I love anything and everything motorcycle, but I especially love Harleys. Visiting the dealerships is an experience every time, and I could spend hours just looking at and talking about bikes with both customers and employees. However, I would NEVER purchase a motorcycle from a dealer. There are just too many awesome deals to be found from private sellers to ever consider coming out of pocket with not only the asking price of the bikes but also the freight, prep, and documentation fees associated with the transaction. I will say that I rarely keep a bike for longer than a year or two, so that's a strong factor in my reasoning. The loss would be too great when buying new. Perhaps, if I were less apt to change my mind about the type of bike I want each calendar year, I might take the plunge and purchase new?

I do take my bikes to Harley for service, though. There aren't any independent shops around here that have pricing leaps and bounds less than the dealer, so I stick with them.

 

Why guilty?
I buy new sometimes, and used sometimes, but I generally keep a bike a for years before selling it.

 

I'm not seeing a reason for guilt in your post. It reads more like a holier than thou post to folks who buy bikes at dealerships.

 

It doesn't come across that way to me.

Maybe the OP feels guilty for ogling the new bikes at the dealership when he buys used in the end? You shouldn't feel guilty OP. Just wipe the drool.

 

Nah.

Having hang-arounds is good for a dealership. Worst thing in the world is for someone to walk into a store and be the only one there. Creates the impression that no one buys there, which creates the impression that everyone else knows something that the would-be customer does not. Not good.

Even if you never buy a thing from them, you're doing them a favor.

 

And the OP does get service at the dealer, no no foul whatsoever.

 

I also like to spend time at the dealer and have the patience to wait for a deal from Craigslist or where ever before I purchase one. May be why I have purchased 2 more in the last few weeks. LOL wife just shakes her head

 

The only bike I bought used was my first one...a '51 panhead. The rest have been new. I don't know what TRUE shape the bike is in, other than what the seller is telling me...and I'm sure they wouldn't lie, just to make a sale. *roll eyes*

 

Don't feel guilty. I've never bought a new or used Harley from a dealership and I've never had any service work done at a dealership well, except for having a tire mounted on a rim once and they were four bucks more than the indy shop but I didn't feel like making the half hour drive. And they put it on backwards. The only thing I go to the dealership for now are the free hot dogs, sodas and popcorn so I guess that makes this a holier than every-damn-body post.

 

.....double post. ?????