Yet Another Motorcycle Buying Adventure

[2LZ]

What's more fun than spending money on a NBD (New Bike Day)!? Spending OTHER people's money on a NBD!

My buddy, Fiddletown Dave, has multiple Honda bikes. A CRF230 (his wife's), a CRF250 and CRF450. All pure dirt. Now that he lives up here full-time (post retirement), we could hear him whimper every time we'd take off on the dual sports for a few hour lunch ride. Then it happened. "wife approval" for a dual sport/adv style bike. WOO HOO!

Being a big Honda guy, he was very interested in the CRF300 Rally. Then about three days ago, he and I went out for a couple hours. He rode my RE Scram......and fell in love.

Then things happened swiftly. Two days ago, four of us morons jumped into Dave's F150 four door, and took the long trek to Roseville to look at the CRF300 Rally. He liked it, especially being a staunch Honda guy. The problem was at 65 years old, he's really getting tired of mounting these super tall bikes. The Honda rep said 36" seat height. Dave collected all the important info and we left.

Next stop, the Royal Enfield dealer. I was excited of course, they had a new Bullet on the floor according to the website. I've really been wanting to check one out. Once there, I really liked it....but then was smitten by a black Classic 350 sitting next to it. Must....resist.....temptation.... It was TOUGH! I even text Mrs. 2LZ a pic. Her response?
"It's going to be a long, hot summer. How does sleeping in the shop with no bathroom privileges sound?" Point taken......

Back to Dave. Long story short, Dave fell for a Rock Red Himalayan! They made him a smokin deal, plus 300.00 worth of free garb. he's a happy boy.

[TominMO]

That'll work. :tup:

I really like the look of the 350 Classics, esp. the one with the blacked-out exhaust. The 350 Hunter is a good-looking bike too.

The BMW dealer near-ish to me has 19 REs, 15 from 2023. They are making good deals on them. It looks like that free accessory package for the Himmi is now a standard thing to clear out old inventory. A 2023 350 Classic is $4K OTD. Hunter, $3900 OTD.

[buzz]

no way

[TominMO]

no way?? What are you referring to? If you are talking about my RE dealer's prices, they are on their website, and they don't play games with that.

[Fast_Freddy]

I recently went to look at a CFMoto 650 ADV and the RE Himalayan/Scram 411. This dealer advertised $3995 for the CFMoto and $4500 for the Scram (Himmy out of stock) but they quoted $6300 and $6900 OTD!

[TominMO]

Here is what my local dealer is doing. Note that this does not includes sales tax, which is paid at the DMV.
https://www.gatewaybmw.com/inventory/new/Royal-Enfield/

[Sport Rider]

I'd think they are really dealing on the 411 Himi's. They gotta convince people to buy them before the 450's arrive. of course, I suppose it will depend on what price the new ones come in at.

@fast_freddy, I've seen people post about getting a new KLR at those OTD prices. :-o

[XLsior]

Going to go out on a limb here and say the himmy 411 is still the better bike over the new 452.



From what reviews ive seen with riders I believe are genuine the 452 is top heavy and does not gel as well as the beginner friendly chugabilty of the air cooled 411.


So if you start seeing discounts on the 411 and have the opportunity to test ride both there's a pretty good possibility the old horse is nicer to rider than the new pony...

[Texas Pete]

I like the Himi 452, but the YouTube UK folks I watched that returned theirs due to vibrations bothering them is what has me pausing. I want to test ride both the 452 Himi and the CFMoto 450MT which the YouTuber bought and likes better / smoother.