As far as parts are concerned I suggest one has to look to your local dealer and to some degree what you are prepared to do for him and the MoCo. Our local dealer and HOG sponsor has two nights a year when local chapter members can go and buy or order all kinds of accessories (including oil and filters) at a 20% discount. So, I participate in the local HOG chapter and support my local dealer whenever I can.

 

On this web site that wont work,,,,, far to many of them here love to hate and bad-mouth the dealer(stealer to them). The Moco? seems every busniess in the world, and definetly their own, should make a profit except Harley. But what do i know only been riding 33 years

 

I know lots of guys heading down to boston and taking bikes back to atlantic canada...a little bit of homework and paperwork sent to the border in advance makes it a pretty easy with some great savings...as far as the dealers...they make more on oil changes, tires, tshirts and accesories than actually selling you a bike over the long haul so i can't see any dealer not taking your business because your riding a us bike

 

[QUOTE]On this web site that wont work,,,,, far to many of them here love to hate and bad-mouth the dealer(stealer to them). The Moco? seems every busniess in the world, and definetly their own, should make a profit except Harley. But what do i know only been riding 33 years[QUOTE]
A couple of points:
1.As a national distributor to all Canadian dealers, Deeley should have pricing in place that will protect their dealer network. You're right, we're all in business to make a buck. When their parts retail price exceeds the US dealers' retail price by 35% to 50% (taking into consideration the dollar exchange), then they are doing their dealer network no favors, as they are chasing their dealers' customer base across the line.
2.As well, when I walk into a dealer, I expect that I will get treated as someone that has knowledge of what they are looking to buy. Many dealer personnel will bombazzle you with a line of bs to get a sale, not allowing for even a minute that you may know just as much or more than they do about the product that they are trying to peddle. I have walked out of dealers because of their utter disregard/disrespect for the intelligence their customer may have.
Case in point: When shopping for my new ride, I was talking to a dealer in the Okanagan area of BC. When I mentioned that my present ride had a hydraulic clutch, and that I had gotten to prefer that over a cable operated system, as on past bikes that I had owned, he procceeded to tell me how a hyd clutch is completely unecessary, that HD used the cable operated system because it is so much better, blah blah blah...
Then I guess HD must have really screwed up on their CVO's as they have that completely unecessary and overdesigned hydraulic system in place for the 110's.
Hey, give me an argument with some meat behind it, but don't bull **** me. We, as customers, are not stupid.

 

So because you've been riding for 33 years that makes you an expert on Harley Davidson profit how?????

Apparently you've mistaken my complaints about Deeley and the Canadian dealerships as complaints about a company making a profit. So perhaps I'll clarify my point....and keep in mind I'm speaking about Canadian dealers, since that was what this thread was about...

No one believes that the dealers shouldn't make a profit, because most businesses that don't eventually close there doors. My problem is with the amount of profit the Canadian dealers feel they have to make. Look for the past 3 years the Canadian Dollar has been within 10 % of the US dollar. All the dealers in both Canada and US get there bikes from Milwaukee so shipping costs are relative. So as a result of the lower US dollar, the Canadian dealers are making a much larger profit on both motorcycles and parts. Then to add insult to injury, if on the off chance you decide to provide them with some business in their service department the trat you like a sh*t, because you had the nerve to save some money and buy in the US and thats why some of us complain.

As for the guys who complain down in the US, they're also justified, because if Chicago, Latus, Surdyke, St.Paul Harley Davidson ( to name a few ) can sell parts discounteds 20 % and still make a profit, why can't the rest. And yes the ones I mentioned do alot of internet selling, but they also have brick and mortar buildings with the same overhead as the others, so you can see why some people refer to the others as "stealers".

I find it ironic that these dealers all tow the same line, buy US, buy Amrican made, yet when the economy turns to crap like it has for the past 2 years, you get ignorant comments from the CFO like " People will pay full price for Harleys' "

THATS WHT PISSES PEOPLE OFF

 

Although I don't think that this thread was specifically about buying a bike in one country and moving it to another I think you might run into considerable aggravation registering the vehicle in the other country. I've looked at this with cars and unless the vehicle is 25 years old you have to deal with the specific configuration. NAFTA aside the government of one country does their absolute damnedest to make sure you can't do this.

 

Not really, at least to Canada. I bought my bike across with relative ease. You just have to do a little homework and make sure that the US Customs have the proper paper work 48 hours before you arrive so they can export the bike. Coming into Canada just means having insurance and paying the GST. Other than that have the RIV paper work sorted out, register the bike and start riding.

 

Also here in Canada we have independant dealerships that go down to the states and buy truck loads of bikes to bring back to Canada. These bikes are usually sold for about a grand lower than a Canadian Deeley Dealers MSRP.

 

Cool - I'm all for it! I've only looked at it the other way round with cars. Seems the US Govt likes to have its own specific safety regulations and only cars designated for sale to the USA are automatically assumed (not much of an assumption - no doubt a lot of paperwork involved) to be proven to meet those standards.

 

I have a few friends that have brought bikes (and cars) over from the US with very little aggravation and save themselves quite a few bucks. the vehicle has to be used and make sure you have all the necessary paperwork. A quick call the to the DOT will answer all your questions. Also, none of these guys have had any problem with service.