NEW YORK—Harley-Davidson Inc. is considering sites in four states for a possible relocation of its main motorcycle plant in Pennsylvania, a company spokesman said Friday.

Company and union officials toured locations in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Shelbyville, Ind., Shelbyville, Ky., and Kansas City, Mo., over the last week as the company assesses a possible move, Bob Klein said. No other locations are being considered, he added.

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson announced in May it was exploring a relocation of its motorcycle assembly facility in York, Pa., which employs 2,300 people. Though the company’s preferred path is to stay in York, Klein said, the factory is inefficient and has too much capacity. A decision is expected later this year.

Pennsylvania officials are fighting to keep the plant in York. Earlier this month, Gov. Ed Rendell said the state was developing an economic package that includes job training and infrastructure, low-interest loans and $15 million for plant upgrades to induce Harley to stay.

The plant opened in 1973, but some of the buildings date back to World War II. In addition, the large number of job classifications in the union contract makes it difficult to shift workers into different duties, the company has said.

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Harley faces several 800 lb gorilla’s and tries to get them on motorcycles
Third quarter financial results, union negotiations and an economy trying to get better are all ahead of Harley

The next few weeks may be a little tense around the corridors of legendary motorcycle manufacturer, Harley-Davidson.

On Thursday the Milwaukee-based company will announced its third quarter results even as executives prepare for negotiations with union workers in York, Pennsylvania to decide how and where it make it’s iconic motorcycles.

And there’s that small matter about the struggling economy.

Even as everyone from Wall Street to motorcycle enthusiasts look to Harley-Davidson’s financial performance over the last quarter, a leading index has consumer spending hitting its highest level in two years.

Consumer spending is a key indicator of how well motorcycles, considered a luxury item by many financial experts, sell. The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index rising again in September, to a recent record high can generally be considered good news for motorcycle manufacturers, including Harley-Davidson.

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Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada, the exclusive Canadian distributor of Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles, parts, accessories and apparel has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2010.

The 2010 selection committee gave the following overview of why the company was chosen:

It supports ongoing education with tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions, with no annual maximum; encourages employees to volunteer in the community by providing paid time-off for volunteer activities and also helps employees save for retirement through an RSP plan with matching employer contributions (from 5% to 9% of salary). Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada is an industry leader, the committee claims, providing parental leave top payments (to 75% for 52 weeks) for new mothers, and depending on their position, it gives all employees three to four weeks paid vacation after only two years on the job. Finally, the company helps employees obtain their motorcycle license, lets employees borrow demo bikes and even provides discounts on new motorcycles.

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