Worried about Jobs

[RobertN]

I try to practice what I preach. When I got my Kubota, those things went through my mind. Heck, I even park my Kubota on Memorial Day and 4th of July out of some respect(Jump on the Farmall!...). But, to my knowledge, at the time of purchase of my Kubota, I was under the pretty much correct understanding that all compacts were made overseas. I still don't think new ones have been assembled over here until just the latest models.Were'nt older NH really an Iseka or Mitsubishi?

Ford hasn't owned New Holland for a few years now. Isn't corporate New Holland based in Europe now?

Sometimes you do not have an option. Most items used to be made here, but over the last 20 or so years, everything has gone outside the US. I don't think you can find a US made VCR or stereo now days.

You know, what is a shame to me too, since I really like Harley's, is that most items made by other countries can be found here in the states. S&S carbs, for example.

Right now, Japan is going through what they put us through... They are getting hit hard by cheaper Chinese labor and production costs. Given sheer natural resources, mixed with cheap labor, they are really making an impact.

I think the only things I can quickly point to without looking hard, that are US made, is most of my firearms, and my '41 Farmall. Oh, and most of my tools(import tools are too cheap, and break and slip too easily...)

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[RobertN]

I agree; for a few years there, they were terrible. It was very embarrassing. They did turn things around though, and make a pretty solid bike. 100,000 miles on a Evo motor without any work is pretty common.

Now, they make a reliable, decent bike, and thier stock has become one of the best performers in the last 15 years.

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>100,000 miles on a Evo motor without any work is pretty common</font color=blue>

I assume you are kidding./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I know there's been some improvements, and I really haven't kept up to date now for quite a few years, so I can't say, but I do know of a motorcycle shop in this area that does a booming business, not a dealer, does not sell any motorcycles, only works on Harleys, and always has a shop full of new looking bikes.

Bird

 

[bgott]

Next time you go by that shop, walk in and take a look at the inside of one of those Evos and see where the castings are made.

 

[JonE]

My neighbor bought a new Harley last year and re-gasgeted it this year because it was leaking oil and etc. Not too impressive! However I still assert that the BEST/leading edge technology is spawned in the US but is not capitalised on due to all the red tape and greed!

 

[RobertN]

Ya, 100,000 on an Evo is not uncommon.I know of one of these motors, and know reports from a local Harley Shop, and a local Custom shop.

My motor has been perfect for the most part; I had a couple issues, but that was because of me over camming it. It's at about 70,000. But, I've put bigger pistons, shaved heads, cam, carb ect...

My wifes bike has less miles, and has been perfect. It's at about 30,000. Only work has been routine oil change, ect.

Tom over at El Dorado Custom, he's always got a line of bikes out the door; sometimes has a two week backlog. But, the majority of his work is not repair. Most of it is custom work. He builds hot rods, does a lot of carb and cam upgrades, ect.

One of the other posters mentioned the amount of bikes in for repair. Most that I see are like the bikes at Toms. People are laways upgrading, customizing. I have never seen that as much with Import bikes. Until recently, you just couldn't get the parts to do it, unless you machined your own. On Harley's, there is so much custom work, both pre-fabbed, and hand fabricated.

A guy I used to work with, he bought a new bike last year. It is one of the new "Twin Cam" motors. He test rode it, and then immediately had the dealer put bigger cam, carb, pistons, and cylinders on it. On a brand new bike! The thing was already 88", but he wanted the big bore kit.

When you see the high mile motors, they are usually ridden by someone who doesn't hot rod them. That(hot rodding) breaks more bikes than anything else I know. I dinged a piston with a valve when I was hot rodding my and revved too high...

I won't say they don't have repairs, by any means. I know there was a issue with cylinder base gaskets back in '93. They replaced them free. My wife's bike is a '93, and didn't have the problem.

I will say though, that I see plenty of Kubota's and Toyota's in for service too. They are both noted for thier reliability....

So, yes, they aqre much better than before. The Evo has been a solid platform, right up there with any other bike. It will be interesting to how this new bike, the "V-Rod" does. It's a total new design top to bottom. The motor was designed under contract with assistance from Porsche. So far the magazines have praised the few they have demo'd.

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[RobertN]

I've heard of this on occassion. But, look at Kubota talk here, and see the occassional post about big ole oil leaks. From a trusty Kubota.

It happens to all manufacturers, none are always perfect. For Harley's, it's bad, because they all used to really leak. Now when one leaks, the world thinks they all leak. That's a bad skeleton in the closet for them, monkey on thier back. There are plenty of auto's trucks, bikes, that go back on the lemon law, from all manufacturers

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>upgrading, customizing. I have never seen that as much with Import bikes</font color=blue>

Most of the other brands come "ready to use" so they don't have to have them overhauled right at the start./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif In all fairness, the shop I mentioned, Jim's Cycles, does a great deal of custom work, so I don't know how many of the bikes there are in for "repair" vs. customizing. Jim was one of my brother's tool customers and has a great deal of very expensive equipment including a dyno. My brother told me it isn't unusual for someone to buy a brand new Harley, take it straight to Jim, and spend another $10k on it before even using it.

Bird

 

[ejb]

>>I try to buy American where ever I can.

I sort-of agree with what your saying, but there really is a big "IF". If the american company is the same or better quality and IF the price is the same or less, I will by American. I don't really think you would be doing America any favors by buying a more expensive or less quality product from an american company over a foreign company. American companies need to be able to compete internationally. If they can't they should go out of business...plain and simple.

As an extreme case look at the former soviet union. Of course everyone HAD to buy products made there...they had no choice...but what happended? they produced products of very inferior quality and now look at the mess they are in.

Look at American cars during the 70's and early 80's. Japan was kicking butt 'cause quite frankly, quality was not job one. Consumers bought foreign cars in droves and the big-3 were forced to improve the products and became much more competitive and profitable companies as a result. Had consumers simply continued to buy the cars, despite poor quality, there never would have been a need to fix problems.

The other thing to consider, even when you buy something made overseas, not 100% of the money goes back to Japan or China. If my local Kubota dealer sells me a tractor (which he wouldn't because I prefer Deere), he is going to get a percentage of the sales price, the company that shipped the tractor from the dock to the store will also get a cut, the shipping company that shipped the tractor over may very well be an American company etc.

My bet is that the amount of money retained in this country when buying a Japanese tractor is probably not much different than buying an american tractor that buys a lot of the parts overseas. It would be interesting to see hard facts.

Just my two cents.

 

[RobertN]

Bird, A lot of people tie up a LOT of money in chrome, and now the thing is all the Billet accessories. A custom paint work, cam, carb, some chrome, and billet easily add's up to $$$$$. That's why mine is pretty plain; it runs good, but the fancy stuff is off the budget for tractors /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The guy I mentioned, Tom, gets a lot of people bringing in a new bike, and changing stuff; it's the majority of his work.

For the quick $10k in bike stuff, I'd get a back hoe and other accessories for the tracotr /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif