Have bike dealers all gone high cost high pressure like cars?

Hall's in B'ham and the Speedzone chain. Interesting on Montgomery as that is not beyond my range...

 

Hall's doesn't have the best reputation.

 

Went to buy a new truck, Would have been probably dudes easiest sale ever. I had a sheet already printed out, was clear to him I don’t have time for all this negotiating crap, blah blah. Was straight up and said if I feel like I’m getting screwed around I’ll leave. Even said if they cant get that truck I’ll order one, I’m in no rush. Sure as shit, guys trying to spin things this and that way, etc. Told him as soon as I get it home it will be up on jack stands getting a lift etc. came back with a shit price, asked if it was best price. He said lowest we can go. I said I’ll be in touch in the morning. Right as I got to my car, pulled the ole I just talked to the manger. I politely said you should have been more proactive. Long story short I still don’t have a truck but there are other reasons

 

I thought for sure you's say the shithole shop in Tuscaloosa. For what it's worth to you, I bought a couple of bikes from Jamie Lane at Pinnacle in Bessemer. He's a former WERA racer.

 

Try D&H in Cullman, AL. Even if you don’t get the bike there, you can still go to them for an extended warranty. Last I heard, they were selling the 4 yr extended warranty for $389 regardless of where you bought the bike. Gotta send them a check...they won’t do it by card over the phone.

 

The neighbor went in for a Toyota pick-em-up and at first, they fell all over him, smotching his buttocks, about ready to blow him. They misunderstood him and heard "Tundra" when he wanted a Tacoma.
As soon as they heard him correct, all the love went away and the over list, dealer prep, none in stock (even though there was) you have to special order and there's fees for that and the rest of the gonna soak this mother truckin' buyer crap started.

He came home with a Tundra.

Same dude sold his dirty bikes (two hondas and a KTM) for a huge profits 'cause people couldn't find new.

 

GMs name is Dave Huneycutt. If you’ve been to the Barber Museum, you’ve seen his brother’s name and WERA number on the Britten there. Dave sold em’, Chuck wrenched em’. Both great people.

 

Shocking

 

I know this ain’t you guys glass a’ beer, but I just bought a new Harley Road Glide. Knew what I wanted, shopped around. A few dealerships were advertising at MSRP, but then tacking on 2 grand on nonsense fees. Called around and starting negotiating, went from bad to worse. Literally had one dealer tell me the the price they had listed, which was MSRP, “no one sells them for that. It’s that plus 2K plus 2k in fees”. I thanked him for his time and moved on. This is literally for 20 model year bikes, in a dying market segment. Do you not understand the market HD is facing at all??? Called a semi local dealer at advice of a friend and ended up with a 21 at $1400 UNDER invoice. Half the fees. Crazy. After the other dealer called me back and I told him he missed the deal by far, he sent me a new quote.... 200 more than the previous one he had sent me. WTF?

 

I learned early on when I ran the service department at a bike dealership: sales department treats everyone like they are not well informed and hope your right most of the time. The exceptions are fewer and fewer as consumers should be better educated.

 

This x eleventy billion! I bought my first brand new bike (1995 FZR1000) from a family owned shop in Washington, MO (J&W Cycles). I bought several more from them over the years and referred countless friends who also bought from them. They always treated me right with parts and service.
Well, the sold it to a dealership company that has several auto dealers and wanted to get into powersports. The dealer is now complete shit. I’ve heard lots of typical horror stories about this dealer, I’ll never give them a dime. FWIW, I don’t blame the original owners; they wanted out and found a buyer. Too bad their long time customers have to go somewhere else or put up with unnecessary bullshit.

 

I guess that is the part that got under my skin the most as I have two other bikes. The idiot thinking I can be twisted, manipulated and lied to as if I was their kin. I was talking to my brother about sending him some parts I am not using for a project he has and discussed this. He said there is a local advertising 2020 for 4599. We have a bet I am think when he calls the OTD price will be $6K At this point I am kind of over it as I need the aggravation less than a third bike. I am almost to torture stupid people for sport level

 

If you’ve given buying new an honest effort, why not buy used? There’s a fuckton of well sorted R3s for sale.

http://forums.13x.com/index.php?threads/2016-r3.371525/

 

Or you could just buy a Ninja 400 and be done with it.

 

Even before Covid, I was shopping Z125s/Groms, and the range of prices I got were obscene. For a bike with a $3k MSRP, I was getting quotes up to $7k because of X, Y, and Z dealership fees. Not sure how those clowns stay in business.

 

I know a bunch of people who own auto and powersports dealerships. They are all rich. Maybe they not so dumb.

 

From what I have seen for 99% of dealerships motorcycles, dirt or street are a small percentage of the overall sales. SxS and ATVs seem to be what sells and for insane prices. I was with my BIL Saturday to pick up a Polaris Ranger 4 seater. The salesperson gave him a price over the phone and agreed to the sale. Got there loaded up the ATV on the trailer after giving the guy a pretty significant deposit. BIL goes to finalize paperwork and there is an extra $1500 listed for dealer fees and accessories. BIL says no this was supposed to be all included in OTD price. Double-check with the sales guy and he says yes the price was supposed to be X OTD. They redo the paperwork and tell my BIL to sign on the line. BIL double checks and they still had the extra in there on a previous page. Straight crooks, we unloaded the ATV and left. There were at least 5 people in the hour we were there who test drove an ATV and purchased no questions asked. The dealership doesn't care these things are flying out of the showrooms for crazy money your R3 purchase is small potatoes compared to a $20,000 SxS.

 

We should be able to buy the bike as a crate of subassemblies right off the line.

 

You can thank lawyer’s and law suits for that not being a possibility. 87’, when the FZR 400s first arrived. I actually helped remove mine from the shipping container, and did most of the assembly/disassembly myself. Try to get a dealer to agree to that today.

 

The general public is SOoOOOoooooo stupud....they just pay those "fees" and never question them yet my buddies brand new Lambo license plate is "Doc Fees" because that's how the Lamborghini is paid for.