Dealers can't ship bikes?

[Casper250]

I just emailed a dealer asking if they ship bikes. I got a responce saying that Honda wont allow them to ship bikes into other people's territory. Is this true?

I bought my last bike from Service Honda and had it shipped to me no problem.

 

[Patman]

Maybe call Serive Honda again then?

 

[scar tissue]

I have heard stories both ways. From what I gathered at least Yamaha and Handa sent out memo's about not shipping bikes out of the area. Some dealers felt it was a request and could still make their own choice others felt it was a mandate. this was especially teh case on bikes coming in from Canada. Surprizingly, one dealer I worked with 2 different reps, one said they could (and did) the other said they couldn't. My advice call another dealer.

 

[mia1527]

Most vendors actually won't let dealers ship out of their territories because then it's not fair to the other dealers. Some places will brake the rules but it's usually just easier to get a bike at your local shop.

 

[Thump]

...because then it's not fair to the other dealers.

Why is it not fair? All of the dealers pay the same for the bikes, some want to make a lot of money on each sale while others think it is better practice to sell a lot of bikes with a smaller profit per unit sold. If dealers are not allowed to ship bikes any more the only people it is unfair to is the BUYING public.

Think about it, you go to the shops near you and bikes are selling for $1000 over MSRP. What options do you have if everybody in the area is selling them for the same price? That also causes the dealers that do sell them cheaper to raise their prices because they will not be selling as many units and will have to make more per unit sold. Personally I don't want a monopoly, I want to do business with a dealer that WANTS to do business with me, not one that wants to screw me blind because they know I have no other option.

Service Honda has gotten my business for the last 3 years. 3 dirt bikes and 2 on the way and a SuperHawk. And they will continue to get my business because they work their asses off to make things right.

 

[redlines]

Yeah Abernathys has the best price in the US on 2005 CRF 450's for $5800 but they won't ship. Service Honda is the next best at $6300 plus shipping but then you have to register it your self and with me being in CA the DMV will tax you off what you paid for the bike. So for me its better to just get a good OTD price on one here.