I think Harley Davidson Dealers themselves are their worse competitors, I sent two very good friends up to buy a Forty-Eight, Rick I sent to where I bought mine, Rick was going to pay cash and he went in solely to purchase a Sporty and after about an hour of back and forth with the salesmen left with no bike at all, the salesman had little interest on him buying a sporty and constantly insisted on him putting that money down on a bigger model, Rick again and again told the salesmen he already owned a '05 Fatboy but that didn't matter.

After hearing about Rick's attempt I told Anthony (my other friend) to go to a different dealer also here in So. Cal, Anthony needed financing but has excellent credit and a decent paying job, after the salesmen ran a credit check again they started knocking the Sportster and insisting that he step up in Models, Anthony said by the time he left the Dealer he no longer wanted the Forty Eight because the Dealer downgraded the bike so much it made him question if the sporty was worthy of the $13k it was going to cost him out the door!

Now, if this was an example of One dealer or One salesmen I could understand the dilemma but this was two completely different Dealers. I understand a salesmen not wanting someone to make a purchase and then in short order regretting the buy but when you have someone that says they are here to buy a Forty-Eight and within 5 or 10 minutes they are sticking to their guns SELL THEM THE BIKE!!

Rick ended up purchasing a Forty Eight through another Dealer that also started to play the same game but he firmly told them what he wanted and there was no negotiation on it. Anthony is still bikeless.

 

This may not be the response you want, but I have to wonder why a grown man, your friend Rick, would spend "about an hour of back and forth with the salesmen" when he knew what he wanted when he went in the door. Shouldn't take long to select color and arrive at a price.
Your other friend should have done the same. Without hearing the other side of the story it's hard to be sympathetic to grown men who haven't learned to say "no'. Sounds like Rick did just that at dealer number 2...problem solved. Just my opinion

 

At this time Hd is pushing the 13s so they can get a 14 on order, did they try to buy a 13? I agree with above poster. I wouldn't waste my time being walked around to look at something I didn't want...

 

Dealers love to sell Sporters.

They get traded back in, at a low value, on a bigger bike, usually in a couple of months.

They resell the Sporty and roll a big twin out the door.

 

FWIW, Here's what I would have done- to the salesman - "excuse me, I need to use the restroom" then I would have got up and walked over to another sales person or the front office and said- "I'm here to buy a sporty, would anyone like to help me ? "

 

Some salesmen are just like that, have to "sell" you something, and if they just write up an order you come in and ask for, they don't seem able to do it. I've had other product salesmen do it, too. Even down to signing a contract, and, reading it over, seeing that they'd added some stuff to it - at that point, I walked out.

 

OP, no comment here on your main post but I'm just curious who these dealers are as I'm also in the same hood and a buddy is looking to purchase a scoot. Care to post the names on the bad dealers sticky?

 

The bathroom excuse is just another way of cowering to pressure. You simply look at the guy and say, I'M done speaking with you and walk over the manager or other salesman.
No need to make excuses.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

Whenever I buy a bike, a car or anything else, I wear my Big Boy pants and buy what I WANT.

No problem.

 

I had the same thing happen to me 5 years ago when I was looking for a Fat Boy here in Florida. Most Harley salespeople around here are ex-car salespeople who couldn't make it in that racket.