I like your thinking!

I think Big Dog is the best V-twin company out there next to Harley!

Spring is here, let’s hope the economy gets some spark to it and
things start to pick up!

Big Dog is smart and will be a survivor!

Sheldon from my experience is a brilliant man and loves Big Dog.

He will not leave Big Dog ever! He may add others to strengthen the company, but I don’t believe he will ever leave his great creation!

The last 3 years so many businesses have closed for less effort.

I believe Big Dog will be standing strong 5 years from now!

We shall see, but they are professional and fair.
They deserve to be blessed for the class they have!

God Bless Big Dog and all it’s Dealers, Customers and employees!

It was the attention to detail and the quality of the work that Justified the cost of a factory custom bike.

There was something I never could get a grasp on was why would the factory send out bikes (in the later years) knowing they had problems and let the bike get warranted in the field and paying the shop the going labor rate ($70+/hr) when the bike could have been corrected in house paying a techs wages.

I never could understand why people don’t ride their bikes much, especially when the factory had a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty!

the “run we might shine we must” is only my interpretation of the whole “curb appeal’ approach to designing a custom bike!

When I first started at the factory, if anybody on the asembly line found something that was not right, they had the power to stop the line to have the issue addressed At the end, nothing stopped production except lack of parts.

Excuse the typo errors, as I said to A$$HOLE, I’m a mechanic, not a typist!

I got reprimanded once for sending around some jokes about the company’s bikes.

My 2 favorites were:
What do Big Dogs and old dogs have in common…they both like to ride in the back of a truck!
What’s the difference between a Big Dog and an old dog….the old dog can get back out of the truck!

That got me suspended for three days without pay!

I knew of a few people who put 20-30000 miles a year on them.

Your finger got stuck on the 0 key lol

These guys should be given a free big dog…………..or 20-30000 miles maybe u had euro kilo speedos on them lol 12-18miles………….personally id put them into the, Iron butt hall of fame asap

My friend told one 750 mile a year BDM poser that he rode more miles going the wrong way on one of his trips LOL

This one just has me ??

2. We could build it cheaper as a kit rather than pre-assembled
No wonder S&S and your guys are broke………..aside from quality view point that is like someone making a cheeseburger cheaper than mc d’s

In all sincerity I hope if someone is going to start up a bike company they hire some of you guys BDM for yout what not to do experiences ………….or some of guy could teach at the MBA programs at Wharton or Kellogg

Finally

“run we might, shine we must” philosophy

Pretty sad statement ….isnt ONE of the real pleasures and enjoyment in owning any bike, riding it???? I wouldn’t piss on poser if he was on fire.

Like I said, if you wanna start a small company give a rich kid a big one

When bdm finally dies and there is no add money to give to magazines, maybe you guys can write an article about the rise and fall of bdm!!

2. We could build it cheaper as a kit rather than pre-assembled

3. We looked into pre-assembled engines, and would take them apart to see how well they were put together, And found that in some instances set up clearances were excessive for a new engine, torques were incorrect…..like some of the suppliers assemblers used a “good enough” mentality.

One thing I learned long ago was that good enough rarely is!

The team of technicians I gathered to build drive trains took pride in what they did and responsibility for their work. if they didn’t, they didn’t keep workling at BDM. I gave them the freedom to find a job with lower standards than BDM.

In the early days of Big Dog, there was a sign that had the company logo and below it stated “manufacturer of the world’s finest motorcycle”. When we moved to the current facility the sign only stated “world headquarters”. It finally became apparent to me with the whole fat tire & “curb appeal” mentality that it had become more of a “run we might, shine we must” philosophy.

There was one model year when R&D found a source for key switches that were very cheap but there were only 3 different keys that could fit any Big Dog. If you owned a Big Dog during that year, you had a 1 in 3 chance of being able to start any bike out there.

Yes, most owners only put about 2000 miles a year on their bikes. With the ignition module downloads we were able to determine that the average rider spends the bulk of his riding time in the 2500 rpm range. I knew of a few people who put 20-30000 miles a year on them.

The most interesting thing I found from my days in Tech Support was that the more you rode a Big Dog, the less likely you were to have a warranty issue.

Enough rambling from me this morning and as I used to tell my coworkers “Have a delightful Damn Big Dog Day”!

good bdm stories

order a new back for that watch……etch on it “ i survived 10 yrs at BDM”

Nice gesture on Sheldom part to give you guys the watches

A gold plated coleman camp stove would have been wayway cooler better
re sale on e-bay 

yeah i can imagine those meetings with engineers

no disrespect to you guys at bdm………but when i read engineers at bmd iam like what for, as you guys basically assembled bikes with decent parts from lots of leading parts guys in the business………and the yakking about engines intakes and restrictor plates?? WTF why did you guys need to f–k around with an s & s motors just install it, bolt it hook it up ………… or did u guys assemble them your selves to save $$$$$.

in so many ways you guys at bdm were no different than the Gilroy Indian bikes, glorified CCI 10k bikes?? well at least in the first 5-6 years then came the chopper up and out crazzzzy then some cool bikes last 4-5 years then broke due in large part to the economy

sheldon was right lots of customers were riders put 1000-200o mile a year rider and posers

yeah those 117′s were a real joke, did they make 100 hp or tqe??? On i-90 in Sturgis with strong 95′s on our dynas we blew by those bdm 117′s bikes like they were dragging an open parachute…………….. and you should have seen those bdm choppers in boulder canyon………a 1956 Honda cub could out handle them

It saddens me when I ponder the fate of BDM, I wish it to be around and become a legacy. I’d like to be old and tell stories to people about my days there, and there still being a place to point to.

Good luck.

It was a pisser when the co. went to the right side drive using Baker billet parts for test and evaluation and went with that stupid overseas knock off crap that you couldn’t get to stop leaking. They were good at using one part for R&D to get Sheldon’s ok and then providing something completely different for production bikes.

A$$HOLE,
No hard feelings here either, I didn’t think about you being Jeremy or Jason. There was a pair! the offer still stands on contacting me via e-mail. I’m a bourbon drinker myself.

I’m a mechanic not a typist, thanks for pointing out my error. I do remember the production problems. the year the engineers took over and they hired that guy from Mercruiser to be the engine development engineer. He was responsible for the restrictor plates in the intake of the 117 engine that made it such a turd.

Sheldon only had to give out a few watches and in ’08 he started to give them out 5 and 6 at a time. It didn’t take long before the policy changed and 10 year employees got a plaque and $500. It does have the BDM logo on the backside along with my name and 10 years engraved on it. I had a buddy that I worked with that had a “lemon” Rolex that wouldn’t keep time or run from day to day. I told him at least it was right twice a day!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of the work I did at BDM and proud of the watch, I don’t know what HD did, but when I worked for the local dealership, we got one paid holiday and $50 for each year we worked there. After 5 years, I could get paid for 5 whole holidays at the dealership owners discretion. At least for a while, the work we did at BDM was appreciated.

Out There Somewhere

Rick is still there and so is Scott, both are Drivers for the company. Rick is out working shows at this very minute right up till Christmas .

Thanks for the info, glad to hear it!

Not a shot at you all u bdm Rolex owners but if you guys then Rick should have a full arm of them : )

Bikerspaceman I love my used, 1956 year old GMT and 1973 Daytona………none of those 80′s yuppie rollys for me……….if yours has bdm etched on the back order a new back LOL…why associate such a quality product with a POS product!! Any bdm markings on that rolley is like a cancer, that rolley will probably crap out on you…..its all karma

Bikerspaceman whats funny about the BDM Rolleys, is here is bdm selling 5k bikes if that a year and handing out rollys, does HD do that to any employee??

…..I don’t really care if I come off like a dickhead on the internet or not, as I told Sheldon, I’m a spokesman for the motorcycle, not the company……

I don’t think you have come across as a dickhead at all, I think you have come forward and said the truth while arguing with A$$hole. But I don’t agree with how you brought the Rolex into the mix because now A$$hole has the idea that you are rubbing it in his face.

A$$hole,
I understand where you are coming from and I understand this whole situation has blown itself way out BUT that does not mean you or Bikespaceman need to add more fuel to the fire here.

Now back to the matter at hand here, BDM won’t make it through this at all. After doing some research of “owners” in the BDM company I have realized that the amount owned is greater than the amount had by the “owners” of the company. So unless BDM ( SC ) gets the money from an outside source very quickly my bet is on they dont make it to next summer. I wish them well, I really do, but at the same time I just know that without a new investor or “owner” they won’t beable to fight off their debt and the economy any longer.

That again is my 2 cents.

Conrad Nicklus

I don’t know what will finally come of this but from the few times that I have met Sheldon I get the impression that he’s not going to let go or give up without a fight. He seems to be very passionate about the business and from talking to some of the current/former employees he takes it real hard when he has to lay people off. I can understand his position, he may have the money to keep the company going for many years but Warren Buffet didn’t become the richest man in the world by investing his personal money, he gets investors to invest in his vision, which he then invests in the free market. Sometimes he looses but other times he comes out on top. Sheldon can be seen as being selfish but he built the brand out of his pocket and now needs investors to continue to the next level and doesn’t want to jeopardize his personal wealth and the future of his children if the market stays down to long.

Saxon was sold in a down economy, Indian was brought back from the dead, again in a down economy, AIH was bankrupt and completely idled yet it was sold although it hasn’t yet came back to the market, Harley was sold a few times so I think that there will be someone with the capitol that’s not short sighted and looking for a quick buck that will step up to the plate and see Sheldon and BDM through this.

Right now the only two things in the market that are consistently gaining are health care and oil. If the government gets it’s way both of those will crash very soon. Yet there are investors putting money out every single day on things other than the aforementioned medical and oil. Turn off CNN/FOX/MSNBC/………. and walk outside, the world is still turning, people are still going places and last night when I was at the mall people were still walking out with their arms full of bags. The big news people don’t want to talk about that because it won’t get them the ratings, which BTW is what they use to charge for commercial space from the very same companies they are hurting with their consistent bad news stories.

Although I came along shortly after the great stock market/banking crash of 1929 and the dark time of the 30’s I think the US survived and prospered for the next 70 years. I hope this doesn’t drag out for 11 years like it did back then but sooner or later the economy will turn around. The money doesn’t just disappear into thin air; if a billion dollars is taken out of Wall Street it goes somewhere. Of course the funny money Obama and his cronies are printing doesn’t really exist and soon it will disappear. The sooner that happens and crashes our economy like should have happened two years ago the sooner it can re-set and we can go back to a normal way of life.

Good luck Sheldon and everyone still at BDM, something good will come from all of this!

I came on here wishing well of a company that I had invested years with. I wish well of all companies in this industry, as I am personally invested. I would not say it was a pissing match as much as two sides of the street coming into a conversation. I wish all of the other laid off BDM employees nothing but the best, as they are just part of my community.

In my original posts, I never bragged on the Engineering dept at BDM< I merely stated it was extensive. It included several depts including the dept bikerspaceman worked in. In my time at BDM I heard on a regular basis that Engineering were all idiots, and did not know what they were doing. I heard the same thing from Engineering about the test center, or about service, or about purchasing, and by purchasing about accounting and on and on.

I really only knew the positions I had been in, and worked directly with, so I did not pertake in these conversations, as who was I to second guess others in their jobs, that I am sure they knew more about it than I. From my work history, I know from personal experience that this is the norm in almost any industry.

I just get upset when someone implies I was a kiss ass or a suck up. I was treated well because of my work ethic and education level. It was not my job to make sure the bikes were safe, or reliable, or curb appealing. So yes I slept very well at night.

As for the Rolex, no I did not get mine, as I was there just under a decade. I do not mind tho, as I wear my $1,800 Citizen Diver's edition. I dare someone to try to take it off of my wrist. The first Rolley handed out was way nicer than the handful of subsequent ones handed out at BDM anyways.

The sourcing of the parts was a result of the scramble to build the number of bikes that were ordered or sold. It was actually a chore to keep that many parts flowing. I agree that the quality came down, as the price went up, but that was not my call.

As for who is moaning about not having a job, I did not hear Bikerspaceman say anything like that, and I only stated that it would add to the mass of unemployed in the local market. This does not effect me eitther as I own two of my own businesses, and I grossed a ton last year. After work I volunteer at the local VA hospital as well. Something I would have never been able to do at BDM.

The things I experienced in tech support and saw in testing made me concerned. The first five years I was there, we made considerable improvements to the bikes. For the next 5 years, I watched the steady purging of top of the line parts to knock off parts made in Taiwan, China or whatever.

I understand the sourcing of parts at a reasonable cost, but while quality went diown, the price of the bikes went up as well as BDM’s profit margins. the thing that really pissed me off was the fact that people were getting second mortgages on their houses to buy a motorcycle that costs more than my home. and couldn’t be counted on to make it from point A to point B without a warranty problem. Problems that were known of for years that had reasonable and cost effective solutions weren’t considered because of whatever relationships that were developed with certain vendors.

Part of the job I did was to instrument test bikes and collect data on a data acquisition computer. If certain peopole didn’t like the test data, the data was disregarded. Most of the time, by the time we got our hands on a prototype bike, it was too late in the development process to correct problems anyway.

I don’t really care if I come off like a dickhead on the internet or not, as I told Sheldon, I’m a spokesman for the motorcycle, not the company.

That’s all I have to say.

But here is what I have gathered. There is a pissing match between 2 ex BDM employees. One of which seemed to do evry well and the other seems to just complain, moan and groan about not having a job. Now onto the Rolex comments. As a watch fanatic I would say any high end watch is going to paint a target on your back. Whether be on the street or at work someone will be jealous and give you hell, if not try and rip your arm off. But you guys need to leave the gifts from Sheldon out of the arguement, it makes you look like a dickhead over the internet justa s much as it does in person wearing the timepiece. Just my 2 cents

WOW 28 sounds like the over and under betting line on the # of skanks tiger did or had on his trap line

28-300-28 reminds me of that song by Seal, “how do we get to where we come from”

Yeah Rick, sure gave BDM their $$$ worth as a driver, sales person, set UP and tear down guy and yes warranty repair guy at rallys ………..lots of hats to wear and do it well after 18 hrs on the road and its bad food. HE SHOULD HAVE 10 ROLEXES

You know the old saying?? How do you start a small company give your kid a big one…….George Smith is experiencing this right now

Thanks for what I find as insightful and objective comments on bdm……I waqtched their rise and fall and the quality issue always came up and when u have moving vechile put together with all kinds of parts your going to have problems

I’ve spent alot of time working directly with customers to de-turd their bikes over the years, and have had good luck doing so. It’s was not a problem with the bike as much as it is a problem with the quality of the parts used. Thing didn’t have to work right, the bike had to look cool…they called it “curb appeal”, I called it looking good while you were waiting on the side of the road for a trailer to tow you home!

thanks and i wasnt sure if he was a factory rep or a shorrom sales guy……after i asked if he rode i recalled him wearing a hamster shirt once in strugis??

met him a few times and after talking with him all i said was wow this dude is wayway over his head in his job

bikerspaceman…….Julie was always nice to me and that one driver of the hauler worked his ass off, i recall rolling into sturgis one year and the dude was out there at 4-5 am and seeing him setting up the truck and display all by himself………i hope that guy is never unemployed as he is one hardest working drivers i have met

anybody can be a hero in sales and marketing when times are good!!!

bikerspaceman u have to love sheldon for handing out those Rollys……..nice classy gesture……you have a great watch at the expense of some guy having some piece of shit bike LOL or some guy still owing 25k on his 05 bike lol