Greeting from Boondocker

Greetings. I'm joining this forum in full lurker mode having decided that a WR250R is my next bike.
I currently ride 2004 Suzuki V-Strom DL650, which I've put 30,000 miles on in the last 2.5 years. It's a truly wonderful motorcycle, but when we go off road, we both get abused. I've been off-roading all my life, but mostly in 4-wheelers: '62 Scout 800, '74 FJ40 Land Cruiser,'83 Jeep Cherokee, '87 Samurai, (current) '96 Jeep ZJ. Off-road motorcycling has always been a passion, but never a priority. Now it's getting to the point where I want to do it while I still can. Previous bikes: '69 Honda 90, '75 Honda XL175, '83 Honda XL650R, '92 Yamaha Vmax, (current) Wee Strom. The V-Strom is a keeper, so I'm shopping for a second bike. Never bought a new bike and don't suppose I'll start now, need some budget to gear up and accessorize.

Hoping to get beyond the wanna-be stage soon.

Best regards,
Neil
Las Vegas, NV

Welcome to the pack Neil! Seems like there are a few 08's kicking around still; I've only come across one used 09. They seem harder to find than the 08's for some reason.

I've been prowling the used bike market for a while no luck for anything in my neck of the sage brush. So for something to do yesterday, Saturday afternoon, I rode over to my nearest motorcycle store, a RideNow dealer. I figured I could at least look at a new one, try it on for size. They had a 2010 (pretty gold anodized forks) and a new 2008, which I thought was odd. They just got the '08 on Friday from another RideNow dealer in AZ who was overstocked, or so the story goes.

They tried to sell it to me for the original MSRP ($6199) + all the BS, which put it over $7K. I said no thanks, have $4K in the budget, so holding out for a used deal. Through some sort of backroom miracle, they offered me $5,000 OTD. I was pretty impressed by that but not feeling impulsive. I told them I'd consider it but didn't have the cash and wasn't about to finance it. After not sleeping on it all night and agonizing the rest of the time, plus getting approval from my significant wife, I returned today in the pickup truck with a pocket full of cash.

Since it wouldn't be honorable to not make a counter offer, I offered $4800. They went back to the office and prayed some more, then came out cried that at $4,950 OTD, they would be making zero profit and just doing the deal because I'm a nice guy. Since they were such an excellent judge of character, and a good deal on a great used bike won't appear until after I buy anyway, I agreed. They did the prep and put in a new battery, which I was relieved about.

So that's the story of the deal. My budget's shot, so the goodies will have to wait. Took the obligatory lap around the block. Sure is different than my ergonomically perfect and reasonably powerful V-Strom, but I think I'm going to like it when I get more than 2 miles on the odometer.

See ya around the forum.

sounds like a decent deal to me.... enjoy your new bike

Boonie: Based on your bike history, you're a goner.

Now all you have to do now is find an excuse to be completely gone all day Sunday.

Welcome. There is a lot of knowledge here. Have fun. Be safe.

Way to go Neil! Looking forward to pics!

Welcome, HI!

Boondocker wrote:

They tried to sell it to me for the original MSRP ($6199) + all the BS, which put it over $7K. I said no thanks, have $4K in the budget, so holding out for a used deal. Through some sort of backroom miracle, they offered me $5,000 OTD. I was pretty impressed by that but not feeling impulsive. I told them I'd consider it but didn't have the cash and wasn't about to finance it. After not sleeping on it all night and agonizing the rest of the time, plus getting approval from my significant wife, I returned today in the pickup truck with a pocket full of cash.

Since it wouldn't be honorable to not make a counter offer, I offered $4800. They went back to the office and prayed some more, then came out cried that at $4,950 OTD, they would be making zero profit and just doing the deal because I'm a nice guy. Since they were such an excellent judge of character, and a good deal on a great used bike won't appear until after I buy anyway, I agreed. They did the prep and put in a new battery, which I was relieved about.

So that's the story of the deal.

Dealerships do the funniest things, I never thought backroom miracles and praying were any of them.

I think you got a great deal. I had a similar story. First dealer: "Sir, we don't deal". Second Dealer "Would you like the extended ripoff (waranty) with that?". You did better than me, but I've got to enjoy mine the last 2 years. At least you did some wise things: bargained, didn't buy all the BS and you paid cash.

The money I spent on my WRR was well spent.