Ok, so I decided to buy a new 2014 Fat Bob. Saw one on the internet at Renegade HD. Photos showed it had ABS. Called the dealer, and told them I wanted ABS and asked if the bike they had actually had ABS. They verified that it did. Also, that they could make a deal on it because it was a non-current year bike. I took off from work and drove over 100 miles to dealer. Of course, once I gt there, I discover it does not have ABS. WTH? They ask if I'd be interested in non-ABS. I say go ahead and give me an OTD price. They ask if I will finance or pay cash. I say cash. After sitting for a while, they come back with what they say is an $800 discount -- but they don't give an OTD total. They give me financing options ("pick which monthly note you'd like"). I say none. I want to pay cash. Takes them a while to figure out what the OTD price will be. Finally, he comes back. $18,200. WHAT!!!? I walk.

Next day, see that Baton Rouge HD has a 2014 Fat Bob. Call BR HD. Tell them about my experience at Renegade. They say how terrible and not surprising. I ask about the non-ABS bike they have. Tell me they are trying to move it - $2,500 off MSRP. Yikes. I can't pass that up. Ride 90 miles to BR HD. Tag on bike actually says its $2,900 off MSRP. I'm thinking that this is my day. Ask for OTD price. He actually comes back with one - after a bit of a wait. Whoa! What's this? $999 for freight? I point out that Harley lists freight at $390, so why do they charge $999? He just looks at me and says, "That's what we charge." Oooooo-K. Next is the handling charge. $799. Say what? Bottom line, they jacked up all the add-in charges to make up for the nice $2,900 discount. I walked.

People wonder why Harley dealers have so many non-current bikes and current bikes just sitting on the floor. I now know why.

BTW - I checked the other bikes on the floor at BR HD - they all had freight listed at $999. Thank god I wan't looking for a 2015. Can't imagine what they woulda done on the mark-up.

If you've made it through my rant, thanks for reading. I left out a bunch of stuff that would have made it longer. I think I'll be looking at the used bike market.

 

Man, if you have cash, I'd bet you could save a bunch buying from a private seller, or maybe a non-HD dealer that took one in on a trade.

That is unless of course, you HAVE to have a virgin.

 

Don't need a virgin, but I like to buy new (although I have bought used).

My recent experience also pisses me off because I am a stockholder in HD. The dealers are f'king the customer base. Not good for the dealers (in my opinion) and certainly not good for The Motor Company.

 

I worked for a local dealer after it had bought out an existing shop and changed the name and location. The old dealer had big yellow tags on every showroom bike which showed the full price, the required down payment, and the resulting monthly payment. The new owner discontinued this practice. When I questioned a salesman that I was friends with, he replied that "we sell above MSRP". How can this be says I ?? His reply: We're selling the entire Harley Davidson experience, not just a motorcycle ! WTF ?

 

Didn't realize the "experience" cost extra! LOL. I suppose I should have told Renegade I only wanted the bike, not the experience.

 

Looking at Harleys website they are charging you full 2015 price for the bike plus the crooked high freight and the thieving handling fees.
The problem is, dummies will buy from these crooks with their inflated prices.
The dealer I have purchased 3 bikes from lists the out the door price right on the tag, bike, any options, freight ( at what Harley states ), prep fees and tax and tags.
I like it that way, then they cant give different prices to people.
If you sit down and negotiate a lower price then that's cool but at least you know from the beginning whats the most it will cost.

 

They all do it for the most part. title, admin, freight, setup, tax

Safe to say to add at least 2k to the list price. Some will come down, some won't.

Oh and they also sell above msrp in many dealers..

 

I just had the complete opposite experience. My dealer is in Beaver Falls PA. I wanted a sportster and had a 9k OTD budget with a 1k down payment. It was looking like a 2015 iron or a left over 2014 72 with hard candy gold paint. I really did not care for the look of the 72 and knew I would not be happy for a 883 coming from sportbikes. The dealer told me to head next door to there used building. "Just let yourself in" he said. So my wife and I walk next door to a big building with dim lights filled with bikes. No prices or years or anything. We went back tot
The main building and said I saw something I like can we go over and fire it up? No problem he said and we all walked there.

It ended up being a 2011 Sportster 48 with 127 miles. He said they were asking 8999 plus fees. So as we are walking back over I am chatting with my wife telling her i am going to offer 8k and want them to include a 2up saddle and passenger peg kit.

So back in the main showroom tour sales person Brian sits at his desk and says give me a few minutes. He then hands me a paper with ther bottom dollar on the bike. The paper says 7999 with included seat and peg kit. I could not believe his offer was what I was going to offer. The total fees were 300 BTW. I told him to throw in a Harley Half helmet and we got a deal.

So a few days later the seat comes in and it was just a stock custom seat. It just did not fit the 48 well at all. With out question he ordered me a badlander seat

 

You were on the right path, asking for the OTD price.

I've just been through this wringer with a new 2015 FLRT Freewheeler. I had to step away from the "MRSP", "Freight", PDI, blah, blah, blah and focus on the what it'll cost ME.

H-D motorcycles are invoice + 20%. My "local" dealer quoted $28,985 out-the-door (including PA 6% sale tax). As soon as I started to leave, the Sales Manager got involved and the price came down to $27,105 (a half an hour later in their showroom.)

I left anyway ("I'll consider that price and get back to you.") and found a dealer 3 hours way that would sell the same trike for $26,209 (including PA 6% sale tax)

That's where I bought it.

You can go crazy trying to keep track of the different prices for all of the components of a deal. It's even worse if they lie about what they have in-stock just to get you into the showroom.

Remember, separating you from your money is a salesperson's JOB.

Good Luck

 

It's Spring, you should have bought a new bike on January 2.