Three weeks ago I was riding my '15 SGS to a dealership that hosted an annual bike week. Out of fairness I don't want to name the dealership. Walking around and checking out all those bikes, I noticed a 2017 RoadKing discounted from 21K down to $16.999. A salesman approached me and asked me, if I want to take her home tonight. I said I'd like to, if he would give me a fair price for my trade-in. I also mentioned to him that another dealership already offered me 17K for my SGS. "We can do that, as well", was his reply. All I would have to pay is tax, title, freight and dealer prep. So I took her for a test ride, but turned around rather quickly after realizing it didn't have ABS. I told him maybe some other times. I came home that afternoon and the phone rang, it was him telling me "we have your bike with ABS. Same deal!" So the next day I rode my SGS back to the dealership and sure enough, they had the same RoadKing with ABS and security. But this one was a 2018 and came with extras for $3000 ! Naturally I was somewhat suspicious. But it was for real. So I signed the papers and rode home on a brand new 2018 RoadKing with ABS, Security package and lots of extras. Even my old lady had an understanding for my trade, after declaring "you can't be satisfied with anything!". I still can't believe how easy it was to steal a brand new Harley.

 

Congrats on the new RK and good deal!

 

Yea, you did steal that RK.

Truth be told, desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

Shop the last few days of May, June, and finally July for unsold inventory. After Memorial Day and the July 4th holiday if their inventory is heavy they'll have to prep for the 2019's. Likely any early '19 colors to be floored have been chosen or soon will be.

 

Congrats on the Road King, hope you told the old lady "hey, at least I haven't traded you in yet" lol

 

Ride it you stole it! Congrats!

 

I don't understand why he gave so much for your old bike. If sales are down, he still have to sell your old bike Unless he think FLHX sells better or thinks M8s don't. Doesn't make sense. Though you did just shell out a few grand between cost and fees. Esepecially if you paid freight and set up, thats good profit.

How many grand less do you have today, or did he just tell you the payment will be the same?

 

 

Well -- yes, but -- some would argue that an SGS is more bike than an RK. Looking at 2018 prices, the SGS goes for $26K and the RK goes for $19K. So it's possible that maybe they think they can sell your SGS for more than they could have sold the RK for. Maybe they had a regular customer who really wanted a twin-cam SGS, and they knew they could get more from him than they'd get from someone else on a Road King? That's the only thing I can see that would make sense. And who knows, maybe there's some invisible incentive being offered to the dealer to move 2018's, so there could have been some hidden profit in there for them (something like the current $1500 rebate, but offered directly to dealers)?

 

They are in business to make money. They don't do that by just swapping bikes on the floor.

But hey you are happy. Math doesn't do that.