Customer SERVICE?

Ever think about avoiding the dealer altogether on the bike purchase?

Dad and I have never been able to get a good deal at any of the dealers around here, and none of them have "punk a$$" kids in the sales department.

We've had good success from private sellers.

Yeah, but you don't get that "new bike smell" that way!

We have a very close "yuppie dealer", as I call them. List plus tax plus setup. Also owned by the same family is a hole in the wall Honda/Yamaha shop about 50 miles east of us. Always about 500-800 under list, OTD price. It's a seriously "stuck in the 80's" looking place, with a couple of really nice, um, "older" gents selling and heading up the maint. dept. I've never had to bring a bike in, but I've bought my last three bikes from them new, for great prices, and hassle free. They are great to deal with. It takes some looking to find good shops like this one, but they're out there.

fizzle said:

I was attempting to trade in my street bike for the dirt bike, so I felt it would be easier to do it all in one fell swoop at a dealer. Obviously not.

I take it that's one vote for E.

Anyone else?

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No, I don't think you're insane. I guess I assumed that since you bought an 05, it was used, but perhaps it was a leftover.

Of course, you can't buy a new one from a private dealer.

Having sold both new and used cars for awhile, I can honestly say that I don't think I will ever buy either a new car or a new motorcycle again.

Losing 20%+ of what I just paid merely because I signed on the dotted line does not appeal to me much anymore. Plus, with enough shopping, one can find a nice used bike with most of the aftermarket parts I'm going to put on it already installed! My bike already had a Bill's Pipe and Silencer (no dents) and Hinson Clutch when I bought it.

As to biglou's comment - they do make that "new car" smell in a spray bottle . . . I wonder if you can get the "new bike" smell as well. ;)

BTW, in the car business, trading a car is the best way to make the dealer the most money . . . but I'm sure you knew that already.

fizzle said:

Which should make it all the more appealing to a salesman to try to work a deal, right?

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Here's more info than you probably need . . . ;)

Markup on new motorcycles is apparently minimal compared to cars.

In new cars in 2002-2003, Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge, frontside markup was approx $4000.00 on a $40,000.00 Diesel one ton dually and $800.00 on a $13,000.00 Neon.

It's quite difficult to work a profitable trade on a Neon if the person trading is "upside-down" on their trade - if they owe more than the trade-in value of the car - which is probably 75% of the people in this area. After all, you've only got $800 to work with.

On used cars, anything priced over $10,000.00 typically had $4,000 markup so they could show the person trading $2000 extra on their trade - and still make $2000 profit - that was the goal profit on a used sale for the dealer I worked for.

The salesmen were getting paid 25% of the gross on any deal, new or used. On any new car sale, the salesman would also get a check for $50-200 direct from Chrysler. It was the only thing that made selling new cars worth doing because the average gross on most new cars was not very high. I sold several new cars for $200 gross - I made $50+ the check from Chrysler.

A guy I worked with at the car dealer is now at the local Honda/Yamaha dealer. He told me he gets paid a flat $25 per new unit sold and gets a small check direct from the Corp. However, it's normal for him to sell 4-6 units per day - mostly ATV's.

The lack of markup on new motorcycles would probably make trading somewhat difficult since the trader would probably want more for the trade-in than the dealer was willing to give - and the dealer wouldn't have much markup to work with to "show" the person more for their trade.

Thus, the salesman is probably less likely to move on the trade because even though he is probably on a flat pay, he still needs to keep the average gross up on his deals to make the manager happy - or he might lose his job.

That's my theory, but I haven't worked at a motorcycle dealer, so I'm not sure. . .

I am old and crotchetty but found a dealer that I really like to work with. I can call him on the phone tell him what I want and he will call back within an hour with the price. I haven't been able to beat his price in the past and now take it for granted that he is doing the same. He also hooks me up with parts cheaper then I can get anywhere else all again on the phone and then mailed to my door.
We have bought our last 4 bikes from him and hopefully later this summer will do it again.
Now as far as punk@ss kids selling bikes my 17 yr old son does work at a dealership selling bikes (too bad they are orange) and if I ever hear he gives that attitude I'll kick his @ss and then watch as his boss finishes up with him
In the last 4 days he has sold 6 bikes and connected gear because he sounds like he knows what he is talking about and can and will answer questions

It's a pretty familiar tune. I've got several multi brand dealers around me and the house of orange that is a "real" shop that is more about bikes than the flash. I'd buy from them in a heart beat if I was looking for a pumpkin because they are good people, support our club, and have always treated me and my wife who knows NOTHING about bikes very well. The flip side is the rest of the local shops, they are big, sell all kinds of everything and typically are not overly friendly or knowledgable. They also don't seem to be too willing to work with a customer as the price is the price take it or leave it. When I bought my son a new Honda it cam from Service Honda because the local dealer didn't impress me and even with shipping the bike was less than what the local shop wanted which was well over MSRP! So if you are any of the above then you are not alone, there are plenty of us that expect a little service when we are customers. Heck I might even check out that Wisconsin KTM dealer that Spider is working at and see what kind of deals they cut :)

My local Suzuki/Kawasaki shop is ridiculous - the parts kid is incompetent and they have a Dial up conection so it takes them 10 minutes to even find a part number.

I took my 2 year old daughter in there one day when I was looking for a part I really needed. I talked to the kid, told him what I needed and then took my daughter to sit on the ATV's. 45 minutes later he told me he didn't have what I needed. He had waited on at least 2 other people before he told me.

I haven't been back. I get all aftermarket stuff from the local Honda/Yamaha shop where the parts guy gives me a discount without asking for it (this is the same shop that WILL NOT give you a deal on a new or used bike in the sales department). For OEM I either drive 45 minutes or order off the internet.

I don't like the sales staff at my local Honda/Zook shop, but I do buy some parts from them. I am on a first name basis at the Yami shop that is 2 miles from the house, and they will give me a decent deal on bikes, and can get me any parts I need. But right now my Kawi shop makes me happiest, the salesman cut a couple hundred of the price of my son's 06 65, and even threw in an aluminum stand. I asked for none of this. The parts department also gives me a discount on everything, I don't even know when they started doing it, I just noticed it on my reciept one day. They also give me good recommendations on supplies and gear. The salesman and parts guy both ride. The salesman even let me ride his personal KX250 when I was thinking about getting into dirtbikes. Did I mention that only the Honda/Zook guys have to ask my name when I order stuff? That's because I don't visit them as often.

C. :bang:

It must be a thing with Suzuki shops. My local Suzuki dealerships emplyees are all idiots. They will try to rip you off any way they can and dont even try to help. I went in there once and asked for a BR8EVX (Before they changed the name of them to EIX). I got a 'sorry, this plug has been discontinued, it has been replaced by this plug' (cant remeber the name), but anyway, the plug was 26$, I went to the yamaha dealer and picked up 2 EVX's for 18$. I do all my parts thru the Yamaha dealer. I get a discount there and Im pretty much on a first name basis.