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Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ? |
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File under Ducati Harley-Davidson
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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Via: MBI Member: Twisting Asphalt
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Here's a scary merger! There are currently talks between Harley-Davidson and Ducati for a potential merger. On one side, it makes sense, since Harley riders have their custom motorcycles, and are on average 50-ish years old, while Ducati riders have their sports motorcycles and are in general around 30 years old.
So, the customer base is complementary, as are the motorcycles (no competition between each other), but what about the culture?
Would a Ducati rider want to be a Harley rider when she/he turns 50 ? Or vice versa ? Would a Ducati ride want to be associated with a Harley-Davidson ?
Personally, I hope this is lots of smoke and no fire, but stranger things have happened in the business world. Could this be the reason that we saw Frederico Minoli leave ???
Let's see how this plays out.
Click here to read more (Source: Financial Times)
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| Legacy (Old) Comments |
1) jim said on:
(12/06/2007 21:49:41 GMT)
email:jim | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
Some how I don't see aging duc riders going the cruiser route, but I recall a survey that stated Ducs were in the stable of a surprising number of HD riders. Odder things have happened. BTW what happened to the rumored HD-KTM merger?
2) James said on:
(12/06/2007 23:09:23 GMT)
email:James | website:
http://www.whybike.com/blog/Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
Ducati riders and HD riders are the same person; one just prefers chrome, the other carbon fiber. Who else would pay the exorbitant maintenance costs?
3) ha Jl said on:
(12/06/2007 23:39:01 GMT)
email:ha Jl | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
The merger first sounded strange... then I remembered I own two harleys and a Ducati ! (and a Norton,Triumph,Suzuki,and Yamaha)
4) Richard said on:
(13/06/2007 16:07:49 GMT)
email:Richard | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
As a former Ducati salesman in two dealerships over the years, I was continually amazed by how many of my clients owned HD's as well as their Duc's. But it was explained to me on numerous occasions by different clients: they are both V-twin's, neither is Japanese and while they could have considered a Buellfor something sporty, the Harley-Davidson dealers don't give that brand any support, plus they like the Duc's better as they carry a more exotic, higher end image. So if they want something fast to compliment their HD's they seek out a Duc. If they already have a Duc and want something to cruise on, well, same difference, HD carries a higher end image than Jap bikes. (Personally, I've owned everything and am happy no matter what the two wheels are beneath me)
5) Doug said on:
(13/06/2007 22:35:29 GMT)
email:Doug | website:
http://www.40on2.blogspot.com
I'd like to see H-D and Ducati merge. It would provide no end of fun just watching the hard core Ducati guys rend their red leather riding suits in anguish. Beyond that, H-D has, IMHO, wildly overbuilt the physical size of their dealerships and spliting that floor space with another premium but non-competing brand would make some sense.
6) Otto said on:
(14/06/2007 11:20:20 GMT)
email:Otto | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
and Casey Stoner will fight for HD against the japenese bike makers in orange - black - chrom staffs..
7) Chris said on:
(17/06/2007 09:34:15 GMT)
email:Chris | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
Ducati and Harley. Or How to turn a great bike into a piece of SH^&. BYE BYE Ducati, hello brain bucket troglodites.
8) aldo rivers said on:
(17/06/2007 22:11:16 GMT)
email:aldo rivers | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
Shit! I hope never. If shit happens, I'll give away all my Dukes. Aldo and move to Voxan...
9) Peter said on:
(03/07/2007 02:33:07 GMT)
email:Peter | website:
Ducati and Harley-Davidson To Merge ?
Personally, I see this as an odd combination. In my eyes, it would be like bringing a tractor company and a rocket company together. Yes, the HD riders may like Duc's but I think this is just because they're twin's and not japanese. The Duc riders (myself included) probably want nothing to do with HD. If the company colors of Ducati were to change to orange and the engineering were to be moved to the USA...I'm out....sadly!
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