I thought that I would add this to the list of thing for the noooob images/icons/smile.gif

First of all figure out what you want.

This sounds stupid, but I have heard of people walking into a dealer wanting one bike, and riding out on a totally different one, and wondering what on earther happened in the between.

So, decide what you want, and then figure out how much you are going to have to spend.

Lets talk about finance

Cash is the king, and lets face it, most any bike can be bought for under ten grand, so financing is not really essential. Its also a lot harder to finance a bike than a car, because they are harder to repo, and also much more likely to be wadded.

Finance also forces you to have full insurance, something that many newer riders cannot afford.

So, you have your budget.

If you are buying used (and I for one cannot stand the "hit" that I take as I leave the dealers, its a bit more complex than new.

First of all look at the price that is being asked, and take 10% off it.

Then make a physical list of eveything that you can see that is up with the bike. Take it for a test ride. Do not rag on it - remember its not warm, but ride it far enough to get a feel for it. Check that it tracks straight, and that the brakes do not shudder.

Check the gearbox for action, and tryin pulling hard in the lower ones, then back off, and whack the throttle open - if it jumps out of gear - and some do, walk away.

Once you get back to the dealer, update your list.

add up the costs of each and every minor issue, and take that off the price - along with the 10%. This is your base price - you want everything fixed, and you want to be as close as possible to that number too.

Walking away works. If you have the cash, put it on the table images/icons/wink.gif

If you are buying private, a similar rule applies, but dealing one-to-one is often easier.

Here is MY check list.

1) Overall condition - it should be clean, clean, clean. mis-matched fairing, different color matches etc point to a crash

2) Check the staor cover - is it "rough" if so, its touched the groud.

3) Look at the brake rotors - are they scored ? Did you feel any pulsing ? Thats $500 off please images/icons/wink.gif

4) Look at the frame, if its polished, there is a posibility that its been dented, welding a frame this way is the only way to disguise a dent. I personally would never buy a bike with a polished frame.

5) look at the tires. Are they melted off the rims ? If so they may be race take offs - this is bad. Or the bike has seen some track action - this is not a really bad thing, but you might want to check to see if its seen any kitty litter action.

There is a real easy way to do this - check the wiring loom - see if the conectors have sand in them.

6) Take a look at the VIN number and the engine number - check that this matches the paperwork. No paperwork ? Walk away (for good).

7) Listen to the seller, if he brags of 100mph wheelies, he is a dickhead, walk away, its been thrashed.

8) Carefully rock the bike back and forth, with the front brake on - any clicking will point to a maladjusted, or worse damaged, head race - this is another bargaining point.

9) Has it got all the accessories ?
Seat hump and passenger seat ? Each one is $60
Manual - $25
Toolkit - $30
Tank prop - $15

10) do you LIKE the mods ?
not everyone likes all the mods that bikes have, do you want to put it back to stock ?

For the haggling, here are a few base prices...

Brake Rotors - $500
Brake pads - $80
Tires - $300
Chain and Sprocket set $300

Its best to take a biker buddy with you, as the voice of reason as much as anything.

Do not be affraid of losing the perfect bike by walking away, you can always send a buddy to see it and furtehr low-ball the dealer, before you go back and take a second look....

[ 01-13-2003, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: fRaGgLe ]

Just like to say great post, advice well worth taking, especially the bit about not being scared to walk away from a bike you really want. You'll thank yourself when you get it for a lower price or find a better one!

Great tips.

Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everything you need to know....

Fraggle, me and you should get together and write up a couple of more the these things.

I was going to do one next on basic maintance. Shoot me an e-mail and we will work on it together. graemlins/thumbup.gif

Absolutly,
You got to be willing to be patient and willing to walk away. When your spending this kind of money you want to spend it wisely.

Awesome write up. graemlins/thumbup.gif

Later,

Good right up only think this should be reversed. images/icons/smile.gif

"So, decide what you want, and then figure out how much you are going to have to spend".

Also, if the bike is used, Also take off 25% or more because dealers rape on trades...I just met a guy at a local "super sport" bike shop and they paid less then 3500 for a near perfect 2001 R1 and were asking 7500! Good luck selling that bike at that price. I had 1/2 a mind to offer em 5000 but decided to wait...I don't have the money right now graemlins/thumbdown.gif

You get an A+ for that one.
Excellent write up graemlins/thumbup.gif

When buying a new bike I think people should consider the time of the month that they walk in to make the purchase. If you walk in on the first day of a new month you will get screwed. Walk in on the last day of the month before a new quarter and you will get basically whatever you want. In my case I got close to $3000 off a brand new gixxer 750. They ended up needing my sale to move to a higher tier in purchasing power from Suzuki. Was very happy overall.

Darn good tip Mr. Jones,

However for us that have to buy used bikes, that won't work as well. Hehehehe...However, it was still a great tip!

I live in the United States, in the northeast. Now, I have noticed that besides the Kawasaki 250's and 500's, you don't see any smaller displacement bikes for sale. I'm lookin for a first bike, and I'm not sure if I want a kawasaki. What are the chances of getting used bikes [like CBR400's] that originally weren't sold in US. ...Or... where can u get them newer? Canada?

Thanx,
Rob

ps - Is there any place that lists claimed hp numbers for all or a good number of cycles? I could figure it out from quarter times... but then I gotta use a pencil and a calculator.

MX_Demon said:

Darn good tip Mr. Jones,

However for us that have to buy used bikes, that won't work as well. Hehehehe...However, it was still a great tip!




If youre buying a used bike let the seller know how much you have to spend....Quote him something well below what youre prepared to spend and maybe hell tell you what he would have taken for the bike. Suddenly remember where you have that extra stash and there ya go. I made the mistake of being the victim in this sort of circumstance but I thought it was wise.

Very good point Mr. Jones,

Well, I think i got a decent deal on my 89 GSX-R, so I'm happy. However, I'll keep that in mind when I decide to upgrade to a newer model. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/punk.gif

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif tyte http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

walk in knowing your shit, get some blue book values, act like you dont need to buy the bike right now, act like you dont need to buy the bike from them....you dont care you can go down the street and get a better deal.....and most importantly you have to be willing to walk out the door, and let them know that, thats what i did, and i got a great deal on my bike and helmet http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/flipa.gif

I was looking at buying a 03 GSXR 600. The best price I found is $7700 OTD. Does this seem fair. I'm going to pay with cash in hand. Also, I always thought that the time of year fluctuated the prices because of the demand.

As much as I like the GSXR 600, I think I'll go with the Honda CBR 600 RR

great write up. bikes are not like women, there is a difference between them and not just any ol' one will do when you need a ride http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/lick.gif. couldnt agree more, patients is the key. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I dunno if this was mentioned or not (I'm too lazy to read all the posts in this thread) but if you live in the South like myself, I highly reccommend you buy your bike up north... much cheaper because they can't ride all year round up there.. but we can down here http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif Also buy it during winter when its cheapest, and if you live somewhere like FL then you can start riding right away and u don't have to wait for the winter to end. Hope this helps, later http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

word, i'll remember that when i buy

If your looking for the Hp and just about any other specs on bikes this is a great site. Has almost every bike imaginable. www.motorbikes.be (http://www.motorbikes.be) http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif

Hi all,
I'm new to this forum and ride a Harley Davidson Sportster since two years. Now I'd like to buy a second bike that will be different! A GSXR1100! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I read all your postings about buying a used bike. But i'd like to know if there are some mechanical problems with these beauties??? I saw 2 GSXRs for sale ... one from '88 and the other from '89. Both have around 45'000km (30'000miles) on the clock. Prices are in the $2000-2500 range.
Is there anything negative to say about GSXRs? Mechanical, frame, breaks etc.
Thanks a lot for your help in advance!
Danielle
100% Swiss Girl http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

does high milage mean anything other then it has been ridden a lot.....

4ShowNot4Speed said:
does high milage mean anything other then it has been ridden a lot.....



If proper maintainence has been performed, it shouldn't be a concern...but if people overlook valve adjustments, oil changes, etc., then you could be looking at a $3000 high-speed bomb.

-=bmacd=-

Good Post! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Good info!
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

Nice post!

Fraggle,

As someone who is looking to get back into riding a bike I can tell you that your articles written here are excellent. GIves you a lot to think about as well as what to look for when you go to buy your bike. Thanks for the time

DO you think its better to buy one in the winter time, would the prices and availability differ. Lookin, for a 04 1000

so if the new gixxer is about 10500 what do u think u should walk out the show room paying with 6%sales tax.. and 200 title and reg... just give me the price i should pay for the bike and i can get the rest out....

Test ride? Only on a used bike here...

i noticed that no one really mentioned financing a bike on here. i have never bought a car and only paid my friend a few hundred for the katana i bought off him(he needed to get rid of it). im new to the whole dealership thing and was wondering exactly how the financing works. also i wanted to know if i financed an 04 gsxr 600, around what would i expect to be paying if i financed it?

financing a gixxer wow BIG BUX, better save your money then buy later, first the interest youll pay, then you have to pay that arm and a leg and neck insurance for the bike, you got to have a FULL insurance until you paid up your bike... expensive especialy if you live to state that is considered paradise....

what about taking a loan out from a bank? is it reqired to have full insurance for that?

okay, so i went to the dealer today, and he told me that if you finance a suzuki that you do not need full coverage. he said they only required liability. what effect would this have on the grand scheme of things?

I think it's beter if you get a loan from the bank as opposed to financing from the dealer. Depending on how well you know your bank manager you can probably get a lower interest rate from your bank. Second, getting a loan from the bank will improve your credit more than factory financing. Suzuki isn't gonna offer mortgages any time soon. LOL

Sorry to say Jimbo but if you finance it doesnt matter where you go to get the loan it will go on your credit report the same way.. You will get lower interest rate at a bank or a credit union.. I think buying a bike is a lot like buying a car as for the new ones.. Tell them you want to see the invoice it will tell you how much thay paid for the bike, and pay three hundred over that and you will leave with a good deal..

im goint to look at an 03 1000 later today, where do i look for the vin and engine number thanks? or is it the same spot on all the bikes.

Thanks for the advice! I am in the market for my first sport bike and your post is extremely helpful.

nice post..it very helpfull...y would you not want to put full coverage on a new bike? i know i would want to.....with a bike comes lots of responsibility and if you dont have full you not being responsible from the jump....

You said the last day of the month of a "new quarter" ??? explain please...i also heard that if was wiser to buy during the off season like during the fall or winter.

What bike would you recommend for a rider 6 4 and wears a size 16 shoe and weighs 185 pounds

I just bought a new 600. I also spent the extra $549 for the extended warranty. Was the extra warranty a waste of my money??

As a first time vehicle buyer in general, I wish I would have read this when I went and got my bike. Because when I bought mine it was nothing more than impulse and didn't get the greatest of deals.

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/signYouRock.gif

This is such vital info! I hope you don't mind if I attatch this other aspect of The Big Buy!

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/dominatrix.gif <u>The paperwork end of it.</u> (http://www.gixxer.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&amp;Board=UBB3&amp;Number=1686940&amp;Searc hpage=4&amp;Main=1686940&amp;Words=MotoGP&amp;topic=&amp;Search=tr ue#Post1686940) http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/confused.gif

Educated buyers get better deals! Good info. Want more?
http://www.Friction-Point.com/educatedbuyer.php

Hey guys, I'm new to this site and a new rider. I've been riding dirtbikes since I was about 10 and i'm 18 now. I was looking to buy a 600cc bike, such as the Yamaha r6. I was reading this thread but I had a few questions. I know you said financing really isn't an option but is there any other way to get the bike without paying it in full straight out? I'm straped for money but I'm probably going to wait a year or so anyway till I have some more cash. My parents are also against me getting a bike till I'm 21 so I was wondering if there is anyway to get a loan to buy the bike without a co-signiture from my parents and without paying out the ass for some rediculously high APR. I don't have a full time job only a part time job and my credit is non existent but I am probably going to open a credit card account soon and buy low priced items to start building my credit. Any advice you guys can give me would be great. Thanks again!

Sorry to say Jimbo but if you finance it doesnt matter where you go to get the loan it will go on your credit report the same way.. You will get lower interest rate at a bank or a credit union.. I think buying a bike is a lot like buying a car as for the new ones.. Tell them you want to see the invoice it will tell you how much thay paid for the bike, and pay three hundred over that and you will leave with a good deal..



Actually, When I was buying my '03 Cobra I was haveing problems getting financed. The dealer tried factory and 15 other banks in San Antonio, all of which said NO with my credit score of 640. I went to my bank (credit Union) who I have done business with for almost 10 years and was approved within 20 minutes. So a relationship with a particular bank does have advantages as your credit score is just a number, but a good relationship goes a long way. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You said the last day of the month of a "new quarter" ??? explain please...i also heard that if was wiser to buy during the off season like during the fall or winter.



Each year is broken down into four quarters.
1st: Jan, Feb, Mar
2nd: Apr, May, Jun
3rd: Jul, Aug, Sep
4th: Oct, Nov, Dec.

So the best times to buy would be at the end of Mar, Jun, Sep, and Dec with Sep and Dec being optimal in the Northern States (winter).

I used to have Buell X1 White Lightning until I totalled it 2 1/2 years ago. I have since been looking to buy a new bike (and simultaneously trying to convince my wife to agree to it). I was looking at something smaller than the 1200 cc's that my old bike had but am kind of leary about going to a 600. I had been riding for 6 years when I wrecked my last bike but given what happened on my Buell, I do not feel I need a bike that big again. Can anyone tell me what the major differences are between the GSXR 600 and 750 so I can make a more educated decision.

Coming out of lurker mode...

I read the original post with a lot of interest, and saved it as a word document. I'll be using it soon, when I purchase a GSX-R1000.

A couple of points though. First, it's extremely difficult to get an owner to allow you to ride his sport bike. The owner (quite reasonably) has concerns about insurance coverage and theft. Also, for a lot of these young fellows selling their bike, it represents most of their net worth. OTOH I'm not going to hand over a big wad of cash to a stranger just to try out his bike either, LOL. If I come back and tell him that "it jumps out of gear", he might say "it never did that before you rode it".

These are basic trust issues, and if you are checking the wire loom for kitty litter, there ain't any trust between the owner and the buyer, is there?

Anyway, I found these generic comments about purchasing a sport bike pretty useful...BUT they aren't GSX-R specific!!! They could apply to any sport bike. So, for those of you who've ridden GSX-R machines a great deal:

What would you look for specifically on a 2002-2005 GSX-R? Are there any weaknesses on this machine to check for specifically? Suspension? Electrical? Engine? Transmission? Bodywork? Frame? Just curious if there are specific wear and tear issues with this bike that weren't addressed in the original post... Thanks!

what about taking a loan out from a bank? is it reqired to have full insurance for that?



FULL INSURANCE! Thats Collision, Fire, Theft and everything under the sun!

its all a bunch of http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/bs.gif

Ive got to be honest with you, you guys are all going about this the wrong way. Yes the bikes are expensive, but from all of the posts that I have seen there is something wrong. The first part of the post starts out by saying, that you should take 10% off of the asking price. Yeah, maybe if it is a leftover model. Dealers do have to make money, and so do salespeople. I agree that there are some dealers that are bad about tacking on extra fees, and if you are smart enough you will be able to catch that. If I have to waste my time by taking half an hour talking to a customer and building a repoir with him/her and then they automatically want to buy the bike for what we payed for it its like a direct insult to me. Why even come to a dealership? Because you cannot buy a bike directly from the factory!!! If you did, you would have to put it together by yourself from the crate, put fluids in it, get all of the bolts torqued correctly, test ride it, get your own title registered, pay taxes on it, and do all of your own maintenece. Now, how many people could do that by themselves, or who would actually want to? not too many people. (im not saying that some people cant) I get payed commission for what I sell, if we sold everything at what we payed for it the dealership would go bankrupt in a couple days and I would be unemployed. I am here to provide a service to you, I am not your enemy. I have to live too. So when you see the extra fees its for a reason.

... So when you see the extra fees its for a reason.


Yes, but what are reasonable fees? Let's say the '06 gixx 1K is msrp'd at $10,999. Is tacking on state tax and $200-$300 in fees to that reasonable? Not if the dealership paid $9440 for it (and got reimbursed for putting the thing together). I understand we all have to make a living, but that's not an excuse to literally rape somebody.

Some dealer ships suck, we have a dealership that does msrp otd. Most bikes are marked up 10% over cost from my research so a fair price is always 5% over invoice plus your fees or msrp otd. (always about the same price or $100 off) not gonna hurt you.
I advise dealers get all there money out of the msrp. Frieght isnt 500 as they want you to believe, but its not free as we consumers would like to believe. Yet in still if you didnt have it on your showroom floor then I couldnt buy it so that arguement is a wash. Doc fee, I could care less who does your paper work, Im only pays Tag and title fee.
If its a trade, then whatever there are asking for is AT LEAST 20% more than they paid. Unless its a popular bike I wouldnt waist my time on it.

Oh YOUR FEES are tax, tag, title. Not Doc fees, prep or shipping. If they wont sell you the bike for this (which the new gsx 750 prob wont msrp otd first part of march). Work about 150 of prep into the price. Thatll help everyone get there commision.
Guy tried to sell me an 04 with 1778 miles on it (1000) for 7999.99 I offered 7500 cash with intents to go up to 7800 otd. Bike looked new so you know what that means, yep track bike had racing plastics on. Adv rep that Im not stupid and this bike has been redline in 1st and 2nd prob 500 on the low side to be safe and prob on the 2500+ time to be realistic (more like 5k if the guy raced it for a living which is likely since he never taged it)
I walked away and told him to have a nice day.

so what is a good price for a 06 750 gsxr if I buy at the end of march(if they even have it) ?

Best price to expect is MSRP otd. Maybe even 200-300 over that if you are not patient.
Best thing to understand is if you have cash or perfect credit, you are doing the dealership a favor by buying from them. Now the dealership honestly dont make a lot of markup on new bikes when they come out, and there holdbacks are mostly between 3-5%. So unless its a huge incentive for them to sell the bike ie HUGE MARKUP or HUGE HOLDBACK, most are will to let you walk and let the next idiot pay everything that you didnt want to pay.
Thats why cash is a strong incentive. Its a quick easy sale. I give you money, you give me product. If a sale rep (who has absolutely no power in pricing, and seemily more and more no product knowledge) knows you are gonna have trouble getting financing, its not a whole lot of incentive to waste 6 hrs with you for a 50-70 commission.

If you can stop in a dealership and find a sales manager, strick up a conversation and hopefully that can be the person you can deal with. Sales reps suck at dealerships trying to negotiate.
im considering a zx-10r, depending on what price I can work (thinking about 11,200 tops with LOjak installed, tax, tag, title, prep etc.)
Also go to cyclebuy.com, but the invoice pricing for your bike. Its $13 to get it, but will prob save you 300-600 depending on your patience and negotiation skills.

Ive got to be honest with you, you guys are all going about this the wrong way. Yes the bikes are expensive, but from all of the posts that I have seen there is something wrong. The first part of the post starts out by saying, that you should take 10% off of the asking price. Yeah, maybe if it is a leftover model. Dealers do have to make money, and so do salespeople. I agree that there are some dealers that are bad about tacking on extra fees, and if you are smart enough you will be able to catch that. If I have to waste my time by taking half an hour talking to a customer and building a repoir with him/her and then they automatically want to buy the bike for what we payed for it its like a direct insult to me. Why even come to a dealership? Because you cannot buy a bike directly from the factory!!! If you did, you would have to put it together by yourself from the crate, put fluids in it, get all of the bolts torqued correctly, test ride it, get your own title registered, pay taxes on it, and do all of your own maintenece. Now, how many people could do that by themselves, or who would actually want to? not too many people. (im not saying that some people cant) I get payed commission for what I sell, if we sold everything at what we payed for it the dealership would go bankrupt in a couple days and I would be unemployed. I am here to provide a service to you, I am not your enemy. I have to live too. So when you see the extra fees its for a reason.



As the original poster, I feel that I need to counter your post somewhat.

I was generally refering to a used bike, rather than a new one, hence the advice regarding checking it over real well.

Around here there are a number of dealers that will sell you a new or used bike, I personally rarely buy a new bike, or for that matter a new car, I prefer to buy last years model and avoid the 'hit' as I ride out of the door. This instantly saves me several thousand dollars. This money I can put towards upgrades or personalization, or better yet my stock portfolio !

If the dealer margins are as tight as you would have us beleive, how are they still in business ?

My local Suzuki dealer drives around in an SL500, he IS making serious money, otherwise he would not be able to make his payments. This is not, obviously, from the sale of new sportsbikes, but from the repeat business, the aftermarket sales, the repair work and even from the financing income.

I am fully aware that the margins are reasonably small, the bikes are pretty low value, but its everything else that the dealers really score on.

Two years ago I picked up an 954, I paid $8000 for it, Out The Door, it was a left-over model that had been superceeded by the CBR1K. Did it make it a bad bike ? of course not, it was a bitching bike. I went into the dealership six times, before I rode away on it. Here is how I got my deal

Day1 - Showed interest in the then new CBR600RR, explained that I thought it was a little 'small' and said that I may be interested in a 954, if he had one. Dealer mentions that he has six of them, four red/black, and two titanium. He told me that he could do me one for $9250, plus fees, OTD was $10K

I said I would think about it, but it was over my budget, gave him my card, and left.

Day 2 - Went to see the dealer, spoke to a different salesman, mentioned the 954, and he said that they could 'do me a deal' if I wanted to take the red/black one, he could get it 'under 9K'

Day 3 - went to another dealer, got him down to $8750 OTD on a Red/Black one, or $9K OTD on a titanium one.

Day 4 - Another day, another dealer, mentioned that I had offers of $8500 OTD on a titanium 954, he said he could beat it, and gave me a written quote for $8500.

Day4PM, went to original dealer, showed him the quote, he called the other dealer to verify. offers $8500 with a 'free' helmet and jacket, but not tax. I get it in writing

Day 5 - I go to a third dealer, show them both quotes, mention that I may have a trade-in (I didn't) tell him its a '98 GSXR750, and he offers me $4500 for the GSXR, and $3750 OTD difference, if he finances it. I manage to get the dealer to let me ride the 954 around the block, he hold my licence, my insurance, and my car keys !

Day 6 - walk into dealer(3), with $8500 in my pocket (well $7500 in one pockect, and $1K in the other). Point to the Titanium 954, and tell the salesman that I want a cash price. He says $10K OTD, I mention that I have been dealing with another salesman, and he has offered me $8250, tell him that I have $7500 in $100bills in my pocket, and place the cash on his desk. He goes to see the manager. Manager comes out, and explains that this is the price inclduing a trade-in, which the would expect to sell on. I mention that they had not seen my trade-in, and we debate the fner points of a 98 GSXR with 60K on the clock http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

he tells me that the bike is not checked over, and will need $250 assembly and check fee, so the minumum he can let it go for is $8250. BINGO !!!

I mention that I have already ridden it, and I am willing to waive the setup charge.

I hand over $8000 in cash, plus $32 for a couple of add-ons, and I ride away http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sadly I was wiped out by a BMW a few hours later......

But, the point is, that there are margins on the bikes, the dealers may no make a lot on the actual sale, but they sure as hell make a lot on the service, and the add-ons.

I'm sorry I cant read anymore.On a New bike 10% off doesnt happen unless its a leftover.There is only 17% mark up in Suzuki's less on some Yamaha's.Second Insurance is not required for financing.Suzuki Finance (HSBC)doesnt require it at all.Yamaha uses two Banks,HSBC,and GE.Ge only requires insurance if you finance over 20k.There are other secondary lenders that require it,but then you are paying 17 or more percent anyways.I read something someone posted about last day of month to meet a quota from Suzuki.Horseshit every dealer has a certain amount of bikes allocated to them for the year.There are two ways to get more bikes allocated.One buying them from other dealers,this gives you that extra unit allocated to you the following year.The other ways is simply sell them quick and complain till they give the dealer more units.I saw someone say like a car ask to see an invoice and pay $100 over.If the dealer does this its a fake invoice.No dealer will sell a new undamaged sportbike for $100 over cost.It is better to buy a bike in the winter months .In the summer there is a frenzy for the new models and the spring bug hits people.The one problem with this is dealers run out of sportbikes in winter months.The Manufacture spreads there allocations out and releases bike in such an order to keep demand high.Especialy Yamaha.You notice there are never any leftover R1's,or R6's.Yamaha will actualy not release a Dealers bikes if they have too many in stock.Honda is the only bike manufactuer that will actualy try and flood the market like they do with cars.

Freight and Prep:This is how dealers make money.These charges are real!!Just 90% of the time are inflated.There isnt a manufactuer that charges more then $175 for freight.It usualy costs around $100 to build it.Freight charges are the same Nationwide!!!Prep can vary from dealer to dealer.The dealer I work out now charges true freight and prep.I used to work at a dealer in MD that charged $500 for freight and $280 fofr prep.This is how you make the deal look better then it is.They discount the top line and build it back with freight and prep.Truth is you get a discount from MSRP of $500 or more with no freight or prep you got a good deal!!!

On a 05 1000k, how much should I execpt to pay. Gixxerholf 750.
Whats the invoice on your 1k models now. Im not coming up there to buy one so you can let me in on it.

for those that are buying used you can purchase in the middle of winter or close to the end of winter. People tend to part with them cheaper then.

and with number 7, it's very hard to find a gsxr that has been owned by a pussy.
and usually these pussies want the earth for their 'fooly sick' bike too.
but yeah, if he's selling you the bike and tells you that he thrashes it... he ain't too bright.

I've been told to measure the wheelbase to see if it's been put down hard after monos too.
never done this myself though... I knew my bike had a rough life before I got it.

don't understand why insurance hasn't come up more often. what good does it do you to know how to buy a bike, if afterwards you can't even afford the insurance? and the younger you are, the more you're gonna get nailed (ins. wise). i spent almost as much time shopping for insurance as i did shopping for my bikes.
i've never understood the concept of only getting liabilty (as opposed to full coverage) on a bike, unless the bike is pretty old or you picked it up real cheap (less than 3K). on a car, i could see it. you have a slight wreck, oh well, maybe just a couple dents to live with.
I have never seen a slight wreck to a motorcycle that you could just say, oh well, couple of dents. most times, you're gonna have to get your bike fixed before it's ridable again. and it ain't cheap to repair.

alright. here's my inputs on buying a bike.
shop around and as everyone else has said....don't be afraid to walk away. put your game face on and act like it doesn't matter whether you buy the bike from them or not. my local store wanted 10,500 for my '03 gsxr1000 brand new. i was shopping a couple months after they came out, and the dealer said they couldn't really discount it. kept searching other dealers within a 2hr radius and kept looking in the 'TRADER' classified ads paper. in the paper i found a dealer in Chicago (a 5 hr drive) offering the bike for 9000. took the ad to my local store, and said if you match, i'll buy from you today. if not, i'm goin to Chicago. they said they couldn't go that low, so i said "well, thanks anyway, and walked out. 2 days later i got a call from them saying they'd match.

great post, although, when i bought my 1000, i bought liability at the dealership at the same time I financed my bike so full coverage isnt always a must but just make sure you never lay it down or you'll be payin for a bike thats on blocks in the garage!

Thought I would add this. Just ran across this today.

http://www0.epinions.com/content_2404753540

Or you can do what i did and buy a 06 750 in oct. when dealerships are getting rid of the 06's to make room for the incoming 07's 8500 out the door not to bad of a deal.... :cheers

great post, very helful

thanks and welcome to the forum and good advices you gave on your post you have to know what buying with your money before you pay .

Thank's, very informative.

Hey mate, i know there is a million threads asking the same stuff.. What bike should i buy for my first,well iv'e found the bike, just dont know a thing about them, and i dont have anyone to come along and test drive the one i do want. I found a suzuki rgv 250sp 1994 model today and went to test drive it, it has a dry clutch and a 6 speep close ratio gear box, do most dry clutches make a noise when engaged? the moment you squeeze down on the clutch a sort of high pitched ringing starts up. the owner said most dry clutches do this, just trying to confirm before i go ahead and buy it. Also blows a bit of smoke but im guessing this is standard with the old 2 stroke?

Hi everyone i am brand new to this site and am looking to buy my first bike i found one that i want at a local dealership its an 06 GSX-R 600 with about 3,500 miles and want $7,499 It is completley stock. My question is what do you think would be a good price to get this bike for?

Hi everyone i am brand new to this site and am looking to buy my first bike i found one that i want at a local dealership its an 06 GSX-R 600 with about 3,500 miles and want $7,499 It is completley stock. My question is what do you think would be a good price to get this bike for?


Kelly Blue Book might be a place to start.

Keep in mind I know as much about buying a bike as I do about flying a space shuttle, however I'm pretty sure it'd be the same as a car.

Find a few locally of the same make/model and options. Keep the mileage in somewhat of the same range and see if there is a big gap in price between them.


I could be going about that the wrong way, but that seems the smart way to buy anything.


Shop around.....for anything, even pasta sauce....a penny saved and all that jazz.

Or you can do what i did and buy a 06 750 in oct. when dealerships are getting rid of the 06's to make room for the incoming 07's 8500 out the door not to bad of a deal.... :cheers

+1 I will probably be shopping this october :thumbup

I thought that I would add this to the list of thing for the noooob images/icons/smile.gif

First of all figure out what you want.

This sounds stupid, but I have heard of people walking into a dealer wanting one bike, and riding out on a totally different one, and wondering what on earther happened in the between.

So, decide what you want, and then figure out how much you are going to have to spend.

Lets talk about finance

Cash is the king, and lets face it, most any bike can be bought for under ten grand, so financing is not really essential. Its also a lot harder to finance a bike than a car, because they are harder to repo, and also much more likely to be wadded.

Finance also forces you to have full insurance, something that many newer riders cannot afford.

So, you have your budget.

If you are buying used (and I for one cannot stand the "hit" that I take as I leave the dealers, its a bit more complex than new.

First of all look at the price that is being asked, and take 10% off it.

Then make a physical list of eveything that you can see that is up with the bike. Take it for a test ride. Do not rag on it - remember its not warm, but ride it far enough to get a feel for it. Check that it tracks straight, and that the brakes do not shudder.

Check the gearbox for action, and tryin pulling hard in the lower ones, then back off, and whack the throttle open - if it jumps out of gear - and some do, walk away.

Once you get back to the dealer, update your list.

add up the costs of each and every minor issue, and take that off the price - along with the 10%. This is your base price - you want everything fixed, and you want to be as close as possible to that number too.

Walking away works. If you have the cash, put it on the table images/icons/wink.gif

If you are buying private, a similar rule applies, but dealing one-to-one is often easier.

Here is MY check list.

1) Overall condition - it should be clean, clean, clean. mis-matched fairing, different color matches etc point to a crash

2) Check the staor cover - is it "rough" if so, its touched the groud.

3) Look at the brake rotors - are they scored ? Did you feel any pulsing ? Thats $500 off please images/icons/wink.gif

4) Look at the frame, if its polished, there is a posibility that its been dented, welding a frame this way is the only way to disguise a dent. I personally would never buy a bike with a polished frame.

5) look at the tires. Are they melted off the rims ? If so they may be race take offs - this is bad. Or the bike has seen some track action - this is not a really bad thing, but you might want to check to see if its seen any kitty litter action.

There is a real easy way to do this - check the wiring loom - see if the conectors have sand in them.

6) Take a look at the VIN number and the engine number - check that this matches the paperwork. No paperwork ? Walk away (for good).

7) Listen to the seller, if he brags of 100mph wheelies, he is a dickhead, walk away, its been thrashed.

8) Carefully rock the bike back and forth, with the front brake on - any clicking will point to a maladjusted, or worse damaged, head race - this is another bargaining point.

9) Has it got all the accessories ?
Seat hump and passenger seat ? Each one is $60
Manual - $25
Toolkit - $30
Tank prop - $15

10) do you LIKE the mods ?
not everyone likes all the mods that bikes have, do you want to put it back to stock ?

For the haggling, here are a few base prices...

Brake Rotors - $500
Brake pads - $80
Tires - $300
Chain and Sprocket set $300

Its best to take a biker buddy with you, as the voice of reason as much as anything.

Do not be affraid of losing the perfect bike by walking away, you can always send a buddy to see it and furtehr low-ball the dealer, before you go back and take a second look....

[ 01-13-2003, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: fRaGgLe ]


quick guys.... raise the prices 10%!!!


lol



good post. I am a GM at a dealer and that is good advise.

FULL INSURANCE! Thats Collision, Fire, Theft and everything under the sun!

its all a bunch of http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/bs.gif


It is a bunch of BS right up until the point that something happens to your bike. I bet If I asked you what you thought about insurance 10 minutes after your bike was stolen, you would have a different opinion.

Good stuff to know

Well I don't know if this is a good deal, but I found an 06 GSX-R 600, very clean and well taken care of. The guy wanted $5500, came down to $5000 but will not take any less, bike is stock, has high miles, but I am not sure if 9K is alot or not for a Gixxer. I am a noob, and I would like your opinion. Thanks.

Really Really good stuff to know!

Thanks for the great advice...

wow amazing post man thnx

There is quite a bit of good advice in this thread, tis a good read.

I just have a couple questions about buying a new bike.

My preferred bike shop has a brand new K8 750 sitting on the floor that I know they want to get rid of before the new models come in. They are asking 10699.00 (canadian dollars) plus 400 freight and PDI. Sounds steep to anyone?

Now I know that this condradics everything I have read in this thread, but the shop selling this bike is fantastic. I have always been treated well there, their parts, service, people, everything is head and shoulders above the other shops Ive dealt with in the past, this is why I make the extra half hour commute to go there. I would prefer to buy from them as the local options suck hind teat. Their parts and service is the difference for me, in the future if I need something, I know I can get it quick and painless there.

I want the best deal possible, its not like im gonna run in there with cash falling out of my pockets, begging for a bike. I want to bargain a bit on the price, as well I want to see if they can toss in, say, a helmet, gloves or whatever. What do you guys think about this? When I bought my last dirtbike I got the dealer to toss in bars and set of tires, and even tho he acted like he was getting kicked in the junk, I got what I asked for.

This is my first time buying a sportbike, and really I dont know whats fair as far as asking for free goodies, and Im not sure how much they will be willing to budge on their price. I know they are selling the K9 750's for around $13000 when they come in, so the K8 is a better deal for me as is. Im bringing in about a 40% down payment. Gonna finance the rest.

Anyways, do you guys have any advice?

A lil tip. Also whenever your buying a used bike look at the front cover of the wheel. If a person was doing any soppies or endos the front cover will likely be scraped from the bottom. Another thing to look at is the rear tire. If a person was speeding excesivelly than the rear tire will have blisters on it. The tip about the rear tires and blisters I got was from a dealer. So i think thats true but who knows they might of changed the tire. Anyways take ur time and bargain with the seller. Your their customer not the other way around. They should respect u.

OH!!! FYI-Dont buy used helmets. Although they might seem new. If a helmet fall from about 5 feet it absorbs the impact. Whenever this happens small cracks are created around the impact zone. This type of helmet is then really REALLY vonurable in a crash. Even if it looks new dont BUY IT!!! A helmet is not a place you want to save money on. GO to a store and tell the professionals to help you fit your helmet.

I have used craigs list for years to purchse used motorcycles... or parts of motorcyles. I travel alot... Now I use this nifty utility to buy bikes all over the country. http://www.craigspal.com will let you search other states.

CHEERS! :cheers

I have used craigs list for years to purchse used motorcycles... or parts of motorcyles. I travel alot... Now I use this nifty utility to buy bikes all over the country. http://www.craigspal.com will let you search other states.

you got to buy this shit?

okay, so i went to the dealer today, and he told me that if you finance a suzuki that you do not need full coverage. he said they only required liability. what effect would this have on the grand scheme of things?

I would stay away from that dealer:dissapointed, Any bank that finances anything is going to require that you have full coverage insurance! Even Suzuki finance!

ok, im lookin to buy a honda CBR 600 rr, for my first bike (i know i know, your ALL gona yell at me and say that i shouldnt get this for my first bike....and im sorry :( but to me, it would seem like a waste of money to buy a 250, get bored, and have to spend MORE to get the 600. ive drivin dirtbikes, ive driven Goldwings and other cruiser bikes, so i think if i TAKE IT SLOW i should be alright, and i live in the country. not much traffic, good place to practice) ANYWAYS, im in iraq as of now, and i found someone on my car forum, and he has a CBR 600 RR, and my GOD its sexy...

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z234/360jeepboy/cbr600RR.jpg

anyways, im not there to do all those checks, i dont have ne one whos gona drive there to check it out for me (its in GA, i live in DE) so i dont know if i should make that drive to find out its shit, or just risk it and take it. im pretty sure i know the answer, i just wanted to ask...

a little backround on him, he is in charge of the car forum and seems like a sincere individual, and he wasnt looking to sell it, it wasnt for sale or ne thing, i jsut posted that i was lookin for a bike and he said i got one, i could let it go i guess .

so idk :/ it seems lagit...but im not too sure...

SORRY for this being an essay,