Motorcycle Dealerships
Buying from motorcycle dealerships has it's pros and cons. If you don't
have the time to do the research yourself and you are looking to buy a brand
new bike the dealership might be the right place for you to start - that
is - if pushy salesmen don't put you off! The obvious con to buying your
bike at a dealership is that the source that you are relying on for your
information could be dodgy and have other intentions closer to heart than
making sure that you walk out the door with the right bike for your circumstances!
But if you have a certain street cred, or even better - know how to act that you do - buying you bike from a dealership can be a really exciting and painless venture!
To start you can search one of the most comprehensive listings of motorcycle dealerships in my directory or alternatively you can read my tips on how to approach the salesman
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Top Tips on Approaching the Motorcycle Dealerships Salesmen
- Remember that you have the power when negotiating with a dealer - he is desperate for your business and not the other way around - you can always go and buy your bike somewhere else!
- If you are planning on buying any additional accessories or gear from the dealership - make a point of mentioning it to the salesman as this will definitely add to your negotiating power. In fact, mention those few extras you'd like to get regardless of whether you will actually buy them from motorcycle dealerships or this one in particular
- Find out the amount that the dealer paid for his bike as you can expect that the profit margin with be between 10-15%, with the dealer aiming to make at least 10% profit. This will give you a good indication of how far you might be able to bargain
- Cash will also add to your bargaining power at the motorcycle dealerships, so try and put down as much as you can!
- No matter what you are told upon arriving at motorcycle dealerships - you should always be allowed to take the bike for a test ride. Be sure to take your spin on a variety of roads including round town and fast A roads. A 30 minute test ride should be sufficient
- If you're paying top dollar double check that you're getting the latest model, as it salesmen at some motorcycle dealerships will be incentivised to sell off last year’s model, which may only have a slight change, but it will affect the resale price. Alternatively if you have a more challenging budget going for last years model will save you about 20%
- If you want a pre-registered motorcycle it should be brand new with only delivery mileage. (A Pre-registered motorcycle is a bike that is first registered to the motorcycle dealership, which will make you the second owner.) Dealers do this as it will allow them to get around discount limits, increasing sales in the process. If however, you are looking to save, you can expect a hefty discount if you are listed as the second owner. (All of this information will be listed in the V5 – also known as the logbook)
- Always ask the salesmen if the bikes been damaged as by law motorcycle dealerships are not obliged to let you know whether a bike’s been damaged or not unless you ask.
- Clearly state to the dealer what purpose you will be using the bike for as by law the bike sold to you by motorcycle dealerships has to be fit for purpose. For example, if you have bought the bike to tour long distances – a dealer can not sell you a scooter
- By law, the bike must also be as described by the salesperson selling it to you. This means that the bike needs to have all the features claimed that it has, and if any equipment is charged at an additional price, it needs to be made clear that this is the case by the salesmen
- Be alert when the dealer tells you about any faults the bike may have as although you no rights to compensation for any faults you were shown, you do have a case if the salesman was not explicit about existing faults when you bought the bike
- When you go through the paperwork at motorcycle dealerships make sure all the documents are in order and that they are consistent – so for example, do check that this mileage is actually what has been stated. ( you can read more about this in the paperwork section of my motorcycle buying guide
- Lastly, if you are on a budget but looking for bikes at motorcycle dealerships then I suggest that you think about buying an ex-demo bike as you can get these at a significantly reduced price with an almost full-warranty. Just ensure that the motorcycle is properly run in, as this could affect the long term reliability of the bike. Don’t forget to check the bike. You will find a checklist on my motorcycle buying guide