Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I went to my local shop and was looking at the Ninja 250 and 500 as I'm a new rider. The salesman told me I have to buy them at MSRP 'cause the margin is so low on the cheaper bikes. Is this true?? I sure never bought a new car at MSRP!! Too bad Edmunds.com doesn't have bike info.
Thanks for your help.

Go to cyclebuy.com and purchase a report that gives the bike's invoice price. You want to pay between that and the msrp in usual cases.

If the salesman tells you that, do your homework and go back armed with the knowledge that you know that you won't settle for msrp nor will you accept any tacked-on fees at the table. Be prepared to walk away, of course.

You will end up having to pay full price on a bike thats in high demand. It wouldn't surprize me if a dealer wanted a higher price than MSRP if everybody wanted one.

back in january, I was considering getting a brand new ninja 500. The sales guy at Burbank Kawasaki quoted me ~ $5500 out the door, and said he may shave another $100 or so. I think that's reasonable considering the sales tax is 8.5%.

ninja79 wrote:back in january, I was considering getting a brand new ninja 500. The sales guy at Burbank Kawasaki quoted me ~ $5500 out the door, and said he may shave another $100 or so. I think that's reasonable considering the sales tax is 8.5%.

burbank kawasaki? so your a LA guy then? I live in pasadena area. Burbanks kawai was pretty good compared to those in saugus and azuza. What you ride man? Perhaps when i grab my replacement bike in a month or two a ride should be planned.




JWF

uhhm, where have you been man? I moved to LA in january and bought 2002 SV650S. I announced both events on this board.

Me & Verm were planning a ride one weekend. Saturday was cloudy, so we decided to postpone it till sunday. But then V crashed his bike. And before we could arrange another ride, his bike was stolen.

So uhhm, does anyone still ride in LA?

MotoF150 wrote:You will end up having to pay full price on a bike thats in high demand. It wouldn't surprize me if a dealer wanted a higher price than MSRP if everybody wanted one.

Easist thing in the world at that point. Walk out the door and buy one from someone else.

Market forces are wonderful. The salesman dosn't have to sell you a bike, but by the same token you as the customer are not obliged to buy the bike if you don't want to.

There is always someone cheaper out there, it just usually involves some effort. The salesman knows this, and the salesman also wants to sell you a bike so he will be pitching for somewhere between his ideal and what you will be too lazy to go somewhere else for.

Tis all cool and good.

ninja79 wrote:uhhm, where have you been man? I moved to LA in january and bought 2002 SV650S. I announced both events on this board.

Me & Verm were planning a ride one weekend. Saturday was cloudy, so we decided to postpone it till sunday. But then V crashed his bike. And before we could arrange another ride, his bike was stolen.

So uhhm, does anyone still ride in LA?

Hmmmmm guess i missed both of those events. The 650s is a good looking bike, nice choice. Is it your first? how many years you been riding? I am moving in about 2 week and once im settled in there im gonna go out and pick up a KLR650 or anouther ninja 500. So about one more month till im back on two wheels.


JWF

I've gotten two quotes so far: 3400 and 3800. Wow, I'm somewhat suprised. Looks like MSRP or more is the way it is around here. I'll keep looking.

Anyone who says you can get an '06 ninja 250 *today* for less than $3400 out the door is not talking the same "out the door" most people are or they are deluding themselves. That is $3400 "give us the money, show us that you have insurance, and we'll give you a legal and running motorcycle." On the other hand, you shouldn't pay much more than $3400 either.

In the fall? When the dealer is willing to take a loss because they need to move the product? When they need to buy the '07 models whether they've sold the '06es or not? When you are also buying $600 worth of helmets and other gear and bundling it all together for $3800? That's a whole other story. For me, a totally irrelevant story since I'm not willing to mis my first summer's riding just to reduce the dealer's profits....especially since I would end up paying that money to the oil companies anyway. But if you want the best price this is not the time to buy a motorcycle.

I've posted the dealer price of an '06 EX250 around here (another thread) so I know it can be found if you look.... but $3400 is the magic number for EX250s.