01-26-2014, 10:52 AM
Your question is too difficult to answer in general terms. You've already stated that this will be your first "new" bike purchase. That changes things a lot.
I like my local Honda dealer. I know the owner, the sales manager, the parts manager, the service manager, etc., etc. I own four Honda's, and they all came from this dealership. I've been doing business with them for almost 30 years.
With that in mind, I try to make "fair" deals with them. I'm in the market to pay as little money as possible for a new motorcycle, but I'm also a fair-minded person, knowing that these people are trying to run a brick-and-mortar motorcycle shop that has overhead costs. If they were to close-down, I'd be screwed when it comes to service needs, and future bike purchases. And we all know the motorcycle market is still not really healthy in the US.
When I ordered my CB1100ABS, we never discussed price. The bike was brand-new to the market, had been highly-sought by the customer base (us!), and its future success in the American market was an unknown. It's only real competition (in my opinion) is the much smaller Triumph Bonneville line. When my bike arrived, without haggle my dealer knocked $500 off the price, but I did pay tax, freight, license, etc. He was happy, and I was happy.
But, with other bikes, I've been a shark. As an example, when the 2010 VFR1200F came out, there was a lot of hype, but they didn't sell. I loved the looks of the bike since the first time I'd seen photos. But, I wasn't going to pay the MSRP of $17,500 (DCT). My dealer had one, and I watched it sit on the showroom floor for over a year and a half. Every time I went into the dealership, I secretly drooled over that bike, but turned-away at the price tag hanging from the handlebar.
A few years earlier, in 2009 I had traded a Yamaha V-max into the dealership when I bought a CBR600RR for track riding. The V-max sat in their "used" showroom for two years (they were asking too much for it). One day the sales manager e-mailed me to say they'd "finally!" sold that V-max, and he joked that I needed to come buy something new. So, knowing I had the upper hand, I told him I'd take that VFR1200F DCT off his hands, and I threw down a ridiculous number. He ultimately capitulated, and I bought a very nice brand-new motorcycle for many thousands of dollars under MSRP.
So, long story short, you may have a tough time walking into a dealership as a brand-new (unknown) customer, asking for the "friends and family" discount on a brand-new model of motorcycle. And as other people have already said, various financial markets across the country affect our ability to accurately assess what a "good deal" really is. A good deal in the snow belt is much different than a good deal in always-sunny, ride 365 days-a-year southern California.
Bottom line--if after the purchase you feel you were treated fairly, then that's all that matters.
I like my local Honda dealer. I know the owner, the sales manager, the parts manager, the service manager, etc., etc. I own four Honda's, and they all came from this dealership. I've been doing business with them for almost 30 years.
With that in mind, I try to make "fair" deals with them. I'm in the market to pay as little money as possible for a new motorcycle, but I'm also a fair-minded person, knowing that these people are trying to run a brick-and-mortar motorcycle shop that has overhead costs. If they were to close-down, I'd be screwed when it comes to service needs, and future bike purchases. And we all know the motorcycle market is still not really healthy in the US.
When I ordered my CB1100ABS, we never discussed price. The bike was brand-new to the market, had been highly-sought by the customer base (us!), and its future success in the American market was an unknown. It's only real competition (in my opinion) is the much smaller Triumph Bonneville line. When my bike arrived, without haggle my dealer knocked $500 off the price, but I did pay tax, freight, license, etc. He was happy, and I was happy.
But, with other bikes, I've been a shark. As an example, when the 2010 VFR1200F came out, there was a lot of hype, but they didn't sell. I loved the looks of the bike since the first time I'd seen photos. But, I wasn't going to pay the MSRP of $17,500 (DCT). My dealer had one, and I watched it sit on the showroom floor for over a year and a half. Every time I went into the dealership, I secretly drooled over that bike, but turned-away at the price tag hanging from the handlebar.
A few years earlier, in 2009 I had traded a Yamaha V-max into the dealership when I bought a CBR600RR for track riding. The V-max sat in their "used" showroom for two years (they were asking too much for it). One day the sales manager e-mailed me to say they'd "finally!" sold that V-max, and he joked that I needed to come buy something new. So, knowing I had the upper hand, I told him I'd take that VFR1200F DCT off his hands, and I threw down a ridiculous number. He ultimately capitulated, and I bought a very nice brand-new motorcycle for many thousands of dollars under MSRP.
So, long story short, you may have a tough time walking into a dealership as a brand-new (unknown) customer, asking for the "friends and family" discount on a brand-new model of motorcycle. And as other people have already said, various financial markets across the country affect our ability to accurately assess what a "good deal" really is. A good deal in the snow belt is much different than a good deal in always-sunny, ride 365 days-a-year southern California.
Bottom line--if after the purchase you feel you were treated fairly, then that's all that matters.