Choosing a dealer to purchase from

[ttr2255]

Whats your order of priority when purchasing a new bike:

Select all that apply in you order of priority

a) Service, quality

? Service, rates

c) staff, knowledge

d) staff, courtesy

e) Model, selection

f) Model, Brand

g) Bike pricing

h) large parts & accessories stock

i) location, within 30 miles

j) location within, 10 miles

[Dirtrider316]

Reputation of Company, brand, price, Knowledgable staff and friendly, and will they stick by you. ? You can get parts or gear anywhere.

[SidewinderX]

1) Price, Price.

I work on my own stuff.

I order parts and gear on-line.

When it comes down to the bottom line, over the last few years I do not need a dealer except to look at the new bikes.

[Robbo66]

k) I get family rates ?

[HemiOrange]

I choose a place that stocks my brand, next I look for a friendly and helpful staff with a good inventory. I found all of that about 10 miles away. I buy most of my impulse stuff there, plus other items that they are competetive on such as filters, tools, gear and the like. My bikes and tires are normally bought from out of state, just because of the huge savings. I like to support my local dealer, but refuse to shop there if the owner/management isn't appreciative of my business. For the most part, I've never had a problem with the counter help anywhere, at any shop, in the 42 years that I've been riding and racing dirt bikes.

On the other hand, I can't say the same about Harley Dealers, even the ones that advertise as also being dirt oriented. These dealers too often seem to act like they are an exclusive club with memberships being paid only by buying a new Harley at their jacked up price. I did find a very nice Harley oriented shop once, they mainly sold Big Dogs and the owner bent over backwards to get me my Harley parts, we became friends, but that was an exception. His mechanics seemed fairly nice, too, even though they all looked like they did some hard time in prison.

[Bill]

Unfortunately it is impossible to know these things without first trying the dealer. I would post the question in your regional forum here at TT and ask people for their opinions.

Bill

[RichieGoatGruff]

The dealership MUST feel like a bike shop, not some damn car dealership!! I mean like the bike shops I went to 35 years ago as a kid...that's why I've been dealing with the local, old-time Yamaha shop. For the last 18 years....the relationship makes ALL the difference! When I 1st started going there, it was after I met one of their employees at a race. We became good friends, I started working on my Hondog in the Yamaha shop after hours and eventually bought my 2nd Yamaha....the previous Honda replaced an MX360. Their friendship caused me to return to the fold, and I'll never go back.....

[MXOldtimer]

After dealing with local dealers the last couple weeks I was so PO'd with BS. One dealer tried to hit me with over $1100.00 in freight & set up, can you believe that! Another dealer would not give me an out the door price, he wanted to sit down and look at numbers. I asked him if he'd ever sold one of those bikes before and his reply was "yes". So, I asked him "what was the price when it went out the door?" He gave me a blank look so I told him to keep his damn bike, and yet another dealer (well, the salesman) plain and simply didn't know what he was talk'n about and tried to BS me. I wasn't even look'n for a deal I just wanted a straight answer, "WHAT IS THE OUT THE DOOR PRICE!"

Then I remembered TT sold bikes so, I checked this site, sent one e-mail Saturday and got my questions answered the same day, thought about it Sunday and bought a bike from TT on Tuesday. I would've bought it Monday but I forgot the time change.

I'm waiting on deliver info and if this deal goes smooth it'll be the way I buy my bikes from now on. ?

I hope it goes smooth cuz I need a KTM next spring and TT is working on sell'n KTMs shortly.

Believe me the whole TT bike buying experience will be a thread shortly.

.

[JSanfilippo]

Price that is the only factor I consider. If they can get me out the door at a bargain basement price...they have my business. I would not think twice about driving 150 miles to save $500+ dollars. I have a small honda/yamaha dealer in my backyard but they are so rediculous with the prices in their parts department that I only go there when I need parts immediately. I figure I can do 80% of the work on my bike myself with the help/guidence of my buddies, so I don't really give a rats ass about how good the service department is