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Old August 4th, 2022, 05:02 PM   #1
CZroe
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Name: J.Emmett Turner
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Want to be first in line for the new ZX-4R. Advice?

I’ve been struggling without a vehicle for more than a year since losing my home and car to a tornado. I was sharing my brother’s car while saving money for another vehicle for over a year. Last year I decided to wait as long as I could for Kawasaki to announce the ZX-4R, but then my bro wrecked his car at the end of May and we had to do something quick. Thankfully, our friend gave us a 2000 Pontiac Montana which had been mothballed for a year. It needed a bunch of money to get registered and a lot more to stay on the road (immediately broke down twice), so there went all the money I was saving.

With the recent news that there will be a 2023 Ninja ZX-4R, I’m excited enough to resume plans to get one… only I’m not sure where to start. I’m not going to have enough to buy it outright like I had hoped/planned before, and the whole reason I didn’t run right out and finance a car is because I’m already co-signed as the primary on two car loans for friends. I recall getting turned down for a bike loan around 2013 just because the credit union considered it an unsecured loan (MSRP/value too low for a standard secured vehicle loan). I already tried to apply for disaster relief loans from SBA and got turned down so I don’t think I’m going to do much better with the dealer financing unless I show up with a huge down payment.

So, how would you go about this in my situation? I’ve gone entirely too long without a vehicle and I’m right back to square 1… actually negative 1, with the housing situation since we need to abandon our accessory building and my mother’s trailer after her landlord decided to sell the neighborhood (now we both need to find a place).

Assuming this thing is going to be $8,500-$9,000, what kind of down payment should I come up with? I bought my 2008 Ninja 250 with cash, but even then I had dealers ignore my deposits and sell bikes out from under me. I chased incoming stock from dealer to dealer until Kawasaki canceled the remaining 2008 bikes to release the 2009 models early with a +$500 MSRP. After chasing it for months I ended up having to drive several states away to get one of the last 2008 models that a dealer wasn’t expecting and, thus, hadn’t taken a deposit. I got it for $3,500 (MSRP) plus a $200 set-up fee.

Needless to say, I don’t want to go through all that again. I might’ve been the very last to get a new 2008 Ninja 250 but I’d like to be among the very first to get a ZX-4R. I don’t know what other people did to convince a dealer to ignore my deposit and sell it to them. If they paid over MSRP, well, wouldn’t the dealer have asked me to pay more than MSRP? I suspect they prefer financing over cash since they can sell you service plans and probably get some kind of kick backs. Would it be wise to purchase such things if I plan to ride daily it and it might help seal the seal?

How early should I express interest and offer a deposit? Presumably I have to wait for Kawasaki to announce it but perhaps they will have already placed their orders. I don’t see how it’s possible to be first without coming off as a desperate sucker they can ring out to dry but, well, they’d be right. *shrug* I am desperate enough to offer a deposit even before it’s announced unless you guys tell me that’s a mistake.

Any tips? I haven’t set foot in the local Kawasaki dealer for over a year and I don’t know how I feel about buying from them after the way they treated me in 2008. Maybe I need to go out of state again!

IIRC, it was this very day in 2008 that I got my Ninja 250. Neat.
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Old August 4th, 2022, 05:59 PM   #2
geeker
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If it follows the trend of the Ninja 300, I remember getting mine in October 2012 and it was the first one through the dealer, perhaps the state. It was announced in the spring of 2012 I think. I’m not sure where an August announcement will land one in a showroom. Let me say I’m sorry you have those issues to endure. Having said that, As much as it is fantastic to have a brand new bike, I’d focus on finding a used ride for less cash. Scratches the same itch until your situation improves.
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Old August 5th, 2022, 04:56 AM   #3
CZroe
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Name: J.Emmett Turner
Location: Newnan, GA
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Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F

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Quote:
Originally Posted by geeker View Post
If it follows the trend of the Ninja 300, I remember getting mine in October 2012 and it was the first one through the dealer, perhaps the state. It was announced in the spring of 2012 I think. I’m not sure where an August announcement will land one in a showroom. Let me say I’m sorry you have those issues to endure. Having said that, As much as it is fantastic to have a brand new bike, I’d focus on finding a used ride for less cash. Scratches the same itch until your situation improves.
Thanks. Despite my situation I have used bikes that are in various states of disrepair and disassembly… including the old 2008 250. I would’ve put in the time, money, and energy to do something with them if I could reliably get to them… but I can’t without transportation and I don’t want to add to that quagmire with another bike that might need work. The plan is to get the bike I’ve wanted and ride that while I get at least one backup bike running then sell the extra stuff (engines, parts, etc).

The new 2008 250 was my only transportation for years. It was cheaper than a new car and more reliable than pretty much anything used in the same price range. It let me move cross country and save up for my new 2011 Corolla, which worked out beautifully. The ZX-4R will probably cost twice as much but I feel like “it worked before.”

Reports assume that they will officially announce ZX-4R at EICMA 2022, which is in November. Seems kinda late to announce a 2023 model that they haven’t even begun taking orders on, so I wonder if it will already be confirmed with orders en route to dealers by that point. Maybe they will announce it sooner though. Hours ago Kawasaki uploaded a hype video for their involvement at the Day Night Crew super car show. “Be there.” In their promo video I did spot a ZX-25R on a stationary sim and another on the track, but this particular show hasn’t happened yet making me think there might be a ZX-4R there in its place.

https://youtube.com/shorts/SFY5PGLE9x8?feature=share

Here’s hoping it’s sooner rather than later.
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Old August 6th, 2022, 12:07 AM   #4
tfkrocks
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I remember when the Ninja 300 was announced, the local Kawi dealership didn't actually have the info themselves yet so they couldn't take deposits. I believe I left my contact info and they called me back when I could go in to leave a deposit. I got the first ABS bike they received and absolutely paid too much for it. Paid in cash. Probably the last bike I'll buy brand new.
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