How to get the best deal when buying a Harley Davidson. 

When I come into a dealer I want to see the bikes with a hang tag: list price, shipping, tax. I don’t want to be quoted a price $5,000 above list and told that I need to talk with the manager to see how close to list they might come. This sales technique died in the rest of the vehicle world in the 80’s. I can afford what I want, but I won’t pay $1 more than list for any bike.

I flew to Milwaukee for $69 to save $3k on a used '17 SGS 3 years ago. That market is/was saturated with inventory. Bonus: I got a 500 mile bike ride in on the way home!

Nothing about this video was about how to get the best deal, it was all about trying to convenience you to trust the salesman.

I’ve had some terrible deals. Glad I shopped around. Ended up buying from a dealer 40 miles away even though a dealer is a couple blocks away. 7k difference in price+trade. That’s a lot of money. Huge difference in customer service as well. Local place made me feel like I owed them something. My new dealer made me feel like I was doing them a favor.

The dealership is NOT your friend and ultimately doesn’t give a damn about whether or not you’re happy with your purchase no matter what this dude or anyone else says. I bought my last bike from the nicest salesman and even so when it was all said and done that didn’t matter, there were still issues/lies. Walk in stern with them and knowing your shit is the best way to minimize their bs.

Walked into my first Harley Dealer yesterday and walked right out. I even watched this video before walking in and it sure did help give me a huge perspective on these salesman. But man did the sales guy and the manager try to bend me over big time! They wanted me to pay $4500 over MSRP on a street glide and give me 50% trade in value of what paid for on a brand new bike thats less than a year and a half old with very low miles.

I bought my first bike from Timm's. I will buy my next bike from Timm's. My dad bought his bike from y'all. I absolutely adore y'all. Everyone there is so friendly, and the entire process of purchasing a bike was made so easy for me. That's a big deal for me. I have had several modifications done to my bike in your shop, and I'm sure when I purchase my next bike it will be the same story. Everything about y'all's shop is amazing! And you are absolutely correct. You get used to dealing with one person and they do right by you, you keep going back to them. You send all your friends and family to them. I have never been one to trust mechanics because I have been taking advantage of many times, but I can assure you that I do not feel that way when I bring my bike to y'all.

You’re on point. It took me 2-3 months before I bought my 20 SGS. Test rode both Indian and Harley. Harley twice, talked to my “fit specialist”. I got the price I am willing to pay and the bike I wanted. Win-win, happy to this day. Y

Love the honesty. Great information. I'm on my way to buying my first bike in the future. Love your vids. I went straight to the dealership and a fellow had me on several super expensive bikes I didn't even want to touch all while giving loads of great info. I definitely would go back to the same guy that helped me and make my purchase with him for sure. You can feel the care they have and the fact they want you to be comfortable and happy with the bike you choose.

I just turned 60 years old and by my second Harley in a long time having some work done on it but you inspired me with your channel to go out and buy a Harley and here I am changing out exhaust to Vance and Hines, Nelson Hines, air filters and stage one stuff doing to it so thanks for the confidence to do that! You rock love your videos

This channel is making me want to drive the 8 hours and buy my next bike from Timm's

I don't wanna "Call for price". Then they want you to go in. I'm in the middle of paying stuff off. That's why I don't have my Harley yet. Normally those "call for price" dealerships are the ones that add a 3K dealer markup. I don't have to "call for price" to buy anything anywhere else. A dealership here in SoCal wanted to charge almost $30K FOR THE Reef Blue RG Standard. MSRP around 23K. I walked.

Lesson one I learned, with my local dealer anyways, price the bike you're interested in on their website. Found one I liked on their page for 13k, and when I went to look at it, I was told 16.5k OTD. Salesman claimed it was normally 18k, but they were having a weekend special on all bikes. Asked the salesman if he was sure that was the correct price, because the site had a different price. He told me that was the price his manager gave him. I just looked at him and asked where the extra 3k came from. No response. I just walked away. Again, this was an experience with my local dealer. Ended up finding a better dealer later on.

Having spent many years in sales, I can attest to several , if not all, of the points that you brought up. Outstanding video!

Hi mate, I am in the process of researching a bike to replace my old Kawasaki, and you have provided some good advice, even for us in Australia. Cheers Ian

With all due respect sir, I just spent 2 hours at my local HD dealer trying to buy a Road King Special in Deadwood Green.... 30k plus fee's for a 23,450 MSRP bike?! it's hard (very hard) to have a "good attitude"....I told the guy "so it has now become a rich mans market and I don't want any part of it".. I knew it would be bad but not this bad, Harley can stick as far as I'm concerned....I say that having bought 2 new HD's in the last 2 years, 1 in 2019 a Softail Slim & 1 in 2020 a 114 fat bob.

Think a lot of people don’t understand what a fit specialist is and why they generally quote ranges . It’s a fits job to help you find the right bike in a range you can afford. Then pass you on to the sales manager who puts the deal together runs credit etc. Fit specialist generally don’t have a sales license most dealers have more fits to handle volume as dealers generally don’t have a huge number of licensed salesman. Most bike deals being put together have the added dealer fees, taxes for the states that add that into OTD price along with added warranties generally why OTD price jumps 3,000 to 5,000. I’ve had 13 bike deals in almost 4 yrs still have 5. I’ve learned a lot about the process. Plus I buy from one dealer the return customer deals got better and better to where I got one of the best deals out there for a new CVO ST. Find the right dealer stay with them. They will take care of you they don’t it’s not the right dealership. Finding the right dealer they are not all the same.

This is really good advice. As i get ready to buy my first motorcycle at my local Harley dealership. Yes. It is key for me to develop a solid working relationship with my contact person there. He has been great at giving me all the information i need without being pushy at all. If anything i try to refrain from reaching out to him to frequently. But when you get excited to get your first bike, it can be hard to reign in the excitement. Hopefully ill have my new Harley soon. And loved your review on the new Sportster S. You got a subscriber today. 😎

So one dealer has a 2020 Low Rider S used at 23000. I’ll just head on down to Laidlaws where the freaking price is in plain sight and what is charged above that is clear.

Good Video and quite accurate. I just purchased a 2021 SGS, went and looked at it and had the saleswoman help which she was quite nice, i probably went there a few times and i think she probably thought i was a tire kicker, the last time i was in i was ready to purchase and told her i would be back, 30 minutes later i came back with a bank draft for the amount i was willing to pay with the add ons i wanted. She looked and said she didnt think it would happen but took the draft and went to her manager, 15 minutes later they came back and tried to squeeze me for an extra $500, i refused. They accepted the deal. I have learned with buying a Harley, they are not all that interested in reducing the price, but they are interested in throwing in extras. I got the bike i wanted with the options i wanted for what i was willing to pay.

I've been following your channel for a while, I have needed this video.

I just want to say your videos and info are well done. I just cant believe that your subscriber membership is not 10 fold of which it is.

Excellent tips. You obviously have a great deal of experience. Makes a lot of sense

A dealer telling you how to get the best deal. You can trust him.

Right on bruda!!! Good points and I look forward to putting these nuggets of info into practical use!!!!

Great channel. Going to buy the new street bob once this snow clears in Michigan.

A really clear set of points to to take into account. Cracking video.

My h-d dealer closest to me wanted to charge $3000.00 over MSRP. The other h-d dealer about 20 miles from me was $3000.00 under MSRP. That dealer has been a pleasure to deal with beyond the better price. I’ve given them all my accessory business and service. Another thing, I’ve got the extended warranty, service plan, and tire ins. ALL have paid me back in spades! I have high mileage on my h-d and plan on keeping it for a long time. That’s how I get my return on investment, miles of smiles….

People should thank you for this video! I challenge anyone to contradict anything you said. This was one of the most honest and sincere videos I’ve ever watched on RU-vid. Good on you for your honesty and willingness to really help others.

Great video and info Brother! Thanks for making it.

The best video I've seen in a very long time!

I'm not looking to purchase a Harley but this video was outstanding. You thoroughly covered all the topics someone needs if they want to buy a motorcycle. Keep up the good work and be safe.

Good advice as always with your channel!

Love your channel. You should review Dixxon Flannel shirts. They have lots of custom Harley shirts. Limited edition too

People can say what they want to but Timms Harley Davidson took really good care of me. We negotiated and found a deal that worked for both of us. Top notch crew there.

Just bought a 2012 Switchback from Warr's in London - excellent service. Very helpful. Gor a really good deal. NB All done over the Internet. Brilliant bike!

So glad I found this video I’m about to buy my first bike.

Totally awesome channel you have here sir thx I need this info all that you give

Great advice 👍 i have a great relationship with my Harley dealer here in Myrtle beach 🏖👍

Excellent video and tips, thanks.

Timms is an awesome dealership, I live in GA but frequent Timms Harley Davidson, they most definitely have a great staff

Funny, I stumbled across your channel as I am new to motorcycles and I liked the video so much I was wondering where you were located and turns out you are 45 minutes from me. Very cool.

You are absolutely correct. As someone who has spent years working in dealerships, relationships and service coupled with trust are more important than saving a few bucks. Your ownership experience should be valuable to you.. it’s called ‘being happy’ with a purchase. And hey, isn’t the whole point of a bike to bring you happiness? ☮️

I shopped local dealers. One dealer, because of their volume, was marking up over MSRP because they could. Another dealer was not and I actually received a higher amount on trade-in with other dealer. Some of the bigger dealers will get away with what they can so keep them honest by looking around and comparing the numbers, including interest rates and terms.

Also would be trading in my 2019 Honda rebel 500 abs.

In my experience, look for the model you want at year-end clearance time, November - December. Then negotiate. You won't be able to be particular about color or options but then price is your priority.

Love your videos!

Something to consider (and this may not apply to everyone) is if you purchase a bike out of state, you may not be able to roll in TTL into the loan. You may also have to pay the sales tax in cash when you get back to your home state. I live in NV, and if I were to purchase a bike out of state, I would have to pay the 8% sales tax when I got back to NV on top of the outlandish registration fees. With that said, it still doesn't hurt to look out of town. 2/3 dealerships here in Vegas are owned by the same people. They tend to do things the same way.

Stop asking 10k for 22 year old bikes when new softails are affordable

Great vid, and is a 101 guide for what makes a good salesperson.

Thank you this helped a lot!

Hi, guys. I turned 49 years old last week and up and decided it's time to buy my first motorcycle. And of course, that motorcycle has to be a Harley. Completely new to the culture but have always wanted to ride. I've signed up for the training course and today I ventured into my first Harley dealership. I thought for sure they would smell the newb on me from a mile away and the waters would immediately fill with sharks. My personal experience was the complete opposite of that. After looking around for a bit unbothered, my now salesman Rick approached me and ask if he could help out. I told him my story and we stood there and talked about an hour and a half from anything from Harleys, life experiences, kids, etc. Not once time during that conversation did Rick ever pressure me into a bike or a type of bike that I need or should buy. I'm not sure if every Harley dealership operates in this matter but my local one just set the bar extremely high. Blair, your videos have been a huge help to a newbie and I love the reviews. I've spent hours watching them along with some other channels. My question now for you guys is what bike should a start on? Like I said, I"m 49, 5'8", 190 lbs and in great health. I'm leaning heavily towards a new Road King and Rick advised me that the bike shouldn't be too much for a beginner. I sat on a few at the dealership and felt comfortable with the weight. Of course I understand actually riding is a whole different story. Any input you guys could provide would be great. Thanks!

Great info, thanks!

Good solid spot on advice.

This was great information. Too bad most have great intentions, me being one, and then that goes out the door when you see your dream bike! Great info to avoid legit pitfalls.

So that's actually a really good positive note that you'll have repeat business whenever you find someone that you really like and I agree 100% on that part whoever you're working with if you trust them and you've had good experiences with them absolutely you're going to want to go back and I would say the same thing from mechanics and dealers because they're very few mechanics that I actually trust to work on my stuff so I always go back to the same people

i bought my 2020 Street Glide Special for $24500 black, no nanny controls plus tax....No freight prep set up...Just sales tax and off we went...This was july 2020....Bike was produced Early July and i had it July 11....I feel that was a great deal..

Interesting take on dealership/potential buyer interaction. I looked at one of the local HD dealerships for a used 2018 - 2020 Street Glide. I work at a motorcycle shop and know intimately what it costs to perform maintenance on a used bike. HD oils (Primary, Transmission, Engine) are always changed. Tires, brake pads, brake fluid, bulbs, belt drives, chain drives, spokes, electrical items, etc. etc. are ALL checked prior to sale (and changed out if they are worn)....and then of course the bike is test driven. All in all a complete and thorough check of all things motorcycle to make sure future customers are satisfied. So I do know the cost in time, schedule, parts that a used bike may take to bring it up to par for sale. I did my homework for my bike (Kelly Blue Book, NADA) before going to the local HD shop and was ready to do some business. Imagine my surprise when I was low-balled on my trade in (2016 Road King beautifully maintained - 18,000 miles, KBB/NADA = $12,250).....HD dealership offer was $9750 for my trade in + $899 - dealership prep fees, $180 - document fees and $25 title change for a 2020 Street Glide with approximately 8,000 miles on it. I broke down the cost of oils (changed), brake pads (not changed for a bike with 8000 miles on it), tires (unchanged), belt drive (unchanged), brake fluid (probably unchanged - if changed, computer program to bleed the ABS system) etc. Basically the 2020 SG did not have enough miles on it to warrant the expense of additional mechanical work. Therefore the advertised price of $24,500 for the 2020 Street Glide would actually be $27,604 and their low-ball trade in assessment ($12, 250 - $9750 = $2300) meant I would be paying $3454 in extra costs. When I broke down the deal to dollars and cents and showed them my calculations - they suddenly upped my trade in value to $11,000 after a "conference" with the manager. By this time I had had enough - the entire interaction left a sour taste in my mouth. The dealership people did mention how well prepared I was with a complete breakdown of all costs down to the expense of conventional versus synthetic oils. I asked them what they needed to do to a 2020 Street Glide that would cost $899 in dealer prep and their answer was complete "corporate speak". So anyone attempting to buy a Harley in the Quad Cities (look the name up) might want to go elsewhere.

Some dealers will lose a sale for $1000. What’s really short-sighted is, I spend 3-8k on accessories, parts etc on every bike I buy. They haggle Over $1K just to lose 3-8.

How to get the best deal on a Harley? No1, NEVER EVER EVER buy new. No2, never buy from a dealership

Thanks great advice as usual. Currently have buyers remorse having traded my GS in for a PAS. PAS great bike but I don't really need 150bhp. My dealership here in the UK is brilliant ( being buying bikes for 50yrs and they are the best I have ever brought from). I am sure they will help me choose another option but its now knowing what to buy.

I've had good and bad experiences at Harley dealers. Look for a Dealer that doesn't pressure and is open and honest. Read everything, realize if you trade you're not going to get top dollar, but insist on a fair price. Having great credit also helps get the best deal.

Great video and content thanks.

In my opinion, the absolute best deal you can get on a Harley is to either buy the Harley that you want, be happy with it and walk past the parts counter, out the door and only come back for service or buy a used that someone else has invested tons of chingo in for all the upgrades that you like at a discount. I have a Harley and Yamaha and buying experience on both were completely different. My Yamaha came out of the crate operating at its peak performance. It is stage 5 out of the crate. Aside for some cosmetic things and a little bit of tuning there's nothing else the bike needed to be the best that it can be. My Harley on the other hand, comes out of the crate as a great bike then you get bombarded with the pressures of upgrading from stage 1 to stage 5. So you can spend tons of chingo fixing up the bike that you bought brand new or leave it stock and just be happy with it. I bought my Harley used with 4000 clicks on for 3k less than the brand new with some nice upgrades that someone else paid for and then traded it in for the Harley they really wanted in the first place. There are tons of them out there like that. Consider it to get the most out of your dollar.

Great info makes lots of sense..

Great video Thanks

If you are in the market for a Harley Davison and want to get a good deal; be prepared to look statewide or even nation wide. My local HD is charging around 5k over MSRP and adding around $2500 of addendums. The new low rider ST would be over 30k out the door with their mark up and addendums.

All of what you say is true. I work in car sales for a premium brand in the UK.

Went to my dealer yesterday to pick up some gloves. They had a 2 new cvos on the floor and got to talking to the salesman. Nice guy was upfront that price was msrp plus tags and doc fees. Im not in the market for a bike right now but thought that was a fair deal. Just cant stomach the price for them. Maybe in a few yrs but will continue enjoying my heritage.

Early February I put a large deposit on a 2022 heritage that had a $500 blue sky mark up. Now over 3.5 months later I’m still am waiting on delivery.

Excellent video and spot on. Funny...when you tell it like it is, the serious/legit clients step up and appreciate it. I've been selling/appraising real estate for 30+ yrs, I don't waste time with HGTV experts. When you are straight ahead with no BS you will attract the straight ahead, no BS clients. I'm leaning towards an Indian but just might have to drive up to Timms

I will be looking into where you are located. If you are close I will check out Timms HD.

Thank you for the important video

Can you comment on Dealer prep fees ? From what I understand this prep service cost performed by the dealer techs is reimbursed by the HD manufacturer . So why would dealers double dip and charge the buyer also ? Thanks

The shortness in inventory I think is because Harley Davidson is moving to eventually shift to the revolution max engine platform. The technology and more maintenance free nature of the revolution max engine is a game changer moving forward to 2022.

Awesome video!!! Dang got me Sold! Want to buy a bike from Tim’s

Thank you well done.

Beautiful bikes

i am sure i had best deal on my 1987 electra Glide ultra Classic. bought it last year from an older Gentleman (82 years old ) for 4k and it has 8900ml (real ) . i can say the Tacho metter is real because the parts like Disc break are still original factory when the bike the first time on the road 35 years ago and many other parts aswell . so when i bought this bike i spent another 1k to fully check the bike, Big service like changing all 3 oils , tires , setting Carb , checkin oil leak which no where to find .

Very safe advice. What about admin fees, detailing packages, why they want to finance you, extended warranty (commission) who pays MSRP

I bought my 2020 Breakout 114 in May of 2020 at the peak of covid. The dealer was so happy that I was buying a bike because not many people were buying anything of luxury at the time. They gave me 1k off and even steered me towards a local. C.U. that gave me financing 4 points below Harley Financial.

I’m subscribing to this channel. And a thumbs up.

Sooooo for somebody that is shorter what would you recommend...I seem go come back to the road kings for some reason.... I've found some nice street glides too.

This is a great video, I have 2 Harleys rite now . A sportster 48 and 2020 low rider s, I was thinking of trading in the 48 but the dealer I got my bike from , the salesmen does not remember me at all . I walk by this guy and he doesn't even say hi . I've been back to this dealer a number of times for minor accessories. I'm definitely uncomfortable with this dealer, I will most likely go to another dealer to do business. Thanks for the video.

So true.... I shopped around when I was looking for harley. I wanted to buy from my old hometown dealer but something told me to look at another dealership. Come to find out the other dealership was roughly $2000 cheaper than the hometown dealer. My dealer where I got my bike wasn't all flashy like the other but they came though. Just because their dealership might not have all the flashy lights, music playing and a big beautiful building doesn't mean you can't get a great deal. JS.

Good Stuff , Thanks

I went to a dealer trying to buy a used bike. They kept me in that place for a couple of hours trying to wear me down then they tried to add a bunch of ridiculous fees and charges to the bike. I walked out. Remember folks it's better to walk out with your money in your hand than to have buyer's remorse. No matter how scarce they try to make a bike seem there's ALWAYS another bike. These are not rare artifacts. The factory WILL always make more.

Will dealership be willing to work on the price if you were to buy the prepaid maintenance on the new one?

Man I live in fl wish I was closer to you guys. Anyway I got still next summer for my 40th birthday. Got Something to get off my credit first then I be ready.

What I don't like when looking online at bikes is when Harley dealers have different advertised prices for the same bike and it is more than the msrp. What are all the add-on fees the dealers charge. Isn't msrp enough?

Amen brother.

I’m not sure what your dealers do in terms of fees, assembly and freight, but how do you navigate those? When I bought my 21 street glide, the dealer was appalled that I questioned their $1k assembly and $1k freight when Harley openly stated they reimburse dealers for assembly/inspection and there are standard freight fees, when I bought mine it was $450(ish?) per truck, divided by 20 bikes per truck I believe. I even offered to call Harley and them speak to the rep and they declined. We made a deal but they made it hard and were offended I pointed out Harleys fine line details that contradicted their dealer fees. It almost cost me a $500 deposit haha

Went to Harley Davidson here around miami. The numbers they gave me for the bike was almost an insult, and I have amazing credit. And I was super motivated to buy an HD. Now I saw the Indian and might just buy one.

Hey man I just financed the Iron 1200 used but I’ve really been looking into getting a lowrider s is there anything I can do it’s almost been a month

The third Harley dealer we visited actually gave us $1000 more for our trade in than anyone (Harley or non) in the area, and met our payment goal by knocking $2k off the (used) bike we were looking at. They must’ve got it for a steal, cause both parties were happy when the deal was done! That being said, we no longer have a Harley in the garage, but two Triumphs. We miss the sound but not much else…

This is all sales 101- get the customer thinking about the product , not the figure; get the customer to think about the total and not the breakdown (more importantly the monthly payment rather than the out-the-door price) ; get the customer to think about the convenience of trading rather than the additional money for a private sale. This could be applied to buying a Toyota or an iPhone. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, but they don't seem to match the title.

I've always owned pre owned,2nd hand bikes, Yamaha Honda. I'm now 53 looking to buy my first Harley, 8 appreciate your help with this video. Thank you for your time and effort helping people in this industry.

$14,500 for a 2022 Softail Standard with ABS, Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather & Tuner, Dean Speed 2 to 1 header and Exhaust - 3 year unlimited warranty. Did I do good? 👀

I went to 2 dealerships and they were quoting me 5k and 6k respectively above msrp… When I mentioned that it was crazy high they just told me sorry that’s just the way things are now bye… so I just drove to an Indian dealership… I noticed a growing distaste for HD because on how they are conducting business I have no idea how long they can keep this up.