How to buy a Harley?

[fitz40]

Any pointers/tips on buying a new Harley?I am looking to buy one soon.I know the bike I am going buy..Just looking for info on the negotiating process.

[sarnali2]

You might get a break on an '08, some dealerships have more left overs than they want and with the new frame and exhaust+front wheel on the '09 Touring models there might be some wiggle room. I'd try to come off a few bucks on freight and set up, maybe toss in a helmet or some gloves. As a general rule though most HD dealers get full book, the last time I saw some serious deals was back in the early '80s when they almost tanked, nowadays that's not the case.

[The_AirHawk]

Walk into the Dealership, drop your trousers around your ankles and bend-over the bike you have in mind.

They'll service you like a King!

(well, that USED to be the standard for purchasing an H-D, until about 18-months-ago)

[Kenneth_Moore]

Originally Posted by fitz40

Any pointers/tips on buying a new Harley?I am looking to buy one soon.I know the bike I am going buy..Just looking for info on the negotiating process.

Fitz40, I spent a year selling Harleys at the "World's Largest HD Dealer" and have some suggestions for you.

Dealers can't sell the bike under MSRP; it's part of their deal with Harley, they lose unit allocations for the next model year if they do. So, you look for other opportunities to negotiate aside from price. Ask for store credit to buy accessories if you don't have a trade. Minimum $500, as much as $1,000, depending on some variables below.

If you do have a trade, don't accept anything less than NADA high trade-in, unless your bike is a total beater. I've know buyers who actually bought beat up bikes just to use as leverage in a trade-in deal. You can also avoid the down payment in cash with a trade.

A lot of dealers are accessorizing the new bikes heavily before putting them on the sales floor. Usually there's a tag with parts and prices hanging on the bike, with labor. You can get as much as 30% off the parts, but probably nothing on the labor. If you can, buy an un-accessorized bike; not only do you get to pick the parts you actually like, but "chrominating" the Harley is 1/2 the fun.

The old adage about better deals at the end of the month, or better, the end of the quarter, are true. The sales manager used to get really agressive on pricing as those deadlines to make quota got close.

Buy floor stock, don't order a bike. The dealer is paying interest on the bikes on the sales floor.

Pay the shipping fee, it's a pass-through from HD. Don't pay the "dealer fee," it's pure profit add-on for the dealer. They'll say it's for "the paperwork" or "title work." It isn't, it's just found money.

The sales person on the floor has no authority to deal. He's just a messenger for the Sales Manager. You have to work with a salesperson, but that doesn't keep you from asking to meet the Sales Manager and making a connection there. Nice people who were friendly get a good deal without having to make a-holes of themselves.

When the deal is done and you're ready to buy, the real sales begins. You'll be visiting a "Finance and Insurance" person, whose job is to complete the sales paperwork correctly, and sell you a bunch of crap you don't need. This includes road hazard insurance, credit life insurance, LoJack, etc. These folks are very well trained and are extremely good at convincing you to add "just a few more dollars a month" for crap you don't need. Remember, you're there to buy a motorcycle, not insurance. You can choose to add the extended warranty any time before the factory warranty runs out; it's a good idea to make sure you'll be keeping the bike before adding that expense.

You didn't mention what HD you're interested in, but as far as value for the money goes, the Dyna line is the best deal in the shop (the Sportsters are arguably an equally good value, but only if you want a Sporty). At under $12k, you get a Twin-Cam engine and a chassis with the flexibility to do anything from bar-hopping to long-distance touring with a few key accessories.

Estimate your payments at about $20/month per $1,000 in price, for average credit. Thus, a $15,000 bike is about $300/month. Down payment is 10% with Eagle Bank (HD's GMAC equivalent) financing. HD's rates are as good as or better than many other sources, but you should check with your credit union, Capital One Auto Financing, etc.

If you have multiple dealerships within reasonable traveling distance, don't be shy about working them against each other. Get a Buyer's Order from one and show it to the other. Rossmeyer HD goes to great lengths to take a Peterson's HD customer, and vice-versa.

Lastly, finally, see if you can locate a "Klazy Ken Seminar" in your area. Not only will you learn how to save many times the cost of the seminar on your first motorcycle purchase, you will also learn how to make millions selling used motorcycles on the internet.

[longride]

"Any pointers/tips on buying a new Harley?I"

Right now it's easy.There aren't that meany buyers. Go in serious and walk out with a deal. Money talks.

[The_AirHawk]

Ah, I see it's the dropping-trou method of Dealing for an H-D is STILL viable...........

[MOKE1K]

Originally Posted by fitz40

Any pointers/tips on buying a new Harley?I am looking to buy one soon.I know the bike I am going buy..Just looking for info on the negotiating process.

Yeah you'll need some serious negotiating skills for a Hardly, then you'll need a tissue after you realise how much more technology, cheaper price, and more hp, you'd have gotten with a Japanese Brand, oh did I mention maintenance, but at least the tank will read Harley?

[Buzglyd]

Originally Posted by MOKE1K

Yeah you'll need some serious negotiating skills for a Hardly, then you'll need a tissue after you realise how much more technology, cheaper price, and more hp, you'd have gotten with a Japanese Brand, oh did I mention maintenance, but at least the tank will read Harley?

Sounds like the Hawaiian KP to me.

[longride]

I guess he's determined to get dumber by the minute......like that is possible.

[sarnali2]

He's right, my throttle by wire electronic sequential fuel injected ABS cruise controlled 4 pistoned Brembo triple disc'd six speed air suspended cush drived hydraulic valved wet clutched radial tired security system'd Harley is a regular antique compared to umm.......