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Gilroy, Ca.: This
bit of news came across my desk via a good friend and my fellow staff
journalist Partner Ray, from “Wino Joe’s RoadHouse Biker E-Magazine
at 6:17 p.m., Sept. 19th. Ray has an Inside Indian employee scoop about
the problems and fall of Indian Motorcycle Co.
So, is it really true about another American Motorcycle Company biting
the dust?
For sure I thought Indian would be around for years to come. Though I
was hearing about maintenance warranty service and parts problems in most
of the shops in California, the future still seemed to be looking great
for Indian MC.
There was even talk of Indian going to it’s own motor, getting away
from S&S. And also talk of building a 4-Cycinder that once pounded
the roads of the 40’s.
It’s like the old West as they said long ago, the Indian went the
way of the Buffalo.
Lets hope there is a solution to all this and Indian will find a way to
come back into the market.
Below our two letters I received on the 19th, and the 22nd from Ray of
RoadHouse Biker E- Magazine, Staff Journalist form Monterey, Ca.
1st letter:
The Head Thunder: (rhgang) Staff: INDIAN NO MORE!
9/19/2003 6:17 p.m.
Word from the employees is that at 2:15 this afternoon the president of
Indian Motorcycles called all
The troops outside and reported that the financing they have been looking
forward to is not coming. The company is at this time “DONE”,
and sent everyone home.
2nd letter:
as you guessed,
I know one of the factory test pilots up there (some job eh?). Here's
what's in the pipe...
Some small town just southwest of Bumfuck, Alabama, yep that's right ALABAMA!
Offered the company a vacant building there and is going to pay the company's
freight to get all the manufacturing equipment to the site. This is all
in the hope that they have enough people with above a second grade education
that might qualify to build motorcycles. I don't know if lawn mower experience
will count or not. Evidently with the present federal administrations
fiscal policy the people there find them selves all hopelessly unemployed
at present. So the little town of Bumfuck is gonna get it's own Motorcycle
Co and 400 new jobs. IF Indian survives it's present state of financial
difficulty.
So here's what happened as I see it...
REASONS
1) Indian wants there own proprietary motor, the new 100 incher that they
just built, for the new bikes. R&D costs probably throught the roof
on that alone. Tooling, another roof. Testing, another roof. Bugs, another
roof. Roof roof roof sounds like the dog next door.
2) Bush Administration rapes the economy! Markets drop financiers suffering
the shrinkage factor tuck there heads back in their repective flies rather
than spewin all over the spread sheets like they intended, to wait out
the crisis. Money on speculation and promises doesn't materialize. Hell
it ain't like we're buyin Honda stock they sez!
3) Retail buyers for the bike are naturally skittish of the first year
of a brand new motor and are hesitant to purchase. I mean hell I don't
think there's an Indian 100 incher yet that's hit 100,000 miles right?
AND check out reason number 2 again, nobody's got any dough except Bush
and his cronies, none of whom strike me as motor people.
So the company seemed to being doin OK with the democratic economy but
with the RE PUBICANS in office, things don't look to good for anybody.
Now since all this fed money has dried up, and California is loosing Medicare
funds, the state says any company in CA with more than 20 employees will
have to pay 70% of all the employees health and welfare benefits. Industry
will be heading for the Mexi. border in droves! So strike FOUR!
That's my story and I'm stickin to it,
Yer Pal,
Ray
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