I have bought 6 new bikes from my local dealer since they bought out the previous owner of my shop in 2004. I can not get these guys to give me a decent discount on parts and accessories. I would really like to support my local shop, and I really like the people there, but they are under orders to be stingy with discounts. For example, I wanted a Reach seat for my RKC. In the catalog for $299.95 plus 6% sales tax =$318.00. I ordered it from Zanotti and get it shipped for $249.49 total. That's almost $70.00 on a $300.00 seat. I try to buy as much as I can locally, but on the higher dollar items I gotta go with Zanotti. I've argued with my local shop for the last 6 years over this issue. I had done business with the previous owner for close to 35 years before the shop got sold. I had a standing 10% with the old owners. It wasn't as much of a discount as Zanotti and Surdyke give, but it was enough to keep me loyal. I always feel bad when I have to go elsewhere for my parts. I really don't want to but I can't just throw that kind of money away.I know they could do it if they wanted to.Anyone else in this situation?

 

Was it something I said, or do I have kooties?

 

Not a lot to say about this...most dealers don't give much if any kind of discount...at least none of them in the Denver area.

Paul in Colorado

 

Thanks for the reply. I thought maybe I needed a breath mint or something. I believe Zanotti and Surdyke are both Harley dealers. I just can't figure out why our local dealers can't or won't sell us parts and accessories for the bikes we buy from them at prices comparable to what these others will give us.

 

Status quo - same as 99% of local dealers - thus one more reason for the "stealer" nickname. If it's cheap or I need it to ride, then I buy it locally. If it's a part for fun or upgrade, I buy online and save $$$.

 

alot of local dealers are like that and your now dealing with a new owner that just put out a healthy chunk of change for that dealership id say and is looking to get some investment back.

Iam lucky enough to have a good parts guy at one dealer where i bought my bike that usually will cut me a break and give me 10 or 15%. The other dealer up the road has given us 20% for a while because we know them and dad just bought his $$$ CVO up there. But they usually won't give crap however if you order online from them they will give you 20% on anything and i can pick the option to pick it up at the store.

Here is what you have to remember about alot of the online dealers that give 20% its no overhead to them most of them like my local don't sell you a stock item off there shelf you order online then they order it from the MOCO and have it shipped to you or have you pick it up at there store. Thus no overhead kind of like dropshipping. If its on there shelf and instock like any buisness now there is more expense involved for them.

And all this comes back to alot of dealers bitching this year about online sales and discounts and trying to get the moco to ty dealers hands like chicago and zan's because alot of dealers do not want them giving the discounts and taking there buisness. But sorry about your luck is what i say.

Iam upfront with my two local dealers tell them hey iam not rich and iam not giving you $70 more for that seat if you want to sell it work with me or this conversation is over.

I still throw them a bone now and then but money is money. And 9 out of 10 times if you saved me that $70 then youd get it back anyway cause id buy something else i need with the extra cash while i was there.

 

The new owner took over in 2004. This is the 6th new bike I bought from them since then. I believe I hold the record there for most bikes in 6 years they've been there. As far as them ordering it as opposed to having it in inventory, I wouldn't care either way. Most times I order, Zanotti has the item in stock, but waiting isn't the issue. I don't expect them to not make a profit. Anybody who is in a retail business deserves to make a profit. I doubt that these online sellers are losing money. They're just willing to make their money on volume. Maybe I'm buying my bikes from the wrong dealer. Next time maybe I'll shoot on down to Pennsylvania when it's time for a new bike. It ain't that far, a few hundred miles. Would make a nice ride home, plus something tells me the price on the bike might not be so bad either.

 

ya if i had bought 6 new bikes from them in 6 years id be talking to the owner and having a little heart to heart about my buisness with them. But then agian he may think heck he's bought 6bikes in 6 years this fool has money to burn go get it from him boys. Never know but most any dealer with any buisness sense would be hooking you up.

 

Can't talk to the owner. He owns several shops and doesn't hang out in this one ( Mike's Famous ). If it were up to the employees, from the GM on down, I wouldn't be having this discussion. Other than the discount issue, I have to say that I get treated like royalty from all of the employees, sales to parts to service. Couldn't find a better bunch of folks. That's why I feel so bad when I have to go elsewhere to save some money. So I do like you do, buy the small stuff there as much as possible, but the big dollar stuff I go online.It's been this way for the last 6 years. I guess I should wake up and realize that things just are what they are.

 

Ohh....you just said the key words, "mike's famous". I wont give them a penny of my money. I had committed to buy a bike from them once for their asking price, then at the last minute they tried hitting me up for a $260 doc fee on a deal that required no documentation at all (I am licensed in PA to do my own tag work, so all they had to do was sign the title, write my name on it and off I went). I have heard many horror stories about their dealerships down in Deleware.

All of our local dealers will very happily give a 10% military discount. They also do open houses about every other month where everyone gets either 10 or 15%. On veterans day, military gets 20%. Also if you buy a bike from them you always get 10% then on your birthday you get 20% and I have even seen where at the time of purchase of the bike you get 30%. Because we have a lot of dealers in a close area I think its pretty competitive. Service is a different story. I have had trouble finding a reasonable dealer for service.