Anybody ever bought a new motorcycle?

[manifest destiny]

What you are calling "hocus pocus" and disingenuous are part of what keeps the lights on for smaller dealers.

Just so we're clear, I point to these sentences in my post which you left out.

I don't begrudge the costs to the dealer being passed to the buyer.

All that to say, the dealers do have legitimate costs that should be recovered when product is sold.

Kudos to dealers able to stay in business. And buyers should accept that business' are for-profit. McCorporation isn't going to sell you a $1 burger if it cost McCorporation $1.10 to produce the burger. Cycle dealers are the same. They operate for a profit, rightly. But the fees - dealer, doc, prep,(the list is endless) are BS. If they weren't, they wouldn't be negotiable, which they are. The OP might be best served looking for used from private sellers. If he wants new, he's subject to the game and should accept that. Please don't misstate my position. I'm not anti-dealer.

 

[kawtech87]

Just so we're clear, I point to these sentences in my post which you left out.


Kudos to dealers able to stay in business. And buyers should accept that business' are for-profit. McCorporation isn't going to sell you a $1 burger if it cost McCorporation $1.10 to produce the burger. Cycle dealers are the same. They operate for a profit, rightly. But the fees - dealer, doc, prep,(the list is endless) are BS. If they weren't, they wouldn't be negotiable, which they are. The OP might be best served looking for used from private sellers. If he wants new, he's subject to the game and should accept that. Please don't misstate my position. I'm not anti-dealer.

No I caught what you said. But to be honest I'm completely apathetic to the whole thing anymore. Our dealership did go out of business. Mostly because we were young and lacking in understanding of how the game is played. Not just between dealer and customer but mostly between dealer and manufacturer. Neither care about the dealer when it's all said and done and both only truly want to screw the dealer and the both expect the dealer just to bend over and take it with a smile and ask for seconds. If the dealer doesn't and tries to make a little scratch for themselves then the customer will walk out and scream how the dealer is screwing them and not being fair and say things like this charge is bogus and that charge isn't fair all while having absolutely no knowledge of how things work on the other side of that sales desk or the kind shenanigans the manufacturers pull on us. We are just supposed to eat it all and give things away and even then customers would complain it wasn't quick enough or something. Like any business it'd be fantastic if it wasn't for the customers. I'm just glad that part of my life is over.

 

[manifest destiny]

I get it. Many (most?) think that when they pay a buck for a sandwich at a drive-thru, the business made a dollar in profit. I can't decide if that's comical or sad. It's as if the thought of procuring the product, shipping the product, preparing the product, the person handing you the product thru the window have no cost to the business. You're right. Customers *****. Even when they feel like they got what they wanted there is always something more the retailer should have done or offered in their mind. Sorry to hear your venture didn't survive. But maybe the experience will give you a leg up on future endeavors. I'm just glad you're a kaw tech and not one of those yamadog guys upthread.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

If you don't want to pay for pdi and prep, just keep shopping for a dealership until you find one smart enough to mark those lines zero dollars on the invoice and then make more than normal on the back end with monthly payment, interest rate, down payment, decreased trade-in value, or inflated service times for any accessory install you may choose. I assume of course that you won't be bringing said motorcycle back to the dealership for regular service, buy your tires online, and complain about a complimentary wash after a free recall repair. If you want to play the game you gotta pay to play, one way or another. Sorry, this went a little deeper than I intended. I'm just a bitter ex-service writer LOL

 

[JCSR]

If you don't want to pay for pdi and prep, just keep shopping for a dealership until you find one smart enough to mark those lines zero dollars on the invoice

Or buy a well taken care of used bike.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

Or buy a well taken care of used bike.

I've had a few bikes, only one new. Both ways have their merits!

 

[JCSR]

I've had a few bikes, only one new. Both ways have their merits!

Bikes lose a sh*t ton of value the first 2 years. It's not hard to find 2 or 3 year old bike with very few miles. My last 3 have been used.

 

[91FXRS]

It all boils down to researching before you buy, know what the bike is selling for (what it is worth out the door) in the current market including fees. keep in mind there may be three other people willing to pay more than you want to depending on availability, so you have to understand your negotiating power before you talk any numbers. The number one rule I have learned to live by and preach to my kids is when it comes to toys that cost more and more as we get older, if it's meant to be, it's meant to be, if not move on and find a deal that you will be happy with. Good luck OP I hope you find the deal that was meant to be.

 

[Nazgul]

I have used the dealer several times for tires/repairs for my Indian. This despite being a mechanic all my working life. I do a lot of stuff myself. It goes easier sometimes with the specialized equipment they have. Also if anything goes wrong, they are responsible, not me. Paid a little more recently for a set of tires, not much. Still feel it is better to support them at times.

Don

 

[Bugzilla]

I bought a new 1985 Goldwing Limited in late1985 in Griffith. Traded my Kawasaki and they held the Goldwing through the winter and I picked it up in spring 1986. Terpstra’s if I recall.
I wanted a Harley, but when I went to the HD dealer that used to be on 130 with my Kawasaki, their attitude was get that Jap Crap off our lot.

 

[funeralweb]

why should I pay for them to actually assemble the product?

You don't have to.

IF you are a V-twin guy:

paughcoparts.com is a great 1-stop source for components.
sscycle.com for engine/transmission needs.

Bring it all together with tools from Crapsman or Harbor Freight if you want to add more time to your build due to breakage OR spend a little more for Snap-On goodies.


You will quickly realize that, as satisfying as building your own bike can/will be, your time value of money is more expensive than buying from a mass producer that spreads the cost of production over many many units.

 

[Floki]

It all boils down to researching before you buy, know what the bike is selling for (what it is worth out the door) in the current market including fees. keep in mind there may be three other people willing to pay more than you want to depending on availability, so you have to understand your negotiating power before you talk any numbers. The number one rule I have learned to live by and preach to my kids is when it comes to toys that cost more and more as we get older, if it's meant to be, it's meant to be, if not move on and find a deal that you will be happy with. Good luck OP I hope you find the deal that was meant to be.

very wise

 

[Floki]

very educational

 

[JettaKnight]

very educational

Yeah, his videos are definitely worth the time.

 

[breakingcontact]

Same here, Never bought a bike from one of those back of the warehouse discounters. I trade with a dealer I like, and don't begrudge him his time to really prep the bike well. I figure it is worth the money to establish yourself with someone you trust to look out for you.

Not just vehicles, but with many large ticket items customers complain that they are treated like a number and that the seller does not care. The little extra I pay at locally owned dealers usually pays off in better service and respect. This whole generation has submitted to the great discount delusion, starving out anything that looks like real service.

That knife cuts both ways.

Also a lot of dealers out there abusing their captive market.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Just negotiate an OTD price and don't worry about how you got there. When dealing with any dealership I am very up front that I want their OTD price less sales tax (as I tend to shop around multiple states and sales tax isn't collected, or collected at the same rate in all states so I want to eliminat that variable). I don't care how you line item it out, I just want to know what number you want the check. Compare across the dealers who entered a bid, and select the one that's the best junction of price/conveience if any of them hit a price I'm willing to pay

 

[Leo]

That knife cuts both ways.

Also a lot of dealers out there abusing their captive market.

There are some like that. It is like dating, a lot of them look ok, but it takes a little while to get to know them. Some turn out fine, some you cannot wait to get away from.