Harley-Davidson to close KC plant

www.kmbc.com ^ | 01/30/2018 | Staff

[Red Badger]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Harley-Davidson announced that it will close its Kansas City plant as the company moves to consolidate operations.

In the company's fourth-quarter earnings report, Harley-Davidson said that the Kansas City motorcycle plant would be consolidated with its plant in York, Pa.

Workers were reportedly told that the plant would close next year. A statement released from Harley-Davidson Tuesday morning said the plant would close in the third quarter of 2019.

"As we continue to improve our cost structure and maintain world-class manufacturing operations, we are launching a significant, multi-year manufacturing optimization initiative that is anchored in the consolidation of our Kansas City, Mo. final assembly operations into our York, Pa. final assembly plant.

"This decision was made after very careful consideration of our manufacturing footprint and the appropriate capacity given the current business environment.We are constantly evaluating capacity and our current U.S. capacity exceeds U.S. demand. Approximately 800 full-time, causal and contract positions will be impacted at the Kansas City plant. Layoffs are expected to begin mid-year and the facility will close in the third quarter of 2019. We anticipate an increase of approximately 450 full-time, casual and contractor positions will be added at our York facility, which will be expanded to support additional production.

"This was a decision we did not take lightly. The Kansas City plant has been assembling Harley-Davidson motorcycles since 1997, and our employees will leave a great legacy of quality, pride and manufacturing leadership. We are grateful to them and the Kansas City community for their many years of support and their service to our dealers and our riders."

Kansas City Mayor Sly James released a statement on the plant's closure:

"Although we are disappointed that Harley-Davidson will be closing its plant, it’s also important to realize there are more and more opportunities in our region everyday for new jobs with bright futures as well as opportunities for retraining. For example, our partnerships with LaunchCode and TechHire have led to hundreds of Kansas Citians becoming trained for IT and advanced manufacturing jobs with exciting futures, and projects like the new single terminal airport and downtown convention hotel will require thousands of skilled workers."

[huldah1776]

HD scooter?

[TexasGator]

“but it’s still an American* bike.”

Bailed out by the FEDS and Warren Buffet.

[Rebelbase]

A lot of the new Harley dealer buildings have a restaurant/grill inside them in my state.

[Captain Peter Blood]

In my area I see lots of Harley’s for sale in the paper. Has Harley just peaked and no longer has the mystique it once had?????

[Red Badger]

And they seem more focused on selling gear (clothing, boots, accessories, toys, etc.) than motorcycles......................

[Red Badger]

That’s part of it. Millenials are more into rice rockets and flashier bikes. HD customer base is us older guys and we’re slowly dying off. The typical new HD is around $20K and up as high as $50K. Young people can’t afford that......................

[Sirius Lee]

The Sportsters were the best of the old HD line, and used ones in good running condition (had all the factory defects fixed) can be had for a couple grand.

Why would anybody buy a new one, where the defects still await unhappy discovery?

[Hugh the Scot]

I believe you’ll discover that was a loan, or actually a number of loans.

[TexasM1A]

Love my Vic, big old twins are fun rides, you can eat up alot of miles on one and not walk with a limp.

[shelterguy]

I’d say a lot of Harleys are sold to metrosexual fags who want to dress up like Billy Badass for a Saturday morning drive to Starbucks.

[Red Badger]

The weekenders can be spotted a mile away.........................

[Red Badger]

LOL!

New model new defects!...................

[shelterguy]

They sure do look pretty, don’t they?

[Spktyr]

Ford trucks are more American than Harleys are. Look at the domestic parts content on an F-150 then go look at all the parts on a Harley.

If you take all the foreign parts off a Harley, you have a frame, an engine and some bolts.

[Red Badger]

The Pierre-Cardin cologne is a dead giveaway...................

[Spktyr]

But you can get off the non-V-twin engined competition without a bad case of carpel tunnel syndrome due to the vibration.

[zerosix]

Yeah, though most Millennials currently aren’t interested in ‘cycles, much less Harley’s. That’s sad but this can change over a few years when they finally grow up.

They might actually give up on the idea that oil is evil and is killing the earth, meanwhile they’re waiting for electric-driverless vehicles!

Frankly, that isn’t going to be Harley’s in our lifetime, unless their owners give up on real motorcycles for whatever the “global warming” latest crap sandwich tells them they must build!

Lastly, if sham artist Sly James and fellow racists gave a rat’s a@@, they’d agree to vote for much lower corporate and business taxes all around but they haven’t yet run out of spending other people’s money!

[TexasGator]

“I believe you’ll discover that was a loan, or actually a number of loans.”

Then you are fine with the all the loans that Obama gave to his cronies?

[Myrddin]

My 2008 XL1200R was purchased used from a guy who just needed to get out from under his loan. The 2009 FXDF was purchased used. I went to the dealer to get the maintenance records. I learned the bike I just purchased started as a rental at that dealership. Had been dropped, repaired and sold to the party that sold it to me. The woman who sold it to me was not very discerning of needed repairs. I spent another $800 finishing repairs and replacing parts with dents and gouges from the rental drop that had never been repaired. I still got a reasonable deal at $13500. Have put another $2k into it with the security system, ECU stage 1, bigger air cleaner, nicer exhaust and seat with back rest. It's my long distance cruiser.

[TexasM1A]

Believe it or not, My Vic really doesn’t have that problem, its a very comfortable and smooth bike, decent amount of power and for a heavy sled , it corners pretty darned good. Plus I am old fart now, just like to cruise and every now and then hit the twisties.