If you're looking to buy a motorcycle, you may think that it's too late now that the cold weather has arrived. After all - the joy is in riding, not storage and winter maintenance. While that is an absolutely valid point, there are a number of factors that you should consider before planting the “waiting until the Spring” flag. In fact, the cold season may actually be the best time to pull the trigger.
Our team at Fred Finds Rides, in partnership with Revival Powersports, break down the top five reasons why you should at least consider getting a new-to-you motorcycle before the Springtime.
1. More Selection
You’re not the only one looking to upgrade before the next riding season comes and with that in mind there is an influx of people selling their existing rides. If you’re picky on what you’re after (and you should be) this is the peak time of the year to find the perfect fit as the selection expands.
Revival Powersports says: “This is the time of year that you might see bikes available that you simply won’t find during the riding season such as rare, limited models or custom builds. If you find your dream ride now – it may be your only chance to jump on it.”
2. Better Prices
Basic economics says that when we see an increase of supply along with a decrease in demand - the pricing should get more competitive. With this in mind you may be able to score a great deal that you definitely wouldn’t find during riding season.
Revival Powersports says: “The off-season is a great time to buy from private sellers. We see a pricing drop off of around 12% on average. This works well in conjunction with our private sale financing program as the lower pricing essentially offsets our fees. Keep in mind too that it is also a great time for dealers to pick up inventory. If you find something you love, you might want to jump on it now before paying dealer markup later on.”
3. Kickbacks
Everybody loves a little bit extra. When working with a dealership there may be additional incentives that you wouldn’t receive at other times in the year (ie. Delivery, storage, upgrades, cash back, etc.).
Revival Powersports says: “While we always are prepared for the slow season, it definitely provides an opportunity for promotions such as free delivery, giveaways, cash back, storage or gear & upgrade credits. We like to keep people excited during the cold months as much as possible.”
4. Trade Value
This is one of the lesser talked about points when it comes to off-season dealership shopping. When working a trade-in at a dealer they’ll likely cite book value as reference to what they can offer. This is due to most banks and lenders using it as a guide to what they will allow for financing. What most people don’t know is that Canadian blue book value runs quarterly with price drops in both January and May. This means that if you wait for the spring to trade-in you’re not only losing out on winter cost savings but there is a strong likelihood that your ride is depreciating as well.
Revival Powersports says: “While Canadian Blue Book is only one reference along with true market value – nearly every lender in Canada will cite it when discussing loan options. This is why dealers have to loosely commit to the values presented by CBB.”
5. Upgrades & Customization
One of the first things that many new bike owners do is customize and configure it to their liking. The off-season is the perfect time to do so without eating into the precious and unpredictable riding weather we have. If you’re ordering parts you could end up waiting weeks for them to arrive. If you don’t do the work yourself this is also a great time to get in touch with a service shop as they book up quick when the riding season hits.
Revival Powersports says: “The beauty of owning a bike is making it your own. Nearly every buyer we have does some sort of work to their ride. Unfortunately there is a ton of time involved with nearly any upgrade, even simple ones. Parts aren’t as readily available as in the past and shipping has been slow as ever. The off-season is a good time to get things rolling so that you’re ready to hit the pavement come Spring”.
Whether you’re buying now or waiting until Spring we hope this gives some insight and valuable info when it comes to locking in your next ride. We’d like to thank our partners at Revival Powersports for chiming in and hope you’ll check their shop out. As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend, Fred
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