsoo.com.au/
     
     
    and heaps more.
     
    Then there are the companies using HD:
     
    Huntingtons Disease website  http://www.hdaustralia.org/
     
     
     
    and many others.
     
    I can garantee it that HD Australia will read this Forum. So far they have not said to close it or change the name. That may change if their name or products get rubbished in here.
     
    I reckon the bloke in the article , and his Lawyer, are just stirring up shit when there was probably no need to. Had he left it all alone they may have left him alone.  
  • Bunyip
    Bunyip
    13 years ago
    Apple are just as bad or worse....
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