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Only $10 for all 2024 SX, MX, and SMX series (regularly $30).
You guys act like what hes speaking of hasnt ever happened.
I can’t handle the shops that try and guilt their customers into paying more like you are here. It’s pathetic. No, you don’t deserve more just because you have bill’s to pay...so does the dealer down the street who doesn’t charge the junk fees and will get me out the door $600 less than you...so they’ll get my business and you can try and guilt the next guy into paying more than they should.
They have a 2019(!) on their website listed for $9,800 (plus destination).
https://www.donnellsmotorcycles.com/inventory/2019-honda-crf450x-indepe…
The Shop
MX bikes are not that importatnt to dealers, plain and simple. As many people on here have said, there's very little profit in mx bikes. Plus now more than ever the people that buy them buy most of their parts and accessories online. So the dealer loses that profit as well.
So why do we need dealers? Just like car dealers, most people other than off road guys want to shop. They come in and don't know exactly what they want and need help/advice. Plus the vast majority of people don't do any repair or service themselves. Also warranty work needs to be done. Now throw in the liability of sending units out the door for the customer to assemble. Again, stop thinking just mx!
My brother sells SxS's like crazy and is one of the largest Polaris dealers in Indiana. He also sells Kaw, TM and SSR pit bikes.
He rides mx and so does his grandson and 3 employees. He's even made the comment to me in private that theres very little money in mx bikes.
Trust me, industry people around the world, in shops or suppliers, are laughing at this going "Yup, nailed it"
I think that for most rational people, what your brother said is pretty much common knowledge and makes perfect sense!
To me it’s worth the fee phone calls.
Once you find the good dealers you know where to start next time as well.
I’m in the same area as you. 3-4 hr drive to save 2200 is worth it to me.
That was no questions asked we went in one day, I had started thinking about my youngest jumping up into the 50 and they had one in the floor. During the summer when we have issues or something breaks in a race I can bring the bikes in first thing Monday morning and they will get it taken care of for us and fixed by race weekend. We are loyal and good customers. I dont have to haggle, they appreciate our business and we appreciate them.
When KTM announced the 50 factory edition back in August I told them please put me down I'll take the first one you get. Never talked price or anything, bike came in was a little bit under sticker, freight cost cut in half and $149 setup. I have my name on a 65 with them currently and know it will be the same type of deal.
This whole thing is a two way street and while I have a great dealer with a great group of people there I know that is not always the case but for those dealers that do exist if you appreciate them, they appreciate you as well and everyone enjoys and has fun in the journey this sport offers.
It's cute you guys care so much about dealers. I would much rather get my bike (and truck) direct-to-consumer and pay local mechanics to work on it and get my gear and parts through Motosport.com.
You think buying direct from an OEM would be great, but I can assure you it would not!! You would see a 20-30% price INCREASE, plus limited support, and absolutely no price adjustments / haggling. OEM's are not well suited for end user interactions, the number of staff and resources an OEM would have to implement to sell directly to end customers would drive cost through the roof. Plus product diversity would decrease. Dealerships are well positioned to work with the end user, and ultimately benefit the OEMs on cost, warranty, headaches, and customer relations. Removing the dealer would not be rainbows and unicorns that you think.
It does cost $ for freight to a dealer, and they do have to set the machines up. It's up to you to decide if you feel you should pay that, however. You can always negotiate or walk and try another dealer.
Pit Row
That makes about as much sense as wiping before you poop....
Dealerships help keep cost down for the OEM, otherwise the OEM would sell direct to customers. Do you think OEM's and shareholders would be okay with the dealership structure if there was not a distinct financial advantage? If the OEM could make more money without dealers, they would be doing it!!
If they went direct to consumer the oem's still have to compete with other oems...so competition still exists, and that competition will keep prices in check-just like they do now...it's not a coincidence that jap OEM's charge basically the same MSRP for everything, and that won't change buying direct (never mind that they can only charge what people are willing/able to pay), so it's not like Honda can charge $12K for a 450 while Yamaha is still charging $9700...Honda still has to compete with Yamaha..and, it would cut out the 10%-20% profit the dealers have to make to keep the doors open...that overhead loss could be used to pay for shipping costs or other overhead increases for direct to consumer (without increasing the msrp).
The reality is that how we buy OHV's and cars is going to change in the future...just like virtually every industry will change as A.I. and other technology improves and advances its going to change the expectations of consumers across all industries, and all industries will adapt or die.
And the reality is, I don't care about paying a freight charge if its a legit fee...my OP was asking if it was a legit charge, a question...since then the discussion has morphed into complaining about all the other fees and the value (or lack of) provided by dealers...but the OP was a question as to if its a legit fee. If it is, I'm fine paying it-though I do wish they'd just bump the MSRP and include freight in the MSRP, its used car salesmanish to not do that. (I call around and shop OTD price anyway...so I honestly don't care what a dealer calls those fees, I just care about the total number anyway.)
Dude you need to take up ping pong or something that has no "junk fees".
It just goes to show what a bunch of fuckwits most people are when it comes to understanding retail.
OEM'S do not, under any circumstances, want to deal with the end user. All they want to do is punt product to dealers, and be done with it.
Road bike and mountain bike mfgs have figured out the direct to consumer model (Canyon and Polygon being 2 growing names)
Even used car sales have figured out direct to consumer (Carvana) (never have to leave your house to sell or buy a used car)
Diamond dealers (James Allen, Blue Nile...)
Fitness equipment (Rogue, NordicTrack...)
The biggest benefit to these? The consumer pays LESS and gets MORE value than buying brands from brick and mortar places.
2- He asked a pretty honest question, accepted the honest answers, and is simply (and pretty respectably overall I think) expressing his thought processes on other issues that have been brought up.
3- I disagree with some of his thoughts on those issues, but that doesn’t invalidate his opinions nor make either he or I “right” or “wrong”.
The OEM is happy to wash its hands of any direct contact with the retail buying public, however. This is why you get your bike serviced at the dealer instead of at the manufacturer, by the way.
Post a reply to: Are dealer “freight” fees legit?