Felt sorry for this guy...
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 7,323
Likes: 11,762
From: Omaha,NE
Felt sorry for this guy...
So last weekend my girlfriend and I went to my HD dealer so that she could try on some helmets and look at some Harley swag. As we're browsing, a salesman rings the bell for a happy new HD owner, and we all watch the ceremony and applaud for the 30-something beaming owner. Back to browsing...
About 15 minutes later, we walk out about $400 lighter than when we came in. We walk by the new M8 owner and his salesman as he goes over the bike with him. Since my lady had never been there before, we walked around outside so I could show her where they have the bands and bar for their outdoor events.
With our backs to the parking lot, as we're conversing I heard a bike start up (there weren't many that day; cloudy and cold), then rapidly accelerate then the unmistakable sound of a bike lay-down and slide. I turn to see the new owner on the ground with his now not-so-new bike. I ran over to see if he was ok, and he was (except for the embarrassment of it all), so we hoisted his bike back up again so he could be on his way. He mumbled a "thanks", but that was about all he said.
I felt terrible for this guy, as did my girl. I could tell when he left that he was new to riding; he slid the clutch and barely gave it enough gas to go as he left. Clearly, he was now a little scared of it. I think the throttle response of the M8 caught him off-guard, and he didn't know how to handle the quick turn and then pulled too hard on the front brake.
Can you imagine? "Hey guys, I'll be bringing my new Harley home on Saturday! Come see it." Bummer, dude.
About 15 minutes later, we walk out about $400 lighter than when we came in. We walk by the new M8 owner and his salesman as he goes over the bike with him. Since my lady had never been there before, we walked around outside so I could show her where they have the bands and bar for their outdoor events.
With our backs to the parking lot, as we're conversing I heard a bike start up (there weren't many that day; cloudy and cold), then rapidly accelerate then the unmistakable sound of a bike lay-down and slide. I turn to see the new owner on the ground with his now not-so-new bike. I ran over to see if he was ok, and he was (except for the embarrassment of it all), so we hoisted his bike back up again so he could be on his way. He mumbled a "thanks", but that was about all he said.
I felt terrible for this guy, as did my girl. I could tell when he left that he was new to riding; he slid the clutch and barely gave it enough gas to go as he left. Clearly, he was now a little scared of it. I think the throttle response of the M8 caught him off-guard, and he didn't know how to handle the quick turn and then pulled too hard on the front brake.
Can you imagine? "Hey guys, I'll be bringing my new Harley home on Saturday! Come see it." Bummer, dude.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 376
Likes: 460
From: New Orleans
My buddy was the parts manager at our local dealership, one day they had a lady buy a trike, brought her 85 year old mother with her to give the mom her first ever motorcycle ride. The mom gets on the back, the lady hops on, pins the throttle and dumps the clutch! Trike wheelies into a row of bikes then takes out some landscaping....luckily the mom was ok, a little shaken up but ok.
I wish he had access to the security footage!
I wish he had access to the security footage!
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 7,323
Likes: 11,762
From: Omaha,NE
My buddy was the parts manager at our local dealership, one day they had a lady buy a trike, brought her 85 year old mother with her to give the mom her first ever motorcycle ride. The mom gets on the back, the lady hops on, pins the throttle and dumps the clutch! Trike wheelies into a row of bikes then takes out some landscaping....luckily the mom was ok, a little shaken up but ok.
I wish he had access to the security footage!
I wish he had access to the security footage!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,453
Likes: 249
Heard years ago about a sports bike rider who changed over to a Harley. On the sports bike he was used to putting the bike in gear and blasting of while still on the side stand, tried It on the Harley having just bought it, unfortunately it didn't work and he ended up dumping it on the deck.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: NorCal916
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,945
Likes: 938
From: Up a tree making meth coolaid
Brought an old friend to pick up his new sport bike 15 years ago. Fist thing he did was shoot straight across the street laying flat out Burt Monroe style and down into a ditch. Somehow the bike did an backwards wheelie and spun itself 90 degrees and he managed to keep it upright as it took off back out of the ditch and back onto the road. I was just standing there in the parking lot shaking my head alongside the salesmen.
I hopped in my truck and caught him at the intersection down the street. He then made it about a mile before the next 90 degree left turn which he managed to make half of before shooting clear threw a hedge wall made of roses..... Without a scratch. How I have no idea, but I took the bike from there and told him to meet me in the vacant parking lot at the highschool.
I hopped in my truck and caught him at the intersection down the street. He then made it about a mile before the next 90 degree left turn which he managed to make half of before shooting clear threw a hedge wall made of roses..... Without a scratch. How I have no idea, but I took the bike from there and told him to meet me in the vacant parking lot at the highschool.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 7,707
Likes: 13,990
From: Northern New Jersey
Been riding sport bikes for 40 years. My 2017 Road King is my first HD. I'd be lying if I said screwing up when I picked it up new never entered my mind. The trike story is off the hook crazy ..