From: harkcom@spinach.pa.yokogawa.co.jp (Alton Harkcom)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 00:23:48 GMT
	<1993Jan4.201248.4828@island.COM> <thomasd.59.726252693@tps.COM>
	<1993Jan6.161516.2237@island.COM> <thomasd.64.726424237@tps.COM>
Organization: Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

In article <thomasd.64.726424237@tps.COM> thomasd@tps.COM
   (Thomas W. Day) writes:

 =}I'm not saying that Harley should ignore 
 =}their present business, but they are seriously trapped in a yuppie market 
 =}that has limits.

   I have yet to see a yuppie on a hog.  If I did I would probably knock
him off out of respect for the hog...

 =}Not true, all of the Japanese manufacturers have bikes competitive with 
 =}Harleys products and they do take some market share from Harley.  That 
 =}doesn't go both ways.

   The Japanese makers have some bikes in the Harley range.  The Honda
Goldwing is one of them.  These bikes are 'sterile' and 'limp'...  It's
hard to describe such aspects, but these are the aspects which Harley
has the competition beat in.  (Yuppies ride the sterile, limp bikes...)
These limp machines just don't offer the power or performance of a
Harley...  Though they do offer complete wind shielding, on board
computers and other perfectly useless limp stuff...

   And if Harley is such a bad bike, then why are the Japanese bike
companies trying so hard to duplicate it on their domestic market.
there are so many Harley look-alikes which sound like tin cans here
that I'm tempted to throw up on the next one I see...

 =}Do *you* have a source for that statistic and what is the definition of 
 =}"large displacement bikes?  Remember that a 600/750cc Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki 
 =}can produce more horsepower/torque than a 1200cc Harley.

   Speaking of providing stats...  Why don't you reference your seemingly
impossible claim?  A 1200cc Harley could chew up a 600cc H/Y/K and spit
the pieces out faster than a 750cc H/Y/K could ever hope to go...

 =}Japan began making 
 =}big bikes from small displacements, bikes that produced more performance 
 =}with less engine displacement

   As far as providing 'big bikes' with small engine displacements, yes
the Japanese manufacturers have done so (a liquid cooled 250cc bike does
take up quite a bit more space than an less ridiculous 250cc)...  However,
these bikes do not have the power you are suggesting.  They may have some
power in the lower gear ranges, but in the higher gear ranges you have to
red line them to get even a small accelleration...

 =}By quality, I mean a bike that can go for miles with minimal 
 =}maintenance, Harley has never had that kind of reputation.

   Harley had that reputation in the beginning and that is why it became
so popular.  A few years back they developed a reputation for low quality,
but they have slapped themselves back into shape and again fit your
description of 'quality'...

 =}I mean a bike that is competitive on the track.  Harley has to limit 
 =}participation in the few races they are able to compete in.

   When customers start limiting their riding to the track then Harley
might start worrying about such.  harley still offers the best on road
performance (which is where the customers usually ride :)...

 =}I mean a 
 =}bike that is reasonably priced for the delivered performance. It is easy to
 =}find a similar machine for significantly less money than a Harley, $3-4k
 =}less.

  If by 'similar machine' you mean one that offers the same performance
then you are wrong.  If you mean one that offers minimal performance
then yes you are right.

 =}I don't think you want to get into the engineering aspect of motorcycling.  
 =}You don't seem to have a clue.  So I'm off of that tack from here out.

   You might also want to get off that tack before your ignorance shows
anymore than it already has.  (Yes, I have shown mine also...)  You
apparently know much less than you seem to think.  Took too many spills
with your helmet on?

 =}The point is, for how long?  Or are they just another American company that 
 =}doesn't even have a 5 year plan?

   Speaking of long range plans, did you know that many Japanese
companies (which claim very long range plans) introduce new plans
nearly every year?  And the plans merely predict a bright future
and mimic current market trends...  Even though Japan is in a
reccession, many companies are predicting bright near futures while
facing extinction (or at best, a dim near future)...

 =}As usual, with your eyes closed.

   That is rather ironic coming from someone who's posts portray
a closed mind...
--
---

   I will be on vacation from 12/18 - 12/27 and will not be able to
read email during that time.  My company will be on vacation from
12/29 - 1/4 and our news and mail servers will be down during that time...

   Sorry for the inconvenience...