Dealer shenanigans or it's how things are done?

[Lord Popgun]

There must be a hundred different factors to consider from the dealer's perspective...but in the end I guess it's sort of a gamble when it comes to pricing on a bike that isn't in strong demand. I was looking at lightly used '13s back in February. One in particular (which I ended up buying) was $7,750. At the time, a local dealer had a leftover new '13 listed at $9,000 (not including tax, tag, etc.). I'd have paid extra to have a brand-new bike, but wasn't prepared to pay $1250 extra, so I checked to see if they'd come down. Told them the situation, said I'd seriously consider their bike at $8,500. Nope...absolutely weren't gonna budge on that price.

So I thanked them for their time, said to let me know if they changed their mind, etc. Never heard back. The same bike is still sitting there, now listed at $7,500 going into the winter.

You're probably right. I'm sure there are considerations I'm just not aware of. It seems to me that the main consideration is and should be, make a profit while treating the customer right. Build a relationship with the customer so that he/she comes back. And, as we all know, motorcyclist tend to come back for new bikes over and over, long before our current bikes need to be replaced.

I'm going to decide upon an OTD price I'm willing to pay. I have time on my side. The '15's are right around the corner. This same dealership has '13's still on the showroom floor. I imagine the '14 I'm eyeing has been there for a while. They don't seem to be flying out the door around here. If they were, I'd understand the "additional dealer markup." Wouldn't like it, but I'd understand it. You want a hot commodity, you're going to have to pay more for it. Even more than mfg. suggested in some cases.
My thread is really negative, huh? Sorry about that. Didn't mean to inject that into the forum. Enough of me whining! I'm in love with the CB1100. it will be mine. Not sure when, but in the near future. Lesson learned on my part. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't think it was particularly negative. I'd have had the same reaction to being blindsided by a nearly $600 fee at the last minute.

Unrelated note, does anybody else find it odd that a dealer would install an aftermarket pipe on a brand-new bike?

When I went to pick mine up, the dealer had a new 2013 with a Yoshimura pipe on it. Seems that while rolling the bikes around they backed one into the CB's exhaust, and dented it. Dealer cost for a new one was $1,000 bucks. So, they decided that a much cheaper aftermarket was the solution.

When I went to pick mine up, the dealer had a new 2013 with a Yoshimura pipe on it. Seems that while rolling the bikes around they backed one into the CB's exhaust, and dented it. Dealer cost for a new one was $1,000 bucks. So, they decided that a much cheaper aftermarket was the solution.
Dealer cost for a muffler is nowhere near $1000. A '14 muffler can be had for $453, either side. A '13 can be had for around $675.
So their cost is less than that.

http://www.partsfish.com/oemparts/a/hon/...st-muffler

[DGShannon_imp]

There must be a hundred different factors to consider from the dealer's perspective...but in the end I guess it's sort of a gamble when it comes to pricing on a bike that isn't in strong demand. I was looking at lightly used '13s back in February. One in particular (which I ended up buying) was $7,750. At the time, a local dealer had a leftover new '13 listed at $9,000 (not including tax, tag, etc.). I'd have paid extra to have a brand-new bike, but wasn't prepared to pay $1250 extra, so I checked to see if they'd come down. Told them the situation, said I'd seriously consider their bike at $8,500. Nope...absolutely weren't gonna budge on that price.

So I thanked them for their time, said to let me know if they changed their mind, etc. Never heard back. The same bike is still sitting there, now listed at $7,500 going into the winter.

You're probably right. I'm sure there are considerations I'm just not aware of. It seems to me that the main consideration is and should be, make a profit while treating the customer right. Build a relationship with the customer so that he/she comes back. And, as we all know, motorcyclist tend to come back for new bikes over and over, long before our current bikes need to be replaced.

I'm going to decide upon an OTD price I'm willing to pay. I have time on my side. The '15's are right around the corner. This same dealership has '13's still on the showroom floor. I imagine the '14 I'm eyeing has been there for a while. They don't seem to be flying out the door around here. If they were, I'd understand the "additional dealer markup." Wouldn't like it, but I'd understand it. You want a hot commodity, you're going to have to pay more for it. Even more than mfg. suggested in some cases.
My thread is really negative, huh? Sorry about that. Didn't mean to inject that into the forum. Enough of me whining! I'm in love with the CB1100. it will be mine. Not sure when, but in the near future. Lesson learned on my part. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't think it was particularly negative. I'd have had the same reaction to being blindsided by a nearly $600 fee at the last minute.

Unrelated note, does anybody else find it odd that a dealer would install an aftermarket pipe on a brand-new bike?

When I went to pick mine up, the dealer had a new 2013 with a Yoshimura pipe on it. Seems that while rolling the bikes around they backed one into the CB's exhaust, and dented it. Dealer cost for a new one was $1,000 bucks. So, they decided that a much cheaper aftermarket was the solution.

When I went to pick mine up, the dealer had a new 2013 with a Yoshimura pipe on it. Seems that while rolling the bikes around they backed one into the CB's exhaust, and dented it. Dealer cost for a new one was $1,000 bucks. So, they decided that a much cheaper aftermarket was the solution.
Dealer cost for a muffler is nowhere near $1000. A '14 muffler can be had for $453, either side. A '13 can be had for around $675.
So their cost is less than that.

http://www.partsfish.com/oemparts/a/hon/...st-muffler

Good to know. I am sure that it was just a story embellishment, on their part, to make the point as to why they went cheaper after market. Don't feel that there was any dishonesty on their part. It was more like "...and a new stock one costs around a thousand bucks, so we went with an after market solution..."

[metallyguitarded_imp]

I have an offer in on the 2014 std. The one with the Yoshi pipe. $10,100 out the door. I feel it's a fair offer. We'll see how badly they want the sale. I've decided that either way, I'm keeping my VFR800. Fingers crossed.

[Cormanus]

Good luck.