Hello, All.

I'm a new forum member and a first-time HD buyer. I'd like to have a bike by the end of March and am looking for tips on getting the best price on a new model. All the threads I've found about haggling over new bike prices are a few years old, so I thought I'd start a fresh one. If there's something recent I've missed, please point me to it.

I've decided on a Fat Boy Lo. I'm looking to have a couple of dealer-installed items put on the bike - detachable windshield and sissy bar with passenger backrest - and the Security/ABS package.

I plan to start visiting dealers this Saturday (1/12/2013), and will be purchasing outright - no financing. There are the nine dealers closest to me that I'll be visiting in Mass. and Rhode Island.

Monty's Cycle Shop West Bridgewater, MA
Precision HD Pawtucket, RI
Boston HD Everett, MA
Minuteman HD Dartmouth, MA
Ocean State HD Warwick, RI
Cape Cod HD Pocasset, MA
High Octane HD North Billerica, MA
Sheldon's HD Auburn, MA
American HD Leominster, MA

If anyone has had a particularly good or bad experience with any of them, or if there's a dealer in this area I haven't listed that you think I should try, I'd appreciate hearing about it. If there's a salesperson at one of these stores you've dealt with that you'd like to recommend, please say so.

Although I've seen some variation by region of the country (I'm in southeastern Massachusetts), what seemed to me to be reasonable is to look for about $2000 off MSRP, and around 20% off the dealer-installed stuff, and haggle from there. This is based on threads I've seen that are a few years old, so I don't know if it still holds.

A couple of weeks ago, a buddy and I flew down to Florida and rented a Road King and a Fat Boy Lo from Fort Myers HD. I went because I wanted to be sure the FB Lo was a good fit for me, and to see if I could put some serious time in the saddle with no aches, pains or discomfort. The rental season doesn't start around here until April, and I want to have the new ride by then. We each put about 950 miles on the bikes over a 3-day weekend and had a blast. The bikes performed perfectly, and I was very comfortable on the FB.

Now, I've come across some people saying they did the same thing, and the dealer knocked the price of the rental off the price of their new bike, even if the rental was done at a different dealer. Does anyone know about this? Is it possibly some kind of official HD program?

I recognize that these guys have to make a profit to stay in business, so I'm not looking to squeeze every last dime I can get out of the deal. Ideally, the dealer and I will both be happy at the end of the transaction.

If anyone's got some advice, tips or recommendations on this, I'd love to hear it. I'd be especially interested in hearing from anyone who's purchased new in the last year or so, particularly in my part of the country.

Thanks and best regards, Bob

 

Good luck getting $2000 off MSRP. You MIGHT get lucky with a leftover 2012 since it's the dead of winter.

 

My experience is most dealerships have gift cards good for free service or merchandise, low or zero interest rate loans, and or they sometimes drop the shipping charge. I doubt they'll reduce the price on a 2013 bike also. These deals are usually in the winter time. If you wait until spring, most of the incentives will be gone.

 

I work at a dealership and by the time march rolls around you'll be hard pressed to get a bike dropped below msrp.

 

JMO but you can probably get the best deal on a left over '12 if you can find one you like. When I buy new, I always tell the sales guy I an interested in price only, not interested in gift cards, future discounts, etc.

 

You can't believe everything you read on the internet forums, on just about any subject. And on purchase prices, it's kind of like, "Mine is bigger than yours".

Good luck on your purchase and if you can get it for MSRP (+ tax), no set-up or freight, and 15 % off of parts installed at time of purchase you will be better than average.

 

My dealer in Colorado does promos in February by giving out $1,000 gift cards with purchase. Best option is like stro1965 says, look for left over 2012 stock, dealer web sites, etc... That's what I did a couple of months ago on Road King which I spotted in Wichita dealer on way to BBB rally. Wichita dealer shipped it to local H-D (traded bikes). I ended up getting it for more than $2,000 off.
Good luck with your purchase.

 

Best bet would be to look for a 1-2 year old garage queen one that has already had mods done to it, and has low milage on it.

 

I second that, buy a garage queen and let someone else take the depreciation hit!

 

Yup. If you're trying to save money, buy a late model, low mileage creampuff.