Free Demo Rides at Locale HD dealer

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airboss

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Riding passed our local HD dealer I saw the free demo rides banner.

being curious, I rode the FJR into the lot, and parked it in the motorcycles only parking right beween two fatboys.

I guess this is where things started to go wrong, and I learned a few lessions.

1. do not park your Fjr next to the fatboys, the salesman who's showing them will give you a real nasty look, and the people looking at the HD's will cover your bike with fingerprints while your away.

2. if you are wear all your gear and carry a full face helmet, no one will acknowledge your existence. you are a non person.

3. T shirts cost $37.50

4. the Demo ride schedule is full--no space available. No matter how long you say you can wait.

 
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Airboss:

The dealer I work for would welcome you with open arms. Some of us have "the attitude" and some of us don't.

Dave

 
The last time I needed a rear tire mounted, I called the local HD dealer, told 'em what I had, he said "No problem, 25 bucks, bring it on in". When I got there, I quickly realized that the person on the phone was not at the counter to greet me, and the guy there looked at my wheel like it might as well have been a dead cat.

I told him the phone story and quoted price. "Did you want it balanced too?"

About that time one of the techs came out front and commented on the unusual shaft drive engagement gear. He was looking at my ABS ring. I diplomatically explained the part, pointed out that the engagement gear was on the other side of the wheel, and told the guy at the counter that I would just take it to the Yamaha dealership, then left. The price with balancing was more like 40 bucks.

Luckily, the kid at the local motosports accessories store recently bought a tire machine. He charges $15.00 total, lets me watch, and it's free if you buy the tire from him (and he discounts the price). Guess where my future tires are coming from? I wish he ran a dealership.

 
A few years ago when I tried "the Harley thing", the dealer I went to would NOT let you do demo test rides. In fact after I paid over retail for the first bike they STILL wouldn't let me ride one before I bought a second bike. Now this may sound bad to you, but I can imagine that this primo dealership in a major metro area would have hundreds of tire kickers wasting their time and machines.

So I RENTED one (twice) for a day. Even rented one since then when my Harley was down for service. Not broken, just "farkling". They gave me a brand new bike for the absolute least amount of rental. I rode it a couple hundred miles. It was fun beating up on their bike.

I think the local 'ship would let me ride about anything...used. But I ain't goin' that direction. I think if I go for a cruiser bike, I'll probably try a Victory. That dealer WILL change my tires and balance them. For $15. Nice guys!

Maybe the demo ride is one loop around the parking lot?

Now those who rode demos at WFO got a REAL DEMO RIDE!!!!!!

 
Cycle Connections in Joplin,MO offers free demo rides! I was there this spring and tested all the Buells and even a Street Rod(V-Rod).

If i was ever in the market to buy a Harley, They would get my buisiness since they support my community so well. They welcome ALL bikers :)

 
I really think what market you're in has a great deal to do with it. In Vegas, my buddy says no dice on test rides. Here in Northwest NJ, just had the Blue Knights MC Make-A-Wish where Mrs. Yamahlr and I helped cook over 31 lbs of bacon and untold dozen eggs for breakfast. Local H-D dealer had six bikes to take for a spin. After the ride left, had some time before the lunch crowd came in, he told me take it as long as you want to it has a full tank. Rode the FLHX Street Glide, pretty nice bike but no dice w/ the lowered suspension. Rear has about 2 inches of travel (no exageration!)

 
The last time I needed a rear tire mounted, I called the local HD dealer, told 'em what I had, he said "No problem, 25 bucks, bring it on in". When I got there, I quickly realized that the person on the phone was not at the counter to greet me, and the guy there looked at my wheel like it might as well have been a dead cat.
I told him the phone story and quoted price. "Did you want it balanced too?"

About that time one of the techs came out front and commented on the unusual shaft drive engagement gear. He was looking at my ABS ring. I diplomatically explained the part, pointed out that the engagement gear was on the other side of the wheel, and told the guy at the counter that I would just take it to the Yamaha dealership, then left. The price with balancing was more like 40 bucks.

You needed a tire mount and balance job for your Feejer, so you called a Harley Dealer?

Why?

If your intention was to antagonize them it sounds like you succeeded :D .

 
Airboss:The dealer I work for would welcome you with open arms. Some of us have "the attitude" and some of us don't.

Dave
dhalen, I understand that there are Dealers, and then there are dealers. I just found it amusing at this dealer that you could walk around in full (bug gut incrusted) gear and helmet and be completely invisible, yet if you came tru the door looking like you just fell out the back of a garbage truck they were all over you.

 
Airboss:

The dealer I work for would welcome you with open arms. Some of us have "the attitude" and some of us don't.

Dave
dhalen, I understand that there are Dealers, and then there are dealers. I just found it amusing at this dealer that you could walk around in full (bug gut incrusted) gear and helmet and be completely invisible, yet if you came tru the door looking like you just fell out the back of a garbage truck they were all over you.
I am more pro Harley than many on this forum, but in my neck of the woods, the statement made by airboss holds true at my local dealer's store. I have been ignored multiple times when wearing riding gear. (Maybe cause I was looking at the Buells; I don't know.)

 
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You needed a tire mount and balance job for your Feejer, so you called a Harley Dealer?Why?
Someone here suggested them, as they deal with shiny rims all the time. My favorite local dealer couldn't get to it that day, I had a ride planned for the next day, and the other dealer scratched up my rims the only time I let them touch 'em. My intention was to get a rear tire mounted without getting the rim damaged.
 
As I've traveled the road of life I've learned a couple of valuable things. One is that virtually everything depends on people and personalities. Second thing is that some people are just DICKS. Yup, no matter what they do, where they are, what kind of bike they ride, they're just DICKS!

 
Airboss:

The dealer I work for would welcome you with open arms. Some of us have "the attitude" and some of us don't.

Dave
dhalen, I understand that there are Dealers, and then there are dealers. I just found it amusing at this dealer that you could walk around in full (bug gut incrusted) gear and helmet and be completely invisible, yet if you came tru the door looking like you just fell out the back of a garbage truck they were all over you.
I agree with your observation and have experienced similar treatment in other stores. This is actually the first Harley dealer to sincerely acknowledge my presence and treat me like a customer regardless of what I rode in on or how I was dressed. The owners are both motorcyclists and seem to "get it" better than most Harley dealers which I have visited over the years. They were also raised in the automobile business and their car dealerships have a similar reputation for being extremely friendly and customer oriented. I enjoyed my first experience with them so much that I went to work for them running their rider training program.

Dave

 
I enjoyed my first experience with them so much that I went to work for them running their rider training program.
Cool, now some of them will know how to ride. I got behind a cruiser in the Corolla yesterday on my way to work. By his move into the left turn lane, I could tell he was a leaner. Then, he blistered the freeway onramp 270 degree banked turn at 25 mph, but it didn't look very smooth. Maybe because he was checking his mirror to make sure I didn't run him over. There's a bunch of 'em running around that are a menace to themselves.
 
Airboss:The dealer I work for would welcome you with open arms. Some of us have "the attitude" and some of us don't.

Dave
+1

It really is dealer dependent. Mike's HD in Wilmington can suck my hair anatomy. However, at Hannum's, I've taken several HDs out for rides riding in on my jap bikes, just for asking. I've also taken all three of my jap bikes in to Hannums to get inspection done, and offered to let them take my FJR and Burgman for rides because they were really impressed with them. To date I've been offered, and have been granted (after asking) exactly ZERO test rides on new bikes at ANY jap bike dealers. Used, older bikes, yes. New models? No. The notion of "test ride events" is complete and utter ********.

 
Airboss:

The dealer I work for would welcome you with open arms. Some of us have "the attitude" and some of us don't.

Dave
+1

It really is dealer dependent. Mike's HD in Wilmington can suck my hair anatomy. However, at Hannum's, I've taken several HDs out for rides riding in on my jap bikes, just for asking. I've also taken all three of my jap bikes in to Hannums to get inspection done, and offered to let them take my FJR and Burgman for rides because they were really impressed with them. To date I've been offered, and have been granted (after asking) exactly ZERO test rides on new bikes at ANY jap bike dealers. Used, older bikes, yes. New models? No. The notion of "test ride events" is complete and utter ********.
I've had good and bad experiences at HD dealers. Some offer test rides and some don't. Classic HD in Reading has been pretty good when I have stopped in and offered rides on just about anything.

As far as Japanese bikes I agree that it is almost impossible to get a demo. The only place that has ever offered to allow me a demo ride was Martin Moto in Pottstown. I bought my FZ6 from them and stop in every now and then to check out new bikes. I was told if I was interested in purchasing a certain bike they would be more than willing to let me take it out first to see if it was what I really wanted. Before I bought my FJR they said when they got one in I could take it out for a test ride. They even have an AE on the floor that they let you demo. I was told they just don't like people who want to come in for a joyride to take their bikes out.

 
The only Harley demo rides I ever participated in were at Americade. The Harley staff was very nice. Riding the bikes was the disappointing part. They look nice and sound nice but I thought they were a big snooze. Slow, ill handling with poor ergonomics. The 1200 Sportster was so bad I almost brought it back early. Even with the new rubber engine mount system I still had to count my fillings when I get back to make sure none had shaken loose. My old 750 Nighthawk felt like a superbike by comparison. Just my 2 cents.

 
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