[suitcasejefferson]

What are people generally paying OTD for the Himalayan? My local dealer has a 2018 priced at $4500, but wants almost $6000 OTD, including a nearly $400 "doc" fee. I told them NO, and walked out. They have my phone number, and have not called me back to negotiate, which sounds to me like they actually expect to get that much. I was pretty disappointed to see an Enfield dealer pull something like this. If I can't find a better deal, I am considering a CSC Cyclone RX3 250 for about $4500 shipped to my door.

[9fingers]

That is absurd and damn greedy. I believe the going rate for freight is $350, at least to NY or NJ dealers, and about $200 for docs is probably more than enough. The Royal Enfield people at the NYC bike show told me to forget about any dealer prep as it is totally prepped by RE and the dealer just uncrates it. He told me to tell the dealer I would take it in the crate and do it myself. In your case, $5100  out the door, plus tax, should be more than sufficient. I ended up getting my C5 from Oklahoma, from a dealer that was dropping the line. Saved over $2,000 and had it shipped to my door for $550.
9fingers

[Bilgemaster]

State-by-state average dealer doc fees (as of July 2011): http://www.realcartips.com/newcars/482-documentation-fees-by-state.shtml

Sadly, "Suitcasejefferson's" home state of Arizona is one of the higher ones at $401. Oddly, California ranks right at the bottom with a state-mandated $55. I wouldn't have expected that. They must screw you in some other clever New Age way, like a Chakra Impact Levy or something.

[9fingers]

Can you buy one from another dealer or from CA or wherever? I did shop around for mine, NJ, CT, NY and PA dealers. One wanted $700 for shipping! When I pointed out that he was double what every other dealer wanted he backed down to $350. But because of his greed I would never buy a bike from him. Heck, have you checked Ebay or Cycletrader? There should be tons of them on there, new and some used. The dealer I bought from in Oklahoma charged NO FEES at all, but they really wanted to move the bike. If you have a reasonable total in mind, perhaps if you approach your dealer with $1,000 in cash in your pocket, and show it to them, they would be interested in doing business, especially at the end of the month. Ask to talk to the manager if the sales person is not agreeable. If they don't get reasonable with you then make sure you flame them on any social media that you are on. Heck, I would sign up for Facebook just to tell people what greedy bastards they are at your dealership.
9fingers

[9fingers]

Here  is a good used one, almost new, on Cycletrader.
9fingers

https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2018-Royal-Enfield-HIMALAYAN-5008033402

[Bilgemaster]

Lemme just pull my spandex Captain Obvious outfit on...needs a little cooking spray in the leggings...And there we go!...

June is a lousy time to be buying a motorcycle, boat, surfboard, bicycle, or anything else "summery", whether new or used. Head back to that dealership in December, and I'll wager they'll be a little more tractable on that out the door number.

[Richard230]

I bought my 2018 Zero 18 months ago in San Francisco and paid an $80 doc fee, plus a state DMV "Electronic Vehicle Registration" charge of $29, a Vehicle license fee of $104, a Registration fee of $119, a Tire recycling fee of $3.50 and a state sales tax of 8.5% (likely more now).   

[suitcasejefferson]

AZ also has a 10% sales tax. But, back in 2013, I bought a new B5 Bullet, msrp of $4999, and got it delivered to my door 100 miles away for $6100. That included tax, title, registration, all other fees, and delivery. But that was before RENA existed. I guess I expected something similar with the Himalayan. Yes I have the extra $400+, but I'm tired of getting ripped off. I was really disappointed, because I went in with the intention of buying right then. I just got back from spending 2 weeks in the Seattle area, and spent the whole time thinking about the new bike I was going to get when I got back home.

[9fingers]

Lemme just pull my spandex Captain Obvious outfit on...needs a little cooking spray in the leggings...And there we go!...

June is a lousy time to be buying a motorcycle, boat, surfboard, bicycle, or anything else "summery", whether new or used. Head back to that dealership in December, and I'll wager they'll be a little more tractable on that out the door number.

Yes, you are generally correct. But there are exceptions to every rule. I just bought my new V Strom 650 and got 30% off. Yes, it was a brand new 2014 leftover, but still, it was a bargain with full hard cases, luggage racks and engine guards. Still, bike dealers do get desperate over the Winter, for obvious reasons. On the other hand, Suitcase might enjoy riding his new bike this Summer. None of us are getting any younger..........well maybe I am.............but you get my point.
9fingers

[suitcasejefferson]

Actually no, I would not really be riding it until summer is over. Here in AZ, at least in the Phoenix valley, winter is riding season. It reaches 118 degrees F here in the summer, even the most hardcore riders won't ride in it. That kind of temperature is lethal, and several people die from it every summer. Outdoor workers only work about 3 hours out of an 8 hour day, the rest is spent in the shade drinking water.

[9fingers]

Ok, so the best bike deals are in Summer?
9fingers

[suitcasejefferson]

I don't know, but they should be. Almost nobody is out riding now, unless they have no choice. I ride for recreation only. I use a car for everything not fun related. During the winter there are a LOT of people out riding on the weekend, mostly Harleys and sportbikes. You don't see that in the summer. But I doubt there is much of a price difference. Most dealers want MSRP plus a lot of fees. All 4 Japanese brands have also added several hundred $$$ in "destination charges" to their bikes, and the dealers have to pay it, so they have no choice but to pass it on to the customer.

I bought my first new bike in 1980, and for quite a while I was buying a new bike about once a year. The price of new bikes is crazy. RE is one of the few brands that are still affordable. MSRP wise anyway. The others are all Chinese. I have yet to see a used Himalayan on Craigslist, but I would be a bit afraid of buying one. I heard the Himalayan is supposed to be higher quality than the UCE Bullets, but I suspect they still need to be treated carefully during break in.

[mevocgt]

That is absurd and damn greedy. I believe the going rate for freight is $350, at least to NY or NJ dealers, and about $200 for docs is probably more than enough. The Royal Enfield people at the NYC bike show told me to forget about any dealer prep as it is totally prepped by RE and the dealer just uncrates it. He told me to tell the dealer I would take it in the crate and do it myself. In your case, $5100  out the door, plus tax, should be more than sufficient. I ended up getting my C5 from Oklahoma, from a dealer that was dropping the line. Saved over $2,000 and had it shipped to my door for $550.
9fingers

In regards to RENA doing the prep....we have to go over the bikes tip to tail and prep them despite that comment.  We have even had to remove RENAs tools from parts of the drivetrain do to their lack of QC...I have removed a c5 or two from the crate, and it is time consuming. Also fyi, RENA charges the dealers the freight and setup the NYC guy is talking about.  Not arguing against the $6000 number being stupid high, but.....A good dealer will still need to QC and prep the bikes, they still come without fluids, and batteries come dry...

[9fingers]

Thanks for the input mevpcgt.
9fingers

[Bilgemaster]

I don't know, but they should be. Almost nobody is out riding now, unless they have no choice. I ride for recreation only. I use a car for everything not fun related. During the winter there are a LOT of people out riding on the weekend, mostly Harleys and sportbikes. You don't see that in the summer. But I doubt there is much of a price difference. Most dealers want MSRP plus a lot of fees. All 4 Japanese brands have also added several hundred $$$ in "destination charges" to their bikes, and the dealers have to pay it, so they have no choice but to pass it on to the customer.

I bought my first new bike in 1980, and for quite a while I was buying a new bike about once a year. The price of new bikes is crazy. RE is one of the few brands that are still affordable. MSRP wise anyway. The others are all Chinese. I have yet to see a used Himalayan on Craigslist, but I would be a bit afraid of buying one. I heard the Himalayan is supposed to be higher quality than the UCE Bullets, but I suspect they still need to be treated carefully during break in.

Yeah, on second thought, maybe that whole "seasonality" thing, so reliable elsewhere, doesn't work so great if your climate is like the sunny side of Mercury. I'd forgotten about that drive that one July in the early '90s from Austin to LA and back in a '60 Plymouth Savoy with no AC.

[Richard230]

Yeah, on second thought, maybe that whole "seasonality" thing, so reliable elsewhere, doesn't work so great if your climate is like the sunny side of Mercury. I'd forgotten about that drive that one July in the early '90s from Austin to LA and back in a '60 Plymouth Savoy with no AC.

Not even one of those swamp coolers that attached to the passenger's side windshield?

[Bilgemaster]

Not even one of those swamp coolers that attached to the passenger's side windshield?

Nope...just a rolling Comanche sweat lodge the whole way there and back. Got a 12 volt one later though, a "Swampy Space Koolr" with a little built-in ice and water chest, so it cools you even in humid Virginia. Did the trick really well for another AC-less Mopar people broiler I once had, a '76 Dodge van. Nowadays I keep it on the sailboat for those really torrid days. 5 pounds of ice will blow a lovely cool breeze at you for about 5 hours, in cabin or cockpit, and handily keeps a couple of Yuenglings chill throughout too. Looks a bit like this one, but has a sort of integrated slide-over ice chest below and a regular 12V ciggy lighter type plug instead of battery clamps. Great little retro gizmo. Shame they stopped making this model...

Getting back on topic, I suppose an Arizonan or other sunbelt-dwelling buyer determined to find a bargain and/or cash in on a little of that "seasonality" where it is more pronounced, could use my North American Royal Enfield Dealerships Map to call around some of the dealerships up north. For Arizonans, Colorado might be a likely area of focus with its several Enfield dealerships and lowest vehicle sales tax in the region at just 2.9%. Going full DIY with a van or pickup truck with the obligatory gunrack, they'd be looking at like a 12 hour trip from Phoenix, and then likely a bunch of tax crap and added paperwork and fees to deal with  for registration back home, but last I heard, they've got snow up there in the Rockies from time to time, and doubt they get many bikes out the door in February.

[mevocgt]

Something else to mention, is that the 2019 model has a price increase. They are $4750 now, plus tax, tag, and title.

[Richard230]

Something else to mention, is that the 2019 model has a price increase. They are $4750 now, plus tax, tag, and title.

I bet that is no big surprise.   

[9fingers]

And it could soon go much higher due to Trump's tariff war with India.
9fingers

[Richard230]

And it could soon go much higher due to Trump's tariff war with India.
9fingers

That would definitely not be good for RENA.   

[sagefilio]

Just walked out the door of a dealership in PA for $5450 for a 2019, if that's at all helpful!

[wildbill]

in Australia its $7000 out the door - carby model only. still thinking on that bike and it still may happen. on another note just purchased and ready to go off and collect a brand new triumph street scrambler

[GlennF]

On the subject of seasons, having lived for 10 years in a town on the edge of the Aussie "outback" things definitely change when your daily summer temps regularly get over the 110 F mark and a breeze is more like a hairdryer to the face rather than cooling you down. Jobs like fruit picking and weed chipping generally start at 4.00 am (sunrise) and end just after what in an office job is morning tea time.  Crop dusting if you need to fly low is flown at night to avoid turbulence from the heat.  In terms of bikes, black leather jackets are not really a thing.

in Australia its $7000 out the door - carby model only. still thinking on that bike and it still may happen. on another note just purchased and ready to go off and collect a brand new triumph street scrambler

Be quick, the carby models are going to likely disappear with the new Indian BS-VI emission regulations in 2020.

[wildbill]

good advise. I plan to pick up the new triumph street scrambler in Sydney tomorrow then source out a good example and grab a Yamaha DT175 two stroker for my channel. after that I will go for a new Himalayan in the newer sleet colour. I expect this venture will take about a month to complete - could be less. time will tell.but that's the plan.
once I wouldn't have wasted my time or money on a Himalayan but I've had second thoughts and I think I will give it a go just to see what it is really like to ride one of them. in reality itchyboots has me won on actually trying out this particular bike as I watch all her youtube uploads...lol
so I guess I have nothing better to do than grab one and find out what its really like to ride. maybe not that far but at least ride...lol

[9fingers]

The Himalayan makes me wish I were 5'10".....I would have one in a heartbeat. But I also wish I was 66 so I could retire...........
Maybe the 650 version of the Himalayan, or that new 500 engine they are developing, will do it for me.
9fingers

[wildbill]

im under 2 years off a good time so that would be a 69er...lol

[suitcasejefferson]

I would love to have a carbed model, but it is not going to happen in the U.S. The price increase for 2019 is for ABS, which is something I would immediately remove. Besides the fact that I am not going to let a computer control my bike, ABS is also a REALLY BAD idea off road. AZ comes down hard on construction sites creating dust, I'm surprised we are even allowed to ride off road here.

[ody04]

I got delivery of my 2019 Himalayan EFI & ABS 10 days ago and OTD price is $5400 from EuroCycle Sonoma in northern California.

[Phyhowe]

Around 5600$ three weeks ago in Oregon.