[Twister]

What does a dealership do for you? After many years of sport bike riding, I have really become jaded by the local dealerships, (Excluding Bill from 5th gear, Bill was out of tire size needed, plus the guy does a whole lot for all of us) Modern was ok but still high.

Wanted to buy tires this week, as the days get shorter, the nights colder and longer. This week, the weather has been great, except I got a flat tire, so no riding. Monday rolled around and I said screw it! Pay the extra cash and ride, not to many days left. Phoned around and all I got was crap pricing, ya sure we can do 25% below list price, ok then, so the price would be around 450 to 550 plus tax. hahahah what a load of crap? John Valk was list price only, lol why go to them? haha

*Price from the US shipped and across the boarder for $275ca price with tax added (pilot powers) No duty on tires, just tax. The crappy thing is I had to wait a week and no riding.

Ok let’s try something small then, Spark Plugs, need to change them in the 06 r6... that will be $70 please huh? Yiks, come on (not even sure if that included tax) but I said, can u do anything for me like around the $12 mark... well he said, I gave you 10%... u want more... ya I can get them for $7ca on the net, not asking for a whole lot but a little... sorry can't do it. Ok that’s cool then. No thanks

*Price in Canadian $35 shipped and picked up.

So lets see, on two items I would be out about… at least $300 bucks

This was pretty much my last try ever at buying at a local dealerships, why should I go to a local shop anyone? When everything on the net is half the cost, I want to support the local shops and have been, but not on my dollar anymore. Can someone provide any reason why I should go back? What do the local dealerships do?

Ya this is kinda a bitch post but gesh, when do you draw the line and say, screw you?

 

[radmtrbkr]

the dealerships do something, they take your money!

 

[Purplekawi]

some shops make their money on mark up and some make it on labour rates. as much as i hate to say it, i too do alot of ordering from the US. with the dollar doing well, its way more economical but here's the thing with the poor Canadian retailer...... he pays only slightly less for what we could order ourselves then has to have it shipped to his facility and unpacked and put on a shelf by a hired hand in his rented and utilitied shop. by the time it gets to you for pricing, he's had to add in all those costs. general rule of thumb to remotely break even is cost of item from supplier X 10%. mark up is above that to reflect a profit so he can stay in business. if Canada had a manufacturing plant for tires and parts and such, we'd be set. i recently purchased a new set of sprockets and chain from a local business but i knew the parts guy very well s he treated me well. the only way your going to get a comparable deal as ordering it yourself is if you know someone or find a shop that doesn't need to make a profit on the parts sold. speaking of which........i need some new tires also!!!!!

 

[Stewy]

^^^ Well said Pat. I too have been shopping online, and the savings I'm seeing are rather substantial. A halfway between would be someone like Kevin @ Bayside Performance in Vancouver. No shop to lease, maintain, etc...virtual stores are becoming one of the best ways to get parts to the consumer. From there, its either DIY install, or hire someone to do it (friend, local shop, etc). I bought my helmet and jacket from local dealers here, mostly because I wanted to try them on, as in all honesty was too lazy to wait for a shipment and all the details that come with ordering online.

 

[Guest]

Why do you need so much parts for a '06 R6???

Good info on Net purchases... I went looking the other week for some parts and found about 20-30% in total savings... Ebay especially has a good selection.

 

[Tengu]

Keving at Bayside Performance.com is competitive with pricing (and local)and cuts down on your border/duty hassles.

5th gear is the only (storefront)shop I know of with competetive pricing on parts.

 

[Twister]

Why do you need so much parts for a '06 R6???

Good info on Net purchases... I went looking the other week for some parts and found about 20-30% in total savings... Ebay especially has a good selection.

Ya the bike has 17k on it and needs the spark plugs changed, the tires well they lasted a long time, went longer than I should have.

 

[getoffdagrid]

Bike shops blow. I've been riding for a long time and in the early days of riding I depended on bike shops for parts and service but not anymore. You have options these days like buying online or even crappy tire who is getting more into powersports. Why go to a shop and pay 20+$ for a "genuine" oem oil filter for your bike when you can get a fram filter for 10 bucks at crappy tire.

That "genuine" filter is prob made by fram anyway. Hey twister I hope you're taking the tire off yourself cause that will be another money grab if the shop has to take it off. With todays modern bikes maintenance is minimal. Change your fluids regularly, get some stands and you'll find you won't have to deal with shops too often.

 

[Twister]

Bike shops blow. I've been riding for a long time and in the early days of riding I depended on bike shops for parts and service but not anymore. You have options these days like buying online or even crappy tire who is getting more into powersports. Why go to a shop and pay 20+$ for a "genuine" oem oil filter for your bike when you can get a fram filter for 10 bucks at crappy tire.

That "genuine" filter is prob made by fram anyway. Hey twister I hope you're taking the tire off yourself cause that will be another money grab if the shop has to take it off. With todays modern bikes maintenance is minimal. Change your fluids regularly, get some stands and you'll find you won't have to deal with shops too often.

Ya I do all my own work when I can, shop manuals are all on the net to be had for free. But I will take the rims in to be changed, I am not fighting with the freaking rim for an hour, tooo much work.

 

[Twister]

Yes, kev is very good to deal with, at Bayside, buy a lot from him, and have over the years.

 

[Sliver]

i have a buddy who has american wholesale suppliers and cannot BELIEVE the difference in cost prices compared to the canadian suppliers.

anything extra the shop has to touch means they have to charge you for it because the person touching it is on the payroll, so ya, take the wheel off and bring it in or whatever extra you can do yourself to save a dollar. it's important to be a good customer just as much as a good shop. ever since i started looking at it that way i've had much better service at the shops i deal with for all my vehicles.

 

[BooBoo11]

What does a dealership do for you? After many years of sport bike riding, I have really become jaded by the local dealerships, (Excluding Bill from 5th gear, Bill was out of tire size needed, plus the guy does a whole lot for all of us) Modern was ok but still high.

Wanted to buy tires this week, as the days get shorter, the nights colder and longer. This week, the weather has been great, except I got a flat tire, so no riding. Monday rolled around and I said screw it! Pay the extra cash and ride, not to many days left. Phoned around and all I got was crap pricing, ya sure we can do 25% below list price, ok then, so the price would be around 450 to 550 plus tax. hahahah what a load of crap? John Valk was list price only, lol why go to them? haha

*Price from the US shipped and across the boarder for $275ca price with tax added (pilot powers) No duty on tires, just tax. The crappy thing is I had to wait a week and no riding.

Ok let’s try something small then, Spark Plugs, need to change them in the 06 r6... that will be $70 please huh? Yiks, come on (not even sure if that included tax) but I said, can u do anything for me like around the $12 mark... well he said, I gave you 10%... u want more... ya I can get them for $7ca on the net, not asking for a whole lot but a little... sorry can't do it. Ok that’s cool then. No thanks

*Price in Canadian $35 shipped and picked up.

So lets see, on two items I would be out about… at least $300 bucks

This was pretty much my last try ever at buying at a local dealerships, why should I go to a local shop anyone? When everything on the net is half the cost, I want to support the local shops and have been, but not on my dollar anymore. Can someone provide any reason why I should go back? What do the local dealerships do?

Ya this is kinda a bitch post but gesh, when do you draw the line and say, screw you?

Bby Kawi has Michelin Pilot Powers on for about $350 a pair right now. Normally about $529

 

[Guest]

i don't get it? is the motorcycle the only industry in canada that tries to turn a profit? prices in the states are lower for parts and gear. prices in the states are also lower for almost anything else because their market is 10 times bigger than ours. why not complain about the price of air jordan's while you're at it. everybody asks for a deal but when you ask them where they work and if you can get a deal the answer is almost always no.

 

[5thgear]

We have them for $349 and way cheaper on the install than Burnaby Kawasaki.

It's hard to compete with the US but what do you do? When a guy calls the shop at 5pm with a flat tire and needs to be picked up what are the mail order places going to do for you?

Everyone wants good custumer service but are you a good customer buying stuff from other places? Then going on the internet to tell everyone further reducing a shops business ?

Next time I lose $1500 putting on a motard event I'll be so happy when someone saved $20 buying tires somewhere else to come to such an event. Because that $20 ment I would have only been out $1480. Where do you think the extra $1500 comes from. Not from some shop in the states.

 

[Purplekawi]

$349 for Pilot Sports??? is that for a 190 rear and if so how long is the sale on for??

 

[Twister]

We have them for $349 and way cheaper on the install than Burnaby Kawasaki.

It's hard to compete with the US but what do you do? When a guy calls the shop at 5pm with a flat tire and needs to be picked up what are the mail order places going to do for you?

Everyone wants good custumer service but are you a good customer buying stuff from other places? Then going on the internet to tell everyone further reducing a shops business ?

Next time I lose $1500 putting on a motard event I'll be so happy when someone saved $20 buying tires somewhere else to come to such an event. Because that $20 ment I would have only been out $1480. Where do you think the extra $1500 comes from. Not from some shop in the states.

Ur not the problem. Ur great Bill, and have spent lots at your store and will do so in the future, but i do have a problem be called a bad customer.

 

[Purplekawi]

i've never really seen much savings in the tire or OEM parts by ordering from US. where i get my savings is on the little silly things that pretty much no shop stocks and has to bring in specially. bar end mirrors and mirror caps and anodized bolts and bodywork and such. it costs them more to order it, ship it, add it to inventory then sell it to me. i want some custom frame plugs and axle ends and such but i know i'll have to order them.

 

[Tattoodles]

Remeber that when ordering online, you've got to tack on brokerage fees to the price, not just taxes. Although most motorcycle parts are duty exempt, the brokerage is when you get screwed in the kiester. Plus you've got to wait for the crap to show up.

Sometimes a $20 break in price isn't really worth it.

 

[Purplekawi]

anything i've ordered i've had shipped to The Letter Carrier. no brokerage fees, discounted and sometimes free shipping and no duty. just taxes and a nice drive to the US. longest time till pick up was 4 days and that was cause the dumpass that sent it puled attitude when i asked for a tracking # then said UPS had lost it so sent another. when i got to The Letter Carrier, i had 2 parcels waiting for me. anybody want a brand new Clear Aternatives integrated tail for a 03-04 GSXR 1000. still in the box!!

 

[J_Scott]

I think it's absolutely horrible Canadian retailers are trying to make a profit! Why can't those guys just work for free? :rolleyes


I pay a little more at JV Ducati because I like the guys there, they treat me well, and they will help out as much as they can. So while I give a little on one end by paying a higher price (than in the states), they give a little on the other end by doing important work on my bike when it's busy thus helping me get out there and ride, which is what is REALLY important.

5th Gear is the only other store I'd ever shop at, but JV is more convenient for me since I'm local to the area... That said, Bill is the one active dealership on here that gives a lot to their customers and the community, and everyone should respect that.

The only time I'll shop in the states is if they don't have what I'm looking for here in Canada.