New rider at the bike dealer

amsctalx

Registered
It was inevitable...

Salesman: "Can I help you?"

Customer: "This is the Hay-busa (sic), right?"

S: "In fact, this is a 2002 Special Edition Hayabusa..."

C: "S$#t...uglier than the movie-bike, looks way different..."

S: "...huuh?"

C: [Looks at the salesman like, well...an idiot] "There ain't no chrome on this..."

S: "Ah, well, most sport bikes aren't chromed by the factory."

Blah-blah-blah, blah blah blah-blah...I walk away...

Later:

Salesman: Blah-blah-blah "Thank you, you'll love it...now, would you like to take this opportunity to get a new helmet or jacket? We'll give you XX% off today."

Customer: [Here it comes -] "Yeah, my friend was tellin me that I have to get a helmet. That sucks, I'm seein' dudes with no helmets in, like, Chicago and s#$t all the time...what happens if I don't put on a helmet?"

S: "You can get a ticket..."

...and on, and on, and on...

Thanks to the producers, directors and writers of "Biker Boyz" for introducing new blood to the sport.

Time to take my Lithium again...

Mike
 
Next this guy will pull up next to one of us with shorts, tank top, and thongs on and want to race. Oooh boy....
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My only consolation is that with the weather the way it is in MI, he probably has a month to learn how to ride. That is assuming, of course, that he buys the finest instructional tapes like:
Return of Mach III
Ghost Rider
Judgement Day

Then he'll be read to go when the ice melts!
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Mike
 
I dont mean to come down on anybody but, you as the salesman for a dealership (that supposedly cares) should not have sold him that bike. There is a certian policy that would allow that unless you are too concerned about makin that commision. Like in the restraunts...no shoes, no shirt, no service. same with bikes. You just made the idiot sign his own death warrant. The dealerships here work on commision and anything bigger than say a Katana 750, they will not sell as a first bike. They refuse to. Any dealer here on this Island will profess to that. Geeze I better stop or this will probably end up about a 2 page post. At least now you know my opinion.
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hmmm, I don't know. Any idiot could easily kill themselves on any bike, I think it all boils down to the individual. What's worse killing yourself at 120 on a 500 150 on a 6 or 180 on a Bus? Dead is dead. Just an angle that I think some people over look /soapbox
 
I dont mean to come down on anybody but, you as the salesman for a dealership (that supposedly cares) should not have sold him that bike. There is a certian policy that would allow that unless you are too concerned about makin that commision. Like in the restraunts...no shoes, no shirt, no service. same with bikes. You just made the idiot sign his own death warrant. The dealerships here work on commision and anything bigger than say a Katana 750, they will not sell as a first bike. They refuse to. Any dealer here on this Island will profess to that. Geeze I better stop or this will probably end up about a 2 page post. At least now you know my opinion.  
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I don't know about that. A guy of legal age with legal money has a right to buy whatever he wants. I would think he could sue the dealership if they refused. The salesman has a job and it is not to protect the public. The legislature could make some additional laws to do that, but I personally don't hold dealers responsible for squids. Its not like the buyer was drunk and the dealer served him alcohal. If that buyer pulls down the street and the cop stopped him because he wasn't wearing a helmet, he also couldn't do anything but give the guy a ticket. If a cop can't do anything, how can we load all that responsibility on a salesman who has mouths to feed?

And that's my opinion.
 
C: ...what happens if I don't put on a helmet?"

S: "You can get a ticket..."
Wheres the part you tell him about dying or being a veggie.?

I've had street bike that would run circles around a hurricaine 1100 before...when I was green on the street.

before my busa purchase, we heard about all the cons, and the pros from a lifelong experienced rider.

Amsctalx: I would hope you can distinguish a non-rider from a rider. non-rider getting the "hey that 600 can do some kewl stunts", the good rider getting the "yea, Busa rules the road".

you get my point.

not bitter here, but I would not give a stick of dynamite to a pyro.



to edit after your statement that I copied:
C: ... what happens if I don't put on a helmet?
S: You can get a ticket.
edit: S: that is the difference between dying on the street or getting a chance to live.
 
C: ...what happens if I don't put on a helmet?"

S: "You can get a ticket..."
Wheres the part you tell him about dying or being a veggie.?
Cache -

That is a really good point. The answer is:

I no longer volunteer my opinion to strangers, or almost anyone else, on issues such as this. I am simply tired of doing it.

I started riding when I was about 12. Myself and a friend assembled a Bultaco dirtbike out of about three "junkers". The first thing that we did after we got it to run was to get our parents to buy us helmets. It never occured to me, even as a dumb-ass kid, to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.

I have been promoting helmet and gear usage among the people that I have come in contact with since I was about eighteen. I have been attempting to help people make reasonable, fun decisions about bike purchases for almost as long. What I have found is that the people that approach me for input listen about 40-50% of the time. The rest...maybe 5%-tops.

True story:
My wife and I are leaving the local Suzuki-Yamaha-Aprilia dealer one Saturday last summer. We had driven our pick-up, as we had purchased a part that we needed to finish some maintenance on the Busa. We noted as we were leaving that a salesman was delivering a Bandit 1200 to a customer.

The first that that struck us was what he was wearing. T-shirt, gym shorts and running shoes (without socks). On the tank was an obviously new KBC helmet. As we walked closer, we could see and hear the saleman giving the guy basic instructions. Very basic instructions. Instructions like "Pull this lever here (points at clutch) when you come to a stop, or need to shift" and "The lever by your left foot is the shifter...pull it up with your toe to go up one gear".

I was appalled. But I wasn't ready for what happened next. His "friend" had waited patiently through the entire process, and they were now ready to leave. "Friend" rides up to the street and waits. "Bandit Guy" pulls his helmet on, and does not secure the strap. Can't remember how to start the bike, salesman shows him how one last time. Tentatively he pulls in the clutch, looks at the shifter. Pushes the shifter down and the bike clunks into gear.

"BG" is startled by the noise and lets go of the clutch lever. The bike lurches two feet and stalls. "BG" had let go of the bars and had almost fallen off during the lurch. The bike tips over, but "BG" manages to keep it from hitting the ground. OH MY GOD...

I start walking forward. My wife touches my sleeve, and reminds me of what happened the last time I tried to help someone in a simliar situation. I stop and watch. "BG" starts the bike, puts it in gear lets out the clutch...and stalls. After the fifth time, I simply can't take it any more.

Me: "Hey, that's a nice bike..."
BG: "Thanks."
Me: "You know, the clutches on new bikes can be kinda touchy sometimes. I have my pickup here, with my tow stuff" (a Pingle tire bracket and a set of straps - I never leave home without them). "I'd be happy to help you get that home, so you can break it in there."
BG: "I know your trying to do me a favor, but just mind your own business. My friend taught me how to do this."

"BG" pulls his visor down, end of conversation. He stalled it at least 10 more times trying to get it to the rode, about 80 feet away. Gets on the road, stalls it several more times, and passes out of visual range.

Exactly how do you help people like that? Take the keys? Call their mommy? And this has happened a hundred times before. People that want help will seek it out. People that don't will typically be offended when you offer it to them without solicitation.

That's why I don't intervene anymore. In my experience - it doesn't help. That's why I just mutter a silent prayer for these folk, and move on down the line...

Mike
 
Have money will buy...Didn't read everything but basically...If they have the money or can get the financing sell it to them...It is all about the Benjamin's...And you can't tell people these days right and wrong...So make that money...
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Riding gear? We dont need no stinking gear!

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Seriously, outa curiousity anyone here ride with out a lid?
Yes all the time. Whenever we go to the beach. We cruise around usually under 15mph and in traffic. I prefer my helmet, but ocassionally I don't if it is slow riding, no stunt stuff. I have a total hip replacement from an a bad accident. I was wearing my gear that time. I see the no helemt deal as playing with fire. I would cruise the highway or hang wheelies with out it. I respect the bike a lot more on those beach trips.
 
Seriously, outa curiousity anyone here ride with out a lid?
When I lived in CT (where there is no helmet law) a friend of mine bought a GS500 and we rode it all the time without helmets. However you did stay to side roads and never highways. I still think that if GA would lift the helmet law here I might go out once and a while without it. The couple of times I went down the block without the helmet my eyes started to water so bad at 20mph I couldn't see very good. So I don't know if I would try it on the road or not. We'll see.(well kinda haha)
 
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