With some hesitation, I went bike shopping at Blac...

With some hesitation, I went bike shopping at Blackfoot. Their reputation was already tainted by my experiences with their overly bureaucratic policies around parts: a $4.90 gasket for my dirtbike also required a $5 "special order" fee. After questioning the parts counter they directed me to a senior person who piped on about increasing costs in the industry. Seriously? A 100% shipping charge??Needless to say I now acquire my parts elsewhere.

Unfortunately Blackfoot is the only BMW dealer in Calgary so I did some pricing between them and Argyll Motorsports in Edmonton. Argyll gave me their best price with some incentives; I asked Blackfoot if they would match but they said they wouldn't match anything without something in writing. Also, they said they didn't have access to the specific bike until well into the summer. Sent them a follow-up email and received no response. Went back to Argyll who not only found me the bike, but were willing to bring it from Ontario within 2 weeks. They also gave a special deal on a GPS. Done deal. I guess if Blackfoot needs something in writing, I can show them the bill of sale from Argyll...

Blackfoot has clearly gotten too big and bureaucratic, and there is an underlying sense of arrogance from management. I just don't understand how, under the gloom of our current economy, when a customer comes in to buy a $35K bike they don't put in the effort. I certainly am not going to do a lot of work to BUY a bike, but I would expect some effort from a company to SELL one.

I guess it's karma when bureaucracy around a $5 part helps to kill a $35,000 sale.