Here’s one way to tackle the problem of
U.S. vs Canadian pricing on motorcycles: slap discounts onto previous
years’ models. Honda is chopping prices on nearly all its remaining 2006-07
motorcycles (and ATVs).
The price of a VTX1800 cruiser, for
instance, is chopped by $5,000, while the Gold Wing loses $4,000, and the
CBR600RR is $2,000 cheaper. At the lighter end of the scale, the
off-road CRF 50 – 100 models are discounted $500, and the NPS50
scooter’s price is cut by $600.
A brief survey shows that the
discounted prices of at least some pre-2008 models are close to what
you’d pay for a comparable U.S. Honda – maybe even slightly less, once you factor in the
costs of importing.
The base model ’07 VT750 Shadow Aero,
for example, lists at $8,699 but drops $1,800 to $6,899. That’s just
$100 more than the U.S. model, if you take the dollar at par.
But not all price cuts will bring pricing close to the U.S.. For the ever-popular CBR600RR,
even with two grand off, the discounted price is $10,499, while the equivalent U.S. model still lists for a grand less at
$9,499.
Discounts apply to ’06-07 models, provided you buy the bike before year’s end.
See www.honda.ca
for more information.
Big deal, Honda. My local dealer is selling ’07 CBR600 for $9500.00 already!
$4000 off the price of a Gold Wing. A few months ago the deal was free extended warranty and $2600 of installed accessories for a total value of $4000. No real improvement with this offer.
The idscounts are only available at dealers who agree to a stocking order of about 150 2008 models. The 2008 prices have not changed. Honda better rethink this nonsense in time for the Toronto Motorcycle Show.
Big whoop. Doesn’t every manufacturer do this every winter in Canada, anyway? My local dealers have been offering leftover 2006 and 2007 bikes for better discounts than that for the past 2 months. I read on another site that the prices on their 2008 models are actually *increased* by 1.8%, but I haven’t bothered to check. Nice try, Honda.
Is it a $5000-600 discount or is it a certain amount of cash off plus extended warranty,accessories like the offer Honda had in the summer?