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Harley Davidson Touring
The Harley-Davidson
Motor Company NYSE: HDI is a manufacturer
of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
It is one of the two remaining American mass-producers
of motorcycles (along with Victory Motorcycles).
The company emphasizes heavy bikes designed
for cruising and known for their distinctive
exhaust noise. Harley-Davidson
motorcycles (popularly referred to as "Harleys")
are distinctive in design and attract a loyal
following, and hold their resale value very
well compared to other vehicles. A well maintained
vehicle might never drop in value at all,
although regular maintenance is expected.
Detractors contend that
Harleys are badly engineered, under-powered
and under-performing, and have poor handling
and suspension. This is attributed to an American
pedigree that favors designs for long, low-speed
cruising on flat, straight roads. The
company supplies many domestic police forces
with their motorcycle fleets. Harleys are
especially noted for the tradition of heavy
customization that gave rise to the chopper-style
of motorcycle. It also licenses its logo,
which is a profitable side business ($41 million
of revenue in 2004, or almost 5% of net income).
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