While buying a Harley Davidson may be a dream come true for you, it's important you pay attention to the practical aspects of your purchase. In particular, you may be charged a variety of fees in addition to the bike's cost that increases the amount you ultimately pay. Here are two of those fees and what, if anything, you can do to get out of paying them.

Set Up Fee

One fee that throws many Harley buyers for a loop is a set up fee, because many assume these bikes come fully assembled from the factory. The truth is, while some bikes are shipped straight from the assembly line to the dealership intact, other bikes are shipped in crates with some parts packed separately that must be added on once the bikes arrive at the dealership. Thus, if you see a set up fee on the sales slip, that means the bike had to be assembled at the dealership, and the dealer is charging you for the service.

The good news is, there are a few ways you can get out of paying this fee. Sometimes you can negotiate with the dealer to eliminate the charge, though you may have to give up other benefits in exchange (e.g. a cut on the price of an extended warranty). If you know a lot about motorcycles, and Harleys in particular, you can ask the dealer to leave the bike unassembled and put it together yourself, which may be satisfying if you prefer the do-it-yourself route anyway.

A third option, of course, is to avoid purchasing these types of bikes and look for ones that come fully assembled from the factory. Simply look for ones that don't have a set up fee. Alternatively, you can use the internet to learn which models come fully assembled and which ones don't so you know what to look for when you get to the dealership.

Document Fees

Another fee you may encounter when you purchase a Harley Davidson bike is a document charge. The dealership charges this fee to handle any required documentation needed to sell you the bike and make it legal for you to drive it on the road. For instance, the dealer will fill the application for your license plates with the DMV for you and pass along the costs.

The issue is that the document fee may be a mix of actual out-of-pocket cost and charges for labor, so it's important you look closely at what the document fee includes. You can usually negotiate with the dealer to only charge you for the out-of-pocket costs (e.g. registration fee) and drop the labor fees, especially if you're shopping during a time of year when sales are slow or you're purchasing an older model that's been sitting on the lot for a while.

For more information about these and other fees you may encounter or help picking the right Harley Davidson bike for you, contact a local dealer, like Worth Harley Davidson North.

Share