ESPN ARTICLE Before You Purchase Your Motorcycle, Make sure the dealership fits!

Before You Purchase Your Motorcycle, Make sure the Dealership Fits.
by Rocky Marks

Riding season is finally here and you want to purchase a motorcycle… That's great, but where do you start? There are so many manufacturers in the market place today and for each manufacturer there are several dealerships in the Pittsburgh Area that carry that specific brand of motorcycle. Shopping for a dealership can be almost as overwhelming as shopping for the motorcycle itself. Just like the motorcycle, it's important that the dealership you plan to do business with fits you as well as your helmet.

One of the first things you're going to want to do is find a friendly dealership that has a nice selection of motorcycles along with a friendly, knowledgeable staff. Though it may sound like a cliché and every dealer may claim to provide that, there are some dealerships that deliver, which is why it's really important that you do your research. Ask friends who ride where they've purchased before. Chances are they will be able to get you pointed in the right direction. Walk into dealerships and see how you're received. Observe the interaction of the sales people and other associates with current customers. Sit on the bikes and ask about their demo ride policy. Believe it or not there are still many dealerships that won't allow you to sit on bikes, let alone take a test ride on them. Personally, I think that is poor customer service. If you have a motorcycle license, and you have the proper gear, ask for a demo ride. How will you know if you like the way a bike feels and rides without taking a test ride on it first?

In addition to seeking referrals, look at dealership websites. That website is a 24 hour representation of that dealership. More involved dealers have a clean, modern frequently-updated website that contains their current inventory of both new and pre-owned motorcycles. You should be able to easily find information about each specific model, pictures of the models, as well as customer pictures and testimonials that tell a story of their buying experience of that dealership.

Events are very important when selecting a dealership. Does that dealership have events for their customers to enhance their riding experience and meet new people or does that dealership exist for the sole purpose of selling motorcycles. The sale shouldn't end when you ride off of the lot with your bike and neither should the experience. I want to know that I'm important to that dealership. I think to myself… Do I expect a free hot dog every time I visit? Not at all. Do I want to break the ice and meet other riders just like me? Of course I do. And this is why it's important to look at the dealership's events calendar. Larger and upcoming events can typically be found on the front page.

A really effective new way to research is to use a social networking site like MySpace, facebook and Twitter. I've found so much information out on businesses, friends, and potential new hires thanks to these sites. If the dealership belongs and promotes their social networking site, perfect! That's just another avenue to get an independent referral. Send a message to some of the people you find on the dealership's networking site. More often than not they'll be able to give you an honest opinion of the dealership because they are involved with the dealership and the dealership is involved with them by having such a site in the first place.

Southwestern Pennsylvania is fortunate to have so many great motorcycle dealerships. Pennsylvania has the fourth largest number of registered motorcycles behind Florida, California, and Texas. We really love our motorcycles. That's why it's important to make sure that the dealership fits before you purchase your motorcycle.

 

The writer is Operations Manager at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson located in West Mifflin and Host of the radio show: "On the Road with Rocky" which airs Saturdays at 7AM on 1250 ESPN