How to negotiate the price of a new bike?

I'm really getting close to tradin in the RK to the new Street Glide. I gave up on saving for retirement.

I know I need to get as much for the old RK as possible since this is the down payment.

The big question is, how much do you think the dealer will move from the MSRP number that is posted on the HD web site. In this economic times has anyone heard of a motivated HD dealer?

I worked in the car / truck business for a good while & from what people in the motorcycle business tell me, it's pretty much the same deal.

1) Trading your current bike in @ a dealer is the worst thing you could do. Put it up for sale yourself & use the proceeds on the new bike you want. The dealer will "steal" your trade-in & you'll definitely get a lot more selling it yourself. And I've seen used bikes priced ridiculously high @ dealers - same type deal as car / truck dealers - you make a lot more profit on a used vehicle than a new one - take it in for far less than wholesale because the seller doesn't know what it's worth.

2) There's a "stealers & dealers" website, but when I checked it, my anti-virus software said there are 3 "infections" there, so I didn't open it this time. But check around - very few H-D dealers sell for MSRP, even if you've got the full purchase price in cash. There are some who do, but you'll either have to know which ones do, or get recommendations from others in the area.

3) Every dealer in this general area (apparently commonplace all over) puts accessories on every new bike on the showroom floor. Dealers make a lot more profit off things like chrome covers, sissy-bars, backrests, etc. than they do on the basic bike, so they tend to load the bikes up with more "glitz & glitter". Maybe you want all the extras, but why pay for them if you don't?

4) When sales volume goes down, a dealer needs to make more profit from each sale, so while people tend to think it's a "buyer's market" because of the bad economy, it's actually the other way around. Dealers have the mindset of, "If you don't buy this bike (car, truck) @ this price, somebody else will". Fine - I know what I want, I know what I'm willing to pay & you're not the only dealer.

Never, never, never trade a bike (car, truck, van) in @ a dealer - always sell it yourself 1st. Then even if you're going to use financing on the purchase of the new bike, take $100 bills with you - I'm here to buy that bike, I'm willing to pay X amount & here's my "earnest money" - start putting $100 bills on the sales manager's desk - I'm not a shopper, I'm a buyer. Watch the "attitude adjustment" when you do it that way.

I agree that green backs talk, stealers have a lot of lookers and only a few buyers. When you flash the green they know you are serious and will listen more, some will bicker a little. In our area we have several MSRP stealers, but then we have 8 dealers with in 200 miles up and down the interstate. And you always here about the great deal someone else got, but some how it never happens to me. There are a ton of low mileage used bikes out there.

Up in Minnesota my brother is looking at a '09 Ultra brand new still on the show room floor , it is black but the price he is looking at right now is around $19,000 . List is about $21,500. I think some good deals can be gotten on '09 models if the dealers still have them.

I don't doubt there are deals to be found, but don't trade in a used bike (car, truck, whatever) - sell it outright.

Example of how it works - say the trade-in is worth $9000 wholesale & $11,000 retail - the dealer may show you $10,000 on paper as trade-in "value", but they're taking it in for less & discounting the retail price of the new one to make it look like you're getting $10,000 for the trade.

Especially when dealing with customers who want to finance, up the trade-in "value" so it looks like a bigger down-payment is made & few customers know that the *difference* you pay between used vehicle trade-in price & new vehicle sales price is all that matters. Drop the retail price on the new, bump up the "trade-in value", play all kinds of numbers games, but the *difference* is what gets financed.

But if you were to sell the trade-in yourself then take that $$$ to the dealer, you'd only have the retail price of the new purchase to "dicker" over. When you trade, you're giving the dealer your bike (car, etc.) for wholesale & you're paying retail for the new one - sell the used one @ retail 1st - newspaper ad, whatever. And after you've checked to see what you can actually get for it in your area - may be worth more or less than what you think it is.

Also, do some research on what the dealer pays for the new bike (car, etc.) you want - don't have any links handy, but there are websites you can check. Point being that when there is no trade-in involved & you have a good portion of the purchase price in cash, the transaction is a lot more simple & the dealer can't play the same numbers games - you're only looking @ one thing - the price the dealer will see you the bike for right now, staring @ $100 bills you've put on the table & the pen in your hand ready to sign the contract.

And I can sure tell you that credit buyers with a trade-in are the easiest ones to manipulate - F&I (finance & insurance) managers I've known always said if you get to within $1000 of making a deal, bring the customer to me. Numbers games & if monthly payment amount is your major concern, they'll get close to it - but you have no idea what your trade-in is taken in for or what you're actually paying for the new purchase - "payment buyers" get crucified.

This is all great helpful information. I started this thread mostly for everyone's benefit. We all need help in this area whether its buying a bike or a car.

Patience is the name of the game and when I get the chance, after I try to sell my bike, I want to try and negotiate with a few dealers, maybe walking away from the first one or two to see where their breaking point is.

Thanks for all the reply's. Keep posting if anyone has any more info in this area or have a story to tell about buying a bike and getting a good deal.

I'll post again when I get to that point. Now I got to go and try and sell my 98

I'll tell one that illustrates what I said before & although it's about a car, dealers operate pretty much the same way. Years ago I was a salesman @ a Lincoln-Mercury dealer & met a couple looking to trade. The man was a Ford employee & could have used the "A Plan" but didn't know about it & being new to "the business", neither did I. Don't know if it's still in effect, but then a Ford employee could buy ANY new Ford (or L-M) vehicle for $49 over invoice.

He picked out a new car, used car manager checked the trade & after being told what the "value" was, I & the couple sat down to deal. They were "payment buyers" & looking @ different schedules, I saw we were about $1000 apart. So as I'd been told, I took the couple to the F&I office, explained that payment amount was the issue & I didn't see how I could get it as low as they wanted.

Couple was in the office for over an hour & when they came out, payments were still higher than they wanted. Husband focused on the new car & the F&I manager asked, do you really want it? Yes - then the F&I manager turned to the wife & asked, why don't you let him have it? She said alright, if you want it that bad, get it.

Here's what I learned later - they paid window-sticker, trade-in was worth more & interest rate was higher than it could have been. I didn't mind the 30% commission, but not telling a customer about a special plan available to them, jacking up the interest rate, etc. is the same as lying in my book & that's why I quit "the business".

About financing - dealers get a certain interest rate but they're not limited to it. In other words, if the dealer's "discount rate" is 3% but they can get the customer to pay 7%, the dealer gets the extra 4%. I've seen people pay over 20%.

You see how important it is to "do your homework" - what's my used bike (car, etc.) really worth? What did the dealer pay for the new one I want? What's the interest rate now? If the man had known about the A Plan he could've showed his Ford employee ID & paid $49 over invoice; if he knew what his trade was worth he'd have gotten more; if he'd have put a deposit on a new car he wanted & sold his trade outright he'd have done even better & if he knew how dealers manipulate financing, he could've gotten a lower interest rate / payment.

I agree with that. I have never used dealer financing. If I need financing for a vehicle I line up my own and take that out of the dealing.

I don't finance anything, but for those who do, lining it up 1st is definitely the smartest way to go. Talk with your local bank manager, etc. - I want to buy this bike, the price is X amount & I'm going to need to borrow Y amount - what's the lowest interest rate I can get & how much will the payments be? I've seen several people do that & they certainly came out MUCH better than playing numbers games with the dealer.

Think of the "house always wins" rule in Las Vegas, etc. - F&I (finance & insurance) managers know a LOT more about how the game is played than the general public. And they're trained to sell extended warranties, insurance you could get for much less from your local agent, etc. F&I people get paid commission too - bump that interest rate up, sell you insurance you don't need, etc. & they get a bigger paycheck.

Shop long distance too. I've heard of people flying to the dealership and riding back. Durango H-D (Colorado) sells for MSRP, as does the dealership in Keene, NH. Both are nice places to visit, although the ride from Durango is better. I'm sure there are other dealers, but those are two that I know of offhand.