Motorcycle Industry, Case Study Example

Note on the Motorcycle Industry – 1975

US Motorcycle Industry: History Performance Analysis

 Perform industry, competitor, and customer analyses on the US motorcycle industry as of 1959-1960.

The year 1960 was a remarkable course of development in the US motorcycle industry as it promoted the introduction of the new form of transportation that issued top brass convenience for the buyers. Relatively, the introduction of companies like Harley Davidson has created a sense of new culture that defined the course of development in the country’s new options of transportation. However, at the brink of an eye, the incoming introduction of newer and more efficient motorcycle models made by Japanese companies challenged the newly refined industry. The perception of the customers from having the chance to own their personal motorcycles transformed into having a chance to attain high performing motorcycles for their transportation needs, a matter that the Japanese made motorcycles provide.

Analyze the changes in the industry from 1960-1974, relative to the above.

The years between 1960 and 1974 proved to be a course of change in the US motorcycle industry. As the Japanese industries came in, the development of the market approach of the US companies was challenged to improve accordingly. However, given that they did not have the exact technology that was needed to create such high end transportation options; US companies like Harley Davidson needed to opt to reestablish a new culture; something that would impress the market better. However on the other hand, Japanese companies counteracted this through creating a new set of motorcycles that would appeal to the market segment that Harley Davidson did not, the women, the elderly and the less tough individuals who simply wanted to have an owned transport option that they can manage to maintain and take care of with efficiency.

Write up your analyses

In relative connection to the presentation of history noted above, it could be analyzed that the Japanese companies gained an edge due to their utilization effective response to market segmentation. Understanding the efficiency desired and required by the market, the Japanese companies simply knew how to turn around the attention of the US market. Creating differentiating options from that of the US companies, the Japanese motorcycle creators found better ways to appeal to the ideas that the market actually considers important during the time which changed how the industry operated in the market it serves.

With Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki leading the industry’s growth, the market duly responds to what these companies have to offer. Notably, it could be understood that the perception of the market has been completely changed because of the emergence of the Japanese rule in the industry. This then indicates the complete control that the Japanese organizations had on the market during the said span of time.

Then answer:

• Who drove the US motorcycle companies out of business

The Japanese companies such as Honda redefined the course by which the early motorcycle industries in US thrived. It could be analyzed that through the points of history, the course that the US industry on motorcycles have been duly commanded by this particular change making Harley Davidson a mere source of vintage motorcycles in the country.

• What happened to Harley Davidson

Harley Davidson merely exists today as a culture-defined company which the market only recognizes as a source of model-motorcycles rather than a source of practical transport options. While the market continues to embrace what new companies offer, Harley Davidson struggles to remain in the competition instead of simply holding a reputation of being a fashion-motorcycle. Although the company does try to adjust, the position held by the Japanese motorcycle companies have been well established in the country from then until now hence making it harder for newer companies apart from Harley Davidson to enter the arena of competition.

• Who is in the best shape and who is in the worst shape at the end of the case

Companies such as Honda remains strong enough to hold its ground even when new US motorcycle companies came into existence. Nevertheless, this fact specifically turned around the course of development that US companies took into consideration. Although Harley Davidson’s placing in the market is not completely the worst, the company barely makes it especially when the campaign for more efficient motorcycles came into existence in the industry. The desire to remain in the competition is obvious on the part of the company as it intends to change its course of marketing hence trying to make a definite indication of transformation on the matters it hopes to offer the market with.