My review of buying a VN900 in Chicago

[wersedated]

My experience buying a VN900 in the Chicago area.

What I was looking for: 2006-2007 VN900 with a sissy bar and luggage rack for at most $7500 OTD.
Financing: We used Capital One’s motorcycle loan (which I found easy to use) so I didn’t have to deal with a dealership loan. Simplified everything.

We started looking in April and basically this is my review of the three dealerships we visited. Again, these are my experiences and I’m sure others have different stories of each place.

Chicago Cycle (CHICAGO CYCLE Skokie, IL (847) 763-6900) is HUGE.

Good: It’s truly huge, I’ve never seen a dealership with this much variety.
Bad: For the paperwork they take your salesman away and try to sell you everything from tire insurance to Lo-Jack (finance had some great stolen bike horror stories).
Sales style: With its size comes a number of traditional scummy salesmen (we had to go there 3 times before we found someone who knew what he was talking about and wasn’t just looking for the quick sale).
Best Price: 2006- $7150 OTD. I added a sissy bar and engine guards to bring the total to $7500.

Champion Cycle (Illinois Yamaha Suzuki Motorcycle ATV Dealer - Champion Cycle Center - Kawasaki Derbi Scooter Utility-vehicle Watercraft) is small but jammed with bikes.

Good: No bull$hit dealing, here’s the bike…here’s the price. Take it or leave it.
Bad: Can’t even sit on the bike?! I’m assuming this is because they are so packed together but still seemed weird.
Sales style: Can seem unfriendly at first (I’m guessing this is due to so much window shopping foot traffic). Once they know you’re actually interested they are very nice and the place feels like a dealership should.
Best Price: 2006- $7400 OTD

Willy World (Welcome to the New Willy World - Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki) is located outside of Chicago in Joliet.

Good: Salesmen are friendly but leave you alone while you look.
Bad: It’s a ways outside of Chicago and yet retains the higher Chicago average price.
Sales style: They play a whole lot of games….the salesman is on your side but he has to fight management for your offered price, etc. High pressure tactics once you sit down and the final price they offered me was a lot more than their advertisement.
Best Price: 2006- $7900 OTD

[suegip]

nice review. I look at the cycle trader magazines and am always amazed how cheap the chicago area dealers seem to list their bikes for compared to list price.