Dealer Disabling Odometer

[deanmachine]

I recently test rode a couple of new bikes from a dealership and was surprised to see that the dealer had disconnected the speedometer/odometer on the bikes. I thought this was against the law, but the dealer seemed very nonchalant. Is this somehow okay for motorcycles when it is not for cars?

[Jim8208]

I recently test rode a couple of new bikes from a dealership and was surprised to see that the dealer had disconnected the speedometer/odometer on the bikes. I thought this was against the law, but the dealer seemed very nonchalant. Is this somehow okay for motorcycles when it is not for cars?

I'm not sure but I believe that's illegal.

[smooth1]

Seems real unethical if nothing else. I'd probably file a complaint with the State's Attorneys office & never darken the doorway of that place again-for parts or anything else.

[rexmitchell]

I recently test rode a couple of new bikes from a dealership and was surprised to see that the dealer had disconnected the speedometer/odometer on the bikes. I thought this was against the law, but the dealer seemed very nonchalant. Is this somehow okay for motorcycles when it is not for cars?

Please post said dealers name. Also file a complaint with the better business bureau. Also I would contact whatever brand of bikes they sell and complain there. And yes that has to be illegal.

[deanmachine]

Thanks, guys. I will follow up with the BBB and the manufacturer. It was Arizona Victory of Phoenix on Cave Creek.

[deanmachine]

Just a follow up to let you all know that I did let Polaris know about this unethical dealer and they really did not seem to care. Couldn't get past a customer service rep type who was not very interested and could not promise any follow up from the company, which so far is not forthcoming. Hopefully the BBB will have better luck.

[CharlesW]

Unfortunately;
If they sell quite a few bikes, the manufacturer probaly isn't going to care.
If they have cheap prices, the public probably isn't going to care.

If it really bothers you contact the local media.
Newspapers, TV, Radio, love to get into the expose' business.

[markk53]

It is illegal, because it becomes misrepresentation or fraud when they go to sell the bike as if it was new with no/few miles. Is it unusual for that to happen? No, it isn't probably that unusual. We, where I worked, never did that - never. A few others did.

The party you'd want to notify would be the BMV or DOT for the state, if you want to have the dealer cease to do so. Would I turn the dealership in? I don't know... probably.

On the other hand, it is one way that some dealers use to get more demos out. They have to have less than a certain amount of miles on the bike for the floor plan, since they usually pay a percentage of the value of the bikes on their floor rather than own them outright. Floor plan checkers visit and check the bikes for miles. Too many miles and the dealer had to pay off the bike. It used to be like 50-250 depending on the floor plan checker. Some were pretty decent about it, as we found.

We could put like 250 on a bike before having to pay it off. Of course the customer wants to see the big 0 on them, so anything with over about 50 miles was considered to be used by most customers and cost us on the sale. On special demos from the manufacturer, the floor plan mileage goes up. Honda used to allow up to 2500 miles on the demos before having to be paid off. This is the honest way to do it. Only demo for short distance and only if the customer is ready to buy and that is the deciding factor. Of course that is the problem - people want to ride more and multiple without much commitment. We at least wanted to know if they rode it and liked it they would buy it, provided financing if that was part of it. Some just don't understand the economics of a dealership for motorcycles versus cars - the former has more models and customers less tolerant of miles than does the latter.

At one point with a really decent good guy checker, the owner had his own demo bike on the floor plan with like 12,000 miles! The guy just overlooked the miles and checked it off. Eventually the owner paid off the bike with the manufacturer and no one was the wiser. There were also some times when there were bikes that were let out for demo rides that were at the cusp of having to be paid off and the guy let them through, knowing we weren't going to send them out again - the customers don't like bikes with miles on them.

[simpleman77]

IThe party you'd want to notify would be the BMV or DOT for the state, if you want to have the dealer cease to do so.

+1 These are the guys charged with enforcing this kind of crime.

[DachshundUberAlles]

Makes one wonder what other little "tricks" they are willing to use. Trust is a valuable commodity and that is a violation of trust.

Not to put too fine a point on it: Screw those guys, don't buy anything from them.

[chet8625]

Probably someone's "take home" bike. The dealer lets him (sale srep?) use it for comuting but doesn't want he miles adding up.

[Racklefratz]

I recently test rode a couple of new bikes from a dealership and was surprised to see that the dealer had disconnected the speedometer/odometer on the bikes. I thought this was against the law, but the dealer seemed very nonchalant. Is this somehow okay for motorcycles when it is not for cars?

They can't legally do that.

I'm certain what was going on was that the dealer can't sell the bike as "new" if it has a lot of miles on it. He was trying to get around that. I once was denied a test ride on a bike I was considering buying for that reason. Dealer claimed factory reps showed up periodically to ensure the "new" bikes weren't showing miles on the odometers. I walked.

[donovan51]

In England it is illegal to tamper with odometers. Sometimes you expect delivery mileage to be on the clock and sometimes the dealer will sell an ex demonstrator at a reduced price. I wouldnt expect my new bike to have been used as a demonstrator and not told.
I have a friend here who is an Ambassador for Victory in England, I will put it to him.