[ethanhunt123]

Finally got my 2018 Z900 Grey color delivered







Can't wait for the run-in to get over

[manson]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Can't wait for the run-in to get over

Brilliant color scheme. I noticed that you haven't installed the Akrapovic exhaust just yet, which is a good thing. Best to wait it out for the run in period to pan out. Wish you thousands of hassle free and safe kms, have fun!

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Finally got my 2018 Z900 Grey color delivered

Many Congratulations for a wonderful bike and welcome to the Kawasaki family. Wishing you many years of safe and enjoyable riding. Ride safe Brother.

Cheers...

[Nilesh5417]

Is kawasaki running december offers? The website is doesnt show anything unlike Triupmh which is running ads.

[ethanhunt123]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Is kawasaki running december offers? The website is doesnt show anything unlike Triupmh which is running ads.

Dont think they are except on Ninja 300. All their other models are literally flying off the shelves - so they dont need to.

[Surajit333]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Finally got my 2018 Z900 Grey color delivered
Can't wait for the run-in to get over

Congratulations! Wish you happy and trouble free miles.

[AbhisheKulkarni]

I had visited Kawasaki's Pune showroom 2 weeks ago to check-out the Z900 and had an experience which was rather poor and was pretty much a turn-off.

I visited the showroom on a weekend, and there were about 2-3 employees inside wearing the black/green uniform. Upon asking whether I could check out the Z900, I was told that the bike is outside and I could go see it.

I was a little taken aback, but proceeded to do so without any argument. A guy who was not wearing the black/green uniform came out with me. He had the key to the bike with him.

When we approached the bike, the guy prompted me to mount the bike and told me to rev it. The guy inserted the key, pushed the starter and began revving the bike. The Kawasaki pre-sales strategy then began dawning on me.

And that was it. None of the actual sales guys (who were wearing the uniform) bothered to come out of the showroom. I was not given any information regarding the product. The guy who was with me had no idea about the product.

I had gone to the showroom with an intention of taking a TD but this experience started to become a little annoying.

I then went back into the showroom and asked the sales-people (who were just chatting with one other) if I could have the price-list. Upon asking I was shared a quotation which had the below break-up:
Ex-showroom: 7,68,000
Registration: 2,08,556
Insurance: 19,144

Total: 9,95,700

When I requested them to clarify regarding the amount of the registration charges I was told that MH road-tax for CBU two-wheeler is 22%. I took this at face-value and decided to exit the place.

Even though the experience was not very satisfactory I thought I'd call the dealer principal and check with him if someone (who had an interest in selling the bike) could attend to me in a subsequent visit.
About a couple of days later, I happened to come across the quotation that I'd been given and thought of checking the registration charges.

To my shock, this is what I found out:
Registration charges quoted: 2,08,556
22% of ex-showroom: 1,68,960
Difference: 39,596

I called the sales-person (whose number was on the quotation) to ask about this and this is how the conversation went:
[Me]: You had told me registration charges were 22%, but I can see that they are inflated by 40k
[Sales Woman]: er, yes. that's what we charge all customers because we need to register the bike.
[Me]: huh? but the Pune RTO will charge 22% as registration charges. so towards what are the additional 40k used?
[Sales Woman]: we need to ensure the bike is delivered without any damage to you, so we charge 40k as handling charges.
[Me]: so you need additional money from customers to ensure bikes are not damaged!!??
[Me]: can I speak with your manager/boss?
[Sales Woman]: no sir. no one is available right now.
[Me]: I feel your pre-sales strategy is aimed towards losing customers, rather than than acquiring them.
[Sales Woman]: no, no sir. I will make sure someone gets in touch with you and resolves your problem.
[Me]: it is not my problem, it's yours! I don't need to buy a Kawasaki, but you sure need to sell one!
[Sales Woman]: umm, okay sir.

It has been two weeks since, and no one has bothered to call me back.

The Z900 is a great product and Kawasaki is a great manufacturer but it's dealers have no interest in selling the product. They believe that the bikes would sell themselves probably because customers with large disposable incomes are buying them without any questions asked.

My question is this: the bike is a premium one, it's cost is at a premium. So shouldn't the purchase (and ownership/after-sales) experience also be 'premium'?

I'd rather keep my hard-earned money with myself than do business with such dealers who are totally incompetent and downright shady in their practices.

Hope Kawasaki wakes up someday and realizes that all is not well with their dealers.

[dkaile]

A sure watch video for all prospective buyers -

http://youtu.be/cYahwC4fcNk

Cheers...

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by AbhisheKulkarni

I had visited Kawasaki's Pune showroom 2 weeks ago to check-out the Z900 and had an experience which was rather poor and was pretty much a turn-off.

To my shock, this is what I found out:
Registration charges quoted: 2,08,556
22% of ex-showroom: 1,68,960
Difference: 39,596

That is exactly why am worried - i have a versys on my mind but i had a similar experience with Kawasaki pune and i am worried about the after sales too.
The exact opposite has been Triumph! I had visited their showroom 8mths ago with a friend and shown interest in nothing particular. I have since got regular calls and they really want me to come for their tiger trail event. So yeh, they charge a premium but probably make you feel like a king too!

[Amey Kulkarni]

Originally Posted by AbhisheKulkarni

My question is this: the bike is a premium one, it's cost is at a premium. So shouldn't the purchase (and ownership/after-sales) experience also be 'premium'?

I'd rather keep my hard-earned money with myself than do business with such dealers who are totally incompetent and downright shady in their practices.

Hope Kawasaki wakes up someday and realizes that all is not well with their dealers.

I am a proud owner of a Kawasaki product. But, honestly, I agree with you. The story of Kawasaki India post SNK chapter, then Khivraj going out was thought to get better with a new dealer named M/s Kundan for Pune coming in.

Kawasaki dealership in Pune is no where near to what the brand can offer.

I've got zero niggles in the bike but that surely is not enough for a customer to be overall impressed about the brand.

There is truely no "PREMIUM" feel to Kawasaki brand due to its dealership offerings. I hardly see any promotional events, Kawasaki group rides, coffee meets at the showroom etc happening as Triumph offers. IMO this plays a small part but certainly is a factor where an owner would like to engage more with the brand to be loyal about it.

I have visited Kundan around 3-4 times now and I truly feel that the difference in overall reception and appearance compared to Triumph is league apart.

I ride every weekend and with Triumph gang frequently; the amount of involvement Triumph has brought in feels and inclines one to go the showroom and their events over and over again and still you can't get over it.

I am looking out for an upgrade next year but Kawasaki dealer in Pune gives no confidence to invest so much amount to their product although Kawasaki as a brand and its performance is unbeatable. Hope Kawasaki India realizes this soon as enforces better Sales / Services as their products.

Cheers,
Amey

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by AbhisheKulkarni

I'd rather keep my hard-earned money with myself than do business with such dealers who are totally incompetent and downright shady in their practices.

Hope Kawasaki wakes up someday and realizes that all is not well with their dealers.

Kawasaki has a fabulous line up of bikes and have to be given credit for the investments that they have made in helping bringing big bikes to the Indian market, many at affordable prices. They also have a good spread of dealerships in India, one that I would never have thought possible for the next 5 years at least. I just checked their website and there are 21 active Kawasaki dealerships with another one opening soon in Calicut which would mean that there are 2 Kawasaki dealerships in Kerala! Their widespread dealerships are their gift. It is also their curse.


From my experience over the past 12 months with Kawasaki (I do not mean to speak on behalf of others who might have had better or worse experiences with the brand), it has been a mixed bag. In Bombay, the new dealership is great and knows how to treat customers very well, both before and after the purchase. On the other hand in Bangalore, there still is a degree of snootiness and Ive been told by the sales guys that the sell enough bikes even without test rides so they dont usually bother with following up on inquiries. Even after you have taken test rides. Plus they also add illegal handling fees like what you have found.


The Cochin dealership is the worst as they have increased the ex showroom prices of bikes since they cannot add handling charges due to strict action from the RTO. Talk about misguided logic! So for the N1000 (I dont know about other Kawasaki bikes), they have illegally increased the ex showroom price from Rs 9.98 lacs to Rs 10.2x as admitted by the sales guys who openly state that they are helpless since its a dealership decision. So as a customer you pay
1. Higher ex showroom price
2. Higher road tax
3. TCS of 1% since it crosses the 10 lac barrier


On the plus side, more potential customers are speaking up about this to the sales folks in Kawasaki Cochin which shows that the market is slowly maturing. This is also why the Cochin dealership was (still is?) sitting on stock of a N1000 when the bike is flying out of dealerships across the country.


Kawasaki has all the right ingredients to dominate and take over the big bike market in India but has shown little in terms of spine to address issues that crop up at a dealership level(we have some unfortunate examples in this forum). As educated potential customers, lets not restrain ourselves to just writing about it on social media and forums. Let us complain to our local RTO for example. Avoid giving such crooked dealers our hard earned money.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Looks like Triumph has increased the prices of the STriple S. So the difference in ex-showroom with the Z900 is more than a lakh now.

Z900 - 7.68L ex showroom.
STriple S - 8.71L ex showroom.

[kicksperliter]

Got a chance to visit RideVentur to check out z650 for my brother who was keen on that specific bike. Got a good response from the sales folks and took a test ride, while my brother wasn't allowed because he wasn't wearing a shoes.

Didn't make much fuss about it though my brother did. I took a ride and I wasn't too happy about it.

I checked out z900 and there was a definitely huge GRIN over my face. I took my brother as a pillion for which I was stopped not to by the sales guys just because my brother didn't have an helmet.

Now I had to convince them for 10 mins to allow him to be a pillion rider to get the feel of the bike, which they relented to.

After few meters, I gave the bike to him for a test ride.

Convinced it's a good commuter, I initiated the booking process.

To my surprise, my brother wasn't eligible for the loan as his take home wasn't 45K and above. I frankly wasn't able to understand the rationale behind this.

I had to book the same in my name and the loan process was initiated.

The overall response from the Dealership so far was OK.

Hoping to have smooth process of delivery formalities.

[v12]

Congrats kicksperliter on booking the Z900. Will wait for a detailed thread once you get delivery - there is not even one on the forum right now.

Regarding the loan, yes that's a pre-requisite depending on the amount of loan you are taking from the bank. They need a minimum amount of salary to ensure the loan amount can be paid.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by kicksperliter

1. While my brother wasn't allowed because he wasn't wearing a shoes.

Originally Posted by kicksperliter

I took my brother as a pillion for which I was stopped not to by the sales guys just because my brother didn't have an helmet.

Now I had to convince them for 10 mins to allow him to be a pillion rider to get the feel of the bike, which they relented to.

After few meters, I gave the bike to him for a test ride.

Originally Posted by kicksperliter

The overall response from the Dealership so far was OK.

Sorry to be blunt - but the dealership was absolutely right on their part. You as a customer was a let down (And you seem pretty OK about it.)

Your brother wasn't wearing helmet nor shoes which are basic protection for his own sake, and the dealership doesn't get anything to take home from him wearing it. They said no for your brother's sake, even if it means a loss of sale.

And you took the workaround and eventually gave the bike to him anyways.

Originally Posted by kicksperliter

To my surprise, my brother wasn't eligible for the loan as his take home wasn't 45K and above. I frankly wasn't able to understand the rationale behind this.

Isn't that the loan process across the nation - irrespective of brands and banks? Unless you are taking the loan on some other mortgage other than salary.

Anyways, congratulations on the booking. And I humbly request you to ensure your brother gets proper riding gear, and incase he already has it - that he uses it at all times. Z900 is a litre class superbike (just 50cc short of the magic figure) and it certainly can be frighteningly fast. Please don't dismiss it as a "commuter".