I live in Washington State and have been comparing deals on mostly dual sport bikes (Suzuki DR650, DRZ400S, Honda XR650L, Kawasaki KLR650), so I've learned a few things about dealers. First, remember, this is the off season-you should be able to get the best deal now, and later on in the winter. You must compare as many dealers as there are in your area, or as far as you would consider driving. So far, I have found two dealers that do not charge freight and setup fees, at least during the off season.These fees can vary wildly. As an example-one dealer in my area-RMC- I was told they charg $574.00 in freight and setup on a KLR650.I found another dealer, Lake City Honda/Kawasaki, that will sell me one for $100.00 off MSRP (manufacturers suggested retail price-i.e. "list") with zero freight and setup fees.That dealer will save me $574.00 over RMCs price. Thats big bucks there friends. Paulsons Suzuki in Olympia sells all motorcycles with no freight and setup fees in the off season only. That policy would save me about $340.00 over another dealer that does charge those fees. The other thing is, they are ready to come out with the 2005 models, so you should be able to save a bit more on a leftover 2004 or older.Some dealers may have new, leftovers from several years ago.I remember a dealer that had a new Suzuki Bandit 600, the older style, for a really good price as it was 3-4 years old sitting on his showroom floor.
Good luck, Jon Neet
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