Comments on: Harley Davidson We Ride Free Program Guarantees Sportster Trade In Value – Including XR1200 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/07/08/harley-davidson-we-ride-free-program-guarantees-sportster-trade-in-value-including-xr1200/ Motorcycle News for Positive People Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:40:02 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: tom in paramount,ca http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/07/08/harley-davidson-we-ride-free-program-guarantees-sportster-trade-in-value-including-xr1200/comment-page-1/#comment-257827 tom in paramount,ca Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:20:12 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/?p=6798#comment-257827 i just got the XR1200 about three days ago @ los angeles harley-davidson , got great service there. i was looking at another bike ,but that one just stands out. what a bitchen ride. palm springs here i come:).. i just got the XR1200 about three days ago @ los angeles harley-davidson , got great service there. i was looking at another bike ,but that one just stands out. what a bitchen ride. palm springs here i come:)..

]]> By: Jeff http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/07/08/harley-davidson-we-ride-free-program-guarantees-sportster-trade-in-value-including-xr1200/comment-page-1/#comment-251471 Jeff Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:12:46 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/?p=6798#comment-251471 JR- Before you go to grad school, check out PHDcomics.com. It'll let you see what you're getting yourself into. JR-
Before you go to grad school, check out PHDcomics.com. It’ll let you see what you’re getting yourself into.

]]> By: JR http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/07/08/harley-davidson-we-ride-free-program-guarantees-sportster-trade-in-value-including-xr1200/comment-page-1/#comment-250873 JR Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:26:10 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/?p=6798#comment-250873 Gordo, I appreciate the post. I didn't mean to sound so negative; I guess I was venting. You're right though, at the time I was shopping around and didn't quite have the funds to commit at the time. I'm sure if I had really started getting into the paperwork side of things they would be more willing to offer a test ride, although I did ask and they said they don't offer "test rides." This doesn't necessarily mean they would not have let me take it for a spin before I signed the final paperwork. I've heard great things about the XR to this day, and Ted's post reinforces that. Since my experience I have decided to go straight from undergrad to grad school (Mech and Aero engineering) and won't have the funds for a brand spankin new bike anyway. I guess I'll have to be satisfied with restoring early 80's Yamaha's for a while! That and reading the Kneeslider/Hell For Leather/ Bike Exif/ Cycle World, etc. Keep on being awesome guys (and girls). Gordo, I appreciate the post. I didn’t mean to sound so negative; I guess I was venting.

You’re right though, at the time I was shopping around and didn’t quite have the funds to commit at the time. I’m sure if I had really started getting into the paperwork side of things they would be more willing to offer a test ride, although I did ask and they said they don’t offer “test rides.” This doesn’t necessarily mean they would not have let me take it for a spin before I signed the final paperwork.

I’ve heard great things about the XR to this day, and Ted’s post reinforces that. Since my experience I have decided to go straight from undergrad to grad school (Mech and Aero engineering) and won’t have the funds for a brand spankin new bike anyway. I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with restoring early 80’s Yamaha’s for a while!

That and reading the Kneeslider/Hell For Leather/ Bike Exif/ Cycle World, etc.

Keep on being awesome guys (and girls).

]]> By: Gordo http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/07/08/harley-davidson-we-ride-free-program-guarantees-sportster-trade-in-value-including-xr1200/comment-page-1/#comment-250862 Gordo Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:16:45 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/?p=6798#comment-250862 JR, Taking a test ride on a motorcycle is a LOT different than test driveing a car. Different skills are required and there is a lot of liability on the dealership. I work at a local dealership where I live and have had people come in with their M endorsement, MSF certificate and all their gear and still had to get them off the bike they wanted to test ride because they just couldn't do it. That is not to say you are not a good rider but it is easy for someone to go into a dealership and talk a good game and it does a dealership or the patron no good for someone to go out on one of their bikes and get hurt. Last month Harley offered free test rides through their "Joy Ride" program. This was at participating dealers so I am not sure if your dealer took part in the program. Even though the Joy Ride program ended the first of this month my dealership is still offering the rides on a case by case basis. As far as you having to "beg to spend your own money", if the dealership does not appreciate your business you may need to find a new one to visit. But it is a little unfair for you to go into a dealership and expect them to give you whatever you ask. My dealership sells a lot of motorcycles every month to people and we never offer them a test ride. Harley Davidson is a premium motorcyle and does not have to "beg" anyone to test ride or buy their product. If you are still interested in the XR1200 I am sure I can get something worked out with my dealership to get you down here, test ride an XR and send you home with it. JR,
Taking a test ride on a motorcycle is a LOT different than test driveing a car. Different skills are required and there is a lot of liability on the dealership. I work at a local dealership where I live and have had people come in with their M endorsement, MSF certificate and all their gear and still had to get them off the bike they wanted to test ride because they just couldn’t do it. That is not to say you are not a good rider but it is easy for someone to go into a dealership and talk a good game and it does a dealership or the patron no good for someone to go out on one of their bikes and get hurt.
Last month Harley offered free test rides through their “Joy Ride” program. This was at participating dealers so I am not sure if your dealer took part in the program. Even though the Joy Ride program ended the first of this month my dealership is still offering the rides on a case by case basis.
As far as you having to “beg to spend your own money”, if the dealership does not appreciate your business you may need to find a new one to visit. But it is a little unfair for you to go into a dealership and expect them to give you whatever you ask. My dealership sells a lot of motorcycles every month to people and we never offer them a test ride. Harley Davidson is a premium motorcyle and does not have to “beg” anyone to test ride or buy their product.
If you are still interested in the XR1200 I am sure I can get something worked out with my dealership to get you down here, test ride an XR and send you home with it.

]]> By: SteveD http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/07/08/harley-davidson-we-ride-free-program-guarantees-sportster-trade-in-value-including-xr1200/comment-page-1/#comment-250857 SteveD Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:53:44 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/?p=6798#comment-250857 This deal is not quite as crazy ar it sounds. Someone gets an XR1200 and then decides that they really wanted a comfy cruiser. This is a real possibility for someone shooping at Harley. It isn't the "beginner bike" problem as much as the "wrong bike" problem. Plus, if you're an old guy like me, you can zoom around on the XR1200 for a while and then trade it in for a Road King before you kill yourself ;-) This deal is not quite as crazy ar it sounds. Someone gets an XR1200 and then decides that they really wanted a comfy cruiser. This is a real possibility for someone shooping at Harley. It isn’t the “beginner bike” problem as much as the “wrong bike” problem. Plus, if you’re an old guy like me, you can zoom around on the XR1200 for a while and then trade it in for a Road King before you kill yourself ;-)

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