Not for everybody?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 14,438
Likes: 2,421
From: Pittsburgh, Pa
So was the guy (maybe) drunk? If he was looking, sitting or buying a trike, I would certainly hope, that word again, that he had a clue what the hell we was doing. If not, then the dealership would let somebody that had no clue how to ride a bike let me take it for a ride or ride it home? Does not make sense to me.
HAD to be drunk....
HAD to be drunk....
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 6,905
Likes: 4,877
From: Midwest
MSF instructors usually have good stories to tell and are a good source of info in this area. I have asked before how many people fail out of the basic riders course when just starting out. The answer was it is usually not a matter of someone outright failing to master the basic skills but just needing more time and being asked to return. They might fail the skills test or just show they need more work when the class wraps up. But they get asked to return another date and when they get a little more instruction and retake the test, they usually pass. Some just need more time. Everyone comes from different backgrounds. Some have never even sat on a bike before. Some already have ridden. The only people they much tell they should pick another activity are those who are an obvious safety risk or those who are too timid. In the latter case, the student usually agrees with the instructor that the activity is just not for them and they just hang it up. This is coming from those who work with newcomers. In fact, my MSF instructor friend has stated the only student she ever outright booted from the class wasn't a student who was in over their head but a very experienced rider. He never got his license and was pulled over one day and his bike towed. He was taking the class to get his license in lieu of going to the BMV for all the testing. First day of riding, he was cocky and arrogant.kept ignoring instructions about keeping speeds in check on the range, showing off to other students etc...Eventually they had enough and the instructors in the class got together and told him to.get off the range and don't come back to the facility in the future.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 10,035
Likes: 10,766
From: SE Michigan
So was the guy (maybe) drunk? If he was looking, sitting or buying a trike, I would certainly hope, that word again, that he had a clue what the hell we was doing. If not, then the dealership would let somebody that had no clue how to ride a bike let me take it for a ride or ride it home? Does not make sense to me.
HAD to be drunk....
HAD to be drunk....
when you haven't trained, and the fecal matter hits the oscillating device, anything can and will happen
you should watch the Chernobyl documentary on HBO...watch what happens when you put a complex machine in the hands of ignorant, misinformed idiots
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 6,905
Likes: 4,877
From: Midwest
This weekend, some purchaser of a blue Electraglide shows up to pick up the bike.
"Can you roll my new bike out?"
Salesman pushes out crushed and mangled bike. "Just a couple scratches. Will buff out in no time."
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 34,573
From: Pine Flat Dam/South Bay Area, CA
Then the customer tells the salesperson "I only buy new motorcycles. I don't want a bike someone else rode".
12:33 on Wednesday afternoon? Lunch break to the dealer to have a look see? I'd spend more breaks there if I had a closer dealer.
Every time I have wanted to test ride something, they have made sure I was licensed to operate that vehicle. So more information on this would be necessary to determine what happened. If he was licensed, I doubt this would have happened. If he wasn't, I find it hard to believe a salesman would allow the person to even start the vehicle, let alone test ride it.
Either way, sucks for the dealer and the salesman may ultimately be held responsible and pay for it with their job. Hope that isn't the case.
Every time I have wanted to test ride something, they have made sure I was licensed to operate that vehicle. So more information on this would be necessary to determine what happened. If he was licensed, I doubt this would have happened. If he wasn't, I find it hard to believe a salesman would allow the person to even start the vehicle, let alone test ride it.
Either way, sucks for the dealer and the salesman may ultimately be held responsible and pay for it with their job. Hope that isn't the case.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 35,795
Likes: 38,536
From: Post Falls, ID
Does a Trike tend to create the impression to uneducated non-riders that it is an "easier" motorcycle to learn how to ride?
Me thinks you need to master a two-wheeler before you move on to a Trike.
Me thinks you need to master a two-wheeler before you move on to a Trike.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,718
Likes: 17,555
From: Driftless Area
That dealer has always been good to me. I took a friend (Licensed!) there, and they let us take a Heritage home. Brought it back the next day. Cool people to deal with, too bad it happened.
They still stock parts for my old stuff too.
They still stock parts for my old stuff too.
