[mxgb5]

My own $0.02: my nearest Honda dealer still has brand a brand spankin' new 1999 VTR 1000 Superhawk sitting in his showroom with a big sticker showing it for more than $2,000 off "list."



This was one of the hottest sportbikes around just a few years ago and it's still a great bike. From what I've seen, unless one wants the latest and greatest superbike that all the mags are raving about, supply isn't much of an issue. Harley-Davidson Softails are another matter.

 

[mxgb5]

Re: Europe vs. the U.S.

Vlad, I agree with your comments and want to add something else. I was recently in Italy and couldn't help but be amazed at the variety and number of small displacement motorcycles and scooters.

One thing that makes them a more viable means of transportation is that there are laws (or lack of them) that encourage their use. Lane splitting seemed commonplace, for one thing.

It also appeared that motorcycle-only parking areas were commonplace and many bikes were just crammed into any available space.

Here in Michigan, one must park a motorcycle in a "regular" metered car spot on the street. This makes them no more convenient to ride into a city center than a Ford Excursion and also means that they are vulnerable to the brilliantly skilled parking maneuvers of our beloved SUV drivers.

Ann Arbor, where I live now, used to have motorcycle specific parking areas... which were nothing more than smaller parking spaces... each with its own meter (charging the same hourly rate as cars). Surprise, they were usually empty and have since given way to more car-sized spaces.

In all the talk of conservation when gas prices spiked recently, I never heard any talk of encouraging alternative forms of transportation like motorcycles or scooters. Perhaps now is the time time for the us and the AMA to start lobbying for the positive impact motorcycles can have on fuel consumption and urban congestion.

 

[mxgb5]

Re: Dealers can help themselves

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned their experiences shopping at motorcycle dealers. I've bought two bikes new and three used over the years. I've also shopped and visited many dealers all over the country and I used to be a factory rep for a car manufacturer, so I know a few things about car dealers. It really seems that most motorcycle dealers I've visited are stuck in another decade.

1) With the exception of BMW and Buell (and on occassion Triumph), I've never found a dealer willing to allow test rides. I certainly understand the liability and danger involved here, but some have found a way around it so it can be done.

2) Their level of knowledge about anything except the exciting new superbike-of-the-week leaves a lot to be desired. I honestly had a "salesman" try to talk me out of a "standard" model in favor of the newest GSXYZKZVFT in which I told him I had no interest.

3) Their salesmanship is often limited to snotty attitudes and an order-taking mentality. God help H-D dealers if demand continues to fall. Most of these guys have forgotten how to sell anything except 'tude and a spot on a waiting list. Try to get a simple brochure or even a straight price out of any dealer (including those who sell Japanese models) and it's no wonder they have two-year-old bikes sitting on the floor collecting dust and flooring expense. One dealer I recall had a two-year-old Honda Magna 750 on the floor. When I asked him how much they wanted for it he looked me in the eye and told me $8700. F*** you too.

4) Despite a need to get new and younger riders into showrooms, most of these places seem pretty intimidating to neophytes.

All the marketing dollars in the world are worthless if they drive potential customers to some of the dealers I've met over the years. I'd love to hear some other dealer horror stories, I know they are out there.