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A motorcyclist descends the main street during the annual Sturgis rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.
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Regarding "Keep Your Rates Out of My Harley" by Edward Lazear (op-ed, August 28):
Harley Davidson
Motor Company has retained its classic American icon image. This was not always the case. In 1969, AMF bought the company, reduced its workforce and rationalized its production. It was a dark time because the bikes produced were of poor quality, contained oil and were inferior to Japanese competition. The company nearly went bankrupt. A group of investors and workers led by Willie G. Davidson bought the company for $ 80 million in 1981. Rather than trying to compete with the Japanese, the new management focused on the "retro" look big bikes and slowly but surely made the company viable and "once again formidable", rising like a phoenix from its ashes.
Today's business is facing demographic challenges and weaker domestic sales issues. CEO Matthew Levatich does not intend to kill himself by taking a 31% right and an increase of $ 2,200 per unit thanks to President Trump's Smoot-Hawley tariffs on steel and aluminum in Europe . now come from overseas. However, in the face of these challenges, all that Mr. Trump can say to management is "do not be cute to us". In these circumstances, it is certainly logical that Harley moves his production to Europe and Asia.
As Harley's owner, I would not want to see Mr. Levatich yield to the president's threats, which would lead to the company's demise and a major recession.
Kenneth Gutwein
SUNY
Glen Cove, N.Y.
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