Harley-Davidson Motorcycles (HOG)

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"I liked a business where customers tattoo_your_name on their chest," he continued. "But figuring out the economic value of that ... I'm not sure even going out and questioning those guys I'd learn much from them.""

"'I knew enough to lend them money'
Buffett struck a bunch of similar deals during the crisis. For example, he invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs and $3 billion in General Electric in the fall of 2008.

"Credit remained virtually nonexistent," Alice Schroeder said about that period in "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life."

Schroeder added: "Buffett lent at interest rates that in some instances bordered on usurious."

The famed investor also displayed his ruthlessness when he refused Harley-Davidson's request to repay its loan early. Berkshire said it was happy with the agreed terms, the company told Fortune.

Buffett likely netted a solid $150 million in profit from the loan. Yet he could have raked in over $1 billion by investing $300 million in Harley-Davidson stock instead, as its shares more than quadrupled in value between 2009 and 2014.

A shareholder asked Buffett why he opted for debt instead of equity during Berkshire's annual meeting in 2010.

"I knew enough to lend them money; I didn't know enough to buy the equity," the investor replied.

"I kind of like a business where your customers tattoo your name on their chest," he continued. "But figuring out the economic value of that ... I'm not sure even going out and questioning those guys I'd learn much from them."

Buffett added that he made the loan because he felt confident at the time that "a) Harley-Davidson was not going out of business, and that b) 15% was going to look pretty damned attractive."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/warren-buffett-loaned-dollar300-million-to-harley-davidson-during-the-financial-crisis-heres-a-look-back-at-how-he-helped-the-motorcycle-maker/ar-AA16AHtE