by: Jonathan Salem Baskin
Harley-Davidson's stock price is little more than a third of what it was a year ago, representing a steep decline in the intangible value of its brand.
With motorcycle demand down 30% in the U.S., and a near-total evaporation of the hog-makers ability to write loans for would-be buyers, is the company just another victim of tough times...or is there something flawed in the way the experts routinely celebrated the relevance and utility of its brand?