[CruiseControl]

I recently bought a new Wing, and the dealer barely tried to sell me any accessories. Granted, I'm not an Accessory Hound, but there are a few basic things I would have paid for: Bungie Assist Seat Brackets, cup holders, maybe firmer springs, possibly a fork brace. If I sold Gold Wings, I would offer things like:

• Comfort Package (custom seat, highway pegs for rider and passenger and more)
• Handling Package (new fork springs, rear shock, fork brace)
• Trailer Plus HD Package (complete installation of hitch, ball, chains and wiring plus special "HD" oil)
• Graphic Package (special paint, pin striping, tinted windshield and such)
• Entertainment Pack (with iPod, CB, setup and training) and heck, even a ...
• Deluxe Power Pack (with turbo, quick shifter and wheelie bars).

The $10,000 Deluxe Power Pack is the one you don't ever expect to sell, but it makes the $2,500 packages look cheep.

Are dealer missing the boat, or am I just miss reading the market? :shrug:

 

[goinssr]

I get your drift here but honestly, if a dealer were to try to start selling me suspension upgrades, comfort packages, etc., I would be getting the feeling that he was telling me that my new wing was anemic in these areas and that I need to spend an extra 10k to make it right. And after plunking down 20k or better for a new bike that would give me great pause.

 

[good_w2]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Overland1]

It could go either way, but if a dealer (like the one near me) offers a decent discount on all accessories after the sale for the customer's ownership period, then that may be a better way to go.

 

[tourman]

I have my doubts that many salesman would know whats best for the wing add on wise.
I wouldn't trust their suggestions.

 

[glarson3]

I would think that some of them don't have the accessories you would want in stock. Try calling your local Honda dealer and ask if they have a CB in stock, the Highway pegs you want/have, and a Utopia backrest. They would mostly want to sell you the hondaline stuff, and I think they might look foolish if they tried to sell you something they'll have in stock later in the week. Now, training classes, I would likely jump at that, especially if they let me do it on their bike. My experience is that the Honda dealerships don't know how to install aftermarket accessories other than the common Hondaline parts. e.g. CB, spoiler, luggage rack, etc. Headlight modulator, nope, risers, nope, Just my experience at ONE Honda dealership.

 

[Warprints]

I think I'd get annoyed if the dealer tried to sell me various add-ons after buying a wing. And if he suggested a cup holder, I might walk out of the shop. (I know a lot of peole love cup holders, but .....)

It might be nice if they had a list of accessories they could hand you, or ask if you are interested in any accessories, etc., but actively trying to sell me on accessories is a real no-no for me.

 

[Zackybilly1]

In my neck of the woods, dealerships only sell Goldwings to keep the Honda franchise so they can sell 4-wheelers. They have hiway pegs for Goldwings and some universal add-ons for bikes but not much.

If you buy a 4-wheeler, you can get add-on stereos, winches, lights, big tires with custom rims, lawn-work attachments and a variety of other accessories for them.

Many down this way see the Goldwing as a necessary evil to keep the ATV business.

Z

 

[pagaloomer]

For most Honda

dealerships the Wing is an extra thing to sell if someone asks for one. Lawnmowers, ATV's, dirt bikes, cruisers and PWC's are the things that make money for them. Stocking accessories would amount to putting up racks to collect dust. That's the way it is at the dealer near my place.

 

[CruiseControl]

Zackbilly1 said, "In my neck of the woods, dealerships only sell Goldwings to keep the Honda franchise so they can sell 4-wheelers"

I see that here too, at the Honda/Kawasaki shop, and the Suzuki/Yamaha dealership.

Aw, well, not EVERYbody wants a Gold Wing. :shrug: (What's wrong with people?)

 

[FredGarvin]

half the packages you listed would negate factory warranty, or at least jeopardize the warranty.

Harley, for instance, has factory performance mods available. If installed by a dealership the factory warranty remains intact.

 

[copilot]

Guess my dealership is different. Got a reasonable discount on belly pan, cb radio, fog lights, rear lighted spoiler and hand wings.

 

[Nowingfornow]

I for one would not support this. I want to buy a bike and equip it my way, not have the dealer add a bunch of stuff just to jack up the price/profit. The dealer near me wants full MSRP anyway and I have seen GoldWings sit on his floor for over 7 months without selling. He could never move one if he added more stuff on before selling.

One of my local HD dealers adds a lot of chrome ($4K) to some of their bikes. I won't even look at those. One or two of the items might interest me, but I don't want the rest.

Most car dealers around here quit adding on extra cost packages because the market just doesn't support this practice.

My bike, my way.

 

[Richard Clem]

selling

The dealers that sell Goldwings wish they were dealing with H-D customers. Speaking in generalities, always a recipe for getting flamed, GW customers tend to be more careful about how they spend their money. They buy a GW because it represents the best value in a touring moto, not because their neighbor or bil has one, but because it is the most reliable. They buy their farkles the same way. It doesn't matter if their dealer has a sample of every possible type of farkle, the Gw buyer is still likely to shop the i-net before pulling the trigger. If the dealer can come close, they will buy from him, but that leaves him with a very short margin. The H-D customer knows that they are going to pay more for a particular farkle just so it has that logo. I'd like to see the wing buyer that would pay an extra hundred for his wifes leather jacket to say HONDA. I'm sure there are some, but we would make as much fun of them as we do of the H-D types that do it almost always. Even with all the extra profit that Harley customers allow the dealer, I don't see them making a killing either. Sure, a lot of them are profitable, but I still see some going under too, and according to financials, H-D the company isn't cutting that fat a hog either. I would love to be able to go to a GW dealer and see the things that I see when I go with my friends to their H-D dealers, but I don't want to trade products with them and because of that I don't expect to see Honda dealers like that either.

Richard

 

[ARH]

I get your drift here but honestly, if a dealer were to try to start selling me suspension upgrades, comfort packages, etc., I would be getting the feeling that he was telling me that my new wing was anemic in these areas and that I need to spend an extra 10k to make it right. And after plunking down 20k or better for a new bike that would give me great pause.

:agree:

 

[Ken45]

The GW is supposed to be a well equipped bike as it comes stock. And it pretty much is, IMO. Besides, the price is already too high and if they are pushing significantly more farkles for it, it may drive customers away.

My local dealer is big on Goldwings so that's not the issue here.

FWIW, I get a 15% discount on all accessory purchases at the dealer. Makes many of the prices competitive with the the internet retailers. And I can usually get intelligent advice about the accessories.

Ken

 

[hlothery]

My dealer installed fog lights, trailer hitch and arm rests for me before delivery. I regret the arm rests (have removed them), love everything else. It was nice to pick it up complete, and just write one check.

 

[FredGarvin]

The dealers that sell Goldwings wish they were dealing with H-D customers. Speaking in generalities, always a recipe for getting flamed, GW customers tend to be more careful about how they spend their money. They buy a GW because it represents the best value in a touring moto, not because their neighbor or bil has one, but because it is the most reliable. They buy their farkles the same way. It doesn't matter if their dealer has a sample of every possible type of farkle, the Gw buyer is still likely to shop the i-net before pulling the trigger. If the dealer can come close, they will buy from him, but that leaves him with a very short margin. The H-D customer knows that they are going to pay more for a particular farkle just so it has that logo. I'd like to see the wing buyer that would pay an extra hundred for his wifes leather jacket to say HONDA. I'm sure there are some, but we would make as much fun of them as we do of the H-D types that do it almost always. Even with all the extra profit that Harley customers allow the dealer, I don't see them making a killing either. Sure, a lot of them are profitable, but I still see some going under too, and according to financials, H-D the company isn't cutting that fat a hog either. I would love to be able to go to a GW dealer and see the things that I see when I go with my friends to their H-D dealers, but I don't want to trade products with them and because of that I don't expect to see Honda dealers like that either.

Richard

you made a **** load of assumptions comparing HD and Honda buyers, none of which you can proven one way or another. I guess they sound good to you since they support your preconceived theory.

You don't happen to be a "progressive" do you?

 

[Richard Clem]

yea

:shrug:I did say "speaking in generalities" Not sure about the "progressive" thing. If you mean as opposed to "regressive", I'd be OK with it.

Richard

And are you saying that you would spend an extra hundred for your wifes jacket to say HONDA.

 

[NJREF]

Hmmm...don't understand the venom some have toward a dealer trying to upsell...that is what they do ...you of course are free to decline

I bought my Golwing when it ws still in the box. Dealer offered me a 25% discount on any Hondaline accessories I purchased with the motorcycle and he would install them

No pressure, no hype, just a darn good offer...I bought a bunch of stuff to get installed

Worked just fine for me.