Late nighters---unite!!!

[consitter]

Yup really.

Close to your ride? You going somewhere?

[consitter]

So now I'm gonna bitch a little...

Yesterday, I took my 13 yr old daughter to the Harley dealership with me to get a set of fairing mounted mirrors for my bike. On Saturday, they had them at 50% off their regular price, as was a bunch of other items that were laid out on some tables.

I took them up to the register, and they tried to charge me 10% off instead of 50. That's $40 more. I said, "On Saturday, they were 50% off...what gives?" The guy said, "Well that was priced that way just to get some people in here." I answered him with, "I'm here now. That was not even two business hours ago that you had them 50% off, and you all didn't say they were going back up after Saturday."

Basically, he said too bad for you. And he didn't try to candy coat it. He actually got snippy and told me I should be glad the business was doing 10% off. On top of everything else, there were some outlaw motorcycle clubbers in the shop, I guess having work done, or buying parts. Not only were they wearing their colors, but they were cursing up a storm in normal conversation with the same employee that turned me down for the deeper discount. About 20 F-bombs were dropped in less than 2 minutes. Right in front of my little girl. I took her away from the area, only for the same guys to come to the different part of the shop we went to with the language still going on.

Everywhere these clubbers went--service or parts--the staff was catering to these guys hand and foot. Maybe I'm wrong in thinking this, but I think it's bad business letting any clubber wear their colors while in a motorcycle shop, much less a higher class Harley shop like this one is.

I bought my trike on June 11th. Since then, I've spent over $7K on it. They quibbled with me over 40 bucks. I'm pretty much locked in with them, since I purchased a service plan, and 5 year extended warranty from them. I really can't take my business elsewhere.

My plan is to meet with the general manager when she is back in the shop on Friday. I'm going to spill both stories about the clubbers pretty much running amok in the dealership with children present. And the fact that the parts/service manager basically dismissed me for even asking for the bigger discount that they already had the previous business day. I'm going to take my receipts in from the last 2 months to show her just how much I've spent with her business.

It might not get me anywhere, but at least I'm going to get it off my chest.

[dirtdobber]

Good for you. If nothing is done or said it will continue. It could possibly hurt their business.
When i had a knocking in my primary and drained it to check how much was in it. It was 8 oz short. I put in the poper amount. Then filed a complaint for not doing the job properly. It is quiet now like it should. So if you get a knocking in the primary when you take off when it is rather cold or the clutch, check the fluid.
We going on a 3 day ride. Got cut short this year. Normally it is 10 days. Maybe things will be better in September and i can get a long ride in then. Its the new Trail of Tears ride to OK

[consitter]

Guess what--got a call from the Harley store today that said if I wanted those mirrors at the 50% off price, I could have them! The service writer I deal with all the time kept bugging the operations manager until he gave in. They were even able to put them on for me today. It's weird getting used to 4 mirrors, but they work great. I can see my daughter very well in the original 2, and the road in the new ones.

Still going to talk to the manager about the outlaw bikers if I get a chance. Talked to the manager of motor clothes, and she said the particular club that was in there that day was always a problem, and was much worse than a group of Hells Angels that can in to the store a couple of years back. In fact, she said the HA group was very respectful.

I hope you have an enjoyable trip. Too bad it has to be cut short this year. Take a lot of pictures and post them on this thread.

[consitter]

Back on the thread for another night of talking to myself, I'm guessing.

I've lost DD to the Trail of Tears ride. I sure hope he and the wife are having a good time and good weather.

I'm close to 2000 miles on my TG (1950). I think after I get home in the morning, #1 daughter and I will go on a ride to put it over the 2K mark. It's supposed to rain over the weekend, so I'm gonna put a few miles on it while I can.

Still haven't decided if I'm going to take advantage of the free winter storage from my dealer this year, yet. I don't know if I'll want to keep it close by, so I can go on rides on days that it's warm enough. It's a crap shoot, but even in January and February there's usually about 10 days each month that it goes above 50 degrees for the high. I've rode at those temps all my life. We'll see.

One thing about utilizing the winter storage option that's appealing...if I want any work done, I only have to pay half down to get it done while in storage, then the other half when I get it out.

[dirtdobber]

That is a cool idea!
We are not gone yet. Just a few more days. I really enjoy riding with brothers in the wind, Cherokee Indians memoval ride. They are a great to ride with.
Got the flag pole finished for the ride. It turned out good after my wife did the colors on the pole. We will have plenty of photos, my wife does the photos and I will do a viedo of the ride. Im hopping the 64gig card will hold it.
It took 4 hours to clean the wing. I rater ride than clean. It was past due.looks new again.

[consitter]

Buy a spare card just in case--they're cheap, and you for sure won't miss out on pics you wish you'd have gotten.

I was reading--and this had to be a misprint--that 100,000 riders participate in this ride. The one from Bridgeport to Waterloo is less than 200 miles. It would seem with that many riders, that the back end wouldn't even get started until the front end was all the way to the half-way point.

I went on a ride with about 120 riders this spring on a two wheeler, and I was a nervous wreck. Of course, I had my 12 year old behind me. Still, I would have been nervous by myself too. How do you handle it?

[dirtdobber]

That was in either 2006 or 2007 but I think it was 06. There were 110,000 bikes that stretched 41 miles. Took 2 hours to get the first and last bi I e in.
But that was the Chattanooga ride that ened 3 years agon next month.
The Bridgeport ride hasn't been no where that large. They ride too fast for a lot of bikes to suite me.
We ride with the brothers in the wind, in Cherokee,NC.
They call it the removal ride. It takes longer, a extra day, to get to OK but the ride is laid back, no rush, no stress, just taking it easy.
I have rode with them 4 years counting this year.
Last year there were 11 bikes that went to OK

[clint44]

Working the 7-7 night shift this weekend. Maybe I'll have time to sit a spell and chat.

[consitter]

That was in either 2006 or 2007 but I think it was 06. There were 110,000 bikes that stretched 41 miles. Took 2 hours to get the first and last bi I e in.
But that was the Chattanooga ride that ened 3 years agon next month.
The Bridgeport ride hasn't been no where that large. They ride too fast for a lot of bikes to suite me.
We ride with the brothers in the wind, in Cherokee,NC.
They call it the removal ride. It takes longer, a extra day, to get to OK but the ride is laid back, no rush, no stress, just taking it easy.
I have rode with them 4 years counting this year.
Last year there were 11 bikes that went to OK

That many people (with bikes) in one place just boggles my mind. I just can't picture it.

- - - Updated - - -

Working the 7-7 night shift this weekend. Maybe I'll have time to sit a spell and chat.

I'm right here with ya. Expect mine in 11:30 to 7:30.

[clint44]

Slow nite.

[jaxbobg]

Slow nite.

Sure, but isn't that what makes the night shift so appealing to some folks? Time to get the job done plus time to surf the web, or do some reading, or whatever.

No annoying phone calls, no interruptions from people who want you to drop everything and attend to their particular irrelevant problem.

Of course, that's just a dim memory for me now.

[consitter]

Sure, but isn't that what makes the night shift so appealing to some folks? Time to get the job done plus time to surf the web, or do some reading, or whatever.

No annoying phone calls, no interruptions from people who want you to drop everything and attend to their particular irrelevant problem.

Of course, that's just a dim memory for me now.

Show off.

[jaxbobg]

Show off.

...

It's all good. You'll get there before you know what hit you.

[consitter]

...

It's all good. You'll get there before you know what hit you.

Yeah I know. It actually kinda scares me. 8 years and 9 months is the max I'm allowed to work my job. I CAN retire 14 months earlier, but I figure--what the hey, right?

[jaxbobg]

Yes, you'll see when you get there.

I took early retirement at 56 with a layoff package but eligible for the pension. Then I hung out my shingle and did consulting work for the next 8 years (paid my monthly bills and then some.)

Started taking SS at 65. Now I work volunteer at the local hospital 10 to 15 hours a week. Keeping active and riding in the wind keeps me alive.

Unfortunately, my wife died some years ago, but I have grand-daughters that love to ride. I take them on short road trips several times a year.

[clint44]

My wife took early retirement six years ago and I'm retiring,effective March 1st,but because of accrued vacation time I have,my last day at work will be December 5th. Will have 41yrs,9mos of service with my employer. I'll be 62 in November. Sherry just turned 60,last month.

Very sorry about your wife,Bob.

[dirtdobber]

I retired, not by choice, in 1988 when I was 38.
Battle wounds gave me a medical retirement from the US Army.
At first it was a drag big time. I was used to 24/7. So it was a dragstic change for me

[jaxbobg]

So what do you do to fill your days now?

I guess you are still able to ride, so you're not totally disabled, right?
I can't imagine not being able to keep active every day doing some kind of activities.

Sorry you took the hit so early in life.

[dirtdobber]

I'm not bitter about it. I went to school until they said i couldnt go anymore. I am a certified weled with fabing training on bikes. Winter is the killer for me. Cant hardly go outside, in bed mostly. Just too much metal in me. That is what got me to riding trikes. I really enjoy working with metal. For a while I did custom fabing but it got cloes to getting out of hand. So I only do it for folks that I know or some on the forums. Whey they say it cant be done, that puts me in a mode to figure it out. I usually succeed. Got to go pack, taking a good ride.
I'll post some photos and maybe a viedo.