One of the dealers around here requires their sales folks call 15 perspective customers a day. If you happen to get on their call list by just visiting them to look at bikes, you get called E-V-E-R-Y-DAY. Then, when I finally gave-in and asked a price just to get the guy off the phone, he told me to come in and talk with the Sales Manager.

Beary

 

I would be upset if they were calling me trying to sell me a bike after a demo ride. I don't like pushy salesmen.

 

There's nothing pushy in following up with you, IMO. If he calls you everyday, yes, but if he calls you once after the test ride to get your opinion and to understand if you're shopping for a bike or not, I don't see the problem. HD asks their dealers to do it, using a CRM system (customer relationship management). That's how you receive invitations to special events, information about promotions etc...
I owned a Kawasaki Nomad for 8 years prior to my Ultra and nobody from Kawasaki or the dealer ever called me. Obviously, they didn't care if I was happy, unhappy, looking for a bike or not.

 

1 of my local dealers call me after demo days. IMHO they fishing for suckers they can reel in and make a killing on. I guess the economy is so bad they have to hunt for food. To bad there prices and customer service are not better than others or word of mouth would keep them fed.

 

MY BUYING EXPERIENCE -
Let me add, to my 1st Harley salesman named Tony, a longhaired (greying w/ponytail), bearded "classic Harley" biker from, well, lets just say a while ago, THANK YOU! He spent his time talking to me, not at me, and explained EVERYTHING to me in plain English. I too was a tire kicker at the time. I had more questions than sense and he waited on me patiently. When I came back 3 weeks later to make the deal, I waited for him patiently while he finished up a customer he was working with. I approached him by saying "I told you I'd be back". Not that he remembered me, but he replied that he never had to press the sale, the bikes simply sold themselves. Tony is no longer with that dealership, but his salesmanship had me back a 2nd time two years ago to pick another bike. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE NEXT SALE IS COMING FROM!

 

or lots of parts at 20%

 

Lazy unprofessional salespeople don't follow up. The owner of the dealership has them ask for a phone number for a reason - he/she thinks they are at least calling afterwards and at a minimum thanking you for coming in, allowing for some dialogue. This is far from hard sell tactics- its just good customer service. These are the same salespeople who complain about tire-kickers and balk at letting customers test ride: "If it weren't for all these damn customers interrupting me, I could get some work done around here."

 

When I was looking for a used bike, a third of the dealers acted like they couldn't care less, a third were helpful, but never followed up, and a third were helpful and followed up. Guess who I bought from?

In WI I can't say there were any bad dealers. OP, where are you located, and where did you end up buying?

 

that's exactly what I done, some don't even call back when you tell them exactly what you want and you are doing, I challenged one to stop me from buying used the same day, give me a price and I'll turn around and come to your store. I was $500 off on a 2008 with the cash stacked on the table and walked out of one. The demo ride dealer I had been to 3 times, the salesman could either see me as a liar or a real near future buyer, I was too upfront, I would never be a good salesman.

If bothering someone is a couple follow up email questions, you guys better not have email alerts from dealers.

no pics for 7 more days, then a couple days for the after pics. it's 1000 miles away.

So I guess I was lucky to catch a dealer that knew how to treat someone?
He was the 4th dealer that day I told I was buying a bike(3 in person), new or used. He said he would find what I really wanted and did, didn't want me to settle for less.(my luck it was the general manager?)

The sad part is I'm parking a ferrari to ride a cadillac but the price is backwards. The finance guy started talking warranty and I said if it is half as good as the last 2 new honda's and 2 used ones it will be fine(that never saw a dealers shop), then he started making excuses that a HD is different. I told him I would get beat out of the warranty anyway. So I got 4 year with tire and will cancel after Sturgis. now I have to ask warranty questions and see if he lied about cancellations and claims.

thanks to a couple of you

 

I've volunteered as a RC the last couple of years for demo days. My experience is that the vast majority of participants are just there for the opportunity to ride a few different models. Most aren't really looking to buy one.