Need helping buying first Harley
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 41
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From: North Carolina
Need helping buying first Harley
I'm in the process of buying my first Harley. Want a Fatboy Lo. I've talked to about 5 dealers and all of them keep saying they sale the bikes on MSRP. How can you negotiate with them to get a lower price? Car dealers hate to see me coming so I want to get the best deal I can on the Harley too.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Buffalo
On new bikes they rarely lower the price much if any, sometimes $500 depending on the time of year. Local dealer here will give you around 10% off accessories or money towards accessories from their shop. Could be different other place though. Good luck.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
From: Central New Jersey
I think the best way is to negotiate with dealers is to get things thrown in with the price. I managed to get a security system and tax and tags at sticker price plus a half helmet.
Last edited by slim12; Mar 25, 2013 at 10:54 PM.
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
From: Clarkston
I dealt in out the door pricing when I bought mine, but it was late may when I finally did and not much inventory was moving being that I'm in a recession hit area north of detroit.
What I did was went to the closest dealer and talked price, got him to a reasonable area but new I could do better, called every dealer in a reasonable area and ask for their out the door prices. Wrote them down and who I talked to and found one or 2 that were close to msrp out the door and one below msrp out the door. Called the local dealer up and told the salesman that he was very helpful and I'd like to give him the commision since he spent a good hour with me total, but in order to do that he'd need to be at MSRP out the door, and that I had bank approval and could be there in an hour to sign the documents. He hemmed and hawed a bit then agreed to the deal for MSRP out the door (tax, title, registration, dealer fees all in that price)
Seemed to work, I buy all my **** from there now and even with the snafu with my rear wheel coming loose and them not wanting to fix it I'll be going back for my next purchase. Maybe, if they hit my price that is.
What I did was went to the closest dealer and talked price, got him to a reasonable area but new I could do better, called every dealer in a reasonable area and ask for their out the door prices. Wrote them down and who I talked to and found one or 2 that were close to msrp out the door and one below msrp out the door. Called the local dealer up and told the salesman that he was very helpful and I'd like to give him the commision since he spent a good hour with me total, but in order to do that he'd need to be at MSRP out the door, and that I had bank approval and could be there in an hour to sign the documents. He hemmed and hawed a bit then agreed to the deal for MSRP out the door (tax, title, registration, dealer fees all in that price)
Seemed to work, I buy all my **** from there now and even with the snafu with my rear wheel coming loose and them not wanting to fix it I'll be going back for my next purchase. Maybe, if they hit my price that is.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,922
Likes: 589
From: Running with the gators
Harley's sell. So as mentioned above. A good deal on a Harley is to pay at or below on MSRP. If you dont pay it, someone else will. I just bought a Heritage new 2013 and they only took off freight and handling. I shopped five different dealers separate from each other and that was the best I could do. One told me the average new bike only lived there less than a month. HD = Hundred Dollars
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,922
Likes: 589
From: Running with the gators
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Buffalo
If she did I wouldn't be wasting time on this forum!!!! 
(No offense to this forum haha)
(No offense to this forum haha)
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,177
Likes: 62
From: Michigan
I actually got a lot take off on my deal but it might have something to do with the fact I had purchased more than one Harley from that dealership. These are hard economic times and just about anything is negotiable.
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 348
Likes: 1
From: ohio
People buy Harleys at the dealers prices without too much resistance so in most instances for new you'll be able to get down to MSRP, no prep or freight etc bs, and maybe a few hundred bucks in credit to use on clothing/accesseries at that dealership. At the end of the day if you want a smokin deal find a cherry used bike.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,971
Likes: 901
From: Omaha
Well I imagine in NC you are within 30 days of the start of the prime buying season for bikes so your bargaining power is limited.
If you're buying new, then you might be looking at maybe MSRP- $1000 or more likely MSRP with $1000 store credit at best.
If you're buying used, look for a bike that you like that's got some add-ons that you would more than likely add yourself. Typically the add-ons don't add to the purchase price, it only sweeten's the pot.
Keep your focus on what you want and not try to save a buck or two. More than likely you're going to have this bike for some time and in the end, paying $1-2000 more for it than you like really won't matter.
Good luck and ride safe.
If you're buying new, then you might be looking at maybe MSRP- $1000 or more likely MSRP with $1000 store credit at best.
If you're buying used, look for a bike that you like that's got some add-ons that you would more than likely add yourself. Typically the add-ons don't add to the purchase price, it only sweeten's the pot.
Keep your focus on what you want and not try to save a buck or two. More than likely you're going to have this bike for some time and in the end, paying $1-2000 more for it than you like really won't matter.
Good luck and ride safe.
Last edited by Bluraven; Mar 26, 2013 at 05:39 AM.