How Do You Buy a Bike?

[flatdog]

Belieie me, Pidcocks dont have an attitude, if its attitude you want then try Balderstons in Peterborough.

x2 couldn't agree more, (in my experience) they are local to me, bought a few bits off them GBP80.00 worth, and then ordered some small wiring connectors, then decided to cancel this order a day later as my plans changed...talk about sour grapes...who can recommend a dealer reasonably close without the attitude where they value customers going through learning curves........... errrr my tuppence worth..rant over

 

[harveyg77]

Hi,

Seriously decided that a KTM690 Supermoto or a CBF600S was my bike of choice. However, after spending Friday at the bike show, I seem to have settled on the following bikes:-

- XT660 Tenere (general all rounder if I was 6'8" instead of 5'8"),
- Ducati Supermotard (for hooligan periods)
- F800GS (cos its as close to a perfect all-rounder as its possible to get)
- FZ1 Fazer (for the once in a lifetime moment I fancy a sporty number)

So really, I am going to have to go for the R1150GS I know of being sold privately or find a dealer who seems willing to sell me a sensibly kitted F800GS.

Curtis seems decent enough (different salesman last time) chap and sold my mate a 1200GS, so I will see him and try again!

Thanks

 

[Joe Bar]

Curtis is the guy to see at Pidcocks, he previously worked at their Suzuki dealer in Derby, so still remembers how to treat customers. I would't deal with their other sales prevention officers.

As for 800GS's, there are quite a few available out there if you have a ring around. Pidcock's have too large a geographical area for their allocation, so are always short on popular models.

 

[mattellie]

Been down to Pidcocks Long Eaton, sat on a F800GS liked it, but they won't sell it me. I even asked if I slapped £7k in notes down could I have it?

No was the reply, saying something about not being allowed to sell demo bikes until they have a replacement for it and that they've no F800GS's.

So what is the point in having a demo bike to win potential buyers if you've nothing to then sell them, why not sell the demo bike too?

Having said that they then checked the stock list and realised they have an F800GS in stock, in the middle of the show room on a big display stand! But its tarted to hell and on for £9500 (yes a F800GS) and again he didn't particularly seem that interested in selling to me.

WTF do you have to do in a BMW dealership to buy a bike?

I even suggested checking the stock of F650GS's instead, not really much, they said they had three on order, but suggested I was probably too late to add any factory extras and would be better to come next year and try again.

Went into Pidcock Kwak/Zuki in Derby, they offered me a coffee and discount straight away. They discussed insurance (I have only held a licence for 9 months) and said they would cover me for the day if I wanted to test ride bikes. They (Jap bike Pidcocks) were much sharper for a sale and I bet they would have sold me any bike in the shop if I had offered cash for it!

Harvey

TRY RAINBOW ROTHERHAM

 

[harveyg77]

Thanks for the advice. I am buying the demo bike from Rainbows its a March 08 8000 mile F800GS with abs, alu sump guard, heated grips, computer, serviced and brand new tyres, etc.

Please don't scare me with horror stories of you borrowing it for test riding then thrashing it across Africa in an Enduro race and writing it off under a 20 ton support truck or something, then it being rebuilt using tin cans ;-)

Anyway, Northampton dealer would do me a F800GS list priced at £7515 for £6945. But the demo bike is much cheaper. My logic with a demo bike is that the high mileage for a short time period means its flushed out any faults/failings, etc. and is cheaper. Is this sensible?

Do I have to buy a Rally Pro2 suit or is that only for the R1200GS Adv?

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[oly]

buy the new one if you can. ralye 2 suit good but pricey and you will be called a t**t

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Thanks for the advice. I am buying the demo bike from Rainbows its a March 08 8000 mile F800GS with abs, alu sump guard, heated grips, computer, serviced and brand new tyres, etc.

But the demo bike is much cheaper. My logic with a demo bike is that the high mileage for a short time period means its flushed out any faults/failings, etc. and is cheaper. Is this sensible?


Thanks,
Harvey

Told you that Rainbow would do you a great deal

I bought their demo 2008 12GSA and had the same logic and VFM for a lump of metal it was the very best buy

Why pay list for a new one

At a year old or 2 years old it'll look and be worth the same, as someone who bought new.....................only you'll have saved the vat and be about £2k in front

 

[Tartan Terror]

Do I have to buy a Rally Pro2 suit or is that only for the R1200GS Adv?

Thanks,
Harvey

Have a look at the Rev-It Cayenne pro suit. I have one and love it, as good quality as the BMW one but 1/2 the price. Even my BMW dealer saw it and was amazed at the VFM

http://www.rev-it.co.uk/item3840.htm

 

[B-Road Explorer]

To answer the original question...

The process of buying a brand new BMW as far as I can tell is:
1) Go on a generously long test ride
2) Come back literally unable to imagine life without buying the bike
3) Order the bike - WHICH WILL NOT HAVE BEEN BUILT YET
4) Wait up to 8 weeks for the bike to be built, shipped and prepped
5) Get bike

If you want one quicker, you have to buy a used one.

This is partly about the level of demand relative to their manufacturing capacity and partly to do with the spec-list. Your bike will be built for you because it will have what you want on it.

If you bought an R1 you'd get an R1 - there is no option to add ABS, traction control, electronically controllable suspension settings, heated grips or extra power outlets. But with a BMW you have to choose if you do or don't want each of these things, and most of them can't be added on later because they would require so many of the standard parts to be swapped out to fit them.

Its exactly the same if you buy a BMW or Mercedes car (or any other manufacturer with a proper spec-list). It seems really strange at first, but you get used to it. Then you go in a Toyota showroom, and are shocked to find there is no worthwhile spec list and you have to have it the way they want you to have it, and you go back to BMW/Mini.

I can see this isn't the answer the original poster wants. Why am I posting? I don't want someone else to stumble on this thread later and come away with the impression that the ONLY reason he was 'treated' that way by the dealer was because the dealer was being unreasonable.

Actually if you think about it this way, it makes you wonder if the BMW dealers are better set up to weather this financial storm. Unlike the mainstream dealers, they don't have a warehouse full of crated bikes their manufacturers forced them to buy as part of the franchise. They have to finance their showroom and staff, but they don't have to service the capital tied up in mountains of unsold new stock. Meanwhile, back in Germany they also are not running themselves financially into the ground producing yet more bikes that have no demand and pumping them into the supply chain. Because almost every bike on the production schedule already has a buyer's name attached to it, if the showrooms get less orders they just build less bikes. Its still not profitable but its not as cataclysmic as what goes on with the likes of Ford and General Motors in the US.

 

[thosoneill]

To answer the original question...

The process of buying a brand new BMW as far as I can tell is:
1) Go on a generously long test ride
2) Come back literally unable to imagine life without buying the bike
3) Order the bike - WHICH WILL NOT HAVE BEEN BUILT YET
4) Wait up to 8 weeks for the bike to be built, shipped and prepped
5) Get bike

If you want one quicker, you have to buy a used one.

This is partly about the level of demand relative to their manufacturing capacity and partly to do with the spec-list. Your bike will be built for you because it will have what you want on it.

If you bought an R1 you'd get an R1 - there is no option to add ABS, traction control, electronically controllable suspension settings, heated grips or extra power outlets. But with a BMW you have to choose if you do or don't want each of these things, and most of them can't be added on later because they would require so many of the standard parts to be swapped out to fit them.

Its exactly the same if you buy a BMW or Mercedes car (or any other manufacturer with a proper spec-list). It seems really strange at first, but you get used to it. Then you go in a Toyota showroom, and are shocked to find there is no worthwhile spec list and you have to have it the way they want you to have it, and you go back to BMW/Mini.

I can see this isn't the answer the original poster wants. Why am I posting? I don't want someone else to stumble on this thread later and come away with the impression that the ONLY reason he was 'treated' that way by the dealer was because the dealer was being unreasonable.

Actually if you think about it this way, it makes you wonder if the BMW dealers are better set up to weather this financial storm. Unlike the mainstream dealers, they don't have a warehouse full of crated bikes their manufacturers forced them to buy as part of the franchise. They have to finance their showroom and staff, but they don't have to service the capital tied up in mountains of unsold new stock. Meanwhile, back in Germany they also are not running themselves financially into the ground producing yet more bikes that have no demand and pumping them into the supply chain. Because almost every bike on the production schedule already has a buyer's name attached to it, if the showrooms get less orders they just build less bikes. Its still not profitable but its not as cataclysmic as what goes on with the likes of Ford and General Motors in the US.

lots of rhetoric here - why compare an R1 to a tractor - just not on - i am quite sure if the proposed buyer of a beemer has the spondoolies then he can almost source any beemer he wishes - at the end of the day - money talks

 

[blobcat]

Whilst we currently reside in West Wales we have had excellent service from Rainbow in Rotherham and considering how busy they were yesterday morning they appear to be doing good business. They sold 2 new GSA's whilst I was there.

 

[Magnet]

Harvey,

I've ridden that bike twice. The second time they had to pay me a ransom to give it back

Great Bike!

 

[harveyg77]

Yes must say I am impressed with the Rev-It kit, seemed a good bunch when I chatted to them at the bike show. In fact he'd not got a catalogue so gave me the dealers one instead.

But I have the option to buy a Heine Gericke Rally suit for £180, so am going to go down that route - unless its gone!

F800GS - awesome machine!

Curtis is temporarily working for the Pidcock Jap bike shop instead of their BMW shop.

Thanks,
Rhavey

 

[Norm]

Harvey,

I've ridden that bike twice. The second time they had to pay me a ransom to give it back

Great Bike!

Oh My God

Harvey you've bought a bike that Magnet has ridden - AND twice.

I bought a demo bike from Rainbow nothing but praise.

Good Riding

 

[Magnet]

Norm - What you trying to say?

I'm deeply hurt that you should question my riding. I rode it very carefully and didn't even have one 'Magnet' moment

 

[Norm]

Norm - What you trying to say?

I'm deeply hurt that you should question my riding. I rode it very carefully and didn't even have one 'Magnet' moment

I'm not saying anymore , I don't like the way your Avatar carries a gun?

 

[harveyg77]

Hmm, what is a 'Magnet moment'?

Will I be pushing my look?

Should I just not worry?

Just got to 'finalise' things tomorrow!

Are there any more smilies I could have used?

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[harveyg77]

I can't fault Rainbows of Rotherham or the Northants BMW dealer, both have been prompt, eager, hard working and generally been keen to do a deal.

Harvey

 

[Norm]

Hmm, what is a 'Magnet moment'?

Will I be pushing my look?

Should I just not worry?

Just got to 'finalise' things tomorrow!

Are there any more smilies I could have used?

Thanks,
Harvey

Nope nothing to worry about matey, you had to have been there.

 

[B-Road Explorer]

lots of rhetoric here - why compare an R1 to a tractor - just not on - i am quite sure if the proposed buyer of a beemer has the spondoolies then he can almost source any beemer he wishes - at the end of the day - money talks

No rhetoric at all, just facts. I didn't compare the R1 to the GS, I illustrated why the buying process is different. I could have named practically any other Japanese bike.

BMW don't generally build bikes without a customer order already in place. Dealers get around this buy placing their own orders, but they only put orders in the pipeline to the extent that they expect to sell them. At this time with less people buying bikes, BMW dealers will have put less orders in the pipeline, so they won't be sitting on stock they are desperate to shift. They'd still like to sell bikes, but they don't have stock on hand that will put them out of business if they can't shift it.

This keeps prices stable because they are not chasing a sale so much, and that helps maintain the used value of our GS bikes too - they are not competing directly with deeply discounted new bikes.

Japanese bike dealers more typically have to place orders for a set number of bikes each year or lose their franchise, and those orders don't have customer names on them before being put with the factory. That's why at this time of year you will find those amazingly deep discounts on brand new GSXR1000s. The season didn't go as well as expected and the dealer has 20 bikes in crates in the back of the shop, and the overdraft that paid for them is costing serious interest.