I just traded my 07 Ultra for an 09. I went to three different dealers, the higest one made an offer of 2.5K more than what I paid. I ended up with 1K under invoice, and 17.5 for my bike, which I thought was fair. It had under 20K, and needed tires.

My routine was to go in, tell the sales manager I was buying and ask them for their one shot, best deal. They always came back with "give me a price to beat." I said no, I want to be fair to everyone, you have one chance to get my business, give me your best offer the first time. If you're too high, I will walk and won't be back. Basically I was taking closed bids.

They will always try to offer financing at some highly obscene rate, so it pays to have that lined up, or at least know what's a good deal. It's also not the best time to try to get a deal on the 09's because they are selling them at full retail as fast as they come in. Wait a few months, and you'll do better.

 

Fully loaded MSRP is just under $22k

$18.9k is base price excluding ABS, SECURITY, CRUISE

I vote for keeping the Road King or, if you must have an SG, make a killer deal on an 08 with ABS.

 

If ya want to trade do it, while you are younger. Because when ya get a few years older, you won't need the latest and greatest "whatever" every year. Ask me exactly how I know all of this. Man oh man do I wish I had just SOME of the money I've dumped over the years so that I would have the bigest and best of everything. Whatever ya do, good luck and best wishes to you.

 

if you really want the sg, then take your bike, add a removeable fairing, and some shorter shocks, and then pat yourself on the back for saving 8 grand or so.

 

I traded my 2 year old nightster in for my 08 SG and I took a beating. I know, "it's just a sportster" But I took a $2500.00 loss. I kick myself for not going with a touring bike in the first place.

On a side note:
The 09's are fantastic I'm sure, and I don't have any problems owning an 08 but your bike is fine!! If your going to take a 10k loss then like SKRATCH said, put on a front fairing and lower shocks and save $8500.00 bucks. Then sink a couple more grand into the motor and body and you will have a sick bike!!!

 

But it's such a UNBELIEVEABLY FREAK'N HUGE MAJOR change...how can you not take it in the ***?? Didn't you hear what Harley said? How about the completely unbiased press at the '09 launch??? You'd be AN IDIOT keeping those 10G's to yourself...

 

hahahahaha

Like I said I have nothing against the 09's but I knew what was going to be different on the 09's as apposed to the 08's and although some things are nice it wasn't worth me spending an extra 4k just to have a SG with the same exact options as my 08 but one year newer. If I were looking at a 1k difference I might have thought to wait another week or so but 4k is a whole lot ohh money.

 

My buddy was whoring his 07' RK with 27k miles & Stage one for a 09' RG/anti lock.
August@ Sturgis $8600
September@ Pittsburgh $6500 out the door.

Give it some time . . . .

 

Actually I just saw some sick bikes with aftermarket fairings that had scream'in stereo systems at Reno street vibrations. Even saw a roadstar with fbi saddlebags, 18inch apes, air system that set the frame on the ground.ect... keep your bike and put some money into her and make it yours.

 

When you trade your bike in, you stock back out your bike for the trade in, and if the parts do not fit the new bike Ebay it off.