Real Motorcycle Dealers vs. "Power Sports" Dealers

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
Also dealerships will sell you factory parts, which I actually like to keep all my bikes and ATVs stock, but dealerships will charge you exuberate prices. They really did themselves in, in this regard. They could just as easily sell online too or charge a small mark up, but They really get greedy. I see this more in lawn and small engine repair places. They are insane.


I agree here. When comparing the cost of a factory Honda piston and ring set for say a CR125 to an aftermarket set by Wiseco or Pro-x the price it double. I think more people would buy factory parts if they priced them competitively.

As far as getting repairs done I would not take my motorcycle to a dealer accept for warranty work. Any other major work would be best handled by a private party motorcycle mechanic who is likely better, more efficient and costs half of the price.
 
Last edited:
My local Harley dealer also sells used cars and all sorts of other stuff they will take in on trade. Last time I went by the place, they had an 1980 Camaro out front for sale.
 
Originally Posted By: LotI
I thought Harley sold apparel and the bikes were loss leaders?

smile.gif



They barely make any money at all on new bikes..........
grin.gif


http://seedealercost.com/products/manufacturer-models/index/id/877/productCategorySlug/powersports
 
Honda motorcycle dealers have all disappeared from Toronto. Thirty years ago we had about six dealers, they all folded up one by one.

When I was shopping for my CBR300 I called a couple of dealers in the suburbs and they really did not sound very interested in selling me a motorcycle.

The conversation went as follows
Me: I am interested in buying a new 2015 CBR300R
Dealer: We don't have any.

There was no " We have 2016s which we could sell you for $----" or " We have a used one we could sell you for $----", nothing, no enthusiasm for making a sale. So I ended up buying my bike from a scooter shop in Toronto that sells Honda scooters and, strangely enough, Honda lets them sell one Honda motorcycle , the CBR300
http://www.motoretta.ca/

I do all my own wrenching, so I really do not care about them servicing the bike.
 
Originally Posted By: George7941
Honda motorcycle dealers have all disappeared from Toronto. Thirty years ago we had about six dealers, they all folded up one by one.

When I was shopping for my CBR300 I called a couple of dealers in the suburbs and they really did not sound very interested in selling me a motorcycle.

The conversation went as follows
Me: I am interested in buying a new 2015 CBR300R
Dealer: We don't have any.

There was no " We have 2016s which we could sell you for $----" or " We have a used one we could sell you for $----", nothing, no enthusiasm for making a sale. So I ended up buying my bike from a scooter shop in Toronto that sells Honda scooters and, strangely enough, Honda lets them sell one Honda motorcycle , the CBR300
http://www.motoretta.ca/

I do all my own wrenching, so I really do not care about them servicing the bike.



I had the same experience when trying to buy my Triumph. Triumph had a 2011 old style and a restyled 2011 Speedmaster. I wanted the new one. I called the local dealer in Des Moines and was told "We don't have one, call back in September". Now this was in June I might add. So I looked online and saw a dealer way out in the middle of nowhere, in a town of 150 people, had one 2011 listed with no pictures. I decided to just drive the 4 hours there on a day off to look at it. I got there and it was the old style one. But the lady said "Heck, you can put down 500 bucks and we will order you one. Should be here in about 10 business days". Well 12 business days later I was riding it home.

Sometimes the larger dealers just don't even want to try. They assume the products will sell themselves. Clearly the sales people aren't very well trained or talented. I worked in the car salesman world for a while as a master Ford salesperson and if you operated that way at a car dealership, you would be canned in short order.
 
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
Your local motorcycle dealer is nearing extinction. They used to make a lot of their profit on the sale of parts and most of that has been lost to the internet.

If you want to ride a motorcycle then you better learn how to wrench on one because the younger generation now joining the work force thinks that turning a wrench for a living is beneath them.

Harley dealers aren't as bad but just try having your dad's old AMF shovel serviced at your local HD dealer.



So true! All of it!
 
Quote:
If you want to ride a motorcycle then you better learn how to wrench on one because the younger generation now joining the work force thinks that turning a wrench for a living is beneath them.

It's not a shortage of workers, it's a shortage of pay. Why work for a seasonal business (here in the north) that pays a lot less than automotive work or other jobs and has many fewer jobs? Leisure pursuit businesses are always much less solid than others, and the motorcycle industry is only half the size it was prior to the 2007 crash. My small city used to have several motorcycle dealers, and now there are none. It is not a job with a future.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
....

You can say what you want about Harley Davidson, but this is yet another thing they do right.

.....

dare I say, the lifestyle of motorcycling.



When Buell went belly up, I went to the local HD dealer where our second home is, with the intention of maybe buying one. Dressed normally, Polo shirt, khakis, etc. Spent a lot of time looking at one of the little Harleys also - might have been enticed to buy one of those.

Not a single person ever spoke to me. Not one word. I suppose I looked like a poser or pansy to them, but the people dressed like, um, criminals and thugs, shopping in the "apparel" section had no trouble getting waited on.

Guess I wasn't their lifestyle customer.
 
Originally Posted By: Win
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
....

You can say what you want about Harley Davidson, but this is yet another thing they do right.

.....

dare I say, the lifestyle of motorcycling.



When Buell went belly up, I went to the local HD dealer where our second home is, with the intention of maybe buying one. Dressed normally, Polo shirt, khakis, etc. Spent a lot of time looking at one of the little Harleys also - might have been enticed to buy one of those.

Not a single person ever spoke to me. Not one word. I suppose I looked like a poser or pansy to them, but the people dressed like, um, criminals and thugs, shopping in the "apparel" section had no trouble getting waited on.

Guess I wasn't their lifestyle customer.


You must have a [censored] dealer in your area. The ones around here try to extract money from everybody LOL.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top