wrecked my ride. wasn't planning on getting another one, but mine is totaled. i bought my flstci in aug. 05. any of ya'll shopping for new bikes notice difference in treatment by sales?? i guess i got my eyes wide open now. knoxville HD won't even let you sit on bikes on the showroom floor[:@]. i am a little gimped up with my broken wing, buti can sit on a motorcycle np.Smoky Mountain tells me to ride any of em i want. new, used whatever.

 

We've always been treated like kings when we go to Smoky Mountain HD. Never bought anything there, as we are always on vacation when we go there. But the sales people have always gone out of there way to be friendly.

 

Guess it depends on the dealer and their insurance coverage. It's all been discussed in the past. Some dealers will let you do anything short of walking off with one, others don't want you touching them unless one of their salesmen/women are with you. I usually ask first, then I know how each dealer wants it done. Here in the Tulsa area, never a issue. I've sat on several bikes before a salesman ever approached.

People do seem friendlier now than when I bought my last new bike.

 

I went to Biggs HD in San Marcos Friday,,,,,,they now have signs on all bikes, used too, that say something like this.
"It's ok to sit on this bike, but please ask a salesman for assistance". I guess that keeps all the "lookie looers" off their bikes. It's always nice to sit on any new bike, just like sitting in new car in the showroom.

 

Been to both of those places while travelling through my neighbor state to the south. Always treated friendly by both dealers. While it's nice to be able to do whatever to new bikes on the floor, if Smokey Mountain is letting people ride new bikes, I would probably not buy a new bike there though.

 

never thought of that sldavis. i went to ghost town HD hours before my crash and aubry the clothing sales manager gave my buddy a 325 jacket for150. seems some dealers are more eager to help out than others. guess it allhas been discussed in the past but i aint paid attention.

 

+1

 

Don't see much of a problem here. Noone's going to buy a new bike without test riding it are they? Doubt if they get to go out solo and do burnouts and other abusive stuff. Maybe they just use one or two for test rides, in which case you can just avoid those bikes. Bottom line is to check the odometer before you purchase.

 

Was told by a dealer once that after a new HD gets so many miles on it the MOCO makes them sell it as a demo. The dealers that have let me ride new bikes have let me do so solo, so no one was around to watch how hard I got on it.

 

When I walk in and see one I'm interested in, first thing I do is plop down on it.

The only time I've ever been told I couldn't do that, I politely informed them that they wouldn't be selling a bike then, walked off, and came back 3 hours later with my new bike to show them. Got it from a dealer 30 minutes away. The 30 minute away dealer lets me ride, sit on, whatever. Result? I bought a bike. And will be buying a second in about a year.