My friend's shop is very professional until 6PM on Fridays. Then the parking lot looks like a bike show, and the stereo gets turned up, People show up with more beer.
Once in a while, someone fills a rubber glove with pure oxygen or acetylene from the cutting torch, goes outside and lights it. In the summer, all 8 bay doors are open.
Sometimes a bike gets worked on, with advice on how to do it from about 10-12 guys.

 

Harley corporate doesn't want to deal with a small mom and pop dealer selling 5 bikes a year. They want the large conglomerate with several large dealerships selling hundreds of bikes per year. That's why dealerships nowadays are huge buildings with 50+ bikes in them, a huge merchandise section and a large parts department.

Don't think this is limited to Harley either. I know of two small John Deere dealerships that are no longer in existence because JD corporate didn't renew their contract.

Yes, I loved the dealerships of 30 years ago also but we aren't living in those times anymore. My world is the same. The days of Marcus Welby, MD are long gone. Your corner family doctor that makes house calls with their office in the basement of their house is a memory. Now, you go to a doctor's office that has ten doctors seeing hundreds of patients per day. You wait an hour to be seen for 5 minutes, pay your $20 copay and then leave with a smile and the KY jelly still dripping out of your *******. A few weeks later you get your EOB from the insurance company explaining why they paid the doctor pennies on the dollar and that you owe the doctor 90% of the bill.

 

You guys spend too much time at dealers, and not enough time riding.

 

Boy that does bring back some fond memories. I remember going to the largest Harley dealer in Portland and was looking at one of the six bikes on the showroom complete with dirty display cases with almost nothing in them. The wrench/owner/sales guy come out of the back and asked if I was interested in a new Harley, and then said he was ready for a ride just pick one of the bikes out and lets go. He rolled down the garage door, lock the side door and we went for a couple hour ride, OH YEA.

 

I am going to disagree. Have you been to harley dealer? Get your wife some nice shoes, maybe a purse to match her new blouse. Get yourself ring, to match belt buckle. Sneak in something to put on wall of living room. I like the new metal eagle and bar and shield myself But most of the clothes are to causual friday yuppie for me.

 

the 80's called, they want their term for boujee folks back....c'mon....who still refers to them as yuppies?

 

You don't hear it. But it is what us peasants call the people on CVOs.
Have you heard the names for the new colors? An interior decorator came up with them.
Pick your wife up a nice bracelet and get the infinity necklace with earrings go with it. Maybe the signature earrings and clutch to put them when you go riding

 

Get some fuzzy slippers for after the ride, no one will ask why they are size 11.

 

I will proudly admit I'm going back more than 30 years ago, back when asked why I owned and rode a Harley my reply was always "if I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand". Some people get it and ride, some people have garage queens and will never understand.

From the movie Wild Hogs: Damien Blade : Why do you think I don't wear the colors, Jack? Why do you think I ride alone? 'Cause you don't know about it anymore. I think you all oughta get back on your bikes and go out and ride the highway until you remember what riding's all about.

Red : Let it go, Jack.

Jack : [turns to face the four, then to Damien, pats his shoulder] Ok, Pop.

Damien Blade : [shakes his head, smiling] Takes after his mom.

[Jack gets on his bike and leaves, the Del Fuegos follow]

 

I heard a couple of years ago, (have not fact checked) that the Moco has more revenue in tee shirt sales than Indian does in motorcycle sales.