Interesting day yesterday. Call the sales guy in the morning, yes they had left to get the bike from the wholesaler about 30 minutes ago, come on up and check it out. When I get there there is a really beat up 2005 (that wasn't there on Friday) right in front. All scratched up, threads showing through the back tire, etc. I'm starting to get pissed, thinking I just wasted a few hours of my life when the sales guy wals around the corner and says "Oh no, the 2008 is in the back, we just took it off the truck." The bike is immaculate, looks as good as in the photos. Not a scratch on it, protective film on the tank and bags, one case has the manuals and 2nd key, the other has the bag liners unused in the original packaging, the tool kit is right where it belongs under the seat. Now I'm feeling pretty good and go inside to talk with the guy.
Tell the guy that I want to take it for a nice long ride and if it seem nice I will give him a deposit and come back on Wed (when my bonus gets paid) and buy it. OK he says, takes a copy of my license and insurance info. I mention that I am going to run it up on a tisty road up into the foothills, as I am moving up from a ~ 350 lb bike and want to see how I like it in the twisties. He says oh no, you can only take it out for five minutes around the dealership. Well then, you can forget it. OK, he'll go and ask the owner for an exception. Comes back, owner says no, can't do that for insurance reasons (after he's asked for my insurance info). Now I'm starting to get up and walk out, so he says let me talk to the owner again. OK, they will make an exception, but I have to be back in about an hour fifteen. I feel like saying "and what's gonna happen if I'm not" but decide to let it go. He puts plates on it while I get my gear on and I'm off.
Leaving the parking lot, the slow speed handling seems a little odd to me. A little hard to describe but its like when you make a slow turn the bars really want to turn into it. Granted I'm coming from a small, light bike, but I've ridden a new Concours, rented R1200RTs a few times and also a HD Road Glide (all Eagle Rider in San Diego rents is HDs) and never really noticed that sensation. Once on the highway and on the twisty road the bike is absolutely great. Stop by a local independent shop to see if they can take a quick look, but unfortunately the sign says they'll be back in 90 minutes.
Head back and sit back down with the sales guy. He breaks out the trusty four square piece of paper (what is it with these guys) and says we'll give you $2,800 for the SV and the FJR is $8,999 (the price listed on the website). I say that they already told me they wholesaled the bike once, why would you think I'm going to pay your original asking price and I'm probably going to sell the SV to a friend (this is true, I told him I'd sell it for whatever they offer me plus a little to make up for the tax savings on a trade). Comes back and says we'll give you $3,000 for the SV. Now I'm starting to get annoyed. He asks what I'm looking for to make a deal. I re-iterate that I'm not buying the bike today, I need until Wed, but if you can do $8,500 I'll give you a $500 deposit. Now I realize I could have probably negotiated a bit harder, but I don't like playing that game and frankly, from what I've been seeing, this is not really a pretty fair price. He goes back to the manager and comes back and says ok, we can do that. Says they will page me in a few.
30 minutes later they page me and I head into the F&I guy's office. Sales guy is walking out with a temporary tag in his hand and the F&I guy has all the sales papaerwork printed out on his desk. Now I lose my temper, I told you four or five times that I wasn't buying the bike but would give you a deposit and come back on Wed. Sales guy says that wasn't what he understood from our conversation. F&I guy is saying that I can pay the rest on Wed, but I need to sign the papers to hold the bike. I ask him if he thinks I'm an idiot, once I sign the papers I have bought the bike and I have said repeatedly that I'm not doing that. Somewhat heated conversation with the F&I guy goes down, what would happen that you wouldn't want to buy the bike, how do we know your serious, a discussion about if deposits are refundable, this is our policy, etc.
So I walk, stopping to tell the sales guy to let me know if they change their mind about holding the bike for a few days with a deposit.
15 minutes later the F&I guy calls my cell. Feels really bad, they want to earn my business, let me give you six months no-interest and you can just pay off the loan, etc. I don't think he's actually a bad guy, but I'm officially pissed off now and even drop the first f-bomb of the day (actually somewhat surprising for me that it's the first one). Calls ends relatively well with him saying I can tell you are frustrated, why don't we talk next week?
Now that I'm all calmed down and thinking rationally again, I realize that I really do want to buy this bike. My plan is to call them tomorrow and say we can do $8,500 but I want you to throw in an engine oil, gear oil and coolant change (they do not have records for the 6,000 mile service). Also, I do want to trade my SV and I want them to pull the Penske off it for me and mount some new tires on the FJR as part of the deal (the tires aren't terrible but they are the originals and it lloks like Motorcycle Superstor has a pretty good sale and I can get a set of Pilot Road IIIs for ~ $300 delivered, so why not?). If you are ok with it, I will come in Tuesday morning (can't do it tomorrow and Tuesday I will be able to at least be able to see my bonus on the payroll system) sign the papers and give you a check, which you can cash Wed morning. I'll come back on Saturday morning with the SV and take possesion.
So, does this seem like a reasonable deal? Does my impression of the slow speed handling seem out of the ordinary to anyone that has moved up from a smaller bike (or especially you, BentAero as you also have a SV)? Maybe just low air pressure or something?
Sorry for the rediculously long post, just had to vent a little. Feeling better now.
Buy from private owners. F&*( those dealer ships that act like idiots. Check Kelly Blue book. Take whole sale and retail, split the difference between the 2. Thats a fair deal. Spring is not the time to buy a bike. Plus its clear they cant sell it since it went to the wholesaler.Keep lookin !
