MILWAUKEE -- Harley-Davidson said Thursday that its third-quarter profit slid 84 percent on fewer motorcycle shipments and recession-related difficulties in getting loans for its customers, according to The Associated Press.

The motorcycle manufacturer also plans to stop making Buell motorcycle products and will sell its MV Agusta division.

Harley-Davidson - which has implemented production and job cuts this year - earned $26.5 million, or 11 cents per share, for the period ended Sept. 27. That's down from $166.5 million, or 71 cents per share, a year ago.

Sales dropped 21 percent to $1.12 billion from $1.42 billion, but its retail motorcycle sales decline of 21.3 percent was not as steep as the previous quarter's 30.1 percent dropoff.