Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hello, new member here...

I am going to buy a motorcycle in the next two weeks.

I'm set on an EX250. I'm tired of putting 50-75 bucks/week gas in my pickup, and I think this will be a good way to save some gas money. And have some fun at the same time.

Now, on to my questions, which relate mostly to the buying experience.

I know the MSRP is 2999. What can I/should I expect to actually pay?

I will be paying with cash. Will this give me more "leverage" in negotiating the price?

I have two Kawi dealers close to me. I'll assume I can use this to my advantage, right(competition)?

I know from past experiences(jet-ski, snowmobile) that a person can often get the dealer to throw in accessories for free or at a reduced price.

I'd prefer to get the bike at as low a price as possible. I COULD pay the full MSRP but I know I don't have to. I already have a nice helmet, and I'll just buy a nice jacket a couple weeks after I buy the bike.

Is it easier/more practical to try to negotiate free/reduced price accessories, or the price of the motorcycle itself?

If anyone would have a guess at a total expected cash outlay, out the door, it woud be appreciated, so I at least have something to work with.

Thanks in advance.

Actually, DO NOT tell them you are going to be paying them in cash before you get a set price. Paying them upfront makes the dealership less money, since they make no money on interest, so they will be less willing to give you a lower price.

Do what a friend of mine did when buying his Mustang. He and the dealer bickered and argued for quite a while and finally came to an agreement. They started getting the paperwork signed and then he said "oh, and I want new floormats for free." Of course that burned them but they didn't put up any fight at all, they threw in new floormats for free.

Catch 'em off guard. Get as much info about the bike as you possible can (and honestly, I'd try and find a used one in your area, you could probably get it a good deal cheaper!). If you simply must go new though, I'd start working on the price. Know exactly what the dealer paid for it, give some room for them to make a proffit, and negotiate from there. Free stuff is always a +, but a lower price on the bike itself would be optimal, as honestly you can save a ton by shopping on ebay for it anyways!

Good luck!

What I did when I settled on the motorcycle I was going to buy was going to cyclebuy.com and paying the 12 bucks so I knew what the invoice price of my kawi vulcan is. Knowing the invoice price means you know what the dealer paid and what he/she might expect for a profit margin.

In my case I got lucky. I initially found a dealer selling a leftover 2005 vulcan for about 50 bucks over invoice and went to another kawi dealer and told them the offer I had and got the bike at the same price except it was a 2006! So certainly don't settle on one dealership even if the negotiated price seems good. Always check with all dealerships around you that sell the particular bike you're looking for. Some people that live in BFE don't have that luxury. One last thing is make sure they don't try to pull a fast one with adding a "dealer fee" on top of your negotiated price if it isn't covering tax or tag. Expect tax and tag as an additional charge to the negotiated price. Also, ask about GAP insurance if you think you'll need it. Good luck with the buying process.

The Ninja 250 is almost a loss-leader for Kawasaki from what I have heard. It can be very hard to negotiate a price below MSRP because even at the MSRP, the dealer barely makes any money.

You may be able to haggle a little bit. But don't expect to haggle very much off of a $3000 bike.

One thing I will say, DO NOT pay anything above MSRP. Lots of dealers try to do that. There was a dealership here in Los Angeles (the one on Santa Monica in Hollywood) who wanted $4500 for a new Ninja 250 back in 2004. I just laughed at them and hung up the phone.