vendor - dealer questions

[David S Samuels]

Hello. I just purchased a 1999 KLR, signed up for this list, and wanted to introduce myself as well as seek some advice. Name: David Samuels Location: Suffield, CT I need to purchase side bags and am trying to figure out which is the better way to go between the aluminum panniers or givi. I will be doing a mix of on/off road with a lot of road commuting to work. If aluminum vs the givi N36 is preferable, which company do most people go with? Is there one specific rack that is best. I see a number of racks especially at Happytrails Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks Dave Samuels dssamuels@...

[Guy B. Young II]

OHMIGOD!! Missin' Brad already Dave?? ) Welcome to the frenzy!! Guy At 11:35 PM 2/21/04 -0500, David S Samuels wrote:

>Hello. I just purchased a 1999 KLR, signed up for this list, and wanted >to introduce myself as well as seek some advice. > >Name: David Samuels >Location: Suffield, CT > >I need to purchase side bags and am trying to figure out which is the >better way to go between the aluminum panniers or givi. I will be doing >a mix of on/off road with a lot of road commuting to work. If aluminum >vs the givi N36 is preferable, which company do most people go with? Is >there one specific rack that is best. I see a number of racks especially >at Happytrails > >Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. > >Thanks >Dave Samuels >dssamuels@...

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-02-21 10:18:55 PM Pacific Standard Time, dssamuels@... writes:

> > I need to purchase side bags and am trying to figure out which is the > better way to go between the aluminum panniers or givi. I will be doing > a mix of on/off road with a lot of road commuting to work. If aluminum > vs the givi N36 is preferable, which company do most people go with? Is > there one specific rack that is best. I see a number of racks especially > at Happytrails > > Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. > > Thanks > Dave Samuels > dssamuels@... > >

If you were just to ride the street I'd say its six to one, a half dozen the other as to rather you get metal or plastic. However, once you get off road the Givi mounts are mickey mouse, its not up to the task of falling off road. The metal boxes bolt to the luggage racks where the Givi's slip over mounting points. I bought my boxes from Tim at Happy Trail (www.happy-trail.com). Originally I bought just the frame for mounting side bags looking to get double duty from the Givi's I've mounted on an old Suzuki GS1150ES. The first season I got a couple trips in and on both trips the latch on the Givi bag got busted from grazing trees. In each case it took about two months to get the replacement parts from Givi. By the next year I had a set of Tim's aluminum panniers which are mounted solid enough to take hits strong enough to bend the luggage rack. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Thane Silliker]

Congrats on your purchase of the KLR, Dave. The Sagebrush solution gives you pretty solid bags and a rack all at once. http://www.sagebrushmachine.com/pelcase.html The JC Whitney removeable trunk would just pop right up on that rack there. At 11:35 PM 21/02/2004 -0500, David S Samuels wrote:

>Hello. I just purchased a 1999 KLR, signed up for this list, and wanted >to introduce myself as well as seek some advice. >I need to purchase side bags and am trying to figure out which is the >better way to go between the aluminum panniers or givi.

Happy Trails from London, Canada Thane Silliker, CET, STOC #730 The ST1100 Sport / Grand Touring Motorcycle KLR650 Adventure Touring ST Owners Club Iron Butt Association Canadian Motorcycle Association 2001 Iron Butt Rally Gold Medal Cross Canada Record 59:45 http://www.silliker.ca

[Mark Lewis]

I think I'm going with the Pelican cases and a couple of those waterproof bags like Kayakers use. Maybe the J.C. Whitney trunk for around town. Mark Lewis

[Ron Crandell]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "gpokluda" wrote:

> Rider Valley Motorcycles is currently investigating the possibility > of going to fixed (no haggle) "out the door" pricing. In the past, > this list has certainly had, ahem... some definite opinions about > dealerships and their pricing policies. With that in mind we would > like to get some feed back from listers on the following questions: > > 1. Do you prefer to negotiate price or would you rather have a > fixed price which included freight, setup, TTL?

When I'm done asking a dealer for the price... I want him to tell me what I will have to write the check for. Nothing pisses me off more than when signing everything, then little stuff creeps in. Tell me everything as an out-the-door price.. And at that time, offer the extended warranty because if I'm financing the bike, I might want to add that to the package... (I never do, but that's me...)

> > 2. What is most important to you? Price, service during and after > the sale, shop environment and personnel, feeling that you got a > good deal. (please list only one as your most important)

OK, my most important feeling is the shop environment and personnel. I'm actually willing to pay a little more in a dealership that I like. I know of a place up here in the midwest that can beat probably any price, yet I wouldn't buy a bike from them... Example: when I bought my '02 KLR, the salesman actually went out and got the guy in that would set up my bike, and we spent about 20 minutes talking about how I wanted mine set up, including chain tension, where I wanted the forks (I like mine showing about 1/2" above the triple clamps). When I picked it up, it was done right.... He'll get my business again, even though he's a bit of a longer drive..

> > 3. When you purchase a new bike, do you negotiate price, setup or > freight or all of the above?

See above, I want a bottom-line out-the-door price. Include it all if you must, but don't make me feel like I'm getting the bums rush.. Today I can go onto the internet and get a dozen quotes, so just make me feel like you care, and give me a reason to pay a little more to you for these things..

> > 4. What do you feel a reasonable setup fee is on a KLR650?

This should be included in the bottom-line number.. I'd personally think that you could set it up in about an hour.. at least for me as I'll take it home and spend a couple more hours on it anyway. If I were to come down to pick up a bike from you, planning to ride it home, I'd say give it a good two hours of honest work so that it's rideable...

> > 5. Any other comments appreciated.

A good dealer makes me feel welcome, and is willing to talk when they have time. I'd buy a bike from you in a minute, if you had the right product and the price was good. (You have to make a dollar, and I need to get a good deal..) Ron in MN

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