Big Dog begins furloughs
- Thread starter KnotSo
- Start date
Marco Polo
Newbie DELUXE
I wouldn't go that far. I'm pretty common and bought a new Wolf. I'm not sure it was the best buy I've ever made (actually I'm certain it wasn't) but as far as the price goes the hardest part was finding a bank that was lending money at a decent rate.
The price was no more ridiculous then the top model of any other production custom manufacturer. The Athena with the smaller X-Wedge that I was considering starts off at $37K before you even start with the optional stuff you'd have to pay for that are standard on a Wolf. It was closer to $50K (msrp) by the time I would have added all the chrome and upgrades. Sheldon took a risk to come out with the new bikes, sure, but he wanted to explore competing in the upper end finally. I'm sure the label you see in articles of BDM being a "low cost" or "mid level" custom builder helps to sell bikes but at some point I imagine he was hoping to move beyond that. Hopefully it will pay off and not sink his little ship.
jimizee028
TRUE COLORS COLLISION
do you actually hear what you are saying????$50,000 for a motorcycle!!!!!!!!!!!!!
need i say more........
need i say more........
Marco Polo
Newbie DELUXE
Oh, I hear you there. Don't get me wrong, on the overall scale it is ridiculous but then again as Americans we pay ridiculous amounts for all sorts of frivilous non-necesities all the time. In comparison though Big Dog's price for a Wolf isn't ridiculous and people have been paying $40K and more for these types of bikes for some time. The question now though is will enough continue to do it through this period to keep Sheldon afloat.
Yeah especially when you have bagger models like the new Victory's
vaughncanter
Member
i think the change he was talking about is,pocket change is all u will have left
vaughncanter
Member
speedometer fogging
i have a 2009 k-9,the speedometer fogs,is this covered under warranty for replacement,thks.
i have a 2009 k-9,the speedometer fogs,is this covered under warranty for replacement,thks.
K9Anniv
Well-Known Member
My '09 does too! I got caught in 3 unexpected rainstorms earlier this summer
and the speedo still fogs up after I ride awhile. I haven't pressed the dealer yet for warranty replacement - figured it would eventually dry out. But now I'm concerned with issues down the road AFTER the 2 yr. warranty runs out. 
My thoughts on what helps separate a successful company from a failing company...and what has helped make the Asians so successful in their endeavors-and how BDM may want to take note.
The Asian car companies have rarely-if ever-had an original idea in their life when it comes to making cars. They take what America/Germany has-reverse engineer it to some extent-CORRECT THE KNOWN PROBLEMS-and sell it as a Lexus/Infinity/etc. Awesome vehicles-I've driven them for 19 years after I got fed up with recalls/problems on American autos. I will have to say American autos have improved dramatically-but I will never buy another one due to past problems/issues I had.
BDM could-if they would-use this same strategy and improve their product image. I think it is reasonable to expect glitches when new technology/products are put on bikes...and I think we would be less than reasonable if we did not expect there to be issues when these items are new on a bike. However-for BDM to still support the EHC's and fogging speedo's is absolutely insane. Not only does it make them look foolish-it costs them unknown time and dollars replacing the product with the same malfunctioning product-which in turn creates bad will for the bike owner and does not help BD's image/reputation.
Their current business model is not ALL their problem, as they cannot help the economy is the way it is...but it sure does not help and I hope they will reconsider their current train of thought on problem solving. I LOVE MY BIKE-but I will never buy another one because of these penny annie problems. I am VERY fortunate and do not finance anything-I can only imagine how it must feel to be making payments on bikes that sit in the shop when you want to ride. The best thing about Big Dog to me-is this site-as I would have ditched mine the first month I had it if it had not been for all the awesome people here that spend so much of their time trying to help others with problems. Thank you all-and I hope BD and the economy will get back on track soon.
The Asian car companies have rarely-if ever-had an original idea in their life when it comes to making cars. They take what America/Germany has-reverse engineer it to some extent-CORRECT THE KNOWN PROBLEMS-and sell it as a Lexus/Infinity/etc. Awesome vehicles-I've driven them for 19 years after I got fed up with recalls/problems on American autos. I will have to say American autos have improved dramatically-but I will never buy another one due to past problems/issues I had.
BDM could-if they would-use this same strategy and improve their product image. I think it is reasonable to expect glitches when new technology/products are put on bikes...and I think we would be less than reasonable if we did not expect there to be issues when these items are new on a bike. However-for BDM to still support the EHC's and fogging speedo's is absolutely insane. Not only does it make them look foolish-it costs them unknown time and dollars replacing the product with the same malfunctioning product-which in turn creates bad will for the bike owner and does not help BD's image/reputation.
Their current business model is not ALL their problem, as they cannot help the economy is the way it is...but it sure does not help and I hope they will reconsider their current train of thought on problem solving. I LOVE MY BIKE-but I will never buy another one because of these penny annie problems. I am VERY fortunate and do not finance anything-I can only imagine how it must feel to be making payments on bikes that sit in the shop when you want to ride. The best thing about Big Dog to me-is this site-as I would have ditched mine the first month I had it if it had not been for all the awesome people here that spend so much of their time trying to help others with problems. Thank you all-and I hope BD and the economy will get back on track soon.
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ALDog
Active Member
watermeter
Member
I totally agree with that one after all it doesn't take a "rocket scientist" to figure out theis fucking mess!!!!
Well I have to agree that the EHC has got them in a mess. Don't know why it's so hard to change but then look at HD. They lost 10's of thousands of sales over the last few years cause they refuse to build a chopper style bike. My old 81 Wideglide looks like todays Dyna Wideglide. They say it takes a long time to steer a big ship!!!
As for the speedometer I can tell you they have contracted with a new company that will be supplying all of our speedo's. I though I would have my new one to test over the summer but guess they are still working out the bugs with the EHC or something but hopefully this will be the end of the Autometer. I'm on my 10th one and have lost about 6000 miles on my odometer waiting on replacements.
Back to the EHC, if mine gives out (it's been real good to me) I will install the wire plus before buying a new one just for the future security. I do have a spare EHC though that goes with me on all my adventures.
Overall though I think BDM has done a remarkable job building out bikes and marketing them. They are about the last custom company left.
As for the speedometer I can tell you they have contracted with a new company that will be supplying all of our speedo's. I though I would have my new one to test over the summer but guess they are still working out the bugs with the EHC or something but hopefully this will be the end of the Autometer. I'm on my 10th one and have lost about 6000 miles on my odometer waiting on replacements.
Back to the EHC, if mine gives out (it's been real good to me) I will install the wire plus before buying a new one just for the future security. I do have a spare EHC though that goes with me on all my adventures.
Overall though I think BDM has done a remarkable job building out bikes and marketing them. They are about the last custom company left.
barhopper
Another round please
You are correct. Cali Gov is to big and they tax you to death to support the huge Gov and thier retirement and benefits. I have my own way to deal with that and it is working great. I bet you could get rid of 30% of Gov employees and the state will be fine. :angry::angry::bang:
Dawgboy
Active Member
BDM has known about this for years and hasn't offered a fix. They have swapped out speedos but guess what, they fog too.My '09 does too! I got caught in 3 unexpected rainstorms earlier this summer
RoofDude
Well-Known Member
Hmmm we all have our own opinions on whats what. This I know... Im in my 18th year in business. From '03-'07 my biz doubled twice. In 2008 I was on track for our best year ever. (best year ever being 2004). In November, the @ss fell out of it. (coincidence..?)I still ended up with the 2nd best year ever, missing the mark by single digit percentages. We have not recovered since. We are surviving, but not thriving. I attribute our survival to our good name, and years in biz. From Nov '08- may '09 I was pretty worried. We did pick up in June, and are doing decent at the moment but we will end the year most likely with our worst year (revenue-wise) in 6 or 7 years.....
I dont pretend to have the answers but, I know this.... when struggling, I dont make major purchases. I think our gov.. both sides of the aisle... are out of touch with the general public, and have no comprehension of the magnitude of the financial disaster they are creating... :bang:
I dont pretend to have the answers but, I know this.... when struggling, I dont make major purchases. I think our gov.. both sides of the aisle... are out of touch with the general public, and have no comprehension of the magnitude of the financial disaster they are creating... :bang:
Roofdude..."We are surviving, but not thriving. I attribute our survival to our good name, and years in biz."
That is EXACTLY my point in my previous post! Younger people just starting out usually have to finance major purchases. Unfortunately we are all affected by the ebb and flow of credit markets in some way on a daily basis. All of us have been there. As we grow older-if things have gone well-lots of time we can pay cash. If you have done your job correctly-with a good name-those people that do not require financing will still make major purchases in tough economic times. Probably not as many...and they will scrutinize their money more carefully-but they will still spend with companies that have either a good reputation/product or a good value per dollar spent. They will not spend with companies/products that have a bad reputation for reliability/customer service or what the public PERCEIVES as not a good value. In other words-a good name may be enough to "get you over the hump" in bad times when those around you are dropping like flies. May not be a record year-but could be the difference between survival and failure. This is why it is so very important to rectify problems AT ONCE when they arise...and not try to sweep them under the rug and deny them. None of us like to admit we are wrong...as it is difficult to droop our tails between our legs and admit so-but sometimes we have to do it.
BDM should have in the past-and since they did not they should at least do so going forward-admit these EHC's need to be removed and the speedo problem be corrected before a rider or someone else is seriously injured. An EHC malfunctioning on an interstate or intersection will get you killed-just as not being able to judge you speed in a curve will. I am very concerned...not only from an aggravation standpoint-but from a safety level as to how they have disregarded this obvious flaw in their product. Raywood has had 10 speedos...and is WAY past due on their supposedly "new" one for trial????
I cannot express how sorry I am for those with BDM and so many other companies that are out of a job. However-when things are going well, you simply have to take care of problems before they mushroom.
That is EXACTLY my point in my previous post! Younger people just starting out usually have to finance major purchases. Unfortunately we are all affected by the ebb and flow of credit markets in some way on a daily basis. All of us have been there. As we grow older-if things have gone well-lots of time we can pay cash. If you have done your job correctly-with a good name-those people that do not require financing will still make major purchases in tough economic times. Probably not as many...and they will scrutinize their money more carefully-but they will still spend with companies that have either a good reputation/product or a good value per dollar spent. They will not spend with companies/products that have a bad reputation for reliability/customer service or what the public PERCEIVES as not a good value. In other words-a good name may be enough to "get you over the hump" in bad times when those around you are dropping like flies. May not be a record year-but could be the difference between survival and failure. This is why it is so very important to rectify problems AT ONCE when they arise...and not try to sweep them under the rug and deny them. None of us like to admit we are wrong...as it is difficult to droop our tails between our legs and admit so-but sometimes we have to do it.
BDM should have in the past-and since they did not they should at least do so going forward-admit these EHC's need to be removed and the speedo problem be corrected before a rider or someone else is seriously injured. An EHC malfunctioning on an interstate or intersection will get you killed-just as not being able to judge you speed in a curve will. I am very concerned...not only from an aggravation standpoint-but from a safety level as to how they have disregarded this obvious flaw in their product. Raywood has had 10 speedos...and is WAY past due on their supposedly "new" one for trial????
I cannot express how sorry I am for those with BDM and so many other companies that are out of a job. However-when things are going well, you simply have to take care of problems before they mushroom.
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stlmikie
I wish I had more money.
K9Anniv
Well-Known Member
I agree with Gas Man -
Check out the new (American made V-twin) Victory "Cross Country" in the "Extreme Skulls" paint scheme, then tell me you're still buying a Bulldog Bagger at more than double the cost? Don't get me wrong, I love Big Dog and wish them success, but in this economy it's going to be very tough to move many $40K+ custom baggers...
2010 Victory Cross Country Motorcycle : Overview
RoofDude
Well-Known Member
Well, I'd be out of a job if we never had bad weather It is funny sometimes when major storms come through, high winds, etc... It seems like I am the only one around that gets excited :roll: