Stealers suck (no football content)

[Sarasota_Steve]

So I'm in Orlando for a conference with my wife and tomorrow morning I'll be heading out to AIMExpo to take a look around.

I've been toying with the idea to get a 2nd bike to leave in Georgia so if I fly or take the car for a quick weekend getaway I'd have something to ride and not have to take the SuperDuke.

I wanted something fun and inexpensive at the same time. Something I can ride with my wife and it would also be decent to strife some corners on my own.

After looking around I had sort of settled on a kawi versys 650 LT. It has saddlebags and heated grips. I saw a leftover 2015 on CycleTrader for $5999 and it was $1k over my self imposed budget but I decided to go to the dealership and lay eyes on it.

I get there (Cycle Sports Center on 4001 N John Young Parkway Orlando, FL 32804) and the sales person shows me a green bike (white in the ad) for $7499. I asked about the $5999 and he mentioned that that price does not include freight, dealer prep. tax, tag and title. The $7499 is + TTT only.

So I asked if there is a $5999 bike and he gave me a bunch of excuses why they need to ad $1500 to the price AND TTT to make it the OTD price.

So I said "so it's basically a bait-and-switch price". He did not like that.

The salesperson got all nervous, his hands started shaking as he was pointing to the price tag and tried to explain why they need to ad a profit percentage to keep the doors open and he needs to feed his kids and all kinds of bullshit...

Needless to say I walked out. Fook'em. $6k is different than $7,5k

Glad I was already here and did not drive from Sarasota exclusively to look at the bike. That would have really pissed me off.

Excuse my brevity. Sent from my phone.

[bic_bicknell]

I would never, ever buy a bike from a dealer - unless it was brand new and that was the only way to do it. I did that with my Superduke in '07 but never went back to that place, not even for a first service. I only chose them because I waited a week before Christmas and knew that business would be slack. Rang them up and offered cash and got my hand bitten off! Drove 100 miles, £1K off the list price, Akra pipes, alarm, carbon seat cover all thrown in. It's all about timing with stealers I think. Get them when they are desperate or walk away. You made the right choice.

[scamb66]

Dealers here in Oz have to advertise if the bike is "Ride Away" or +ORC (on road costs) or government charges. Usually makes about $1500 difference but should never get a nasty surprise.

[SDNerd]

Just another reason why we call 'em "stealers" ... Pretty normal tactics here; and $1500 is low compared to some gouges they try to slap on. Patience, timing, and negotiation are everything.

Bought a few new bikes over the years, and before I go see anything - I call and ask "What's the out-the-door price"? If they won't give it to me over the phone, I just drop the conversation. Too many stealer shenanigans.

Get yourself a nice used Bandito 1250 (1200's carbs are a PITA if only using occasionally) or Honda 919 (aftermarket is better for Banditos), and not only will you stay on-budget, both are passenger friendly, take bags well, and have real juice - unlike those silly Versys. Sorry, not a fan of the budget omni-bike; they tend to do little well other than go down the road. Cages are more fun - and have more storage. Used 'Stang vert anyone?

If you want Kawi green - get a first gen Z1000. Why not an FI FZ1? People want stupid money for 'em - and they aren't worth it for what you have in mind.

[Sarasota_Steve]

Get yourself a nice used Bandito 1250 (1200's carbs are a PITA if only using occasionally) or Honda 919 (aftermarket is better for Banditos), and not only will you stay on-budget, both are passenger friendly, take bags well, and have real juice - unlike those silly Versys. Sorry, not a fan of the budget omni-bike; they tend to do little well other than go down the road. Cages are more fun - and have more storage. Used 'Stang vert anyone?

If you want Kawi green - get a first gen Z1000. Why not an FI FZ1? People want stupid money for 'em - and they aren't worth it for what you have in mind.

Interesting you mention a Bandit. I bought a brand new 1200 in '98. I modded it, put 44k miles on it. I commuted for years on that B12 and rode 300 miles on Sundays with the guys. Good bike, I had done suspension work, Holeshot slip-on, K&N air filter and followed the Bandit Forum's tuning guide for the carbs and it worked great. I sold it in 2003 before getting married since I was not riding as much and I was tired of the heavy weight and too much power. I had gotten to the point where I was afraid to open her up mid-turn and loose the rear end. So it went to a happy 2nd owner somewhere in Georgia.

Apparently I was so unhappy with not having a bike that I was talking, thinking, looking, reading, all-motorcycles-all-the-time, so in 04 my wife told me "Please, go get a bike and stop obsessing over them". We were in the midst of buying the property in Georgia so I decided to get a nice, small, easy to trow around in the turns standard-SV-650.


Picture taken 2009 in NC. Awful corner line.

I Owned that bike for 10 years. Only rode it for 15k miles or so. Sold it to a friend of mine and bought my black 08 SD that I crashed a year later in Cherohalla Skyway in NC. Insurance paid well and I bought the SDR I currently have.

Yesterday, at the AIMExpo I was talking with my buddy Superduke Mark who I sold the SV-650 to, and I knew he had sold it to a guy named Dave and this Dave guy does not ride it very much or at all. I asked Mark to call and find out for me and Dave agreed to sell it back to me. So, It'll be the 2nd time I buy the same SV-650.

It has the Holeshot slip-on I installed, Dale Walker's version of PowerCommander 3, Suspension tailored to my weight and riding style and just a few thousand miles more than when I sold it. Mark did the steering head bearings and other than that, it's the same bike.

It's going to be ridden maybe a thousand miles a year when I go to the mountains and I know it's been taken care of all of its life. Interesting turn of events I think.

[DribbleDuke]

I love stories like this, you get your old friend back and save some dosh too.

[Sarasota_Steve]

She's baaaaa-aaaack!



I guess don't discriminate. I've got a Japanese, one Italian and one Austrian.

Interestingly, the SV had 17251 miles when I sold it in Jan of 2014, it now has 17791. No wonder the seller accepted my low ball offer since he did not ride it at all.

[abc]

Well done - theres nothing quite like a happy customer

[RichUK]

That's a very clean looking SV - well done for getting her back.

Lovely V-twin in the SV-650 engine.
Earlier this year I bought a 2007 DL-650 and took her to the Alps (loaded up with camping gear). It amazed my friends how fast & capable she was as she was the baby of the group (though the biggest looking). Next year I hope to take her back again but via a different route and once there have my Mrs fly into Italy for a few days, that way she can see the Alps from a bike too.

[Aphex]

You three are all eskimo brothers now

[cessnatpa]

She's baaaaa-aaaack!



I guess don't discriminate. I've got a Japanese, one Italian and one Austrian.

Interestingly, the SV had 17251 miles when I sold it in Jan of 2014, it now has 17791. No wonder the seller accepted my low ball offer since he did not ride it at all.

Cool, wow just over 500 miles in almost 3 years. Sounds like you got someone to pay you to store it for a few years. Good deal.

[DribbleDuke]

She's baaaaa-aaaack!



I guess don't discriminate. I've got a Japanese, one Italian and one Austrian.

Interestingly, the SV had 17251 miles when I sold it in Jan of 2014, it now has 17791. No wonder the seller accepted my low ball offer since he did not ride it at all.

Don't be proud of lowballing , it too creates karma

[Spike_africa]

Gotta love the SV650. Such a great all around cheapie bike that's fun.

[orangeracer]

Sorry to hear about your experience with Cycle Sports Center, as they have generally treated our dirt bike club very well. Dave even warrantied a bad stator for me sight unseen. Sounds like someone in the ad department had their head up their arse because whenever I've called it was an OTD price. Left hand didn't know what right hand was doing I suppose.