Let me get this straight: you are bitching about having to drive 20 miles to save $1,000?

Show your closer dealer a written price from the other dealer and see if he will match it.
If he won't, then it won't be your fault you bought from somebody else.

.............and are both bikes exactly the same?
Color is more than Vivid Black, cruise? abs? added on dealer crap or are both bikes stock?

 

Not worth a grand at all to me. Last year my HOG dealer offered to match the deal I got elsewhere, but their bike was on order and did not have ABS ($800 difference). But I went with the low price dealer because they negotiated fairly and my HOG Chapter dealer did not. Their initial offer was nearly $2k higher and they only came down when I told them I had a better offer. Considering we volunteer A LOT of time for their dealership events and HOG Chapter events, that was lame. They no longer get parts or services money from us. We just ride with them because of the people.

 

Forget splitting the difference, show your local dealer the deal and tell him to meet it, take it or leave it. Use the savings to upgrade your bike or use it to throw yourself a party. 20 miles is close enough that the dealers should be very competitve. However, in our area, I have seen the same thing from two dealers that are perhaps as close. One is in town and the other further out. Right now I don't think any of them are selling much so either one should appreciate your business. And like someone else said, the service guys could care less where you bought your bike as long as they get to work on it. Good luck

 

Side-noting on the "loyalty" thing -- "Friends" or not, it's not unusual to get "better" service from people you deal with regularly - Or people who have a vested interest in making you happy.

That's not just business - It's a reflex. I'm quite sure that I unconsciously treat certainly clients differently -- Preferentially speaking. I have clients that have thrown a half dozen albums at me - and I have clients where I do some minor "demo" editing. I have no doubt that I have a little more 'gusto' when I'm trying to keep those "higher-dollar" clients happy. Not that I'm treating the others poorly -- I'm not like that - and I'm thankful for every customer I have and I'll do whatever I can do to keep them coming back.

But the fact is that I have a different relationship with the clients who wind up on the Grammy ballots than the Slovenian death-metal garage bands. I have a different relationship with artists that bring me every record they make vs. the lady at the dance studio down the street that needs a few tracks edited for the kiddie ballet.

It's not that I'm not just as interested in keeping them *all* happy and making them *all* long time customers. I hope to be as "loyal" to them as they are to me.

But that's the point - Loyalty in business is a two-way street. And as wrong is it 'feels' to some extent, customers "buy" your loyalty and expect it in return.

BACK TO BIKE STUFF:

The first time I brought my first (used, purchased from the owner) Harley to my current dealer ("Dealer 1") for service, it was a busy day. I was treated "reasonably well" for a first-time customer. But it wasn't hard to see that the long-time customers there - especially the ones with the dealer plate frame (hint, hint) were being treated in a more friendly manner. Again - typical. Expected.

Then one day, I rode in to a different dealer ("Dealer 2") that could "squeeze me in" for a 5k service (had a big ride the following week). I thought it was great - Until I found out that they screwed the pooch... Warped the derby cover, stripped one of the bolts, evidently impact-wrenched a few things that should've been carefully torqued.

Rode in to "Dealer 1" a couple days later almost in a panic (ride only a couple days away now and "Dealer 2" couldn't find the time) after finding a puddle under the primary and they took it in, found a used derby cover in a pile of parts (didn't charge me for it) and did the double-gasket (ring & round) to keep it from leaking (the stripped hole was done forever) and sent me on my way.

"Dealer 1" is where I bought my new bike from. I really didn't even shop around. They treated me well and they *really* treat me well since I bought the bike there. And dammit, I *expect* them to treat me well since I bought the bike there. And they'd better continue to treat me well if they want me to buy the *next* bike there.

On the contrary, I wouldn't expect a different dealer to treat me the same coming in for service. I wouldn't expect them to be disrespectful or anything, but I understand that I'm not one of their "big dollar" customers. And that's fine. No doubt though - It's the dealers that treat the "little" customers as well as the "bigger" customers that are going to eventually have more of the "bigger" customers - That's how they got me.

It's the way of the world.