Anybody ever bought a new motorcycle?

[Floki]

To me, freight and dealer prep is overhead, not hundreds of $$$ passed on to me. Has anyone avoided those mark ups?

 

[Creedmoor]

1978 nope
1980 nope
1984 nope
2010 nope

 

[deo62]

Negotiations are your only friend

 

[BugI02]

Pick it up direct from the factory and ride it home?

 

[Floki]

1978 nope
1980 nope
1984 nope
2010 nope

nope you havent avoided the charges or nope you havent paid them?

 

[Creedmoor]

Pick it up direct from the factory and ride it home?

Good luck with that.

 

[Creedmoor]

To me, freight and dealer prep is overhead, not hundreds of $$$ passed on to me. Has anyone avoided those mark ups?

You asked if anyone has avoided those markups.
I answered. Nope

 

[gregkl]

To me, freight and dealer prep is overhead, not hundreds of $$$ passed on to me. Has anyone avoided those mark ups?

"Overhead" are costs that are passed on to the buyer. They don't do what they do for nothing.

Negotiate your "out the door" deal that causes you to sign on the bill of sale.

 

[Leo]

1978 nope
1980 nope
1984 nope
2010 nope

Same here, Never bought a bike from one of those back of the warehouse discounters. I trade with a dealer I like, and don't begrudge him his time to really prep the bike well. I figure it is worth the money to establish yourself with someone you trust to look out for you.

Not just vehicles, but with many large ticket items customers complain that they are treated like a number and that the seller does not care. The little extra I pay at locally owned dealers usually pays off in better service and respect. This whole generation has submitted to the great discount delusion, starving out anything that looks like real service.

 

[cbhausen]

2021 and 7 or 8 times in the ‘80s and ‘90s: Nope.

Why should the dealer eat these costs???

 

[printcraft]

Only time I didn't was when I got an "out the door" everything quote when I bought my Buell.
I asked about all of that to begin with.
When I went back to sign the paperwork the next day it was over $1000 more.
I immediately got up and walked out of the office.
I was followed out by the salesman that said it would be "per the quote" and come back etc.

 

[Floki]

2021 and 7 or 8 times in the ‘80s and ‘90s: Nope.

Why should the dealer eat these costs???

why should I pay for them to actually assemble the product?

 

[JCSR]

why should I pay for them to actually assemble the product?

Sounds like you won't be getting that new bike.

 

[pmbiker]

why should I pay for them to actually assemble the product?

I'll assemble it for you....half price.


Or you could pay someone who knows what they're doing....and have probably done it a hundred times. I wouldn't want a hack to assemble my motorcycle.

 

[WanderingSol07]

I assembled new bikes at a Honda/Yamaha dealer in the seventies. The dealer prep charge did not cover labor to do the prep right. I remember coming in one day and seeing twenty Goldwings still in crates that were already sold and they all wanted their bike tomorrow! Took almost two weeks to get them all assembled and ready to go. That was 1975, first year for Goldwings if I remember correctly.

 

[Jaybird1980]

why should I pay for them to actually assemble the product?

Because you want the warranty?

If you don't care about the warranty and have the ability to assemble it, try to buy one still in the crate. I would guess you would have to order it.

 

[indyblue]

To me, freight and dealer prep is overhead, not hundreds of $$$ passed on to me. Has anyone avoided those mark ups?

Always negotiate an OTD price for comparisons and get an itemized invoice describing all charges and research each item to check that they are all in line with the market.

Buying a Motorcycle? What Fees to Expect at the Dealership

We’ve done all the research so when you buy your next motorcycle, you'll understand what fees to expect and how much to pay at the dealership.

gorollick.com

Dealers need to pay for things like moving the bike from the warehouse to the dealership and setting up your bike. And of course, you always need to pay the government.

1. Destination Charge or Freight Fee

Dealers are charged freight fees from the manufacturer to move the product out of the warehouse, which means you’re going to be charged a fee as well. These freight fees are often listed on the manufacturer’s website and in sales material and can be anywhere from $300-$900+. Destination charges are ultimately determined by the value of the bike, almost like a tax, and are typically not negotiable.

1. Setup/Prep Fee

The destination charge may cover the cost to get your bike to the dealer, but who’s going to put your bike together? Setup (or prep) fees are necessary to get your bike out of the crate, put together, and ready for you to ride.

1. Document “Doc” Fees

Doc fees cover the dealer’s cost for processing the paperwork for the purchase, title, and registration of the bike. Some states even limit this fee or have laws that guarantee all customers be charged the same, no negotiations. Doc fees can range anything from around $100 to $500+ depending on the state and where your dealer is located.

1. Tags/Title Fees

You can’t own a vehicle without a title! Which means yes, these charges are also mandatory. Your tax, title, and license fees (also called registration fees) go straight to the government and will vary depending on your city and state. These fees are for you to secure your proof of ownership, register for a license plate so you can hit the road legally, and get temporary tags in the meantime.

Pro Tip: If you don’t pay these fees at the dealership, you’re going to have to go to your nearest DMV and pay them anyways, so they are saving you a trip here.

1. Sales Tax

Just like nearly everything else you buy, you’re going to be hit with a sales tax, which of course, varies by state. You can check out more information on the sales tax for your state here.

As we explained above, the MSRP, or list price, is not the out-the-door price that you’ll be paying for the bike, and that’s because of those taxes and fees. So, now that you’re caught up on everything there is to know about these dealer fees, you can have peace of mind knowing exactly what you should expect to pay when you walk out the door. Remember, a dealership may advertise a motorcycle for $8,000, but if it does not explicitly list setup fees, doc fees, taxes, and title/tags etc. you need to consider those fees in order to get an accurate OTD price.

 

[91FXRS]

The dealer has to pay freight to get the bike delivered and they have to get it ready to roll out the door. I personally only negotiate out the door price and don't care how they itemize it because if I'm buying I've done my research and know what I'm going to pay.

 

[Floki]

Sounds like you won't be getting that new bike.

wont be the end of the world

 

[Basher]

why should I pay for them to actually assemble the product?

Because that somebody isn’t a fool and doesn’t work for free? Whoever is doing the PDI is somebody you want to be experienced at it, because if they’re not, it’s your ass on the seat (that might not be on it for long)!

Do you do work for free? I sure don’t…