So I popped down to the local BMW dealer this morning as they're having the official launch of the new 2014 BMW range, it's a UK wide thing so all/most BMW motorrad dealers are having a 'do' today. I mainly went down to see the new S1000r in the flesh as it's the first opportunity to do so and they're literally 500 yards down the road, they weren't even allowing test rides today so really it's full of people meandering about quaffing coffee and eating biscuits, not my kind of thing but hey Ho. the S1000r is an interesting bit of kit and tbh not as bad as I thought in the flesh, it's actually better in white because then you don't get that horrible big R splashed on the side of the tank, it'd still need lots of mods though and would only ever look mean, not pretty (should paint it black IMO). It does have a nice feel to it and technology wise it's about the best you can get for rider aids and suspension. so as I'm talking to the salesman we briefly discussed pricing etc (as you do to be nosey) and what he'd offer as trade in, I thought why not, let's see what pans out. would you believe if I placed an order today I could get it delivered sometime during the 2nd/3rd week of July...... Yes that's right, JULY! now call me impatient but why the hell would I wait until nigh on August for a new bike? Not only that I get to pay full RRP for the pleasure with not so much as any little freebie chucked in, no tank of fuel, no free accessories , nothing......nada...zilcho....zip...squat! So me being me I thought I'd be pretty blunt and ask why the hell they've waited until now to show a bike that you can't have until July/August? ...............silence and uncomfortable looks across faces... i mean wouldn't it have made more sense to do these silly little get togethers about two months ago , show one of the press bikes and then start taking orders from there? Im sure some people would be fine with the wait but as far as I'm aware the UK summer/main biking season generally runs the same year on year, July or August isn't the start. so, would I like to try one..... Yes of course, would I wait all summer for one and pay full whack? Not a hope in hell, all of 3 months later the weather will be shit, the track days non existent and that'd be it. Surely you'd be better off just buying over winter poor production planning I feel
Economy, that's the answer. These are tough times, why make more bikes than you need to? It's always been BMW's thing to restrict the number of available machines - it keeps resale figures high by stopping end-of-season price cutting to clear stock. But you'll find more and more companies doing this; no dealers can afford to have excess stock any more, and the factories can't afford to make more bikes than they can sell. So now what happens is they hold launch days at dealers to take orders and more accurately gauge demand. It cuts down losses for both the factories and the dealers. Same in all walks of life Damo, I have to order air con plant for jobs now instead of just picking it up from the wholesalers, no-one carries stock. Welcome to the new world.
I guess you did not do the same for a Panigale. Even though they had been "released" for a few months, I ordered mine in April 12 but it was not delivered until end of August.
It's good business in some ways. Having to wait gives the bike an air of exclusivity, and that in itself helps bolster resale value. Japan have mostly done the opposite and flooded the market with bikes, but that leads to end-of-year price slashing to get rid of 'last year's colours' and ultimately affects trade-in values. But even the Japs are getting wise to this now.
You see it's not that wait I don't understand, it's the fact of leaving a launch until the biking season has already started and then having to wait. Nothing happens in December/January in the motorbike scene so why not supply dealers with a show type model, something similar to what the journos get. It'd give people time to look at it, bring in clients to an otherwise relatively quiet showroom during the winter months and IMO no doubt increase sales as people could plan for the bike change. Showing a new bike at the beginning of the season with a long back order makes absolutely no sense what so ever, show it early, take the orders, judge a production rate from there for the rest of the year and build stock accordingly. I guess it doesn't matter to all season bikers or to those with heaps of cash and multiple bikes, but a lot of people look forward to the season, plan trips away, buy accessories and/or upgrades for the season ahead. Surely by being late to the scene you've missed the boat
Possibly they've already had unexpected demand for the bike, or the wait won't be as long as they predict, but I see what you're saying. Jan/Feb is the doldrums where bikes are concerned, so it would have made sense to start early. Then again it is only March, despite the unseasonable weather...
November - February I reckon is the time to get bikes in dealers showrooms, I appreciate they sometimes take a model to a show but nowadays there's no guarantee you can even sit on them. The dealers would be happy about having people come through the door I'm pretty sure of that, it helps build relations, I just think they have the launch dates all out of whack, they need to bring things back a bit and ramp up to the summer months.
I can't make my mind up about that. I've never understood why the big bike shows are in November and December, just as most bikers are shutting up shop. The industry as a whole has been targetting the affluent Sunday biker for the last two decades, so why hold a show just on the cusp of winter..? If they wanted to sell bikes at that time of year they'd still be making CX500s and GT550s. Personally I'd leave the winter for selling commuters and scooters, and cancel all leave in March ready for the big onslaught.
Ducati are no different ordered a panigale r in December 2013 for March new reg now telling me April / May delivery payed for it now sat waiting
You see that's technically worse really as the panigale R isn't likely to be a big mover in terms of numbers so having the order in December and then missing deadline by a month or more is just a bit piss poor.
Yes, having to pre-order is not an excuse for tardy customer relations, you still have to come up with the goods, so letting punters down like that is very poor. But this is Ducati we're talking about, perhaps we should be used to it
This situation isn't new nor is it the sole domain if BMW. Back in December 2007 I ordered the "new kid on the block" from Ducati, the 1098. Paid my deposit and was told it would be delivered mid march 2008. March came and went. April came and went. May came and went. When I asked (probably for the sixth time) in June when I was likely to see the bike neither the dealer nor Ducati uk could tell me. I immediately cancelled my order, got my deposit back and ordered a GSXR1000, which I received delivery of in 5 days. And it was a great bike too! Took me another 4.5 years to venture back to try ducati again.
Yup - this is true....before I got the hyper last year (which I didn't expect to own) I was in the market for a KTM690smc - could I find one at a reasonable price...no chance. Went into Fowlers in sheer desperation about a new one....none in stock (this was September from memory) asked the KTM salesman about a new one.... "sorry mate - wont have any til next February" "Whys that then" "They only do a run once a year" This keeps the price high on secondhanders....at the time the best I could get was a 2010 with 10k on it which would have worked out about 6.5k. I got the hyper for 7.3k 11 plate and 5k on it, and now, looking back Im so glad I went the Ducati route....coatings and finishings aside...
My mate is in a similar boat with his BMW nine t. He ordered it very early and was told April for delivery, with no warning that was pushed back to September and in line with the OP, who wants to wait till spring and summer is over to collect your new bike. He didn't have a bike as well so he did the right thing and bought a Monster EVO 1100 to tide him over ! But a drop from April to Sept in one hit is ridiculous. I'm going to the Park Lane launch event tonight with him so we'll give them some stick about it as well.
May as well keep the Monster.....r nine t is not my cup of tea plus (my own personal opinion) the engine looks hideous....don't like the styling...that said I think the engine in my hyper came from a lawnmower...
I was just having a nose in my local Ducati dealer on Saturday and enquired about the 899, June going on July for delivery !
