i dunno man, if you sit on me, i don't know that i'd be prone to buy a bike from you....

 

It's probably not that hard for the sales staff to figure out who is there to buy. And who is just browsing. I'll stop by dealerships at different times and and don't really need contact from anyone. If I need help with something, I just ask. If not, I am happy to be left alone.

When I am ready, I'll call ahead, find out what is on the floor and what they will let me ride. Why waste time driving to the dealership only to find out they don't have what I am interested in? When I got to the dealership last Saturday, the bike I was interested in was waiting outside for me. Quick copy of the DL, grab a loaner helmet and we were on the road for a test ride.

 

I like our little town dealer service dept (only used once for tire, but always friendly), the parts crew is the best hands down but always get the snub attitude or short/dumb answer from sales. Bought wife's new to her bike this year 180 miles away at Superstition in Apache Junction, AZ.

Yesterday we are making stops around Vegas, 2 of the stops HD dealers. Red Rock Vegas is huge, had not been there before. I get one "how are ya" and that's all from about 3 or 4 sales guys hanging around even though I am window shopping for an RG Ultra. (are they psychic? Do they know I am fighting the urge to buy with all my willpower?) Guys in Henderson, NV were great. Talk to my step-daughter about riding classes, talk to the wife, talk to me but no RG Ultra's in so we had little to go over.

Then the kicker......after dinner back in Kingman, sun is down and we are finally cooled off we see a big to-do at the Chrysler dealer on Rt 66 heading home. Vendors including the local HD dealer, Snap-on tool girls, bike show and lots of freak'in great cars. Salesman who has always been a "tool" at our local dealership grabs us with big smile, glad to see you, we BS about the day and show then move on. Totally different out of the store.....it is almost like they are expected to play this weird game under the eye of their sales manager?? Just the impression I get, sounds strange but possible?

 

I haven't been to that many HD dealers, but the ones I've been to have always been helpful and attentive. I bought from HD of Dothan. Someone always speaks to you when you walk through the door. Heck, you probably will see the owner, Dutch, walking the floors from time to time. Chattahoochee HD in Columbus, GA is good as well. Dixie HD in Pelham were great- and they have one of those huge buildings another poster was talking about. Maybe we're just lucky in South Alabama, who knows? Can't be that though, Earl Smalls in Marietta always had attentive sales, even calling back 6 to 8 months after my visit to see if I had purchased a new bike.

 

WE have quite a few dealers in the NH/New England area....being a current Honda rider I like to stop in HD Dealerships just to kill time and look at the bikes/t-shirts/etc....In fact almost everytime I travel I try to hit the local area's HD. To be honest I haven't had a bad experience in any of them. Usually the girls at the main desk greet you when you come in which is nice. Salesmen will usually touch base but I'm up front not to waste their time..I'm just looking and they are pretty much cool with that.

Well the time has come for me to buy my first Harley and since I'm deployed I decided to check out the buying program the military offers on HD's (for deployed members of the military) I received what I perceived as a great price (18437 for a 2011 RK Sedona Orange with ABS, Security, Cruise and a 5 year extended warranty) and sent emails to about 5 or 6 dealers in my area asking if they could meet or come close to that price as I would love to buy local. Only 2, Boston Harley and Nashua HD even took the time to give me the courtesy of a reply. Both were nice and professional and advised me to buy at that price and offered to take delivery on it for me.

I'll be going with Nashua HD to take delivery for me as they are 10 minutes from the house and have always been great to me even though they see me on a VTX lol Plus they always have a military discount on all clothing and parts

So in a way I had a bad experience with 4 area dealerships by pretty much ignoring me - even a sorry we can't touch that price would have suffficed.


Dawg

 

My Salesman did a GREAT JOB!
The Finance guy SUCKED!
The Finance Company (Eaglemark) SUCKED!
The Bike AWESOME!

 

And also make them do the warranty/recall work. I know they get paid for that but it sure is fun to rub it in a little.

 

Those yahoo's at Kingwood couldn't figure out why my stepsons Sporty's battery was going dead. He had to go pick it up, and before he took it somewhere else, he figured out it was a relay. The people there are rude and unknowledgable, up front and in the back. I won't go back there. That's too bad because their parent company is Texan out of Conroe, and they are some great people. Bought both of our bikes there. San Jacinto HD in Pasadena is another good one, or at least it was up to about a year ago, the last time I was there. Cowboys in Beaumont is another one of those "Don't waste your time" dealers.

 

People do travel around the country for many reasons, You know. Not all of Us stay at home.

 

I guess I'm lucky that my local dealership "Stocks in Manitowoc" is awesome. The staff is friendly and attentive to people who come in the door. I have been to other local dealerships that the OP is referring to where you feel like you're invisible and wonder why nobody acknowledges your presence.

It's the same with Harley dealers as car dealers. How many times have you walked into a car dealership and certain ones are attentive and others make you feel like you are invisible as well.