Harley and Benelli selling Chinese Qianjing motorcycles

jeckyll

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[Changed jekyll's title from Harley will sell re-branded Chinese motorcycles - CW]

https://www.webbikeworld.com/the-qianjiang-qj350-will-be-harley-davidsons-small-displacement-machine/

I think it'll be interesting to see how this will work out for them.

Some thoughts:
  • First, it doesn't look very 'Harley-like'
  • Then, it'll cost more than the identical (?) bike with different branding.
  • Finally, who's their market for a 350 cc motorcycle that looks and probably rides completely different than anything else they sell?
 
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moto.monk

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Nothing new selling something rebranded at huge increase. In this case they did market research to see where this will work in other like the us they change parts and still claim it to be us made.
 

Squibb

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These badge engineering sales exercises fool no one - HD have tried it before.

Surely they have the expertise to develop a fresh concept & range, or has the operation become too large & bloated to retrench.
 

Longdog Cymru

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These badge engineering sales exercises fool no one - HD have tried it before.

Surely they have the expertise to develop a fresh concept & range, or has the operation become too large & bloated to retrench.
Yes, when HD were AMX they had 250 and 350 bikes, some were rebadged Aermacchis. As a former Buell owner, I think HD did themselves an enormous disservice when they closed down Erid Buell’s excellent operation.
 

Sierra1

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  • Finally, who's their market for a 350 cc motorcycle that looks and probably rides completely different than anything else they sell?
I would ass-sume the youngsters in China. HD badging, and super sport styling. I'm wondering whose motor that they reverse engineered. Also, are we sure HD has anything to do with it? China use BMW badging, and BMW doesn't take any action. Just because the article says HD knows. . . . it doesn't mean they do.
 

moto.monk

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Yes, when HD were AMX they had 250 and 350 bikes, some were rebadged Aermacchis. As a former Buell owner, I think HD did themselves an enormous disservice when they closed down Erid Buell’s excellent operation.
Eric buell I think was shut because they wanted to stick with more normal hd. However Eric buell made his company but it failed after poor mismanagement of the company finances by upper management.
 

Checkswrecks

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It's not about sales in the US, QJ bought Benelli in 2005 and has been rumored to have been supporting Harley. They've been working together to start selling under the Harley brand in India and Asia for several years because nobody is denying that building just classic big tourers for Americans with tattoos will be anything other than a slow road to Harley's death. The Harley 350 was announced over a year ago. Look close at this, the drawing in the link you posted, and the QJ300 and you can see how similar they are.

In fact, I can buy THIS brand new Benelli 300 TODAY only 8 miles from my house for only $4,299. I have personally sat on it and clearly it was not designed for us 200+ lb 'Muricans. But if you're a skinny high school or college student (or in the 3rd world), think of the appeal of being the kid with an Italian Benelli.

Harley provides the name and pays for marketing, QJ provides the bikes, and they both make money. Seen a Harley stock chart for the last number of years? They need this.

The big Benelli/QJ bike in the US is a 600 so far but HeliMark and I met up after we saw this Benelli TRK502 adventure bike in September 2019 in Ohio. It's another QJ bike that may be the weight of the 750 BMWs with only 47-49 hp, but think Honda CB500X or VStrom 650 and there's a huge market. It felt a lot like a VStrom 650 to sit on and it's been selling in other countries for far less than the Honda 500X. https://medium.com/@richardjeaton/motorcycle-review-benelli-trk-502-is-this-the-best-value-adventure-motorcycle-you-can-buy-41476a7b6fac



And look out world, because they are working on a 1200 that is based on the old Benelli 1130 triple. https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/news/2020/january/benelli-1200-chinas-most-powerful-bike-yet

 
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moto.monk

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HD has been on the decline for years. They have been trying to stay ahead by moving to other markets, cutting production costs, marketing clothing, changing there motorcycle line up, share hording. So this rebadged could be the next step. I mean why make your own motorcycle just slap your logo on something else and people will take it. Oh wait isn't that why sales have been in the u.s.?
 

Sierra1

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Whaaaat?! What's the world coming to? "dogs and cats, sleeping together. . . ." I never knew Benelli made bikes. Reading up on them, now I know why. Shotguns. That's what I know Benelli for. Their Super 90 being the best shotgun ever made. :cool: Every time I shoot one. . . . I feel the need to smoke a cigarette. :rolleyes:
 
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