Harley Dealers Dropping Prices?

A survey of 20 Harley-Davidson dealers by Piper Jaffray, a Minneaplis, Minn., research firm, suggests that Harley dealers are dropping price premiums and moving closer to MSRP. In an Oct. 6, 2004, report, Anthony Gikas notes that 13 of 20 dealers contacted are selling at MSRP, while seven are selling some models at a premium. On a three-month basis, 34 of 50 dealers said they were selling at MSRP. “Our survey suggerts that 65%-70% of dealerships are now selling bikes at MSRP, compared to 50% one year ago,” he writes. The 20 dealers represent only about 3% of the U.S. dealers.
The survey also notes that 61% of new bike purchasers are using Harley-Davidson Financial Services to finance a new bike. That’s up from 54% in July, but down from 64% in August.