I’ve always believed dealer prep fee must be waived or no deal for me. Its offensive to charge that on top of the price of the vehicle. Preparing the vehicle is part of the cost of doing business in my opinion.
You can reverse that by reducing the purchase price straight off the bat by twice the prep fee. Let them keep the fee on the books but sell the bike for less.
Then it'll just have to be figured in somewhere else. Doesn't matter what they call the various fees, cost of a dealer is cost of a dealer on top of their wholesale cost, period.
@@keithchrysler3732 the whole argument of harleys being better because of resale value is idiotic why would u buy something if you care about resale, just don't buy or use the damn thing
I went into an HD dealer. Asked what kind of pricing I could get if I paid cash. The salesman said he'd rather wait for someone to walk in to finance the bike rather than have someone try to haggle with cash. I just walked out. Never heard of such tactics.
Telling them you are paying cash is the worst financial mistake ever to make at a dealership. They make most of their money on the back end in the finance office. The bank pays them as soon as the loan gets approved and you sign the bottom line, your cash means nothing to them. They lose money selling for cash.
Yep, I paid cash for both of my (used) bikes. They were private sales so negotiating is easier, therefore better price, better experience and I have a great mechanic. But, if I were to buy from a delarship and they said a similar thing to me I would have walked out too. Gotta be tough buyer also. The old adage 'cash is king' doesn't work great in some arenas.
Don't tell em you have the cash. Let them think you will be financing. Then when the first payment is due. Payoff the principal. Little to no interest paid. You get a great deal. And the dealership gets screwed for thinking they had ya win win.
I sold automobiles for 5 years and I learned a thing or two. Have your own financing in place, if you have a trade figure out a fair value, and politely set the tone up front. As for negotiating a straight out price and then throwing a trade into the deal that usually ends up in a low ball trade number, so be honest up front and make it clear that you will walk out anytime they stray off course. And if you get into the finance office and all the extra warranties start coming at you just explain that all you can afford is the bike. If they persist just excuse yourself and head towards the door. 9 out of 10 will not let you leave and you'll get your deal. You work hard for your money, don't give it away.
I tell them, “What price do I pay for you to make $500? The longer we take, the less you earth per hour” I’ve run the numbers before hand and what I qualify for. But yeah, be willing to walk away
That's what I thought ....... until I went to Eastern Harley Davidson , Riverhead, Long Island , New York. I never met a Dealership Owner that was as Honest as this guy and his Father. If your in the Long Island area I can introduce you to them. I'm not kidding when I say they are Extremely Honest. My next closest Quote for my 2023 Ultra Limited Anniversary, from another local Dealer was over $ 4,000 more.
They expect you to pay for destination or delivery fees. If they don't have bikes on the floor, then they have nothing to sell you. I'm not paying to have their inventory delivered to them. If they insist on charging this fee, tell them you are going to the bank to get the cash but will have to charge them a $500 cash acquisition fee for delivering the money to them.
dealers work for the banks not for you. the banks hold the title. I paid cash for my last New bike in 2018 and man... I had to fight for many months. they kept asking if i made the last payment. No, it was bought and paid for on the spot. it was crazy. FINALLY THEY HAD TO GENERATE A NEW TITLE, Claiming it was lost.
@@davidvanbrunt4233 amazing, I am dating myself but I remember when cash was king and a discount was rewarded for cash... makes you wonder who these aggresive bank mobsters are. how did they invert the good things in this country and why they never get called and removed.
Most reputable dealers would give you an over the phone estimate of your trade in. They simply want you to come in so they can look at it. If you're smart, you'll already have an estimate either from an open online appraisal or another dealer. When you sit down and talk numbers, the moment the price goes up and you call them out on it, yet they refuse to change it back to the original price, stand up and walk out. You rode their on your trade in bike, and you can ride away on your trade in bike.
Bought a VN2000 from a Harley/import dealer. First they said that they had to have $2,000 down because the bank wouldn’t accept anything less. I said, “welp, that sucks” as I got up and walked out. The salesman ran out the door to catch up with me and then said, “ok, what can you do?”. I put $500 down and two days later it had to go back for a coolant leak. I picked it up after two weeks, rode it home and the next day it was leaking coolant again. Another two weeks after that I picked it up and rode it home when I noticed coolant in the oil. They started telling me so many lies that I had to record every phone call and filled 3 notebooks detailing each call, who I talked to and for how long. They ended up rebuilding the entire bike which came out to $7,800 (which was more than the value of the bike). They wouldn’t let me swap it out for another bike unless it was a Harley and it had to cost at least $14,000 so they could break even on the rebuild. I called them out on it and they had no problem admitting it. Took 8 months of lies about parts and completion dates before I had the bike again. They delivered it to my door and tried to have me sign for the rebuild. I had the delivery driver call the manager to have him send me an email stating that they would not charge me for the rebuild and that it was in fact covered by the warranty before I would let it off the trailer. Just a word of wisdom for all you kids looking for a bike; find it on marketplace and buy it through private sale. Find a good deal from someone who has taken care of it and work something out with them if you have to. I’ll never set foot in a dealership again. They don’t give a fuck about bikes or riding and they definitely don’t give a fuck about you after you sign the dotted line. Get something affordable so you aren’t lining pockets of people who contribute nothing to the motorcycle community. There are good people out there, but you won’t find them at a dealership.
In my experience buying new anything whether it be a new bike, new car, etc. it has always worked to my advantage to not let the dealership do any of the financing. If you have to finance go through a credit union or your own personal bank for the loan. Most importantly, have a price in your head that you are willing to pay and stick to that no matter what. You can always go somewhere else to buy.
I saw an ad for a Harley dealer which had loan. Up to 108 months that is 9 years. If it was 120 months it would be 10 years exactly so as soon as your bike was paid for they will not work on it anymore because it's 10 years old.
I’ve bought a a lot of Harleys! I was buying a new Street Glide special and I look at 3 things!!! Number 1 is the payoff of the new bike! How much is it going to be if I wanted to pay it off tomorrow! Then number 2 is the interest! What the interest and the length of the loan! And finally the actual payment! What am I paying exactly a month! I had a dealership give me an exact sale of the this new bike and after a few papers the payoff jumped almost 2300 dollars! Every time they printed a paper I looked at this 3 things and Seminole Harley in Sanford who I bought 9 Harley’s from in 15 years tried to screw me right to my face! The payment didn’t change or the interest the payoff did! And I caught them red-handed. Oh, I’m sorry it was just a typo. Keep looking at every paper that you signed because they will try to screw you up and they will change things right before your eyes.
These tips are aimed at people who've never bought or financed a bike or any other vehicle before. Do your homework, know what your budget is, don't fall for the dealer add-ons, examine all paperwork carefully before signing anything. You don't have to use the dealer financing. You can always use your local bank or credit union. And remember, if something doesn't look right, walk out. There's plenty of bikes for sale and you can always go somewhere else.
I love how when you want to trade in your bike that they don't pay for all the upgrades you put on it. But when they try to sell you on all the upgrades on the Bike you want!
Exactly. I put almost 4000$ in upgrades 90% original HD parts. They didn't want to pay me extra, after I got offer they said I can't take off my custom parts and replace with original parts 😂😂😂
I tried to trade my softail with 10k in custom and thy offered me 10k if I would sell it on private I will get 18,500$ for it and then I wanted to buy the bike straight cash the HD said to me I can not take cash so I was on bank check he’s like I can’t use need to finance the bike I was like have a good day
Rules when buying new vehicles... 1) Never buy emotionally 2) Be willing to walk away 3) Always keep trades separate. Get a firm price for your trade and a firm price for the new vehicle. 4) Always understand the OTD price and shop around. NEVER negotiate a "monthly" payment! 5) NEVER EVER get a loan for more than 5 years!!!! If you need to then you cant afford the bike. 6) YOU NEVER need to test ride a new motorcycle - only used ones!!!
I agree 100% with 1-5. Disagree with O. 6. I want to feel the differences between a street glide special and a ST with the 117 before I make an offer on either... Not only performance, but, handling, seat height, ergonomics, special equipment like RDRS. I say test ride !
@@michaelmccarthy4962 The problem is that most places don’t allow test rides and you sometimes need to schedule the bike ride. Test riding a bike is great if possible but you typically can’t with metrics. Of all the bikes I have owned, and it’s been a lot, the only bike I regret was my 2016 Ultra a classic. It’s the only bike that I got burned on.
I worked for H-D Dealerships for 18 years in Warranty . Best advice I can give to anyone is KNOW YOUR H-D WARRANTY, ESP Warranty and any other warranty they are selling! Also make sure you do a walkaround and note all paint/chrome defects and damage with your Sales Person.
This is why I finance everything including cars through USAA. I walk in and say hey I want that, the MSRP is this much and USAA has approved this much for the vehicle. Take it or leave it. If they won’t take it, I take my business elsewhere. I’ve never felt like I needed a certain model so much that I was willing to haggle with the price or with fees or anything like that. It’s I got this much and I’m either leaving here with that one or I’m going somewhere else.
This is great advice! Show up with your own financing! I usually let them show me a number on paper when they’re trying to make it look cheap, then I say yeah I’ll take it, I’m gonna call my bank to wire the money. Then they start backpedaling so I just start walking out. Eventually I have some manager chasing me through the lot saying fine fine we’ll run it with your bank lol.
That doesn't work everywhere unless you're in a major metropolis like LA, Dallas and so on where you have a lot more dealer around in small area without having many miles or even to next state.
@Anthony Toste yea it does work. Ur not obligated to their said banks. U can use any bank u want. If they want to sell a motorcycle they will take payment from anyone as long as it's paid for. Doesn't matter who does the financial end of it money is green no matter which bank or person it comes from
Same here lol! You feel so much more confident with that USAA rate. Asked for a military discount talked em down some more. Got the price in writing then boom dropped the news that I already have a loan😂
When they look at your bike, they'll (try to) have you convinced that it's a piece of shit, and they'll have a hard time selling it. That justifies their low offer.
I fully understand dealerships are there to make money, and I don’t have a problem with that, what I have a problem with is lying to me to make more money. I was just at a Harley dealership last Friday to look at the sportster S. The sales manager came back with an out the door price that had about $3000 in fees above tax. The most concerning fee was a $700 or so theft protection“ add-on, which I said I didn’t want. The sales manager then told me that Harley makes them sell that package and it is not optional. I left.
The sales manager lied. It's a third party theft protection package not sold by Harley. They do the exact same thing with cars now too. The protection does literally nothing. The companies they get them from go out of business yearly. It's the same as their prep fee, appearance packages, and all that other useless junk.
I bought a new bike. I signed all the documents and was waiting to get the bike. The salesman told me they'd used the wrong VIN. They had me sign new documents, saying they're the same but for the correct VIN. The documents were all set up for convenient signing. The salesman shredded the old set for "security." I was naive and just signed. The new documents included the extended warranty and gap insurance that I had declined, an extra $1500.
Yep. It's easy to avoid, though. Just point out that it is now against federal law. Let them know that if they persist, you will notify your states attorney generals office. They will backtrack very quickly.
Great information. My biggest pet peeve is I traded two bikes in for a new sport Glide and had to have HD do the oil changes for the warranty. Every single time I went in to change the oil and wait, I had the sales guy bothering me to trade it off for something else. These guys are a royal pain in the butt.
@@toad829 What toad829 said, I used to believe that it made sense to get the first oil change after the break in done by the dealer, since they would know what to look for on a freshly broken in bike as far as problems, things that work loose etc. Until I had a dealer change the oil in a brand new Sportster with 500 miles on it, and forgot to refill the primary. So in theory at least they even test rode it that way. I will assume oil changes by the least experienced techs at the dealership. But they absolutely cannot penalize you for doing it yourself.
@@dannyb6623 That's what happened to me. HD p*ssed me off to the point I now own two Victorys. They rely on the fact that their core customers just have to have the genuine HD, but every year there are fewer of those people.
I went in looking for a Harley-Davidson Sports im a beginner trying to get my first bike, I already did my research on a bike I know what I want they was constantly trying to lead me to these other more expensive bikes, that was way to big for me as a beginner, and i kept telling them im just looking right now, and trying to get my credit score a little bit higher and save up some money for a down payment, they was trying to be slick and say oh you don't need a down payment your credit should be good enough (They had 3 people literally on top of me ) I stood my ground and said I'll be back with a better credit and a big down payment and walked out
@@insanewheels Yeah, im only 20 years old, but I think Smart, they think young and stupid when im not, I actually want the bike in your video the 2024 Harley-Davidson Sportster Nightster, ive always been amazed at the Sportsters
So I purchased a 2021 Street Bob brand new, I called several dealers and got out the door prices . The average cost for the bike was 18k - 19k the msrp on the bike is $14,999 . So over 3 thousand in extra charges were being add on . My local Harley Davidson dealer sold me the bike with an out the door price of $15,100 . But I wanted my wife to know that we were getting a great price for the bike.
First off, I've been working my entire adult life at dealerships, in the service department, 30 years straight. Never, never, never go in and buy a monthly payment, you will get screwed. Never discuss payments, how you are going to pay and only ask for the out the door price, never a payment. Also, nobody is aware to this, but Harley Davidson Motor Co. pays every dealership to PDI the motorcycle. Then the dealership adds the PDI(prep fee) to the buyers order and gets you to pay it, so they double dip, it's free money to them and you are none the wiser and you pay it.
Funny. Didn't realize HD did that. I guess in the rental construction world (perhaps any rental world really) preps and predelivery inspections were separate entities
I got scammed once before by HD..bought the new 2017 RGU..wound up being a junk motor..plus they had no answer back then....looked into getting a new one today..they want to low ball me on my trade plus could not give me a out the door price..they even said that cruise control is an additional cost accessory..haha..my Evo has that standard....MSRP doesn't exist with them..22k for a Road Glide Std n they want $28k plus..I think it's time to look elsewhere.... 👍
As a former long time HD salesman I can say there is no prep fee on a used bike. Any work done to the bike gets rolled into what the dealer is in it for and reflects the retail price. As for new-bikes that Are delivered in a shipping box to the dealer yes there is a prep fee and that fee can differ slightly from dealer to dealer based on the shops hourly rate. In ten years of sales that charge was non negotiable, same for the freight fee.
I’ve worked for two different car dealerships. I thought I had an upper hand dealing with bike dealerships. I was arrogant, telling myself “I’ve been selling 40-50k cars.” I underestimated them. I said I wasn’t spending over 5500. I spent $5500 in hard cash, then I got to the “finance room” and spend over 3k in there for bullshit I didn’t need! So I ended up spending close to 10k including helmets and leathers. I outgrew that bike in 2 months.
I went back and forth over the “Prep Fee” on a new KTM, ending up paying it. Picked up a few days later, dirty and the mirror fell out of position after pulling out the lot. There was zero prep done and I went off in front of every customer in that mf. Needless to say, it was prepped and ended up getting the complete electronics package unlocked/loaded, with KTM that’s almost $800. So it took having an issue for the prep fee to actually pay off.
I wouldn't describe these sales tactics as a scam. To me, a scam is when a company or an individual offers you a service or product and accepts your payment but never comes through with what they were supposed to provide.
My exact take on this video as well. not scams at all, just regular Capitalistic Business, there is always a price to borrow money, rates fluctuate, just pay attention, be aware. Some of the comments are from some other World or juveniles who have never made a purchase, and are not aware of much
Exactly 💯! I paid for a Harley-Davidson Riding Academy course which specifically stated it was for beginner riders as well as experienced. I was the only woman in the class and the only student who never ride a motorcycle. The instructor made sure he humiliated me so much that I dropped the class after the 1st hour in the parking lot.
I finally traded in my 2002 Honda shadow 750 and bought a 2009 HD Street bob. I Fell in love with it (My first Harley) the dealership I dealt with were actually pretty solid. The first one I went to not so much. First dealership tried to push a sportster on me since i came from a 750 but i knew what i wanted. the second dealership educated me on the street bob and encouraged me to do my research. Was extremely fair with the price and let me take it for a ride around the lot to see if it fit me right and to make sure it was what i wanted. Its fair to say the second dealership gained a loyal customer. whatever i need done to it I'm taking it back there.
The best dealership I’ve dealt with is Beartooth HD in Billings Montana. I drove 1900 miles to get there but I still saved money. Compared to what the crooks in my area wanted.
This is easy. Go to the nearest 4 or 5 Harley Dealers and get Final quotes from them. Don't fall into their trap by staying and paying. Take the best offer to the top 3 Dealers and negotiate your Ass off. I saved over 4 Thousand Dollars. No money over MSRP and got the $850 Dealer Prep removed. There is a $1000 Harley Fee which comes from Harley itself and NOT the Dealer. You'll see it on every Harley everywhere and they can't remove it. One Dealer lied about making a deal with the other local Dealers to charge the same price for the Anniversary Bikes , which was / is complete BS ! I also got a Free inspection , no used tire Fee and my tank of gas was also free. Dealers do charge for all these little things. Again I saved over 4 Grand ! Oh and some Dealers have ....TIRES FOR LIFE. NOT damaged but when the tires are done they will replace them free..... EXCEPT you have to pay for the Installation ......in small letters on the Receipt. Yup !
What it boils down to is final price, interest rate, and term. It’s pretty straight forward. I agree with you as far as dealer mark ups. The closer you are to the MRSP the better off you will be. 7% interest rate seems high to me. I was able to get 3.99% through Eagle Finance. Six months later I refinance my bike at 3% through my credit union. The best bet is to ask the sales person to give you a reason to buy from them. I also got about $1,700 in incentives to offset the dealership mark up.
@@derbestrafen I bought my bike a year ago. Brand new bike and I got 7% with a credit score of 840. 2 months ago I bought a 2nd bike. Brand new and went through my bank and got 4%. Just saying....
Here in the Greater Phoenix 'burbs, I'll occasionally take my H-D to visit a couple dealerships - Mesa, Apache Junction, Chandler. Just to look. I know the new bikes are stunning... and even some of the used ones they take in are eye-popping. Fortunately, I don't give off enough of a "buyer" scent that brings the wolves, but I hear the same kind of stunts that car dealers try to pull to the wide-eyed prospect. But to a rider who spent under $7K OTD for his pristine, used 2007 Deluxe, the thought of spending 10/20/$30K for a NEW motorcycle is just fucking OTHER-WORLDLY to me! I think, old "NellyBelle" ain't new, but she runs like a champ, has no leaks, is well-maintained, and has just the right vibe a nostalgic H-D should look. And at 65, I'm just relishing the ride, no longer at an age that seeks that new-bike status that only puts you upside-down on the balance sheet.
I went to Harley dealer to buy a road king I didn’t like the handle bars. They would not install them for free so I walk out and I got a BMW best bike ever
I went in thinking about a trade and they added a extra $500 theft insurance in the dealer paper work they I had not requested. Needless to say I didn't trade.
Man that's 100% true. I got scammed on my first HD like you said. That was 5 years ago. 3 weeks ago I went to HD in metro detroit, MI to trade in my HD and i wanted to get brand new soft tail. They tried to use same tactic and i was offered 3,000$ for my 2017 HD. I walked out. Went to BMW dealer same day without saying where I been 30 mins ago. I got 6,000$ for my trade in, 3000$ cash credit and first 4 payments free, no prep fees and free delivery. Now i am enjoying my limited edition 2023 BMW R18 instead 2023 soft tail. Ill buy HD only from private owner.. period.
Guessing I've been lucky, a good negotiator, or just deal with reputable dealers. Never have taken less than what my trade-in is worth (always full value or over trade-in). Never have paid full tag price... major mark offs are great. Great rates and terms. I'll never pay more than what something is worth or more than what I can afford. Stay wise and informed. Never settle. Ride safe.
I expected this and it is happening in most of what we buy today in the USA. I am keeping my BSA and Bultaco motorcycles; these old machines are so simple, it is crazy! Karl
These are common to all vehicle sales - cars, bikes, boats... anything that rolls, floats or flies and that most folks finance. I can shed some light on the "dealer prep fee" or as we called it when I sold cars, "the pack". It's a generic fee that covers sending the vehicle to a mechanic and any repairs that need to be done, or tires replaced, etc., oil change, tank of gas upon delivery, plus advertising/marketing. If there's anything seriously wrong the excess is applied to the base dealer cost of the vehicle.
I just bought a 23 road king special. I think I got a pretty good deal.. started at 33k bought it for 23500. Anyways I was actually looking to sell it and called around and one dealer offered 16k saying that was the auction price… I’m in car sales.. and I know new vehicles/bikes depreciate but that’s insane. If someone actually did but it for 33k the loss is insane…
I bought a new bike over the summer last year and I can say the dealership that I bought from was great they didn’t try to screw me on anything the price was below msrp and they added in a few extras like having stuff installed on it for free I did have to pay for the extra parts but no shop fees so I guess that it’s the dealership
I had a similar experience with the dealer I bought my new Heritage Classic from in 2021. No high pressure sales tactics, actively listened to what I was saying, answered all my questions to my complete satisfaction. I added some addons, engine crash guard/backrest/alarm siren, all installed at no cost beyond the price to purchase them. Dealer was excellent to deal with. Any time I've gone in since for service or just to look around the staff has always been friendly, and will always take the time to chat if they're not busy with another customer. The worst experience I ever had at a dealership was actually one of those that carries multiple lines. I went in to buy a new BMW, dealer also carries Ducati/Triumph/Indian/Yamaha/Suzuki. I had already purchased 3 bikes from this particular dealership (2 BMW and 1 Triumph), albeit when it was under the previous management. This time around I had 2 salesmen walk past me without so much as a hello can I help you. And when I did track one down that was willing, begrudgingly, to talk to me me he came off as being completely uninterested in talking to me about the bike I was interested in let alone trying to sell it to me. Can you imagine someone not wanting to sell a $30K bike, mindboggling. So in the politest words I could muster at the time, I told him to take the bike a shove it where the sun didn't shine, and went and bought a Harley instead. As you said, James, it's the dealership. Some are good, some aren't.
Great video, and thank you for exposing HD dealerships, I went to a HD dealership and they had a $7k markup on their street glide special, with lots of 2022 inventory, so please DO NOT shop at OLD GLORY in Laurel Md, I will continue to look for a HD dealership that is still selling their bikes at MSRP and give them my business .. 👍🏼🥃🇺🇸
I might sell mine 01 if offers good i have multiple bikes so cant ride em all lol i purchased it so wouldn't rot in guys garage he needed cash . Has 2 seats and new carb new battery etc .
Hi, thank you! This is an awesome comment section. I've never bought a new bike from a dealer, im a cash guy. I was told "if you can't pay as you go, you're going to fast." By my older brother. It stuck. I have done no internet 90 day payments on really big ticket items (10 to 20k) and I set the final cost in the negotiation. I hate the way dealerships make me feel when I walk in, im just there to look at the new bikes, see what direction they are going.... I'd hate to actually have to deal with buying from them... thanks again.
Everyone needs to watch this. Harley Davidson dealers are the worst for this. They like to push Harley financing and they like to push what bike they want to sell you, not the bike you want. Go in with cash, and they won't speak to you. Want to take their write up sheet to a credit union or bank and they won't sell to you. I exclusively buy from individuals, and I know my stuff. Work on all my own rides, and I build them nice. Custom fab work to motor builds. I will buy some occasional parts from harley for a big tag but no bikes for me from their dealerships.
Never even heard of a dealership prep fee! Course I haven't bought a Harley either. Shouldn't the bikes be ready to go if they're for sale? What are they prepping?
The prep fee is a joke, I researched on Harley’s website in 2022 it stated they compensate the dealer for prep fees. When I bought my new bike the general manager tried that shit. Told him you get compensated from the mother ship on that. He said I’ve never heard that before, I read word for word from hd website he sure changed his tune and removed the 800 prep fee.
You preached everything brother! I’m currently trying to buy a 2016 vrod muscle and being a veteran you would think they have courtesy with their BS, they think when we walk-in we will pay what they demand for a fucked up bike
Was at the dealer today picking up parts and while waiting i asked the sales mgr the price of a new bike, included in the figures was the prep fee of 1k, i laughed and told him he would have to find another sucker..... then he said he would sell it at msrp, i told him maybe another day good luck
You can let them tell you any interest rate they want if you just go ahead and pay it off the next month. Use the deal and then just pay it off right away.
It's not just Hardly Dependable I had the Worst buying experience of my life at a nation wide scam dealership in Olathe Kansas. The motorcycle community isn't much of a community anymore. Fortunately I'm old and won't be purchasing another motorcycle in this life. My retirement present to myself ended up a royal screwing. I do like the bike but I guess it's never too late to learn a lesson.
First - never finance a motorcycle. If you don’t have the cash don’t buy it. Second - negotiate the final price and get them down as low as possible and have them add in store credit. They think they’ll get you on the loan terms. Joke is on them because I’m writing a check when the first months payment comes due for the entire balance. I call that a win.
You just said never finance, then you finance and pay off immediately. Thats poor financial advice. Financing works plenty well for people who can do basic math.
@@JA-zh5xi so buy a Honda shadow. I make 15x the avg income for a person per yr and I can't go pay 40k cash for a nice bike. 20k is the least I'd ever pay for a bike. So finance it is
Screw all dealerships. I was looking for a 2010 wide glide. A local guy was selling one but I couldn't test ride it. Wanted 7k for the wide glide. I went to the local harley and played along and they also had a 2010 wide glide. I pretended I was really interested and was able to test ride their wide glide. I had no intention of buying from the dealer and I had also never ridden a wide glide. They wanted 15k for the same motorcycle with similar mileage as the private sale one. Thanks dealer. I say if you can ever screw the dealer over in any way do it. I have never met one be it car or motorcycle that doesn't want to just take you over the coals and charge astronomical prices and use their slimey tactics every time. This won't last long! What can we do to get you in this today? It's the cheapest one around in a 200 miles radius! Their job is to lie, lie , lie. Don't fall for it. Good look trying to get them to budge. They have plenty of suckers who are coming in to look at this amazing ride. haha
I only purchased a new motorcycle from HD once… I said NEVER again🤦♂️ I will only EVER buy used on the private market. Forget the dealer, skip them if you can!💯
YOU FORGOT THEIR BIGGEST SCAM. The finance rate, the dealer will raise it from 1 to 10 points higher. They tried to hit me with a 12% and when I walked it came down to 4.9. Car dealers have been doing it for years.
Never negotiate monthly payments Always negotiate Price. If you finance, shop around for interest rates from different banks before you're ready to buy then when you're ready to buy HD will have you sit with their financing (Eaglemark). After HD gives you their best interest rate and its higher than your bank tell them you'll finance from your bank. If you buy in cash never tell them that because they love to make money on financing.
You are absolutely right. I bought two HD lithium batteries for my Roadglide Ultra CVO and my girlfriend's Roadglide Special. One dealer had the batteries for $379, and another dealer had the exact same HD lithium batteries for $297 (the suggested retail price). Of course I bought the $297 batteries with an additional 10% discount I negotiated for buying two. You gotta shop around.
You don’t have to know all the technicalities of bikes in order to negotiate. Concentrate on the bottom dollar and reducing that and don’t be afraid to walk away. As a new rider who doesn’t want to buy a bike that is over 20 years old and wants to buy a newer bike that is used with under 5,000 miles i was able to get $4k off their ‘reduced price’ sport glide and only paid $550 for 2 years extended warranty (which they tried to sell for $2k). Oh and i also paid cash but i only said i’m thinking about both options until i was able to negotiate the bottom price then i said i decided to pay cash.
Mine went opposite. Harley store actually came down on the price to give me the monthly payment I wanted. You are right they did try to pressure me into buying a brand new bike when I did not want to and I left and after a week I called back and told them what I wanted and what I wanted to do and told them if they could not then I was not interested. I guess it just depends on how you approach the salesman. It’s like poker just gotta learn how to play the game so they can’t read you!🤙💯
When I got my license in '21 (took the Harley class), I was on the fence about what I was gonna get. All I knew was a bike had to wait as I was going through the mortgage process to buy my first house. I'd still show up to various dealers and look at bikes. At the Harley dealer it was always like sharks smelling blood in the water. Constant badgering and even more guilt tripping. They went on and on about how they weren't making sales and having a hard time and needed to have some help making the sales. Told them I wasn't able to at the moment because I was in the middle of the mortgage process and taking a line of credit on a bike would make me lose it. They told me "are you sure? You can walk off with a bike today and it won't affect your house at all." At that point I told them, that was beyond scummy and I wasn't falling for that. I was told "you probably ain't a real biker anyways, just get a Honda or something. Harleys aren't for you then." Yup. I walked off, and got me an Indian after securing the house and renovating. Never fall for the guilt tripping especially if you're buying a house!
That is a real piece of sh!t right there. I’m sure you wanted to give him a good smack cause I do and I wasn’t there. Good for you bro! Congrats on the house.
That’s why I finance through my credit union, dealerships HATE credit unions because they go by black book. The credit union makes sure your not upside down in the buy!!! As far as the fees(which is stupid high) I told them that when Wal Wart starts to charge me a fee to buy the products on they’re shelf then I will consider paying your fee… until then it ain’t happening!!!! They didn’t like that at all. Those fees are straight profit to the dealership, don’t be fooled!!!
The experience between going into a Harley dealer and any other dealer is night and day different and is the only thing keeping me from buying a new Harley. Just like cars, I will NOT deal with these crooked Harley dealerships at all, aint going to happen.
I just got the dealer to take 2000 off without trying. With a little time it was 4000 off on a new 22 Road Glide st. I've been going there for over 20 years.
Get your own financing, ask them for a bill of sale, then you can see all costs and prices. Might be able to do it over the phone if no trade in is involved.
I was very uneducated going into the harley dealership. And I literally got scammed. Everything that this man said in the video is on point and 100 percent Accurate. I've had the bike for going on 2 weeks now and I've been so sick to my stomach
Good job brother!! I've been going through this shit for lots of years! They try to tell you all kinds of shit to get you to sign your #uckin life away!! Been to the dealership u mentioned!! Showed my kids how to shop too and there pretty tough to pull any shit on!
Every time they tack on mandatory "fees", there's one question that comes to mind - why isn't that included in the price? What are you playing at? I'm not paying this sh!t!
The Finance lady at the Harley dealer tells me, " well I guess I'm not gonna make any money off you". As I refused to buy the extended warranty and tire package. I said " you're making plenty of money off me, I just bought the motorcycle". Needless to say she wasn't the happiest person in the room
I bought a new KTM in Puerto Vallarta, cash. It's a Harley/ KTM/ Husqvarna dealer. They wouldn't budge on the price, all the bigger bikes were sold before they arrived, and it's still that way now, 2 years later. There was no dealer prep charge. I paid for the bike and the sales tax. They gave me a free KTM riding jacket and an OK helmet for $80.00, marked down from $300.00. No BS, I just had to wait 2 weeks for the bike to get there and be prepped.
I paid that % to the credit Union the dealer used .. before. What’s mostly the SOP, a payout for the loan. Auto used to be $500-1000 for getting the customer to take a loan. Eagle Finance is directly in bed with HD Corp, so it’s the worst option/choice.
Not "all". This used to be more common in the auto industry but consumer access to information has made it a lot less common since most customers these days can readily obtain their credit score and are able to pre-qualify themselves and compare interest rates across lenders. Dealership F&I departments will generally get a flat origination fee of a few hundred bucks from the lender for setting up a loan. Padding the interest rate is pure profit for the ones that still do but like I said, it's not nearly as common because too many borrowers these days know what the going rates are and what they qualify for. I agree that padding the interest rate is a scummy practice. It's incredibly easy to know if that is happening because you can simply ask them to see the buy rate (that is the rate offered directly from the lender on the lender's original approval). If the buy rate is lower than what F&I is quoting, or if they flat out refuse to show it to you, they are paddling interest, and I won't do business with any dealership that does this, motorcycle, automotive or otherwise
@@dmcharley64 It's called "emotional investment in ownership". You are correct that it's a thing, and although it is more intense with something like motorcycles, it's true for other purchases as well. It's one of the psychological factors to a purchase that can be manipulated by sales people.
Same shenanigans as a car dealer. KISS "Keep it Simple Stupid". Never trade a vehicle and never finance through the dealer UNTIL you know what the actual out-the-door price is. They can't bury anything this way.
Lots of my friends IE business man have sold their Harleys or traded them in for European bikes . From reasons where the dealerships did not want to work on their bikes or stupid petty excuses to get them to buy new Harleys. 😂 I mean it’s getting more pathetic by the day .
When people come in looking for a fight and looking to outsmart the dealership almost never get the best deals. There are good and bad dealerships out there, so do your research, but people who are respectful and don’t look at the transaction as a “me vs the dealership” deal usually will get taken care of way better than the person looking for a fight.
HD Corp. already reimburses the dealer for prepping the bike out of the crate. Finance calls their lenders, gets a base rate (and will shop for the lowest base rate). They then ADD USUALLY 1-2% onto that (this is part of their "back end" profit). Also EVERYTHING the finance person offers you (extended warranty, tire protection, etc.) Is almost entirely back end profit for the dealership, and the finance guy gets commission on it. The best financing you can ever get will be thru your local credit union...not a dealership. Don't trade in your bike...sell it yourself. The dealership will typically offer you at least $2k less than the bike is worth (so they can make a profit when they sell it, and pay the sales guy a commission). Dealerships are only allocated a set number of new bikes per year (unlike car dealerships), so they try to maximize their profit on each one. Buy at the end of the month. This is when dealerships are trying to hit their numbers for corp. and are more likely to deal. I was a sales manager at 2 HD dealerships.
Great information. Most of us have to learn these things the hard way. And some still haven’t learned. But I worked as a flatrate mechanic at a couple of dealers and an independent. Heard people complain all the time when they finally had figured out how they had paid a lot to get the thing they wanted or needed. Great negotiation example. - Dan
Yes, Mike,traded in a 2012 Street Bob for a 2003 V Rod. Weirdest transaction ever. Paid $16K(Aus.) for the Bob, was offered $12K trade-in. Unsatisfied with the offer the dealership squeezed the numbers up to $14K, which I accepted. The weird bit came a day later picking up the bike. " Oh, by the way", the dealer chimed, " We have something extra for you". He gave me a huge carton containing a new pair of V-Rod saddle bags that was traded in with the Rod when sold to the dealership. Huh? What gives? An oversight or the fact I might have storage related problems as the Rod had had only 7000klms on the clock. Mind you my Streetbob trade-in, which I bought recently, then, had only 299klms on it. I'm laughing as the V-Rod has appreciated double in price since then.
I guess no one here remembers the late 80's through the 90's??? The dealerships are doing the same thing now, as they did back then. The exception is, there plenty of bikes now. You can go around to several dealers and get the best price, out the door. Always ask the out the door price. If they won't give you an out the door price, walk out. NO ONE can make you buy the bike. Buying the bike is ultimately the consumer's decision. Its not like back then you got on a waiting list. I waited six months for a new 94 FXR. And if I didn't want to pay the price, all the dealer had to do was, call the next person on the list. I am no fan of buying cars or motorcycles at the dealer. I am not sticking up for the dealers. But they're in business to make money. The responsibility lies on the consumer to make the deal they are comfortable with.
I’ve always believed dealer prep fee must be waived or no deal for me. Its offensive to charge that on top of the price of the vehicle. Preparing the vehicle is part of the cost of doing business in my opinion.
False, and legally it's discrimination
I’ve been and done the same. You want me to pay extra for shit you have to do in the first place. So more money to do your job.
You can reverse that by reducing the purchase price straight off the bat by twice the prep fee. Let them keep the fee on the books but sell the bike for less.
Thank you
Then it'll just have to be figured in somewhere else. Doesn't matter what they call the various fees, cost of a dealer is cost of a dealer on top of their wholesale cost, period.
In 51yrs of wrenching, building, and riding, I've owned 20 Harleys, and not one was ever bought from a dealer.
I saved a ton of money.
They're supposed to hold value but I'm finding very nice bikes for 6 grand!
Smart man! I learned the hard way with my first two bikes off the showroom floor
Very smart 😊
@@keithchrysler3732 the whole argument of harleys being better because of resale value is idiotic
why would u buy something if you care about resale, just don't buy or use the damn thing
I went into an HD dealer. Asked what kind of pricing I could get if I paid cash. The salesman said he'd rather wait for someone to walk in to finance the bike rather than have someone try to haggle with cash. I just walked out. Never heard of such tactics.
Telling them you are paying cash is the worst financial mistake ever to make at a dealership. They make most of their money on the back end in the finance office. The bank pays them as soon as the loan gets approved and you sign the bottom line, your cash means nothing to them. They lose money selling for cash.
Nothing new. Simple math. They make more when it’s financed. Darn near pay for the bike twice
Yep, I paid cash for both of my (used) bikes. They were private sales so negotiating is easier, therefore better price, better experience and I have a great mechanic. But, if I were to buy from a delarship and they said a similar thing to me I would have walked out too. Gotta be tough buyer also. The old adage 'cash is king' doesn't work great in some arenas.
Don't tell em you have the cash.
Let them think you will be financing.
Then when the first payment is due. Payoff the principal. Little to no interest paid.
You get a great deal. And the dealership gets screwed for thinking they had ya win win.
@@matthewbeaver5026 facts!!
I sold automobiles for 5 years and I learned a thing or two. Have your own financing in place, if you have a trade figure out a fair value, and politely set the tone up front. As for negotiating a straight out price and then throwing a trade into the deal that usually ends up in a low ball trade number, so be honest up front and make it clear that you will walk out anytime they stray off course. And if you get into the finance office and all the extra warranties start coming at you just explain that all you can afford is the bike. If they persist just excuse yourself and head towards the door. 9 out of 10 will not let you leave and you'll get your deal. You work hard for your money, don't give it away.
@@insanewheels Out here if they cannot finance you they tack on $$$$
@@SplitHairz they can only rack up what you agree to pay for
I tell them, “What price do I pay for you to make $500? The longer we take, the less you earth per hour”
I’ve run the numbers before hand and what I qualify for.
But yeah, be willing to walk away
The dealer is NEVER your friend. Their only purpose is to get as much cash out of you as they can.
Larson Cycle in Cambridge MN is your friend, they really are. I get it though, most dealers are not, especially Harley.
Absolutely
That's what I thought ....... until I went to Eastern Harley Davidson , Riverhead, Long Island , New York. I never met a Dealership Owner that was as Honest as this guy and his Father. If your in the Long Island area I can introduce you to them. I'm not kidding when I say they are Extremely Honest. My next closest Quote for my 2023 Ultra Limited Anniversary, from another local Dealer was over $ 4,000 more.
@@insanewheels Not All of them. I found one that was so honest it was crazy. I Saved over 4 thousand Dollars...........REALLY !
If a dealership is good, let us all know who they are. They deserve to be given props!
They expect you to pay for destination or delivery fees. If they don't have bikes on the floor, then they have nothing to sell you. I'm not paying to have their inventory delivered to them. If they insist on charging this fee, tell them you are going to the bank to get the cash but will have to charge them a $500 cash acquisition fee for delivering the money to them.
dealers work for the banks not for you. the banks hold the title. I paid cash for my last New bike in 2018 and man... I had to fight for many months. they kept asking if i made the last payment. No, it was bought and paid for on the spot. it was crazy. FINALLY THEY HAD TO GENERATE A NEW TITLE, Claiming it was lost.
Wow. Wtf ? That would really pass me off.
Lawsuit?
Had a similar situation at a dealer in Florida, ever since then if I’m paying cash I won’t buy it unless they can physically show me the title
Paid cash for my last Harley, once the dealership realized it they talked to me like I was s - -t....yes I walked out !
@@davidvanbrunt4233 amazing, I am dating myself but I remember when cash was king and a discount was rewarded for cash... makes you wonder who these aggresive bank mobsters are. how did they invert the good things in this country and why they never get called and removed.
Most reputable dealers would give you an over the phone estimate of your trade in. They simply want you to come in so they can look at it. If you're smart, you'll already have an estimate either from an open online appraisal or another dealer. When you sit down and talk numbers, the moment the price goes up and you call them out on it, yet they refuse to change it back to the original price, stand up and walk out. You rode their on your trade in bike, and you can ride away on your trade in bike.
Bought a VN2000 from a Harley/import dealer. First they said that they had to have $2,000 down because the bank wouldn’t accept anything less. I said, “welp, that sucks” as I got up and walked out. The salesman ran out the door to catch up with me and then said, “ok, what can you do?”. I put $500 down and two days later it had to go back for a coolant leak. I picked it up after two weeks, rode it home and the next day it was leaking coolant again. Another two weeks after that I picked it up and rode it home when I noticed coolant in the oil. They started telling me so many lies that I had to record every phone call and filled 3 notebooks detailing each call, who I talked to and for how long. They ended up rebuilding the entire bike which came out to $7,800 (which was more than the value of the bike). They wouldn’t let me swap it out for another bike unless it was a Harley and it had to cost at least $14,000 so they could break even on the rebuild. I called them out on it and they had no problem admitting it. Took 8 months of lies about parts and completion dates before I had the bike again. They delivered it to my door and tried to have me sign for the rebuild. I had the delivery driver call the manager to have him send me an email stating that they would not charge me for the rebuild and that it was in fact covered by the warranty before I would let it off the trailer. Just a word of wisdom for all you kids looking for a bike; find it on marketplace and buy it through private sale. Find a good deal from someone who has taken care of it and work something out with them if you have to. I’ll never set foot in a dealership again. They don’t give a fuck about bikes or riding and they definitely don’t give a fuck about you after you sign the dotted line. Get something affordable so you aren’t lining pockets of people who contribute nothing to the motorcycle community. There are good people out there, but you won’t find them at a dealership.
In my experience buying new anything whether it be a new bike, new car, etc. it has always worked to my advantage to not let the dealership do any of the financing. If you have to finance go through a credit union or your own personal bank for the loan. Most importantly, have a price in your head that you are willing to pay and stick to that no matter what. You can always go somewhere else to buy.
I saw an ad for a Harley dealer which had loan. Up to 108 months that is 9 years. If it was 120 months it would be 10 years exactly so as soon as your bike was paid for they will not work on it anymore because it's 10 years old.
Only a fool would finance anything other than a house for that long.
@@wmason1961 you got that right
I’ve bought a a lot of Harleys! I was buying a new Street Glide special and I look at 3 things!!! Number 1 is the payoff of the new bike! How much is it going to be if I wanted to pay it off tomorrow! Then number 2 is the interest! What the interest and the length of the loan! And finally the actual payment! What am I paying exactly a month! I had a dealership give me an exact sale of the this new bike and after a few papers the payoff jumped almost 2300 dollars! Every time they printed a paper I looked at this 3 things and Seminole Harley in Sanford who I bought 9 Harley’s from in 15 years tried to screw me right to my face! The payment didn’t change or the interest the payoff did! And I caught them red-handed. Oh, I’m sorry it was just a typo. Keep looking at every paper that you signed because they will try to screw you up and they will change things right before your eyes.
These tips are aimed at people who've never bought or financed a bike or any other vehicle before. Do your homework, know what your budget is, don't fall for the dealer add-ons, examine all paperwork carefully before signing anything. You don't have to use the dealer financing. You can always use your local bank or credit union. And remember, if something doesn't look right, walk out. There's plenty of bikes for sale and you can always go somewhere else.
I love how when you want to trade in your bike that they don't pay for all the upgrades you put on it. But when they try to sell you on all the upgrades on the Bike you want!
Exactly. I put almost 4000$ in upgrades 90% original HD parts. They didn't want to pay me extra, after I got offer they said I can't take off my custom parts and replace with original parts 😂😂😂
I tried to trade my softail with 10k in custom and thy offered me 10k if I would sell it on private I will get 18,500$ for it and then I wanted to buy the bike straight cash the HD said to me I can not take cash so I was on bank check he’s like I can’t use need to finance the bike I was like have a good day
Avoid stealerships at all costs if possible!
Rules when buying new vehicles...
1) Never buy emotionally
2) Be willing to walk away
3) Always keep trades separate. Get a firm price for your trade and a firm price for the new vehicle.
4) Always understand the OTD price and shop around. NEVER negotiate a "monthly" payment!
5) NEVER EVER get a loan for more than 5 years!!!! If you need to then you cant afford the bike.
6) YOU NEVER need to test ride a new motorcycle - only used ones!!!
Don’t get a loan just pay with cash
I agree 100% with 1-5. Disagree with O. 6.
I want to feel the differences between a street glide special and a ST with the 117 before I make an offer on either... Not only performance, but, handling, seat height, ergonomics, special equipment like RDRS.
I say test ride !
@@michaelmccarthy4962 The problem is that most places don’t allow test rides and you sometimes need to schedule the bike ride. Test riding a bike is great if possible but you typically can’t with metrics. Of all the bikes I have owned, and it’s been a lot, the only bike I regret was my 2016 Ultra a classic. It’s the only bike that I got burned on.
When ever you walk into a HD dealer ,remember,You did it to yourself when you walked in the door…
I have been to a few Harley dealerships, and as soon as I see ticket price I can’t run out fast enough.
Good info. Don't fall in love too fast. Always be ready to walk away or you WILL get screwed by a dealership.
and remember there will always be another sweet bike come along
I worked for H-D Dealerships for 18 years in Warranty . Best advice I can give to anyone is KNOW YOUR H-D WARRANTY, ESP Warranty and any other warranty they are selling! Also make sure you do a walkaround and note all paint/chrome defects and damage with your Sales Person.
This is why I finance everything including cars through USAA. I walk in and say hey I want that, the MSRP is this much and USAA has approved this much for the vehicle. Take it or leave it. If they won’t take it, I take my business elsewhere. I’ve never felt like I needed a certain model so much that I was willing to haggle with the price or with fees or anything like that. It’s I got this much and I’m either leaving here with that one or I’m going somewhere else.
This is great advice! Show up with your own financing! I usually let them show me a number on paper when they’re trying to make it look cheap, then I say yeah I’ll take it, I’m gonna call my bank to wire the money. Then they start backpedaling so I just start walking out. Eventually I have some manager chasing me through the lot saying fine fine we’ll run it with your bank lol.
That doesn't work everywhere unless you're in a major metropolis like LA, Dallas and so on where you have a lot more dealer around in small area without having many miles or even to next state.
@Anthony Toste yea it does work. Ur not obligated to their said banks. U can use any bank u want. If they want to sell a motorcycle they will take payment from anyone as long as it's paid for. Doesn't matter who does the financial end of it money is green no matter which bank or person it comes from
Same here lol! You feel so much more confident with that USAA rate. Asked for a military discount talked em down some more. Got the price in writing then boom dropped the news that I already have a loan😂
When they look at your bike, they'll (try to) have you convinced that it's a piece of shit, and they'll have a hard time selling it. That justifies their low offer.
I fully understand dealerships are there to make money, and I don’t have a problem with that, what I have a problem with is lying to me to make more money. I was just at a Harley dealership last Friday to look at the sportster S. The sales manager came back with an out the door price that had about $3000 in fees above tax. The most concerning fee was a $700 or so theft protection“ add-on, which I said I didn’t want. The sales manager then told me that Harley makes them sell that package and it is not optional. I left.
The sales manager lied. It's a third party theft protection package not sold by Harley. They do the exact same thing with cars now too. The protection does literally nothing. The companies they get them from go out of business yearly. It's the same as their prep fee, appearance packages, and all that other useless junk.
I bought a new bike. I signed all the documents and was waiting to get the bike. The salesman told me they'd used the wrong VIN. They had me sign new documents, saying they're the same but for the correct VIN. The documents were all set up for convenient signing. The salesman shredded the old set for "security." I was naive and just signed. The new documents included the extended warranty and gap insurance that I had declined, an extra $1500.
Key words...educating yourself on the bike before you bye. Thank you.
You forgot the “mandatory” $2000 warranty or else the bank “won’t finance the bike”
What didn't know about this. Was thinking about a new road king.
Yep. It's easy to avoid, though. Just point out that it is now against federal law. Let them know that if they persist, you will notify your states attorney generals office. They will backtrack very quickly.
Great information. My biggest pet peeve is I traded two bikes in for a new sport Glide and had to have HD do the oil changes for the warranty. Every single time I went in to change the oil and wait, I had the sales guy bothering me to trade it off for something else. These guys are a royal pain in the butt.
Yeah they're agresssive as hell
You can legally change your own oil ..... even when the Bike is under Warranty. Just save the receipts to prove it was done. It's now a Federal Law.
@@toad829 What toad829 said, I used to believe that it made sense to get the first oil change after the break in done by the dealer, since they would know what to look for on a freshly broken in bike as far as problems, things that work loose etc. Until I had a dealer change the oil in a brand new Sportster with 500 miles on it, and forgot to refill the primary. So in theory at least they even test rode it that way. I will assume oil changes by the least experienced techs at the dealership. But they absolutely cannot penalize you for doing it yourself.
@@dannyb6623 That's what happened to me. HD p*ssed me off to the point I now own two Victorys. They rely on the fact that their core customers just have to have the genuine HD, but every year there are fewer of those people.
Buy a new one and service it yourself and keep receipts and it keeps warranty valid
I went in looking for a Harley-Davidson Sports im a beginner trying to get my first bike, I already did my research on a bike I know what I want they was constantly trying to lead me to these other more expensive bikes, that was way to big for me as a beginner, and i kept telling them im just looking right now, and trying to get my credit score a little bit higher and save up some money for a down payment, they was trying to be slick and say oh you don't need a down payment your credit should be good enough (They had 3 people literally on top of me ) I stood my ground and said I'll be back with a better credit and a big down payment and walked out
Yeah man…. No one else is riding your ride, it’s all about what YOU want. Forget about other people. Get what YOU want. You are the customer🎯💯
@@insanewheels Yeah, im only 20 years old, but I think Smart, they think young and stupid when im not, I actually want the bike in your video the 2024 Harley-Davidson Sportster Nightster, ive always been amazed at the Sportsters
Good on you man! Glad you were able to come across my channel! Great to have you💯🔥
I had a great experience when I bought my last bike. Tractor Supply had Coleman minibikes discounted $100 off regular price!
Good one lol
So I purchased a 2021 Street Bob brand new, I called several dealers and got out the door prices . The average cost for the bike was 18k - 19k the msrp on the bike is $14,999 . So over 3 thousand in extra charges were being add on . My local Harley Davidson dealer sold me the bike with an out the door price of $15,100 . But I wanted my wife to know that we were getting a great price for the bike.
First off, I've been working my entire adult life at dealerships, in the service department, 30 years straight. Never, never, never go in and buy a monthly payment, you will get screwed. Never discuss payments, how you are going to pay and only ask for the out the door price, never a payment. Also, nobody is aware to this, but Harley Davidson Motor Co. pays every dealership to PDI the motorcycle. Then the dealership adds the PDI(prep fee) to the buyers order and gets you to pay it, so they double dip, it's free money to them and you are none the wiser and you pay it.
Funny. Didn't realize HD did that. I guess in the rental construction world (perhaps any rental world really) preps and predelivery inspections were separate entities
I got scammed once before by HD..bought the new 2017 RGU..wound up being a junk motor..plus they had no answer back then....looked into getting a new one today..they want to low ball me on my trade plus could not give me a out the door price..they even said that cruise control is an additional cost accessory..haha..my Evo has that standard....MSRP doesn't exist with them..22k for a Road Glide Std n they want $28k plus..I think it's time to look elsewhere.... 👍
Yeah you're right Man, I still have my 17 dyna runs good, no problems YET. I swore off new bikes and dealerships.
lol
As a former long time HD salesman I can say there is no prep fee on a used bike. Any work done to the bike gets rolled into what the dealer is in it for and reflects the retail price. As for new-bikes that Are delivered in a shipping box to the dealer yes there is a prep fee and that fee can differ slightly from dealer to dealer based on the shops hourly rate. In ten years of sales that charge was non negotiable, same for the freight fee.
Good to know! Thank you for that clarification!🙏
I appreciate your insight on this!💯
I feel blessed having working at a Harley Dealership, and now currently a car salesman. Saved me so much money over the two years
I’ve worked for two different car dealerships. I thought I had an upper hand dealing with bike dealerships. I was arrogant, telling myself “I’ve been selling 40-50k cars.” I underestimated them. I said I wasn’t spending over 5500. I spent $5500 in hard cash, then I got to the “finance room” and spend over 3k in there for bullshit I didn’t need! So I ended up spending close to 10k including helmets and leathers. I outgrew that bike in 2 months.
I went back and forth over the “Prep Fee” on a new KTM, ending up paying it. Picked up a few days later, dirty and the mirror fell out of position after pulling out the lot. There was zero prep done and I went off in front of every customer in that mf. Needless to say, it was prepped and ended up getting the complete electronics package unlocked/loaded, with KTM that’s almost $800. So it took having an issue for the prep fee to actually pay off.
You gotta fight for your right to PARTY 🎼😁👍🇺🇲😎
I wouldn't describe these sales tactics as a scam. To me, a scam is when a company or an individual offers you a service or product and accepts your payment but never comes through with what they were supposed to provide.
My exact take on this video as well. not scams at all, just regular Capitalistic Business, there is always a price to borrow money, rates fluctuate, just pay attention, be aware. Some of the comments are from some other World or juveniles who have never made a purchase, and are not aware of much
Scam meaning- a dishonest scheme. That is a scam.
Exactly 💯! I paid for a Harley-Davidson Riding Academy course which specifically stated it was for beginner riders as well as experienced. I was the only woman in the class and the only student who never ride a motorcycle. The instructor made sure he humiliated me so much that I dropped the class after the 1st hour in the parking lot.
Harley is a scam though. Shit bike
So when they charge a $1,500 fee to prep the used bike and all they do is pay some kid minimum wage for an hour to wash it, that's not a scam?
I finally traded in my 2002 Honda shadow 750 and bought a 2009 HD Street bob. I Fell in love with it (My first Harley) the dealership I dealt with were actually pretty solid. The first one I went to not so much. First dealership tried to push a sportster on me since i came from a 750 but i knew what i wanted. the second dealership educated me on the street bob and encouraged me to do my research. Was extremely fair with the price and let me take it for a ride around the lot to see if it fit me right and to make sure it was what i wanted. Its fair to say the second dealership gained a loyal customer. whatever i need done to it I'm taking it back there.
The best dealership I’ve dealt with is Beartooth HD in Billings Montana. I drove 1900 miles to get there but I still saved money. Compared to what the crooks in my area wanted.
This is easy. Go to the nearest 4 or 5 Harley Dealers and get Final quotes from them. Don't fall into their trap by staying and paying. Take the best offer to the top 3 Dealers and negotiate your Ass off. I saved over 4 Thousand Dollars. No money over MSRP and got the $850 Dealer Prep removed. There is a $1000 Harley Fee which comes from Harley itself and NOT the Dealer. You'll see it on every Harley everywhere and they can't remove it. One Dealer lied about making a deal with the other local Dealers to charge the same price for the Anniversary Bikes , which was / is complete BS ! I also got a Free inspection , no used tire Fee and my tank of gas was also free. Dealers do charge for all these little things. Again I saved over 4 Grand ! Oh and some Dealers have ....TIRES FOR LIFE. NOT damaged but when the tires are done they will replace them free..... EXCEPT you have to pay for the Installation ......in small letters on the Receipt. Yup !
What it boils down to is final price, interest rate, and term. It’s pretty straight forward. I agree with you as far as dealer mark ups. The closer you are to the MRSP the better off you will be. 7% interest rate seems high to me. I was able to get 3.99% through Eagle Finance. Six months later I refinance my bike at 3% through my credit union. The best bet is to ask the sales person to give you a reason to buy from them. I also got about $1,700 in incentives to offset the dealership mark up.
HD financial is a rip off. You will usually pay 3% more than your local bank.
The rates are increased. There are buy rates and there are sell rates. Typically marked up 2% from buy rate.
@@richpuller1348 I got 0.9% with zero down payment through HD, just saying...
@@derbestrafen I bought my bike a year ago. Brand new bike and I got 7% with a credit score of 840. 2 months ago I bought a 2nd bike. Brand new and went through my bank and got 4%. Just saying....
@@derbestrafen I got butt fucked. Just sayin
Great advice! They act like they're doing you a favor by selling you a bike for MSRP! Really greedy!
Here in the Greater Phoenix 'burbs, I'll occasionally take my H-D to visit a couple dealerships - Mesa, Apache Junction, Chandler. Just to look. I know the new bikes are stunning... and even some of the used ones they take in are eye-popping. Fortunately, I don't give off enough of a "buyer" scent that brings the wolves, but I hear the same kind of stunts that car dealers try to pull to the wide-eyed prospect.
But to a rider who spent under $7K OTD for his pristine, used 2007 Deluxe, the thought of spending 10/20/$30K for a NEW motorcycle is just fucking OTHER-WORLDLY to me! I think, old "NellyBelle" ain't new, but she runs like a champ, has no leaks, is well-maintained, and has just the right vibe a nostalgic H-D should look.
And at 65, I'm just relishing the ride, no longer at an age that seeks that new-bike status that only puts you upside-down on the balance sheet.
I went to Harley dealer to buy a road king I didn’t like the handle bars. They would not install them for free so I walk out and I got a BMW best bike ever
I went in thinking about a trade and they added a extra $500 theft insurance in the dealer paper work they I had not requested. Needless to say I didn't trade.
Man that's 100% true. I got scammed on my first HD like you said. That was 5 years ago. 3 weeks ago I went to HD in metro detroit, MI to trade in my HD and i wanted to get brand new soft tail. They tried to use same tactic and i was offered 3,000$ for my 2017 HD. I walked out. Went to BMW dealer same day without saying where I been 30 mins ago. I got 6,000$ for my trade in, 3000$ cash credit and first 4 payments free, no prep fees and free delivery. Now i am enjoying my limited edition 2023 BMW R18 instead 2023 soft tail. Ill buy HD only from private owner.. period.
Motorcycle dealerships are worst then car dealerships. I got sick of the games and saved and buy my bikes straight out off of CL and marketplace
Amen brother, I have experienced all the stealers sales gimmicks. Stay calm stick to what you know is true, and make them validate costs
Guessing I've been lucky, a good negotiator, or just deal with reputable dealers. Never have taken less than what my trade-in is worth (always full value or over trade-in). Never have paid full tag price... major mark offs are great. Great rates and terms. I'll never pay more than what something is worth or more than what I can afford. Stay wise and informed. Never settle. Ride safe.
I expected this and it is happening in most of what we buy today in the USA. I am keeping my BSA and Bultaco motorcycles; these old machines are so simple, it is crazy! Karl
These are common to all vehicle sales - cars, bikes, boats... anything that rolls, floats or flies and that most folks finance.
I can shed some light on the "dealer prep fee" or as we called it when I sold cars, "the pack". It's a generic fee that covers sending the vehicle to a mechanic and any repairs that need to be done, or tires replaced, etc., oil change, tank of gas upon delivery, plus advertising/marketing. If there's anything seriously wrong the excess is applied to the base dealer cost of the vehicle.
Oh wow! Great background knowledge of this!
I still personally will never buy from a dealer again🤣💯
@@insanewheels I never do. The best option is always to purchase from a private owner.
$1500 prep fee? On a 98? It was prepped in 1998 when it came out of the crate!! What the heck do they qualify for this $1500
Cleaning and reconditioning
I just bought a 23 road king special. I think I got a pretty good deal.. started at 33k bought it for 23500. Anyways I was actually looking to sell it and called around and one dealer offered 16k saying that was the auction price… I’m in car sales.. and I know new vehicles/bikes depreciate but that’s insane. If someone actually did but it for 33k the loss is insane…
I bought a new bike over the summer last year and I can say the dealership that I bought from was great they didn’t try to screw me on anything the price was below msrp and they added in a few extras like having stuff installed on it for free I did have to pay for the extra parts but no shop fees so I guess that it’s the dealership
I had a similar experience with the dealer I bought my new Heritage Classic from in 2021. No high pressure sales tactics, actively listened to what I was saying, answered all my questions to my complete satisfaction. I added some addons, engine crash guard/backrest/alarm siren, all installed at no cost beyond the price to purchase them. Dealer was excellent to deal with. Any time I've gone in since for service or just to look around the staff has always been friendly, and will always take the time to chat if they're not busy with another customer.
The worst experience I ever had at a dealership was actually one of those that carries multiple lines. I went in to buy a new BMW, dealer also carries Ducati/Triumph/Indian/Yamaha/Suzuki. I had already purchased 3 bikes from this particular dealership (2 BMW and 1 Triumph), albeit when it was under the previous management. This time around I had 2 salesmen walk past me without so much as a hello can I help you. And when I did track one down that was willing, begrudgingly, to talk to me me he came off as being completely uninterested in talking to me about the bike I was interested in let alone trying to sell it to me. Can you imagine someone not wanting to sell a $30K bike, mindboggling. So in the politest words I could muster at the time, I told him to take the bike a shove it where the sun didn't shine, and went and bought a Harley instead.
As you said, James, it's the dealership. Some are good, some aren't.
If a dealership is good, let us all know who they are. They deserve to be given props!
Great video, and thank you for exposing HD dealerships, I went to a HD dealership and they had a $7k markup on their street glide special, with lots of 2022 inventory, so please DO NOT shop at OLD GLORY in Laurel Md, I will continue to look for a HD dealership that is still selling their bikes at MSRP and give them my business .. 👍🏼🥃🇺🇸
Looking to pick up a Dyna this spring, currently watching prices. It's pretty stupid what they ask for 07 - 12. Might just just go private seller.
Keep searching Hombre!
I might sell mine 01 if offers good i have multiple bikes so cant ride em all lol i purchased it so wouldn't rot in guys garage he needed cash . Has 2 seats and new carb new battery etc .
Hi, thank you! This is an awesome comment section. I've never bought a new bike from a dealer, im a cash guy. I was told "if you can't pay as you go, you're going to fast." By my older brother. It stuck. I have done no internet 90 day payments on really big ticket items (10 to 20k) and I set the final cost in the negotiation. I hate the way dealerships make me feel when I walk in, im just there to look at the new bikes, see what direction they are going.... I'd hate to actually have to deal with buying from them... thanks again.
Everyone needs to watch this. Harley Davidson dealers are the worst for this. They like to push Harley financing and they like to push what bike they want to sell you, not the bike you want. Go in with cash, and they won't speak to you. Want to take their write up sheet to a credit union or bank and they won't sell to you. I exclusively buy from individuals, and I know my stuff. Work on all my own rides, and I build them nice. Custom fab work to motor builds. I will buy some occasional parts from harley for a big tag but no bikes for me from their dealerships.
Never even heard of a dealership prep fee! Course I haven't bought a Harley either. Shouldn't the bikes be ready to go if they're for sale? What are they prepping?
Bikes come in wooden crates and some pieces have to be put together.
@@midgette11 If you check the fine print, corporate pays them back the prep and assembly..
Why would you tell them what you wanted to pay monthly?
Honestly, no real benefit
Truth 💯 Hollywood! They always try to pad that bottom line! You have to be informed and play the game!
🇺🇸✌️
The prep fee is a joke, I researched on Harley’s website in 2022 it stated they compensate the dealer for prep fees. When I bought my new bike the general manager tried that shit. Told him you get compensated from the mother ship on that. He said I’ve never heard that before, I read word for word from hd website he sure changed his tune and removed the 800 prep fee.
Right on bro.
You preached everything brother! I’m currently trying to buy a 2016 vrod muscle and being a veteran you would think they have courtesy with their BS, they think when we walk-in we will pay what they demand for a fucked up bike
Just because you’re a veteran doesn’t make you special. There are a lot of scummy vets out their too.
Harley still makes a V rod? I didn’t know that. Hopefully you find a bike that works for you at the price you want
Was at the dealer today picking up parts and while waiting i asked the sales mgr the price of a new bike, included in the figures was the prep fee of 1k, i laughed and told him he would have to find another sucker..... then he said he would sell it at msrp, i told him maybe another day good luck
You can let them tell you any interest rate they want if you just go ahead and pay it off the next month. Use the deal and then just pay it off right away.
It's not just Hardly Dependable I had the Worst buying experience of my life at a nation wide scam dealership in Olathe Kansas. The motorcycle community isn't much of a community anymore. Fortunately I'm old and won't be purchasing another motorcycle in this life. My retirement present to myself ended up a royal screwing. I do like the bike but I guess it's never too late to learn a lesson.
First - never finance a motorcycle. If you don’t have the cash don’t buy it. Second - negotiate the final price and get them down as low as possible and have them add in store credit. They think they’ll get you on the loan terms. Joke is on them because I’m writing a check when the first months payment comes due for the entire balance. I call that a win.
Paying cash diminishes your haggling power. Dealers make money from financing, take the loan and pay it off within the first month.
You just said never finance, then you finance and pay off immediately. Thats poor financial advice. Financing works plenty well for people who can do basic math.
Yea lots of people have 37k to just buy a new bike lol.
@@jimmysandborn910 if that’s the case than they should consider something within their price range.
@@JA-zh5xi so buy a Honda shadow. I make 15x the avg income for a person per yr and I can't go pay 40k cash for a nice bike. 20k is the least I'd ever pay for a bike. So finance it is
Screw all dealerships. I was looking for a 2010 wide glide. A local guy was selling one but I couldn't test ride it. Wanted 7k for the wide glide. I went to the local harley and played along and they also had a 2010 wide glide. I pretended I was really interested and was able to test ride their wide glide. I had no intention of buying from the dealer and I had also never ridden a wide glide. They wanted 15k for the same motorcycle with similar mileage as the private sale one. Thanks dealer. I say if you can ever screw the dealer over in any way do it. I have never met one be it car or motorcycle that doesn't want to just take you over the coals and charge astronomical prices and use their slimey tactics every time. This won't last long! What can we do to get you in this today? It's the cheapest one around in a 200 miles radius! Their job is to lie, lie , lie. Don't fall for it. Good look trying to get them to budge. They have plenty of suckers who are coming in to look at this amazing ride. haha
I only purchased a new motorcycle from HD once… I said NEVER again🤦♂️
I will only EVER buy used on the private market. Forget the dealer, skip them if you can!💯
YOU FORGOT THEIR BIGGEST SCAM. The finance rate, the dealer will raise it from 1 to 10 points higher. They tried to hit me with a 12% and when I walked it came down to 4.9. Car dealers have been doing it for years.
Never negotiate monthly payments Always negotiate Price. If you finance, shop around for interest rates from different banks before you're ready to buy then when you're ready to buy HD will have you sit with their financing (Eaglemark). After HD gives you their best interest rate and its higher than your bank tell them you'll finance from your bank. If you buy in cash never tell them that because they love to make money on financing.
People don't realize that the dealerships can charge whatever they want for parts. So you gotta shop parts from dealer to dealer
You are absolutely right. I bought two HD lithium batteries for my Roadglide Ultra CVO and my girlfriend's Roadglide Special. One dealer had the batteries for $379, and another dealer had the exact same HD lithium batteries for $297 (the suggested retail price). Of course I bought the $297 batteries with an additional 10% discount I negotiated for buying two. You gotta shop around.
Same with extended warranty. Shop around if you are buying nationwide warranty, and don’t fall for the dealer specific one
You don’t have to know all the technicalities of bikes in order to negotiate. Concentrate on the bottom dollar and reducing that and don’t be afraid to walk away. As a new rider who doesn’t want to buy a bike that is over 20 years old and wants to buy a newer bike that is used with under 5,000 miles i was able to get $4k off their ‘reduced price’ sport glide and only paid $550 for 2 years extended warranty (which they tried to sell for $2k). Oh and i also paid cash but i only said i’m thinking about both options until i was able to negotiate the bottom price then i said i decided to pay cash.
💯💯💯
Dreadful experience going into a harley dealership.
The absolute WORST💯
Mine went opposite. Harley store actually came down on the price to give me the monthly payment I wanted. You are right they did try to pressure me into buying a brand new bike when I did not want to and I left and after a week I called back and told them what I wanted and what I wanted to do and told them if they could not then I was not interested. I guess it just depends on how you approach the salesman. It’s like poker just gotta learn how to play the game so they can’t read you!🤙💯
When I got my license in '21 (took the Harley class), I was on the fence about what I was gonna get. All I knew was a bike had to wait as I was going through the mortgage process to buy my first house.
I'd still show up to various dealers and look at bikes. At the Harley dealer it was always like sharks smelling blood in the water. Constant badgering and even more guilt tripping. They went on and on about how they weren't making sales and having a hard time and needed to have some help making the sales. Told them I wasn't able to at the moment because I was in the middle of the mortgage process and taking a line of credit on a bike would make me lose it. They told me "are you sure? You can walk off with a bike today and it won't affect your house at all."
At that point I told them, that was beyond scummy and I wasn't falling for that. I was told "you probably ain't a real biker anyways, just get a Honda or something. Harleys aren't for you then." Yup. I walked off, and got me an Indian after securing the house and renovating. Never fall for the guilt tripping especially if you're buying a house!
I would of rolled right up to that dealership with your Indian and asked for the salesman to walk out and see what you have now and flipped him off!!
That is a real piece of sh!t right there. I’m sure you wanted to give him a good smack cause I do and I wasn’t there. Good for you bro! Congrats on the house.
I looking for my first bike and I have came to the conclusion that indian is the best way to go
That’s why I finance through my credit union, dealerships HATE credit unions because they go by black book. The credit union makes sure your not upside down in the buy!!! As far as the fees(which is stupid high) I told them that when Wal Wart starts to charge me a fee to buy the products on they’re shelf then I will consider paying your fee… until then it ain’t happening!!!! They didn’t like that at all. Those fees are straight profit to the dealership, don’t be fooled!!!
Don't buy from DEALERS!!! Stay healthy safe travels 👍 purchase from private owners best 👌
The experience between going into a Harley dealer and any other dealer is night and day different and is the only thing keeping me from buying a new Harley. Just like cars, I will NOT deal with these crooked Harley dealerships at all, aint going to happen.
I just got the dealer to take 2000 off without trying. With a little time it was 4000 off on a new 22 Road Glide st. I've been going there for over 20 years.
They make you believe that but it’s not true.
Where I live, We have these "Mega Harley Dealers" they do all of the shady things you spoke of. I have stopped dealing with them permanently.
Get your own financing, ask them for a bill of sale, then you can see all costs and prices. Might be able to do it over the phone if no trade in is involved.
I was very uneducated going into the harley dealership. And I literally got scammed. Everything that this man said in the video is on point and 100 percent Accurate. I've had the bike for going on 2 weeks now and I've been so sick to my stomach
Good job brother!! I've been going through this shit for lots of years! They try to tell you all kinds of shit to get you to sign your #uckin life away!! Been to the dealership u mentioned!! Showed my kids how to shop too and there pretty tough to pull any shit on!
Every time they tack on mandatory "fees", there's one question that comes to mind - why isn't that included in the price? What are you playing at? I'm not paying this sh!t!
The Finance lady at the Harley dealer tells me, " well I guess I'm not gonna make any money off you". As I refused to buy the extended warranty and tire package. I said " you're making plenty of money off me, I just bought the motorcycle".
Needless to say she wasn't the happiest person in the room
I agree. Why finance the maintenance
I bought a new KTM in Puerto Vallarta, cash. It's a Harley/ KTM/ Husqvarna dealer. They wouldn't budge on the price, all the bigger bikes were sold before they arrived, and it's still that way now, 2 years later. There was no dealer prep charge. I paid for the bike and the sales tax. They gave me a free KTM riding jacket and an OK helmet for $80.00, marked down from $300.00. No BS, I just had to wait 2 weeks for the bike to get there and be prepped.
Another point to think about... interest rates on loans. All dealers get a percentage of your loan... most tack on 2.5% to 3%
I paid that % to the credit Union the dealer used .. before. What’s mostly the SOP, a payout for the loan. Auto used to be $500-1000 for getting the customer to take a loan. Eagle Finance is directly in bed with HD Corp, so it’s the worst option/choice.
Not "all". This used to be more common in the auto industry but consumer access to information has made it a lot less common since most customers these days can readily obtain their credit score and are able to pre-qualify themselves and compare interest rates across lenders.
Dealership F&I departments will generally get a flat origination fee of a few hundred bucks from the lender for setting up a loan. Padding the interest rate is pure profit for the ones that still do but like I said, it's not nearly as common because too many borrowers these days know what the going rates are and what they qualify for.
I agree that padding the interest rate is a scummy practice. It's incredibly easy to know if that is happening because you can simply ask them to see the buy rate (that is the rate offered directly from the lender on the lender's original approval). If the buy rate is lower than what F&I is quoting, or if they flat out refuse to show it to you, they are paddling interest, and I won't do business with any dealership that does this, motorcycle, automotive or otherwise
@Josh Bass People are all geeked up when getting a HD, so it is easy to slip things buy... and are clueless.
@@dmcharley64 It's called "emotional investment in ownership". You are correct that it's a thing, and although it is more intense with something like motorcycles, it's true for other purchases as well. It's one of the psychological factors to a purchase that can be manipulated by sales people.
I never finance toys so obviously im only riding older bikes and I’m good with that. Great video
Same shenanigans as a car dealer. KISS "Keep it Simple Stupid". Never trade a vehicle and never finance through the dealer UNTIL you know what the actual out-the-door price is. They can't bury anything this way.
we need more negotiators like you for people like me.
My experiences have always been good... the problem is the ridiculous markups on new rides.
Lots of my friends IE business man have sold their Harleys or traded them in for European bikes . From reasons where the dealerships did not want to work on their bikes or stupid petty excuses to get them to buy new Harleys. 😂 I mean it’s getting more pathetic by the day .
im buying a 2023 yamaha mt-10 sp in the spring ...fuck harley !!!!!!!
Harley is overrated
Buy lightly used from a individual, and finance with ur hometown bank or credit union, use a private shop for maintenance, and u will be fine...
When people come in looking for a fight and looking to outsmart the dealership almost never get the best deals. There are good and bad dealerships out there, so do your research, but people who are respectful and don’t look at the transaction as a “me vs the dealership” deal usually will get taken care of way better than the person looking for a fight.
you mat not think it's you vs the dealership, but they dam sure do
"may"
HD Corp. already reimburses the dealer for prepping the bike out of the crate. Finance calls their lenders, gets a base rate (and will shop for the lowest base rate). They then ADD USUALLY 1-2% onto that (this is part of their "back end" profit). Also EVERYTHING the finance person offers you (extended warranty, tire protection, etc.) Is almost entirely back end profit for the dealership, and the finance guy gets commission on it. The best financing you can ever get will be thru your local credit union...not a dealership. Don't trade in your bike...sell it yourself. The dealership will typically offer you at least $2k less than the bike is worth (so they can make a profit when they sell it, and pay the sales guy a commission). Dealerships are only allocated a set number of new bikes per year (unlike car dealerships), so they try to maximize their profit on each one. Buy at the end of the month. This is when dealerships are trying to hit their numbers for corp. and are more likely to deal. I was a sales manager at 2 HD dealerships.
Great information. Most of us have to learn these things the hard way. And some still haven’t learned.
But I worked as a flatrate mechanic at a couple of dealers and an independent. Heard people complain all the time when they finally had figured out how they had paid a lot to get the thing they wanted or needed.
Great negotiation example.
- Dan
Yes, Mike,traded in a 2012 Street Bob for a 2003 V Rod.
Weirdest transaction ever.
Paid $16K(Aus.) for the Bob, was offered $12K trade-in.
Unsatisfied with the offer the dealership squeezed the numbers up to $14K, which I accepted. The weird bit came a day later picking up the bike.
" Oh, by the way", the dealer chimed, " We have something extra for you". He gave me a huge carton containing a new pair of V-Rod saddle bags that was traded in with the Rod when sold to the dealership.
Huh? What gives? An oversight or the fact I might have storage related problems as the Rod had had only 7000klms on the clock. Mind you my Streetbob trade-in, which I bought recently, then, had only 299klms on it.
I'm laughing as the V-Rod has appreciated double in price since then.
OMFG seriously?! Lol
These reasons and other sales tricks regarding anything for sale is the reason I hate all sales people .👍
Beautiful turnaround on them. Yes, dealers are notorious for messing with the bottom line. No Integrity, Only a few!
I guess no one here remembers the late 80's through the 90's??? The dealerships are doing the same thing now, as they did back then. The exception is, there plenty of bikes now. You can go around to several dealers and get the best price, out the door. Always ask the out the door price. If they won't give you an out the door price, walk out. NO ONE can make you buy the bike. Buying the bike is ultimately the consumer's decision. Its not like back then you got on a waiting list. I waited six months for a new 94 FXR. And if I didn't want to pay the price, all the dealer had to do was, call the next person on the list. I am no fan of buying cars or motorcycles at the dealer. I am not sticking up for the dealers. But they're in business to make money. The responsibility lies on the consumer to make the deal they are comfortable with.