I've read all the posts. I've read the articles, and yes, including all the wannabe custom builders opinions. Allow me to impart a different perspective, one in which I have nothing to gain from, nor have a personal ax to grind as some of these wannabe builders do.
I've been in the corporate life for almost 30 years. There are only a couple differences between Harley's company lifecycle and BDM, although leathal.
First, Harley was more lucky than good. To their credit however, they recognized, or rather stumbled upon the secret to sales success. But dont think for a minute that what happened to BDM didnt happen to Harley.
The secret Harley stumbled upon was the only real thing that everyone is willing to buy. That one thing everyone wants, all the time. No, Harley didnt invent it, and no, Harley isnt the only company that sells it.
What is it you ask? ..........wait..............wait for it................
The Dream. Yes. simply put, The Dream.
The Dream is the easiest thing to sell. Why? simple. Because everyone wants to Believe! Tap into these two inherent human characteristics, and you have significant power and influence over another person, entity, thing.
It is in our DNA. These two powerful emotions (again, emotions), are the compelling drivers that cause people to act.
So, what the hell does this have to do with Harley or BDM? Again, elementary.
Harley stumbled upon the Dream. They recognized and tapped into a very powerful need by a broad population that was desperately searching to identify with a made popular alter ego. Remember Marlon Brando? The biker life style, live free, that whole notion of being able to detach from the day in the life of the average and ordinary suburban lifestyle.
HD capitalized on all the mom and pops with their 2 1/2 kids, living in the suburbs, dual incomes, 2 car garage, with disposable income, market. They offered the Dream of an alternative lifestyle, albeit limited to weekends and holidays. 40 somethings all across the country drove their mini vans to their local neighborhood HD dealer, signed their financing papers, and rode off with their $300/month RoadKing payments.
Mom would drop Johnny off at little league, while dad, the average waistline bulging corporate burnout who finally figured out his secretary wasnt really gonna give it up to him so the next best thing was to dress his wife up in chapps, was warming his alter ego up in his garage next to his leased bimmer.
Mom would rush home in anticipation of dating her old, er, new bad boy husband who found new interest in her! Hell yes he can finance that fucking harley, I'm skinny and beautiful again!
So off they go to hang out and look cool and bad at the local suburban HD dealership, pay $40 for a T shirt, and mom can sling her titts into that $50 harley halter top. Cool man!
Harley's business model is greatly supplemented by selling biker wannabees expensive t shirts, jeans, bandanas, whatever it takes to make you "believe" youre really cooler than the Joneses next door...hell yes you'll pay....its a dream! and they get you to 'believe' you're really a cool bad ass!
Take a look at today's harley dealership. It's a friggin Walmart of motorcycle parafanalia. And therein lies the major advantage HD had over BDM. Harley tapped into the Dream (desire) of middle american, and the need to exercise the alter ego of us corporate burnouts logging 50-60 work weeks saying "yes" to the Man. We can have that little sense of bad boy that frees us from our slave jobs. And hell, mom actually gets out of her suburban cargo pants and flip flops and is willing to squeeeze into a pair of jeans 3 sizes too small for her, and wear boots, and if Im lucky, cuss a few words every now and then. Now that's worth my $300/month payment for sure.
It was the perfect storm of good timing, a post industrial bulging middle class burnouts seeking detachment, and good economic times, not to mention little competition. HD diversified their portfolio in selling clothes, key chains, etc. all to feed your Dream!
BDM, well, they made a classic mistake. They drank their kool aid. Yes, they made the coolest bikes in the world. Yes, many, many people wanted them. But, that's it! No supplemental revenue stream, no really creative marketing.
Dang, why not roll one of these bad boys into the middle of the cage of every UFC pay per view event? Why not roll them across the field at the Super Bowl? Why didnt BDM go out and Market their brand and create new customers? How did they tap into a sustainable revenue stream?
They didnt. They just made and sold bad ass bikes. Unfortunately, it wasnt enough, and in these economic times, there wasn't an AMF around to help them through a rough patch.
So what's the good news you ask? ..... We're all still here. The market lives, quietly and a little dormant? yes, but alive!
There is no question in my mind BDM will be back.
It's elementary.
I've been in the corporate life for almost 30 years. There are only a couple differences between Harley's company lifecycle and BDM, although leathal.
First, Harley was more lucky than good. To their credit however, they recognized, or rather stumbled upon the secret to sales success. But dont think for a minute that what happened to BDM didnt happen to Harley.
The secret Harley stumbled upon was the only real thing that everyone is willing to buy. That one thing everyone wants, all the time. No, Harley didnt invent it, and no, Harley isnt the only company that sells it.
What is it you ask? ..........wait..............wait for it................
The Dream. Yes. simply put, The Dream.
The Dream is the easiest thing to sell. Why? simple. Because everyone wants to Believe! Tap into these two inherent human characteristics, and you have significant power and influence over another person, entity, thing.
It is in our DNA. These two powerful emotions (again, emotions), are the compelling drivers that cause people to act.
So, what the hell does this have to do with Harley or BDM? Again, elementary.
Harley stumbled upon the Dream. They recognized and tapped into a very powerful need by a broad population that was desperately searching to identify with a made popular alter ego. Remember Marlon Brando? The biker life style, live free, that whole notion of being able to detach from the day in the life of the average and ordinary suburban lifestyle.
HD capitalized on all the mom and pops with their 2 1/2 kids, living in the suburbs, dual incomes, 2 car garage, with disposable income, market. They offered the Dream of an alternative lifestyle, albeit limited to weekends and holidays. 40 somethings all across the country drove their mini vans to their local neighborhood HD dealer, signed their financing papers, and rode off with their $300/month RoadKing payments.
Mom would drop Johnny off at little league, while dad, the average waistline bulging corporate burnout who finally figured out his secretary wasnt really gonna give it up to him so the next best thing was to dress his wife up in chapps, was warming his alter ego up in his garage next to his leased bimmer.
Mom would rush home in anticipation of dating her old, er, new bad boy husband who found new interest in her! Hell yes he can finance that fucking harley, I'm skinny and beautiful again!
So off they go to hang out and look cool and bad at the local suburban HD dealership, pay $40 for a T shirt, and mom can sling her titts into that $50 harley halter top. Cool man!
Harley's business model is greatly supplemented by selling biker wannabees expensive t shirts, jeans, bandanas, whatever it takes to make you "believe" youre really cooler than the Joneses next door...hell yes you'll pay....its a dream! and they get you to 'believe' you're really a cool bad ass!
Take a look at today's harley dealership. It's a friggin Walmart of motorcycle parafanalia. And therein lies the major advantage HD had over BDM. Harley tapped into the Dream (desire) of middle american, and the need to exercise the alter ego of us corporate burnouts logging 50-60 work weeks saying "yes" to the Man. We can have that little sense of bad boy that frees us from our slave jobs. And hell, mom actually gets out of her suburban cargo pants and flip flops and is willing to squeeeze into a pair of jeans 3 sizes too small for her, and wear boots, and if Im lucky, cuss a few words every now and then. Now that's worth my $300/month payment for sure.
It was the perfect storm of good timing, a post industrial bulging middle class burnouts seeking detachment, and good economic times, not to mention little competition. HD diversified their portfolio in selling clothes, key chains, etc. all to feed your Dream!
BDM, well, they made a classic mistake. They drank their kool aid. Yes, they made the coolest bikes in the world. Yes, many, many people wanted them. But, that's it! No supplemental revenue stream, no really creative marketing.
Dang, why not roll one of these bad boys into the middle of the cage of every UFC pay per view event? Why not roll them across the field at the Super Bowl? Why didnt BDM go out and Market their brand and create new customers? How did they tap into a sustainable revenue stream?
They didnt. They just made and sold bad ass bikes. Unfortunately, it wasnt enough, and in these economic times, there wasn't an AMF around to help them through a rough patch.
So what's the good news you ask? ..... We're all still here. The market lives, quietly and a little dormant? yes, but alive!
There is no question in my mind BDM will be back.
It's elementary.
