They had a fascinating market strategy going before the great recession. IIRC, they were acquiring huge piles of cash from venture capital sources and then doing their own financing. That way, you could be a junior Billy Bad Ass factory worker earning 25K a year and live your dream as a lone Wolf. The dealer would set you up with a $20K bike (at retail, no discounting for something that can only increase in value, LOL ) then give you an allowance for performance mods. and or clothing. It was nothing to have some dipshit roll out of the dealer with $20K "invested" in the bike, and another $3-4K in a pirate costume and high performance parts, all with little down. Combine this with a so-so credit score, and long term, high rate financing, and this house of cards fell just like the home industry did. Not surprisingly, few saw issues with this business model, or anticipated it's rather certain collapse.