BOB LANPHERE'S BEAVERTON HONDA YAMAHA RIP-OFF QUESTIONABLE DISCOUNTS PRACTICES

I am not affiliated with Beaverton Honda Yamaha. But comparing the prices of any brick-and-mortar retail store to on-line prices is unfair.

On-line prices of ALL consumer goods are lower, whether you're buying motorcycle parts or a toaster oven. That's because retail stores incur expenses that on-line businesses don't have. And often, you must pay shipping costs when ordering goods on-line, which you do not incur when you buy something from a store.

I worked in independent, discount motorcycle parts shops for a decade. We could sell parts cheaper than the dealers down the street. Our store was in a ratty old building, my boss paid me diddly-squat, and we didn't have a bunch of office staff or mechanics on the payroll (who need to get paid every week no matter how busy the shop is).

We sold a lot of tires. The same tire we sold for 75 bucks was priced at 100 dollars at the dealership. But I would never accuse the dealers of "ripping people off."

An on-line retailer has even fewer expenses than a discount parts store. They have the flexibility of taking and filling orders at their leisure; they don't have to pay a counter-monkey like me to be there, nine to five, Monday through Saturday.

An on-line retailer has some phones, a few employees, some computers, and a warehouse full of merchandise. Tack on some shipping expenses, and that's all that needs to be built into the prices that are charged.

A motorcycle dealership has all those expenses. Plus, it pays rent, pays more staffers, and pays for someone else (wholesalers) to warehouse their parts, and deliver them to dealerships when they're ordered. And there's a lot of money tied-up in inventory; every bike that sits on a showroom floor costs the dealership more money every month. Those expenses are all built into the higher prices of parts and service at the dealership.

When your motorcycle tips over in the garage on Saturday afternoon and the clutch lever breaks off, it's bad news. You have a few options. Drive to your local dealer, which probably has the lever in stock, and buy it. If there's an independent shop nearby, they might have the part you need, for a little less money. Or you can order the clutch lever on-line, for an even-lower price. But you're not gonna be able to go for a ride on Sunday morning. The dealer charges more...but those extra dollars make those parts available to you when you need them.

Bottom line is, this was not a ripoff. Admittedly, the dealership could have handled the owner's manual issue a bit better. Poor customer service? Maybe. A ripoff? No, not even close.

First and foremost, I was mistaken. It was pointed out to me that the $50.00 savings bond for the completion of a riders safety course is only available to purchasers of a new motorcycle. My purchase did not meet this requirement, therefore I did not qualify for this rebate. THIS WAS MY MISTAKE AND I EXCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY.



Second, in regards to my owners manual. Heather at YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USA, Cypress, CA notified me that the manuals for my bike were not in

stock. However, she contacted the printer of these manuals, and she had one printed and sent to me free of charge. This type of service is above and beyond, and I feel that I was treated MORE THAN FAIRLY by YAMAHA MOTOR CORP. A special thanks to Heather for excellent customer service.



Third, my response from BOB LANPHERE'S BEAVERTON YAMAHA was less than stellar. Apparently, they felt that I was trying to extort money from them. They explained that multiple pricing practices were customary. They also informed me that used bikes do not come with manuals, therefore they made no mistake. They also informed me of the above savings bond issue.



The last line of their response stated that I would not be receiving any refund at this time. Unfortunately, I never asked for a refund. I only wanted help in obtaining an owners manual.



In summation, I offer this.



1 - YAMAHA CORPORATION stands by their product. I am more than pleased with their service.



2 - Customer service is not in BOB LANPHERE'S BEAVERTON YAMAHA lexicon.

If you purchase from them, be prepared for amaturish sales tactics.



Finally, if you want excellent customer service, WINGMAN ENTERPRISES in northeast Portland goes above and beyond in regards to customer service. They are more than worth the trip from Beaverton.

Bob Lanphere's web site is www.bhy.net NOT www.bhy.com.

Bob Lanphere's web site is www.bhy.net NOT www.bhy.com.

Bob Lanphere's web site is www.bhy.net NOT www.bhy.com.

Bob Lanphere's web site is www.bhy.net NOT www.bhy.com.