| Author | Message | ||
     Darthane |
I swear, do they REALLY just NOT want to sell any motorcycles? I introduced a good friend of mine to the great world of motorcycling on my little Blast. He takes to it, really enjoys it, and even though he shouldn't really, financially speaking, wants to buy one soon. He narrows it down to either a Blast or a Kawasaki 500R. Both great beginners bikes. I know which one I'd choose, but I'm biased so I try to provide him with as much info about both motorcycles as possible. Major things going in the Blast's favor are the low price for a used one $2500-$3000 and the fact that Spidey and I are both familiar with them and able to work on them. He doesn't want a used Kaw, which means a $5000 price tag, which is the big thing against it. Then the mother#!@$%!ing Harley salesmen have to go and screw him over. Two of the three local dealerships have had their shot, and now he's seriously considering buying a Kaw based solely on the salesmen's attitude. I can't say that I blame him, either. What the hell is wrong with these people? They are SALESMEN. They are supposed to SELL bikes. Especially to a first-time buyer, that first impression is critical! You could be talking to a Buell/HD lifer...or you may have just pushed him off into Jap land. I'm suggesting to him that he go to American, where Spidey works...hopefully he'll find something there that he likes, and even though Spidey's not a 'salesman' anymore, at least someone would be there that he trusts and can talk to. Fucking Harley. They can just blow it out their asses. Bryan | ||
| Tripper |
Well said. The situation in MOST dealers is pathetic. | ||
| Anonymous |
What did the dealers do to disappoint your friend? Specifics are always good if you want to see change. | ||
| Daves |
It is unfortunate that your friend was mistreated. Why didn't he just go to see Spidey in the first place? Dave | ||
| Caboose |
Toronto H-D / Buell has their show room floor covered with new non-current S3's M2's and X1's. Still listed for MSRP and they refuse to negotiate prices. Who's gonna buy a 2000 S3T for $18000+ CDN??? Back in 2001 when I bought my X1 they had a 2000 red Race Stripe. I made the sales guy an offer, he looked at me kind of strange and said the price you see on the tag (MSRP $16239) is the price you pay. I said good-bye. Went to Clare's Cycle (they also sell Jap stuff) and the sales guy there dropped a $1000 off the price of a 2001 X1. At the time there was also a $2000 factory rebate, so it was a SWEET deal. | ||
| Crusty |
When I was getting ready to buy my first Buell, I decided to hit all the dealers in a 100 mile radius, and I'd buy from the one who offered the best deal. At one shop, there was a leftover S2-T for $800 over MSRP, and no current(1998) S3-Ts. I stood in front of the Buells for 45 minutes, caught the "salesman"s eye twice, then finally walked out. I won't beg anyone to take my money. | ||
| Spiderman |
>>>>>It is unfortunate that your friend was mistreated. Why didn't he just go to see Spidey in the first place? I wonder these things too. | ||
| Piggos |
A friend of mine had a similar experience. He had ridden my X1, liked it, and prefers to buy American. One of his criteria for any motor vehicle purchase is local service, another is dealer integrity / reputation. He too spent more than 30 minutes in the Buell section of the local HD shop without getting the time of day from two un-occupied salesman. He now rides a Speed Triple, a mighty nice bike. Had he walked over to the other side of the shop and sat on a Fat Boy, those salesmen would have been all over him. | ||
| Dynarider |
Bryan, its the same at a lot of dealers. One of the dealers is a great place to do business with but when you are over in the Buell area its a desolate wasteland. You can be climbing all over the bikes & nobody will ever ask if you need help. At Milwaukee harley you practically need to beg someone for info on the XB's. Walk past a bagger & 3 salesmen will gang tackle you tho. | ||
| Dynarider |
Then you have the extreme opposite, go to Iowa & that damn hippy Dave wont leave you alone. He will even threaten to lock you in the building with him unless you at least test ride one  | ||
| Darthane |
"I wonder these things too." We didn't go see Spidey first because: Sunday we had to go looking for a helmet for him and the only local place open was Motown HD (where I bought my Blast from and avoid at all costs now). He got his helmet there and spoke briefly to a salesman who quite simply had absolutely no interest in selling a Buell at all, had no sales information, was unwilling to answer questions that either I or my friend posed, etc. We were actually trying to make it out to American that day, but just couldn't get there before close due to traffic and other things. Next we ended up at Motor City HD, where I bought my Firebolt from. Justin, the Buell sales guy there, is nice enough, and at least he knows what he's selling (if I remember right, he has two S3Ts). We went there because I needed a dash panel for my Blast and they were the only local dealer that had one. "Great," I thought, "He can talk to Justin for a bit." Justin's not there. I wander down to get my part and come back upstair to find my buddy glowering because the salesman that he talked to told him that he wouldn't want a Blast, would want a bigger bike in a year, ignored him when he was told that he couldn't AFFORD a bigger bike, even a year from now, and didn't even attempt to sell him either a Blast OR a larger model, Buell or Harley. I've got that salesman's card, I will be making a call to both Justin and the manager over there today. However, still interested (Thank God), my friend is finally going to make it to American sometime this week. He's also going to the Kaw dealer. Hopefully Spidey's got something on the floor over there that's enticing enough and he won't get stuck with another idiot who's only interested in selling $20K Harleys. This probably belonged in the Rant thread. I apologize. This really torqued me off yesterday and I just needed to vent a little. On the other side, anyone know a good place to look for private seller ued bikes (Blasts) somewhere close enough to go look at them? Bryan | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Caboose, The last time I was in HD-Toronto I noticed that as well on the Non-Current Bikes. They also had a 1995 Purple S2 going for $13,500.00 Canadian reduced from $19,000.00 which I thought was too much. The retailers in Eastern Canada are very willing to negotiate. I was most recently looking at a 99 S3 for about $11,300.00 Canadian and it was not a demo bike or ever ridden. Problem with me was I had to replace the family van. The retailers in Eastern Canada are also eager to sell a Buell and will take the time to talk to you about them. Come to Canada - we have nicer retailers!!!!(Some exceptions may apply) | ||
| Darthane |
You Canadians with your looney money and flapping heads scare me. I think y'all are just waiting to invade.  Bryan | ||
| Blackbelt |
Dude i think it is a real shame that a quality (sometimes) product like Buell, and is an American product, is shoved aside so much at so many dealers. Spidy and i came up with an idea about a year ago, which if i had the money i would do this in a heart beat. There should be a Buell only retail store, or maybe a Buell/Ducati store, away from HD, just because HD has no respect for Buell, or their riders, at least around Michigan (American HD excluded Spidy) I have 4 dealers with in 30 miles of my house and i wouldn't trust any of them to even wash my bike cause i am afraid they would break something to charge me for it or cause they have no F%&(ing clue what it is. I have a mechanic that knows everything about my bike and i trust him to fix things correctly, and he works at the ONLY!!! HD dealer in MICHIGAN! that i have found so far, that is even worthy of selling buell and it is only because of Spidy's Love for the Buell motorcycle, and the want to spread Buell out to the general masses, and away from Harley. Don't get me wrong Harley is a good bike, and good to their riders, but they don't look on Buell as Their riders, they treat Buell like an unwanted Stepson that is a thorn in it's side. and the sales/service departments around the Flint/detroit area in Michigan reflect that. if i have pissed anyone off... let me know... cause THE TRUTH HURTS! | ||
| Glitch |
When I read posts like these I feel so fortunate that Scott Zampach and Stone Mountain HD/Buell are right next door. Good luck to your friend. | ||
| Buellblastrider |
well i agree with all of it. when we bought the sportster (we've bought a 100th duece now so we don't have the sportster anymore) we where just looking for something just to ride around town on, and we just walked in saw the sportster a liked it. Jason Smith (of smith brothers HD) said the one we liked was sold but he had one just like it in the warehouse. My dad drives a semi so he was gone all week but we were gonna pick it up that following thursday. When he got back, we called and THEY SOLD IT!!!. we ordered a 2001 (atleast we thought we did). We went over there to check to see when it was coming in. Our name wasn't even on the cpmputer, we told jason we would buy one in WI. we bought one that had 2 tone which was a 500$ option for $1000 less than Jason wanted. (from Bobs HD in Fon Du Lac WI) I bought my blast in WI (ukes in kenosha WI)When we bought the duece, we figured we'd give Jason another chance. For a 2003 FXSTDI duece, black, no 100th striping or anything like that he wanted $21,000. We went to knoxville bought a 100th FXSTD black and silver duece (black and silver paint comes with some extra items worth a total of $2,000) for 18,675. Jason Smith has lost 3 motorcycle sales, soon to be a fourth and god only knows how much $ in accecories and oil etc.i've been in there several times looking at the xbs and they had no interest in offering help. | ||
| Darthane |
BB, I'm sure Erik Buell would love that (I would, too), but good luck getting approval (and you'd need it) to open a Buell only store dissociated from HD. Basically what we have now is a Buell garage (mine and Spidey's) for repairs and mechanical work and a Buell parts hotline (call American and ask for Spidey). Unfortunately I think that's as far as we'll get. One can wish, though...Buell is definitely the Cinderella of the motorcycle world. Bryan | ||
| Mikej |
"...but good luck getting approval (and you'd need it) to open a Buell only store dissociated from HD. " There are a few dealers that have disjointed Buell stores separate from their H-D showrooms. Might be good to look at them as business models. I'd say more but I don't like getting stomped.  | ||
| Vertigo690 |
I rarely post anything, but this is a subject I must post about. Darthane, I agree with your comments on Harley dealerships 100%!!! My experience with Harley dealerships (with the exclusion of Spidey who is the ONLY Harley dealership employee I have ever might who is cool and knew what was up) is that they are beyond terrible. Harleys salespeople rarely know anything about Buell period. Little to no technical knowledge. They for the most part are not interested in Buell only Harleys. I have overheard salespeople talking shit about Buells often! Someone posted wanting specifics. Here you go. I purchased rear sets from a sales guy from Motorcity at last years Buell fest. I explained my exact make and model and questioned whether these were the correct rearsets as the packaging looked slightly different. They were the crossraods rear sets. The guy absolutely assured me that was it, with out a doubt. I bought them they turned out not only to be the wrong rear sets but were recalled for missing bushings. With the help of Crossroads I was able to purchase some parts to make them work. At another dealership here in Michigan I purchased a new rear tire as mine mysterious got a nail in it while it was in for the 2,500 mile service. Not only was the wrong tire put on but I had to tell them to go check the service manual. They did put on the correct rear tire after I pointed out the error and they also blessed my rims with patented Harley service center scratches. I went to Motown to purchase some part which I cant recall because the only thing I remember is when asking the parts sales person some question his response was “I don’t know anything about then Buells except they aren’t Harleys” and he walked away. Here another serious problem with Harley dealerships. If you go to Motown, Motorcity or American you will find NO parts. How do they expect to make money if they don’t sell parts for them. Its embarrassing. This whole Buell thing in the Harley dealerships is just embarrassing. Heres another situation. Each time I go to a Harley dealership for service I can always count on these 3 things. 1) I will have to fight to prove the work I need done is covered under my $2,000 extended warranty. 2) If its service I am paying for I will have to fight about the excessive overcharges on the bill and get the bill corrected. 3) If its simply service which should take ½ hour or so I can count on a 5 hour trip to the dealership with 4 and ½ hours of standing around. This is a few of my experiences. I currently ride an X1, I often joke with my friends (who all ride Buells) about how cool jap bikes are and that what I’m getting next. Although I joke about the situation I would probably never buy another Buell simply because Harley sucks my ass! The people who work at these dealerships care nothing about Buell and that is soley why Harley sucks my ass. It would be beautiful if Buell could ditch Harley and integrate into the sports bike market and leave all those Harley sales people and their bad attitudes behind. But I understand that Harley makes a large marketing and financial contribution to the Buell Corporation. | ||
| Blackbelt |
i wouldn't call tony a Harley guy... he is BUELL through and through... i mean he named his bike after a comic book hero's girlfriend... come on... the guy has issues, why do you think i get along with him so well?? hehehehe We should have a sit down chat with good ol Eric at the 20th and see what his thoughts on this are... i should have asked him about this when He, Tony, and I were standing outside of Sheilds in southfeild before Buellfest. oh well | ||
| Fasteddieb |
For newcomers, here's the letter I sent to Ft. Lauderdale Harley-Davidson about a year ago. It's the one that prompted the infamous "Freudian Slip" response from corporate: Ft. Lauderdale Harley-Davidson, Inc. 2871 N. Federal Highway Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33306 Dear Sirs, Thank you for the card regarding my Buell Demo Ride at Daytona. I rode the Firebolt at Daytona and decided to buy one. I am mostly a BMW rider, and this decision was made in spite of the somewhat poor reliability record Buells have had in the past. In any event, I visited a few local dealers and called a few more, to see if any Firebolts were in stock or when some were expected in. I was hoping to buy one for the $9,995 suggested retail, plus a reasonable freight/setup charge. To my mind, $300 to $500 seemed like a fair amount to ship and prep a bike. In any event, when I visited your dealership I was told you had some coming in, and that the price was $11,600. That was so much more than list, I inquired if that was an “out-the-door” price, including tax. I was told that tax was not included. I exercised my right as a consumer and simply said “No, that’s too much” and left. I now have a purchase order with another local dealer for $9,995 plus $300 freight/setup plus $63.50 in fees. I understand that “suggested” retail price is exactly that: suggested, and that you are free to charge whatever the market will bear. Harley-Davidsons have in the past commanded large markups and more credit to you if people are willing to pay that much. I mentioned your pricing to several people - each said that they weren’t surprised, that Ft. Lauderdale Harley-Davidson has a reputation for price gouging. In your defense, it’s hardly gouging if someone willingly pays your price. However, the sport bike market is such that I was not willing to be “gouged” when there are so many quality alternatives available. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Harley-Davidson shareholder and have every wish to see the company continue to prosper. Thanks for your attention, Edward Benson cc: Harley-Davidson Corporate Office | ||
| Fasteddieb |
That "Freudian Slip" response is probably worth a re-post. The last paragraph is the "kicker".  | ||
| Kevyn |
Precious! | ||
| Pdxs3t |
>>>>>>There are a few dealers that have disjointed Buell stores separate from their H-D showrooms. A prime example of this would be Trev Deely's in Vancouver, BC. Great store and awesome people that love Buells!} | ||
| Darthane |
Vertigo, nice to see you pop in...unfortunate but true, us Battle Twins have had many a good bitch session about HD dealers around here. -=Freudian Slip Letter=- Absolutely priceless...I still remember that from its first round on the board. So true, though, that I wonder sometimes if it really was a slip or not? "A prime example of this would be Trev Deely's in Vancouver, BC. Great store and awesome people that love Buells!}" There you Canadians go, getting all uppity again...in the words of the immortal Robin Williams: "Canada is like a loft apartment above a REALLY great party." LOL...just kidding, guys...I love you Canadians and your flappy heads. Bryan | ||
| Blackbelt |
ok who is gonna be the first canadian to slug the shit out of darthane first..?? take a number any number.... i am blackbelt i will referee this match... hehehehe just jokin. | ||
| Sarodude |
I'd like to pop in here and say something good about my dealership - Glendale HD / Buell in Glendale, Ca. First of all, each area of the dealership (bike sales, parts, service) has at least one Buell enthusiast. Cool! Besides being enthusiasts, these guys not only know their stuff but are also just plain good folks. The ownership has really stepped up and supported the fledgling BRAG group. They stock parts. They have Buell accessories & motorclothes. They have a notable Buell presence - not just a couple of Blasts taking up space where someone coulda put a Sportster. I think there's something KEY going on at Glendale that a few dealerships are able to capitalize on: The owner and manager there both support what the Buell oriented employees do to promote the Buell brand, bike sales, parts sales, and service. These guys even run a hospitality tent at the track days they (frequently) visit. This is all good stuff! They're in it for the long haul. Hopefully, dealerships like Glendale, High Country, Buell Cycle Center, and some other quality shops can show the others how to make the Buell brand work for them. I know it's not easy to devote attention to Buell (and divert attention from the HD money making machine) and I understand that the whole Buell thing doesn't seem to quite rake in the same types of profits. That tends to cause the owner(s) of the shops to be less than enthusiastic - and that can be passed down to the employees. Somehow, someone needs to be fueled beyond the simple numbers game. It seems tough to make the Buell numbers add up like the HD numbers do. Find a good dealership. Make friends. Look at the relationship as a long term deal that goes beyond price and a single event. Give a little. You might be surprised at what you receive. -Saro | ||
| Whatever |
Sauk Prarie Harley Davidson is where I bought my Buell. All I can say is Marty was such a great salesguy to work with... when I moved up North four hours away I drove down to Sauk Prarie to have them ship one of the last M2Ls in Wisconsin (from St. Croix) so he could sell it to me and get the commission himself. He was very friendly and professional. For several years I walked out of the store saying I could not afford a Buell yet... and every time I came back he was just as friendly and helpful as he was the first time I came into the shop. So there you have it... a good experience and what lengths some of us will go to to give credit where it is due... too bad Marty is not with the Sauk Prarie HD/Buell anymore... it is a shame.  | ||
| Bomber |
I'd suggest that we NOT bend Erik's ear about this . . . . .I'm sure he's well aware of it, and equally hopeful that he is doing all he can within the context of a large corporation . . .. me, I'd just as soon buy the guy a beer, tell him thanks for his hard work, and listen to any war stories he'd like to tell . . . . YMMV | ||
| Daves |
Thank you Bomber! Trust me, Erik is aware of these things. Let's just congratulate him for his efforts and celebrate the 20th with him. Erik is one of us. Ride to the edge! Dave HD/Buell Cycle center Waterloo Ia 1-800-342-7539 ext 14 dave@iowaharley.com When it comes to Buell, We kick ASS! |
