MOTORCYCLE | Motorcycle Review

Tips for Buying a Motorcycle

By:  Lestari

When shopping around for a good motorcycle, keep in mind that, like every other business out there, the dealers are out to get your money. Every dealership is going to be looking for ways to maximize their profits at the expense of you, the buyer.

Since many dealers will have their front end prices vary, some will seek to make a profit by offering a seemingly rock bottom front end price, but will have other additional fees and charges that will make them a kickback.

These additional charges have to be factored into the overall price when you compare motorcycle dealer offers, so that you can pick one that will offer the least strain on your budget.

Installment Payment - while the ability to pay for the price of your bike with monthly installments seems to take a huge burden off, as opposed to making a much larger 1-time cash payment or credit charge, look at the terms of payment involved in the installment package. Usually, the overall amount of money you’ll be spending will be subtly higher.

Motorcycle Loans - loan programs may seem useful too, but dealerships which offer partnerships with a bank and give you a bank loan option for financing your new motorcycle will usually tack on an added amount into the interest charges of the loan. The banks in these cases often give the dealers a kickback from the additional interest.

Warranties - extended warranties beyond the basic necessities will usually involve extra cash. Check the terms of the warranties including overall price and the duration of the warranty, as well as it’s coverage to make sure you get the best possible comprehensive warranty.

Freight, Shipping, and Handling Charges - while seemingly innocuous, quite a few dealers actually subtly hide their additional kickbacks in additional freight charges for delivering your motorcycle. Find out beforehand how much damage (financially speaking) you’ll be taking from the dealer for freight.