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A moment of reflection

robermv32

robermv32

Active Member
Yesterday being a rare nice day here in the Northeast, I took out my Streetglide for a 50 mile ride to my dealership. Two things happened there that have given me pause. First, as I entered the building, a modern type dealership, there was a confrontation taking place between a technician and the service manager over the techs assignment. He wanted to leave early but some biker had an issue that required longer hours than the tech wanted to work....the conversation was not friendly or quiet. It just seemed that they should have been somewhere else instead of in front of the customers. Ok, so I moved on...walking around the showroom just looking at the new and used bikes, I spot my former bike, a 2008 FXSTC sitting there. She's beautiful. I put 25,000 miles on her in just two seasons before moving up to the touring class. I was standing there reflecting how that machine represented a more youthful ( mature might fit here) approach to riding than what I do now..anyway, a salesman comes up and asks if I'm interested in the bike. I told him that I had owned it and that it still was a good looking machine. Well, the conversation progressed for awhile and I finally asked what the guy traded for. It was the reply that brings me to the second pause, He didn't trade...he was a school teacher that lost his job and the bike was repossessed. I left the building feeling much different than when I went in.
Strange how all this has come about in my life time...just strange. Maybe I need to go for a ride and clear my head.
 
The tech sounds like he had somewhere else to be, when I need to leave early I punch out and go home
Strange they had such a discussion in public
To some in tough times the bikes is the first thing to go
 
Kind of a bummer day when things happen like that. Fortunately for me I deal with a very professional dealership, I've never seen anything like that happen there, maybe they go to the dyno room and fight it out if they have issues but they keep it off the floor.
On the once owned bike, I've been there. A couple years ago a young man rode into a parking lot on a Deuce I had once owned and really loved, he was smiling and the bike was as clean as I always kept it. A month or so latter I saw it on Craigs List with a caption, "must sell" I felt real bad and I'm sure it was much worse for the young man. Times are so tough and bikes are so special.
 
While I have never experienced an argument between staff at my local dealership, I can tell you that the last two rows of bikes in that building are all repo's. Some are folks who have fallen on hard times, and others are folks who made the wrong decision. Like a previous post said, the bike is the first thing to go.
 
It surely says something about our society when, in hard times, we mortgage the next generation by letting the teachers go.
 
Unfortuntely, as much as I love my '03 RKC, it is one expensive machine to own. I have spent more time and money, in the year and a half I've owned it, on fixing things that crack, break, develop leaks, need disassembly to check, etc, on this scooter than I did the whole 20 years I owned my '73 Sporty.

If I lost my job, the Road King would have to go, since there is no way I could afford to keep it up. The Sporty was so trouble-free that there were times it was my only vehicle, even between jobs. There is no way that could be true with this newer machine.

Don't get me wrong, my Road King is my dream machine, and is becoming as much customized just right for me. It is just discouraging that it is down so much, and that the MOCO has arranged it that so much can only be done by dealers, or purchased as significant mark-ups from dealers. I did almost all my own wrenching on the Sporty. Fortunately, I will likely never see my old Sporty again, since it got put in a container, bound for Amsterdam, the day after I sold her. She was one sweet machine when I was done with her.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
ProF said:
It surely says something about our society when, in hard times, we mortgage the next generation by letting the teachers go.
Click to expand...

I get your point, but not all teachers are worth keeping. Just like everything else, there are good and bad....just saying.
 
As a person who manages people...1st rule is to move personal conflict to private area & discuss. NEVER argue in front of customers so #1 was totally inappropriate & unprofessional. If I was the Mgr - the tech would've been yanked into my office & reprimanded.

Sad deal on the former bike - our world's too upside down...why are educators paid so poorly & entertainment/professional athletes paid so high??? IMO...should be the other way around. Our nations priorities need realignment...JMO.
 
Is not interesting to experience a day from the outside looking in. Times like these make you really think about how fortunate you really are and will remind you how complicated life can be.
 
At any workplace disagreements should be discussed in privacy. It not only looks bad to customers but also other co-workers.

Yes, it is a drag when things get bad enough to force you to sell your bike. For me the house comes first then having a car because I can't drive my bike in the snow.

I sold my Road Glide a couple years back when we were told that a lot of us would be laid off. I got so worried I sold my bike but was lucky enough not to get laid off.

I have my current bike paid off but it would still be the first to go to avoid the cost of insurance and registration and to get the money from selling it if needed.

This time I would wait until the last minute before selling since I lost money on selling my Roadglide.
 
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