Bandit 1250 hard to find?

[ORBrit]

I went down to the local Suzuki dealer today to take a look at the 2007 Bandit 1250 and they didn't have any. They said they only got two in this year and they were pretty much sold before they even arrived on the showroom.
As much as I love my S50, I'm actively researching my next bike and think the Bandit 1250 may well be a good fit for my riding style and ability. Are these bikes hard to locate? I saw one on Ebay in NJ for $7100 brand new - but that may just be an ad to draw customers to their site/dealer.

Any advice or experience shopping for a new Bandit and any recommendations, tips or even other suggestions of similar bikes I should be looking at and researching would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[geoffsimpson]

Call around other dealers. They all get differnt quantities and privelages based on past sales. Add to that, a gixxer or cruiser or dirt oriented sales team might not bring as many of the "old school" bandits.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by geoffsimpson

Call around other dealers. They all get differnt quantities and privelages based on past sales. Add to that, a gixxer or cruiser or dirt oriented sales team might not bring as many of the "old school" bandits.

Well my friend.

That was a cogent, well thought out, intelligent response that happens to be by and large true.

Allocation is a function of two parts. How many units did the store sell before. The other part is the General Sales Manager looking over the distributor list, and deciding what HE thinks will sell in your area.

My local Powersports dealer missed the boat on V-Strom's because he and the other local store are sport-bike snobs, and "didn't want something so ugly that won't sell" in their store. Guess what? The ones they are "forced" to sell, are gone immediately. And they breathe a sigh of relief.

There is a dealer thirty-five miles away that loves these guys. He stocks Strom's and advertises them, and sells 'em all day for whatever he can.

So yeah....Just follow Geoff's advice. Call around. Dealers are probably scared of ordering Bandits even though the Internet and paper media are afire with nothing but love for the new bike.

The old generation Bandit was a solid performer on the road and a decent performer on the sales floor, but not as sexy of a sale as a Gixxer or the latest behemoth of a cruiser.

[Deno]

Well, if you want to make a long ride out of it, there has been one at the Peru, Indiana Suzuki dealer for months. He did have one of the smaller ones (600, 650?) in the used bike showroom, and that was only around a few weeks before he sold it. I don't think they're very popular around here, as I've only noticed one or two out on the roads all summer.

[ORBrit]

We only have one Suzuki dealer in town - the next closest one is an hour away, then there's 3 more 2 hours away.

I like working with the local dealer - they have an excellent maintenance program that I have and use on my S50 - I'd like to stick with them if possible. They may increase their quota for next year but it probably still means having to pay MSRP for it - although I bought my 07 S50 in October of 2006 for $500 under MSRP.

[geoffsimpson]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

Well my friend.

That was a cogent, well thought out, intelligent response that happens to be by and large true.

Allocation is a function of two parts. How many units did the store sell before. The other part is the General Sales Manager looking over the distributor list, and deciding what HE thinks will sell in your area.

My local Powersports dealer missed the boat on V-Strom's because he and the other local store are sport-bike snobs, and "didn't want something so ugly that won't sell" in their store. Guess what? The ones they are "forced" to sell, are gone immediately. And they breathe a sigh of relief.

There is a dealer thirty-five miles away that loves these guys. He stocks Strom's and advertises them, and sells 'em all day for whatever he can.

So yeah....Just follow Geoff's advice. Call around. Dealers are probably scared of ordering Bandits even though the Internet and paper media are afire with nothing but love for the new bike.

The old generation Bandit was a solid performer on the road and a decent performer on the sales floor, but not as sexy of a sale as a Gixxer or the latest behemoth of a cruiser.

It was bound to happen sooner or later?

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by geoffsimpson

It was bound to happen sooner or later?

What?


"Cogent, well thought, intelligent"?

:mrgeen:

Hell. A blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while!