|
Lynza posted:I would love to have a sit-down with the Japanese bike dealership where I got my bike. Their gear is the saddest, most ridiculously eclectic and worthless selection I've seen. They sell a bunch of leatherdaddy stuff, including luggage, and essentially nothing high-end, not Dainese, except they have Arai helmets. They sell 2 Klim jackets, and then they have a massive selection of lovely gloves. It's like idiots decided on their stock by committee. Let me guess, Beaverton Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha/Kawasaki? I got my sweet A* perf leather jacket there on closeout for $150 back when they were getting rid of all their A* gear to make room for more Fox and Speed & Strength stuff.
|
#
?
Aug 11, 2015 23:45
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 24, 2024 08:06 |
|
|
HotCanadianChick posted:Let me guess, Beaverton Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha/Kawasaki? Got it in one. They're nice folks, and I'd like to see them be successful, but holy poo poo do they not carry anything worthwhile.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 00:41
|
|
|
Jim Silly-Balls posted:The reason I never go to the dealer though is because they never have what I want in stock. "We can order it for you" they say, but I can order it too, faster than the dealer, right to my house and dont have to drive back to the dealer. The reason I'm there is because I want whatever thing NOW and I dont want to wait for shipping. In the UK at least, they've figured this out already. Dealers sell bikes, bike accessories and maybe a couple of bits and pieces if gear, depending on how big they are. Gear shops sell gear, only gear, some accessories, and no bikes. Unless it's a gear shop inside a dealer, like the Infinity branch inside Chiswick Honda (multi-line main dealer), or some one-stop ripoff shop like Millennium, the two are generally separate. The gear shops tend to have a strong online presence too, to supplement their bricks and mortar stores.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 00:44
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 01:40
|
|
|
Their value add went out the window the day bike bandit et al put OE part diagrams online. Combine this with the fact that you're only going to get showroomed for wearables and personal preference items for an activity that lasts 5-6 months in much of the U.S., and there is no reason left to stock anything but consumables. Even then it's overpriced rebranded garbage, as if Yamaha has a refinery somewhere. These places want to sell and service $60K boat$ and jet $ki$ 2 deep in the summer. Honestly, it's a wonder they cede any floor space at all to bikes. And don't get me started on the 42,000 dumbasses who convinced a bank that it would be a good idea to open a cruiser/chopper farkle and customization shop. Their sad piles of ABS plastic Kaiser trinkets are now offered by the lot in storage units across America for ten cents on the dollar. Exception: HD, who still has parts distro and pricing locked down hard. Evil? Maybe, but they don't make boats, thank Christ.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 02:41
|
|
|
Lynza posted:Got it in one. They're nice folks, and I'd like to see them be successful, but holy poo poo do they not carry anything worthwhile. The Yamaha/Suzuki dealer near me here in Gresham isn't any better. Most of their selection is Fly, Fulmer, and Firstgear, and Icon, and Speed & Strength. I just want to try on some Dianese/Revit/RS Taichi/Alpinestars stuff in person before buying it 
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 02:52
|
|
|
Digital_Jesus posted:They don't stock the store for you, they stock it for the average GSXR/R/CBR/Cruiser Rider.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 03:20
|
|
|
Marv Hushman posted:
BRB, million dollar idea in the making.' Imagine a Chris Craft, except made out of hardwood veneer instead of real wood. And loving Brs and Shields and American Flags and Weeping Eagles loving everywhere, twice the price of a 4 Winns or Yamaha or something else reasonable.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 03:35
|
|
|
No. 6 posted:This most recent example, I went to the manufacturer's website where there was a huge advertisement to schedule test rides. I filled out my info and the only response back is what you saw above. This has happened to me many times and I don't understand the disconnect between manufacturers encouraging test rides and their dealers never allowing. Because the dealers are the ones that ultimately have to suck on it. Imagine if you owned your own dealership. Sure you might be gung ho about giving test rides at first, but I guarantee after the first idiot that wrecks and/or sues, your tune is gonna change really quick. It sucks that dealers have to be dicks about test rides, but if you put yourself in their shoes it's understandable. My guess is the dealers that do it freely have good lawyers and are prepared/can afford any idiots crashing their bikes and suing them.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 16:11
|
|
|
My local dealer will do test rides... if you're a second time buyer. They don't give first-time buyers test rides unless its a demo day event or something because they basically wanna know you've got the cash and/or credit to buy something and aren't just coming in to joyride their poo poo and leave.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 16:36
|
|
|
Radbot posted:Harley is run by people that actually know how to run a business - giving people demo rides, staying open on Sundays, and having nice dealerships is expensive, but it sells expensive bikes with fat profit margins. My experience with most moto dealerships is that they're run by people that are aggressively retarded and have no data-centric business sense. Every time I see a dealer that closes at 6PM weekdays and all Sunday I wonder if they're interested in doing business with employed people... It's something I wonder a lot.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 16:44
|
|
|
They're actually probably interested in working with people who have stable jobs and money, who are able to take time off of work or adjust their schedule if they want to go vehicle shopping.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 16:50
|
|
|
What is this "time off" of which you speak? 
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 17:14
|
|
|
Digital_Jesus posted:They're actually probably interested in working with people who have stable jobs and money, who are able to take time off of work or adjust their schedule if they want to go vehicle shopping. I only ever saw retirees looking at cruisers or mid-20s guys ducking out of his job at lunch to finance a bike at 17%. EDIT: I guess a retiree probably counts as stable. NeuralSpark fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Aug 12, 2015 |
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2015 18:43
|
|
|
clutchpuck posted:Every time I see a dealer that closes at 6PM weekdays and all Sunday I wonder if they're interested in doing business with employed people... Working at the Harley dealer, we were only open past 6 on Thursdays, and I rarely saw anyone past 630. And Sundays are run with a skeleton crew. The owner decided to start opening on Sundays because one customer impulse bought a bike from another dealer.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 02:48
|
|
|
Digital_Jesus posted:They're actually probably interested in working with people who have stable jobs and money, who are able to take time off of work or adjust their schedule if they want to go vehicle shopping. Yes, people who have tons of free time on weekdays are usually rich and stable, agreed. Not like us poor corporate jerks who get weekends off, no sir. The only reason dealerships have law-mandated days off is so they can have a day off without worrying about their competition poaching their customers. It's pretty stupid. Radbot fucked around with this message at 16:43 on Aug 13, 2015 |
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 16:41
|
|
|
I mean... for the entirety of my corporate career I could take a day off when I wanted to do something at a place with hard-to-reach hours. I don't see how taking personal time to go buy a bike is an issue. Feel free to be mad though. Wouldn't be CA otherwise. You should open your own dealer and show those guys whats up and why they're all so wrong.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 16:48
|
|
|
Digital_Jesus posted:I mean... for the entirety of my corporate career I could take a day off when I wanted to do something at a place with hard-to-reach hours. I don't see how taking personal time to go buy a bike is an issue. I'm not mad, I'm a business analyst who realizes that staying open on weekends, for most retail establishments, is the primary decision that makes them profitable. And I can take a day off too, sure. Plenty of people can't just waltz away from our desks for hours like we can. That's the advantage to having worked a real job before getting a desk job - empathy.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 16:49
|
|
|
You'll have to pardon me for not feeling heartfelt discomfort at knowing that some people can't buy a bike on tuesday afternoon. Truly the greatest crime of our corporate overlords.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 16:52
|
|
|
Digital_Jesus posted:You'll have to pardon me for not feeling heartfelt discomfort at knowing that some people can't buy a bike on tuesday afternoon. Truly the greatest crime of our corporate overlords. What do corporate overlords have to do with this?
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 19:42
|
|
|
Radbot posted:What do corporate overlords have to do with this? They make me post poorly.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2015 20:27
|
|
|
Radbot posted:I'm not mad, I'm a business analyst who realizes that staying open on weekends, for most retail establishments, is the primary decision that makes them profitable. Ever notice how the definition of closing time in retail has d/evolved? Used to be if you got there by X:00, you could enter the store and out of a sense of decency, make a beeline for what you needed and move it along, with or without a very polite announcement. Today, closing time is I THE STORE MANAGER WILL HAVE MY CAR IN GEAR AT X:00:01 AND I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO START SHUTTING OFF LIGHTS AND SHOVING PEOPLE OUT THE DOOR 30 MINUTES PRIOR.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 01:42
|
|
|
Probably because that store manager is underpaid and treated like garbage by basically everyone.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 01:59
|
|
|
Marv Hushman posted:Ever notice how the definition of closing time in retail has d/evolved? Used to be if you got there by X:00, you could enter the store and out of a sense of decency, make a beeline for what you needed and move it along, with or without a very polite announcement. Today, closing time is I THE STORE MANAGER WILL HAVE MY CAR IN GEAR AT X:00:01 AND I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO START SHUTTING OFF LIGHTS AND SHOVING PEOPLE OUT THE DOOR 30 MINUTES PRIOR. Were you one of my employees when I was a retail manager? Also you forgot the store manager probably smoked a lot of weed. 
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 02:10
|
|
|
Marv Hushman posted:Ever notice how the definition of closing time in retail has d/evolved? Used to be if you got there by X:00, you could enter the store and out of a sense of decency, make a beeline for what you needed and move it along, with or without a very polite announcement. Today, closing time is I THE STORE MANAGER WILL HAVE MY CAR IN GEAR AT X:00:01 AND I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO START SHUTTING OFF LIGHTS AND SHOVING PEOPLE OUT THE DOOR 30 MINUTES PRIOR. That's because your old and remember a time when stores weren't corporate. If manager and staff aren't out they have to justify why they went over on payroll.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 02:11
|
|
|
Chichevache posted:That's because your old and remember a time when stores weren't corporate. If manager and staff aren't out they have to justify why they went over on payroll. Right, so you adjust your real vs advertised hours accordingly in the interest of not being the last brick and mortar on earth. The obnoxious late shifters have already set up strategic blockades of restock by this time anyway, so it's not like the stragglers have total freedom of movement.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 02:37
|
|
|
So I'm a bit under the weather and had a massive sneeze attack in the middle of riding home from work, had to pull over until it was done. That was interesting 
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 06:06
|
|
|
leica posted:So I'm a bit under the weather and had a massive sneeze attack in the middle of riding home from work, had to pull over until it was done. That was interesting Did... did you have to clean your visor? 
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 06:22
|
|
|
Chichevache posted:Did... did you have to clean your visor? Haha, visor, good one. More like cleaning the air vents and inside the chin.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 10:53
|
|
|
leica posted:So I'm a bit under the weather and had a massive sneeze attack in the middle of riding home from work, had to pull over until it was done. That was interesting gently caress allergies.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 11:48
|
|
|
One more reason modular helmets rock. Not that you can really flip the lid while riding above 20-30mph, and pulling over while your eyes are half shut because you're queueing a really big sneeze is a shaky proposition at best, but still!
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 12:04
|
|
|
I keep some of those antiseptic/antibacterial wipes where I keep my helmet at home so I can occasionally swab out the inside. Very helpful.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 17:30
|
|
|
I have those too but at this point (4 years; multiple trips to South Dakota, Texas, Nevada) it's so desperately dirty I just hope my immune system can do its job in there. Next helmet will have a removable and washable liner.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 18:09
|
|
|
gently caress everything about today's weather; half a month's worth of rain in one day all day, plus a loving sinkhole happened in the city center. All of my gear has been waterlogged the whole day with nowhere to dry, and on the way home I went through a massive puddle the length of a small back road without any socks on 
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 18:44
|
|
|
Lynza posted:I keep some of those antiseptic/antibacterial wipes where I keep my helmet at home so I can occasionally swab out the inside. Very helpful. The cheap ones that are just alcohol are really good for cleaning dead bugs off the outside of your visor too. Boots sells them in little individual sachets that are nice and easy to keep in your jacket pocket.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 21:03
|
|
|
Marv Hushman posted:Ever notice how the definition of closing time in retail has d/evolved? Used to be if you got there by X:00, you could enter the store and out of a sense of decency, make a beeline for what you needed and move it along, with or without a very polite announcement. Today, closing time is I THE STORE MANAGER WILL HAVE MY CAR IN GEAR AT X:00:01 AND I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO START SHUTTING OFF LIGHTS AND SHOVING PEOPLE OUT THE DOOR 30 MINUTES PRIOR. We lock the doors at closing time and begin our closing duties. The majority of people who walk in at the last minute (for our store) "just want to look around" and leave a mess. We don't kick anyone out and only ask people to leave of they're here half an hour past closing. I'm sorry* if people can look up our phone number but not our hours and expect us to open every helmet box when they walk in at the last minute. We're open seven days a week. *I'm not sorry.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 21:13
|
|
|
Pope Mobile posted:We're open seven days a week. I don't fret closing time very much if the hours on the weekend aren't early/limited/one day only. I realize Sunday/Monday is the traditional "go racing and get home/recover" schedule but how many dealers actually campaign a team?
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 21:17
|
|
|
We're not a dealer but sponsor racers,both street and dirt. Only dealer I know for sure had a team closed years ago.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 21:26
|
|
|
Chichevache posted:Did... did you have to clean your visor? I wear a motocross helmet, but yeah I had to clean out the mouth guard part, it was pretty gross  I'm just glad I was on a an empty road late at night, woulda sucked if that happened in the middle of a three lane packed with traffic. Years ago I had a wasp fly up the sleeve of my jacket while I was on the interstate with cars all around me, basically had to take the pain until I could pull over, by the time I could get it out of my loving sleeve I must have been stung eight or nine times. Good times!
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2015 22:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 24, 2024 08:06 |
|
|
I want the CHP to run some sort of campaign saying lane splitting is legal for all the angry fuckwits in my area. I've just gotten my license after passing the riding test and having my permit for 6 months, but, still like to practice every day. There's nice outlets near the mall that have an unfinished parking lot to the side, and I've been practicing u-turns, threshold braking and one foot stopping for the past few weeks there since it's huge and always empty. The exit to this area though is horribly designed - Traffic always seems to back up through the whole area, as the lights let only a handful of cars out at a time. Instead of dying in the 100+ degree heat, I do the smart thing and filter between two turn lanes to the front. Normally I get a few honks for whatever reason, but, today I had two cars I was filtering past blast their horn and attempt to block my path by swerving out of their lane  And some guy at the very front in his truck yell something about cheating to me (Light went green, didn't wait around for angry truck guy). I don't understand either, there's plenty of bikes in the area, and virtually all of them filter, so, this can't be a new concept to these people. I guess something about being stuck in a slowly moving traffic jam in the fancy part of town brings out the worst in people. Just a simple "Blocking motorcycles filtering is illegal, blah blah" on TV is all I'd like.
|
|
#
?
Aug 17, 2015 21:02
|
|
