| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
>>>>Court, thanks for making me feel like the under-achiever of the year. Don't feel bad . . I got lucky and bullshited my way through all those things . . .no . . . really I did. I read it on the internet. Hot dogs? . . . anytime and anyplace . . . you do know that Badweb counts among it's long standing members the founder and creator of "Franks for the Memories" perhaps one of the Blue Ridge Parkway's finer eating establishments. By they way . . . I love reading about KLR's. It's no secret around here that I am a major KLR fan. Anybody here riding a KLR650? If so, I have some parts to send you. It's one of the most "around the worlded" bikes ever made. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
I have a dodge ram with 62K miles in 3 years. Never had a problem. A guy at work has a Dodge ram (mines 05 his 06) has had problems. Point-sometimes you get good car-ma sometimes you don't. But your car or bike knows when you don't love it anymore and will make you pay. My .02 if you don't love your bike and don't enjoy it ditch it. Especially if it's a Buell that somebody else would love to have. It doesn't matter what you ride as long as you love it. I believe this to be a forum for people who love Buells, so if you don't.... | ||
| Tramp |
Pammy said it better than any of us have.  | ||
| 04buell |
What kind of parts, Court? Jerrys nephew has a KLR 650 that he has been riding to his job EVERY day now for 4 months. His truck broke down so the bike is his main mode of transportation. It is a cool looking bike. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Lets try to get this thread back on topic... I like Buells. In fact I love my M2L, when it's running. If all I did was cruise around town and show off, it'd be about all I ever need in a bike. The new Buells are even better bikes. The 1125 is awesome, but too narrowly focused for my needs and too expensive. The XB has solved the roadside belt replacement problem and has better cooling to boot. Reportedly it's even possible to put hard bags on a Lightning, if you can find the obscure H&B mounts somewhere. But to get a Buell I have to deal with an outfit called a dealer. A few of them are OK, but all too many have developed a sense of entitlement from too many years of having customers bid up the prices of Harleys. These dealers (some call them "stealers") expect me to pay full MSRP for last years model while the economy is tanking, plus hundreds more for inflated freight, set up, "document", tire warranty, prepaid service policy, etc.. Then there's the middle aged adolescent bully boy wannabes that seem drawn to the Harley and Buell brands and seep onto this board... What elder lady rider would want to have anything to do with them? Now if a dealer provides excellent after sales service I'd be happy to pay them MSRP for a current model just to keep them in business. But the best of the Buell dealers I've seen merely provide "good" service. And the worst of them are almost scary- I can imagine the treatment I'd get if my Buell needed warranty repair at Dudley Perkins or their fellow bay area dealers. Even the all too few good Buell dealers carry little more than the parts needed to do a 10,000 mile service. It doesn't help any either that Harley in their infernal "wisdom" has put different parts numbers on functionally identical parts like belts and stators, thus making Buell owners wait for warranty repairs until "Buell" parts come in while identical "Harley" parts sit in the parts bins. Suffice to say, the good Buell dealers do little to add value to a Buell, and the rest add only thousands of dollars in greedy markup and fees. The market for motorcycles is competitive, and there are some excellent dealers out there that handle brands other than Buell. Judson Cycle and Moon Motor readily provide parts from stock for my 25 year old bikes, yet they understand the market and aren't trying to get MSRP on leftover bikes. So with the Buell dealers demanding their "right" to soak me over $10k out the door for a leftover CityX while the dealers who have provided exceptional service on bikes I didn't even buy from them are offering as good or better deals on competing bikes... Why should I buy a Buell? | ||
| Crusty |
Court; did you ever take that ride through Vermont? | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
Buellgrrrl I hope you find the bike that makes you happy, cuz that's what it's all about. Getting out there and having a good time. It sucks you've had a bad experience with the H.D. dealers, but maybe you could look for one that has some good reviews? I've had no problems with mine. But sometimes it does take time to get parts from Buell. You have to realize Buell is still a small company compaired to kawi, honda ect. But for me that's all part of the appeal. But if you don't want to buy a Buell, don't. Get what ya want and be happy. | ||
| Chellem |
Well, what more can be said? The thread has come full circle, all that was said between the first post and last post was for naught, as it has not in any way altered any opinion. I think this is as good an opportunity as any to just let the thread quietly slip to the bottom of the screen. You'll hear no more from me. I'm just a dealer who either a: is adding thousands of dollars in greedy markups and fees (you do know that freight is charged to US by the motor company, right? That's not made up, for the record.) or, b: a dealer providing "good" service, but not great, even though I'm not allowed to mark up my parts, which I don't stock enough of, to sell at a discount. I mean, honestly, what more can be said? I'm out. Thanks for the ride. It was enlightening. ->ChelleM | ||
| Cityxslicker |
******* BAD WEATHER BIKER SPECIAL ****** 2008 XB9SX 5k miles, Kick Ash, remainder of factory two year warranty. $8100.00 (plus tax, title, licensing) Ready to ride now. Check in sponsor section  And the bag supports are not that hard to get, I got them locally and installed them in an evening; even without speaking german. | ||
| Tramp |
I'm waiting to see the M2 that engendered this thread listed for sale, here. Why keep this albatross? times are tough, who needs multiple motorcycles, esp. one of which sucks? As I suggested last year (and the year previous, I think?) when this incessant rant previously surfaced: j u s t s e l l i t this might be an opportune time/place for this. If you don't choose to sell it, would you please elaborate on your undoubtedly valid reasoning? | ||
| Babired |
Then there's the middle aged adolescent bully boy wannabes that seem drawn to the Harley and Buell brands and seep onto this board... What elder lady rider would want to have anything to do with them? 1. I am at mid point in my life and I love riding with these adolescent bully boys, and love meeting them even the crazy ones who do wheelies in the demo fleet! dealers carry little more than the parts needed to do a 10,000 mile service. 2. Order the parts first and then take your bike in. I just ordered a set of tires and I have to take my ULY in for the 10K service soon. So with the Buell dealers demanding their "right" to soak me over $10k out the door for a leftover CityX 3. I bought a 2005 City X for 6,000 in Feb 2006 out the door for a little over 7,000 from a local HD shop it only had 36 miles on it. I got 26 month warranty. I have owned 4 Buells and would buy another one as long as the good dealers in town still exist, and they do. My X1 I have only 32,000 miles on it and only had to replace a belt once. The City X there hasn't been a lick of problem from that bike at all, and the ULY had 1 breakdown so far and the dealer I took it to fixed me up right away and then offered me a bike to finish my trip with, free of charge. You can add the old Timex watch slogan to the Buells, "they take a licking but keep on ticking!" I'm surprised you say you are a professional in the business selling over 100,000 bikes to customers and you start a thread asking for help on what type of bike to pick out for your future ride. If you sold over 100,000 you should have a pretty good idea of what you want. K | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Cityxslicker- $8100 is about right for a new CityX, not a repo with 5k on the odo and who knows how many of those were with the front tyre off the ground and/or the rear tyre spinning. Sorry, but the old dealer tactic of sticking me with a used bike instead of giving me a decent price on a new one doesn't work. Tramp- I'm not hurting for money- I've got over $50k in cash and I'm actively bargain hunting in the current depressed market for all kinds of stuff- I'm shopping for an old tractor or skid steer as well as a new bike, and I'd be tempted by a good deal on a collectable Mack. So given the weakness of the market for used Buells, I'm not about to short sell my M2L- I'm going to wring every last mile out of it. BTW, what would you seriously offer for an M2L with 55,000 miles on the clock? Babired- you have me confused with someone else. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Buellgrrrl: If you haven't ridden an 1125 yet (either model), I think you should. They aren't as narrow-focused as the spec sheet implies. I find mine very comfortable and have already done a few 6-7 hour days on it. In fact, I think this bike is more comfortable than my Firebolt was, which I had done consecutive 10-11 hour days on without complaint. Hard bags for a Lightning aren't hard to get at all, and if you happened to be shopping for a Firebolt or 1125 model, I've built a quick-detach 3-peice Givi luggage set for mine that fits both. I didn't realize you had an M2L - I'd LOVE to be able to buy an M2L for the girlfriend, but she's just not ready for a bike like that yet (only a couple hundred miles under her belt). I don't think you'd have too hard of a time getting rid of it for a fair price. You also seem concerned about getting a good price for the M2. Are you still making payments on it? If so, then I can understand not wanting to sell it if it's worth less than you owe. If you own it outright, then a fair price is what it's worth. Say you could only get $2500 for it - Is it worth more to you to just keep it as a "back-up" bike? Or to get an extra $2500 in your pocket to play with, and rid yourself of a major headache? It would seem to me that having a one bike that you love and can do anything with would be better than having one you like a lot and another you typically loathe. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
I bought the M2L cash, I've paid cash for all of my bikes. I paid off my last loan in 1981, and I have no need to convert metal to money in today's weak market- in fact I'm out bargain shopping. I run my vehicles into the ground- I've got an '86 Golf diesel out back that needs a clutch and a windshield, I may put it together if I need it. My Ranger pickup is 11 years old, but I keep it around for the odd hauling job. The '83 and '84 BMWs are still on the job, and I've got a '92 with a pulled cyclinder stud that I might put back together if I don't canabalize it for parts. With the current weak auto market I'm tempted to buy a new car, but my current Golf diesel is only 6 years old and they don't sell the 2 door Golf with a diesel here anymore. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
The bike isnt a repo. Its a local trade from our resident Bueller that is on is third, he trades in at 5k. For him, that scratches his itch. And I have ridden with him several times. He never gets the front wheel off the ground. But you can plaster all the stereotypes you want without any evidence, it is apparently all truth for you. PS the CityX is our most popular bike in the Buell Brand, 11 of them this year, (and my personal favorite) why would I ever sell it below market value when it does fine on its own at MSRP? | ||
| Crusty |
Never let facts get in the way of a good (or not so good) argument | ||
| Happy1 |
lets not give buellgrrrl more to talk about......she is just searching for a fight lets just agree to disagree. hers is bigger lets leave it at that  | ||
| Rainman |
Gee, I like my Blast. I like my dealer, too. They keep the basic parts I need on hand and get the other ones quickly, although I haven't needed many since I don't ride as hard as that other Brian McKenzie. My dealer even cut a deal with a Badwebber for a Buell jacket and sent him a lot of little goodies along with it. If you don't like the bike, sell it. If you don't like the dealer find another. If you don't like dealing with dealers, learn to fix the bike yourself. If you don't want to fix the bike yourself, sell it. And my wife says I never solve a problem.... | ||
| Rainman |
Gee, I like my Blast. I like my dealer, too. They keep the basic parts I need on hand and get the other ones quickly, although I haven't needed many since I don't ride as hard as that other Brian McKenzie. My dealer even cut a deal with a Badwebber for a Buell jacket and sent him a lot of little goodies along with it. If you don't like the bike, sell it. If you don't like the dealer find another. If you don't like dealing with dealers, learn to fix the bike yourself. If you don't want to fix the bike yourself, sell it. And my wife says I never solve a problem.... | ||
| Swampy |
Your not supposed to solve the problem, you are just supposed to shake your head in agreement and say "I understand" | ||
| Jaimec |
When women ask for advice, they're REALLY not looking for advice... they're looking to hear their own words in a deeper voice... | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I have NEVER solved a womans problems, amazingly I do have some contribution to creating them. Damn odd dichotomy at what is my fault, what I cant fix, and what I did or didnt do. And that is why I ride dirt. It never asks anything of you other than a good set of tires, a full tank of gas, balance and a clear head. Nice to see another Mc in the fold. | ||
| Court |
Article Here | ||
| Cityxslicker |
And we never did subprime loans, If you wanted a bike, you had to prove that you could actually afford the ride. What a concept. Maybe the mortgage lenders ought to look into a little thing called financial responsibility and debt to income ratio. I am only one bike off from my 2003 October (which by many was the boon year) The bikes continue to sell. Some get it, some dont. for the rest there has always been Mass transportation. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Gee, weren't you guys going to let this thread die? | ||
| Froggy |
More fun to see how long it lasts. Perhaps it will get bigger than the "Lets Get It On" thread  | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Court, that's the only bullish commentary on HOG I've seen in months. All the ratings pretty much have HOG as a hold or sell, and the market has discounted HOG another third in the last few weeks, down below $20 a share. The market for expensive motorcycles is crashing- the $12k BMW F800GS were pretty much pre-sold at MSRP before they were built. In the last few weeks buyers are backing out of orders and suddenly there is no shortage of them on dealer's floors. It's not rocket science that the same thing is going on at Harley dealers. In fact, the situation at Harley is even worse, with most models in stock at dealers all summer. HOG's response has been a modest production cut. Meanwhile, Suzuki reportedly has customer orders in hand for 250 $7500 2009 WeeStroms with ABS, and the last shipment only brought a bit over a hundred into the country. Obviously, under $10,000 motorcycles are still selling well, while anything with a five digit price tag lingers on the showroom floor and probably stacked up in warehouses too. Maybe if HOG marked the Blast down to under $5000 and offered a V-twin Buell for under $8000 they might be in Suzuki's enviable position. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Court, that's the only bullish commentary on HOG I've seen in months. All the ratings pretty much have HOG as a hold or sell, and the market has discounted HOG another third in the last few weeks, down below $20 a share. The market for expensive motorcycles is crashing- the $12k BMW F800GS were pretty much pre-sold at MSRP before they were built. In the last few weeks buyers are backing out of orders and suddenly there is no shortage of them on dealer's floors. It's not rocket science that the same thing is going on at Harley dealers. In fact, the situation at Harley is even worse, with most models in stock at dealers all summer. HOG's response has been a modest production cut. Meanwhile, Suzuki reportedly has customer orders in hand for 250 2009 WeeStroms with ABS, and the last shipment only brought a bit over a hundred into the country. Obviously, under $10,000 motorcycles are still selling well, while anything with a five digit price tag lingers on the showroom floor and probably stacked up in warehouses too. Maybe if HOG marked the Blast down to under $5000 and offered a V-twin Buell for under $8000 they might be in Suzuki's enviable position. | ||
| Greenlantern |
The market for expensive motorcycles is crashing- the $12k BMW F800GS were pretty much pre-sold at MSRP before they were built. In the last few weeks buyers are backing out of orders and suddenly there is no shortage of them on dealer's floors. It's not rocket science that the same thing is going on at Harley dealers. In fact, the situation at Harley is even worse, with most models in stock at dealers all summer. HOG's response has been a modest production cut. The late 70's, the early 90's, I wonder how Harley survived these crappy economic times with their grossly overpriced products?!? Meanwhile, Suzuki reportedly has customer orders in hand for 250 2009 WeeStroms with ABS, and the last shipment only brought a bit over a hundred into the country. Obviously, under $10,000 motorcycles are still selling well, while anything with a five digit price tag lingers on the showroom floor and probably stacked up in warehouses too. Maybe if HOG marked the Blast down to under $5000 and offered a V-twin Buell for under $8000 they might be in Suzuki's enviable position. I also wonder what the margin is on those sub $8000.00 Suzukis that are poised to put HOG out to pasture after current exchange rates, not to mention all of those branded accessories and clothing Suzuki is so famous for selling ?!? Maybe the big four need a thread of this nature more than HOG, no? | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
You forget that Suzuki is a diversified company that makes just about everything with wheels and an engine under 200 HP. Honda makes robots and a whole lot of cars too, Yamaha makes musical stuff, and Kawasaki makes railroad passenger cars- have you priced one lately? Meanwhile, HOGs dim bulb management sold off their truck body and RV making businesses- all they have left is lots of overpriced bikes. |
