| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
So, this young man buys a new Sportster Custom at our dealership, apparently conning the staff into believing that he has some motorcycle experience. As my wife picks me up from work, I see him come around the building, come to a stop, and immediately topple over. I ran to help but he had it gathered up before I could reach him. His wife, following behind, shakes her head in disbelief. He starts down the road, very shakey. It's hard to imagine such a heavy steering vehicle can be so unstable in anyone's hands. The guy gets so scared he slows to about 15mph (in a 30mph zone) for some easy turns, turns that I've taken at over 55 on a stock Sporty, and regularly take at over 65 on the Buell with no problems. A line of cars forms and he weaves and wobbles, and careens completely to the other side of the road, almost hitting the curb on the right, and almost running into the woods going left. All this time I can hear his wife screaming behind him. The guy has to stop in the middle of the road and walk the bike through a 90 degree turn. We follow and offer some help. Any reasonable person would've gone right back to the dealership and had the bike delivered. This guy wasn't one of those. I offered to ride the bike for him to his home, and he declined saying that he had it, and he "just needed to get used to it." My wife was very concerned. I told her he was going to ride it sooner or later anyway. The scary part is that he lived in an area where he would have to traverse the busiest and most dangerous road in this area to get there. We drove past a local police officer and flagged him down. I explained the situation after which he asked if he was drunk and whether or not he had his endorsement. I told him that he wasn't drunk but couldn't ride a straight line anyway and that I'd seriously doubt he had an endorsement. He paused for a moment, and then said that it was out of his jurisdiction and that I should call the local Sheriff's office. I thought that was a rather poor reply seeing as he had no problem giving me a ticket a couple years ago only one block away. | ||
| Liquorwhere |
Man my first week at HD Port Charlotte...this guy buys a Black Firebolt, takes off from the service entrance, doesn't make the corner, goes over the curb, as he is hitting the tree decides to bail off of the bike and ends up kinda stuck between the bike and the tree..man we felt for that guy..but truly he turned out to be a riding machine after that...a complete monster rode that bike everyday..hopefully that guy made it home alive | ||
| Xl1200r |
I was at Americade last year on a BMW demo run. For those that don't know, the BMW demo run is pretty long (about 30 minutes or more) with a quick break in the middle for an ABS demonstration. As we were starting to head back, a demo rider was talking to the guide, and asked "How do I get this thing to turn?" The guide replied "Um...you just lean it." He then proceeded to stall the thing. I was so lucky to be right behind him. | ||
| Rick_a |
Working here I hear wild new rider stories on the regular...this is the first time I witnessed something myself. | ||
| Oldog |
Rick: My mom lives there and I have a little exposure to that traffic WOW the guy could not ride and was on Wells RD in daytime traffic. what a head case! btw that was a great thing stopping to offer to ride the bike home for the guy some folks just don't get it. | ||
| No_rice |
i have ridden a few bikes home for people that were smart enough to be saving their ride till after there riders course, or that wanted to practice in a big parking lot near where they live. the other people that wont admit they cant ride yet have launched across the highway. hit some cars in the parking lot, or ran them into our buildings. even had one guy total one of our lightnings by flipping it clean over. the one salesman was having a heck of a time. he sold three bikes within a couple months that got wrecked before they made it out of the parking lot. (all of which stated they had riding experiance and aparently didnt. they did have a mc license though.) | ||
| Rainman |
When I bought my 88 1200 Sporty back in, well, 88, I hadn't ridden for several years and didn't have a current license so I asked a friend of mine to ride it home from the dealer across busy stretches so I could practice in my neighborhood and at 6 a.m. on weekends. I still remember a friend of mine buying a Ninja 900 back in 86 and giving it a lot of throttle while trying to turn it with the handlebars around a tight turn. He left plastic for blocks. I guess some people have too many dollars and not enough sense. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
It's not just bikes, I recall seeing a proud owner being given the keys to his brand new top of the line Ford Granada, then reversing off the garage forecourt directly into the path of a tipper truck, nobody hurt but his car was a write off with pdi mileage only. Meanly, I laughed, well wouldn't you? | ||
| Rick_a |
Man, not just Wells Rd, he was headed down Blanding Blvd...way down. It's still not as bad as Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. There was nothing bright or blossoming about it. I do miss my detour through Old Dixie Highway. It was one of the only places I've been able to haul ass with no fear of the law. Hard on tires/brakes, though! We have a rock in the parking lot that has taken few victims. Another memorable incident is a woman who pulled out of the lot on an 883 and nearly flipped it...pulled a 12 0'clock. She fell off the back and it just flopped over. | ||
| Vegasbueller |
I watched one of these kind of guys at the HD dealership in Vegas. He had his big Fat Boy in having some service done and they pulled it out front for him. He came strolling across the lot with his Mullet in the wind and his $500 cowboy boots and his new leather jacket on and plopped down on the bike and hit the starter. Nothing happened. He went back in and had a complete melt down in front of the service manager. The manager walked back out and simply flicked the kill switch on the handlebar, turned the key, hit the starter and cranked it right up! The dummy didn't even know that the switch on the handlebar was for! Uhhhhhhmazing...... | ||
| Rick_a |
There's this one guy decided to do a bike week with minimal experience on this (or any) bike...he ended up running straight through several parked motorcycles with his brand new Harley. | ||
| Bueaddicted |
When I bought my '07 12R I asked the dealer to deliver the bike to my house as I had never ridden a Buell, not even as a demo! All I had experience was on Jap bikes with 4 cylinders, with handling characteristics totally different from these bikes. The 1st time I turned it on I had to get used to all the shaking, "galloping" acceleration, and the "weird" slow revving engine, and I admit that I wasn't too comfortable! But, after a few slow circles I knew that I had made the right decision - it was love at first sight and admiration for its engineering. It is these idiosyncrasies that keep me loving this bike as much as I do! I'm glad Ryan and Anthony were willing to deliver the bike to my house even though I live about an hour away. Paul | ||
| Oldog |
Man, not just Wells Rd, he was headed down Blanding Blvd...way down. You serious? that is NUCKING FUTZ! and the cop did nada!! Blanding is Seriously busy from all directions ... I think that where the saying originated. "If you dont like how I drive stay off of the side walk" you know the western store near the high school? I saw a lady drive her honda down the side walk to the western store from an adjecent store } | ||
| Vanvideo |
Hey, there's a few of you riders here in the First Coast. Cool. | ||
| Kano832003 |
Got a new motorcycle story almost gone bad that you can flip in the dealers fult. When I went to buy my M2 I asked if there were any that I could test ride. Up till this point I had wanted a new XB Lightning and had never riden a tuber. They told me I could take out this used blue one they had on the floor but that the battery needed to be charged. I waited outside for about 5-10 min untill I see the blue M2 being pused down a hill so they could pop the clutch and start it. I asked about this and they responed that it was a new battery but they didn't have time to fully charge it so they quick charged it and push started the bike and that the battery should recharge itself as I ride. Yeah, that didn't happen. about 3/4 of the way through they ride all my guages quite working and about 2 blocks from the dealership the bike dies and coast to the side of the road just outside the dealership. I let them push it into the parking lot. I would have been pissed if that would have happend while I was getting on the interstate about 10 min earlier. | ||
| Rick_a |
Yeah, that's not cool. New batteries are supposed to come charged. They typically only need charging if they've been sitting for 6 months or more, which rarely happens. No charging system is designed to charge a dead battery. Motorcycles have particularly fragile charging systems and regularly running with a dead/low battery will usually cost you an entire charging system. That's was just irresponsible on their part.
I've seen a car flipped near that area. I have no idea how they managed that. | ||
| Oldog |
You working Friday or Monday ? Im passing through on the way to Daytona I would like to stop in to say Hi! I assume that you work at Adamec over on wells... car flipped on blanding er "skill" (Message edited by oldog on March 07, 2007) (Message edited by oldog on March 07, 2007) | ||
| Rick_a |
I work everyday but Sunday or Monday. | ||
| Toe_cutter |
A few years ago I was standing outside a dealership in NJ waiting for someone. I started talking to this guy who said he was waiting for his New Ducati. So I'm like that's cool and I asked him what he was riding before. he then told me this was his FIRST BIKE! He's standing there with a jacket and helmet and I ask him if he was planning on riding it out of here, he says yea and I think man this ain't gonna be good. The salesman rolls out the bike, shows the guy where the handy-dandy compartment under the seat is and then leaves him there. So I go over and ask him if he really wants to take this thing out on Rt. 73 where the dealer is, and maybe some one could ride it for him, or truck it. No he tells me he's got it. After stalling it three times I'm really begging him not to drive it and I was going to get the manager and tell him there is no way this guy can drive this thing out on the highway. But before I get into the dealership the guy manages to pull a 180 wheelie and is running behind the Duc. I watched in amazement as he let go and the bike went right out into the highway and got creamed by about three cars and a truck. Well, by that time my friend comes out and I'm like let's go man, I don't need to be here for the next two hours as a witness to a mess I had nothing to do with. That dealership is a real joke anyway, bunch of real jerks. | ||
| Zxzer04 |
Personal story- Not really a newbie story but fits with the stupid moves on this page. Last year I rode from Raleigh-Durham area to meet some guys and ride to the Pepsi America's sail. We then rode all the back roads of NC coast line after about 675 miles and 14 hours of almost constant riding on my 12R, a few thunderstorms a couple of extremely stretched fuel runs, we are stopped at a gas station. We start to take off when one of the guys points out that my saddlebags are still open. I stop and put my stand down and start to get off about the time I realize that due to all the riding my numb legs fail to move the stand all the way open and as the bike topples over on me. I am just so numb I just laid there for a few seconds...only scratched my mirror and tore a whole in my jeans, hurt my leg a little and my pride more...800+ miles in one day.... | ||
| Tommy_2stroke |
That Saturday afternoon I went to pick up my new XB12 at Glendale H-D I was really jumpy. I had never ridden a Buell of any kind before but I was sure it was a bike I would love. And even though I had lots of riding miles as a younger man, I was now a greybeard who hadn't been riding at all for at least 10 years or more. Good ol' Ernie at Glendale, he never asked that question but I can see that he's thinking about it. Anyway, he gets me all signed out, shows me where all the switches are and goes inside and leaves me and my new baby standing at the curb. By now I am really sweatin', and of course since it is a summer Saturday afternoon there is the usual collection of H-D cowboys just lounging around outside waiting for something interesting to happen. Like oh boy, this oughta be good---let's watch this old fart drop/loop his new Buell. I sat there idling for a few minutes before one of them helpfully points out that my sidestand is still down. I know, I KNOW! Don't have to tell me. Damn. So I guess y'all want a "oh crap" ending to this little story, but there isn't one. I just motored away into the summer air and I am sure greatly disappointed the assembled vultures. And I was right, about thinking this would be a great bike. Its now 10,000 miles later and it just keeps getting better and better... I've never owned a sweeter bike than this. | ||
| Rick_a |
My first ride was actually a bit hairy...starting off anyway. I hadn't rode a bike since riding a dirtbike when I was 15. I stalled it 3 times in the driveway then sped off (neighbor watching of course). Bein' a bit jumpy and all I did do a few full throttle runs to see what she could do. Aside from having some trouble getting my downshifts down (not used to the engine braking) and getting used to the throttle and clutch it was fairly uneventful. It was dead stock and had some lean surge at cruise that drove me nuts! It took a while to get used to how hard you gotta hang on when mashing it in the first few gears. That excitement I felt when I first rode it feels like yesterday...mainly 'cause I still feel the same way every time I ride it to this day! | ||
| Chasespeed |
First time I rode a Buell, yeah.. try to picture this.. messing around in front of the house, getting a feel for it, twisting the throttle, inducing nice smoke show... turn around, to do it again, back tire hooks... Now, bike is at 12 o'clock(managed to pull the clutch at some point), and me standing behind it, trying SO DAMN HARD not to drop it in front of everyone(had for all of 30 minutes), and of course, it slowly starts over to the left.... and thud... Dont know why, that story seems to amuse alot of people...haha Chase | ||
| Bomber |
living, as I do, close to a mjor intersate that connects Chicago with Milwaukee, I got many chances to watch the parade heading north to join in the 100th Anniversary Celebration up north -- watching the old iron boogin along happily brought a smile to my mug, for certain -- I also watch an inordinate number of brand spany new 100th Edition bikes (easy to spot with their identical paint jobs) wobbling up the road -- a truely amazing display of the fact that money and will cannot making up for skill and experience -- just another data point that's led me to participate in fewer and fewer group rides as time has passed not that I don't have my OWN store of "what a moron I am" stories, yunnerstan . . . . | ||
| Oldog |
Rick sorry that I missed you, Daytona was a Hoot, later..... | ||
| Rainman |
just another data point that's led me to participate in fewer and fewer group rides as time has passed .... Man, do I know what you're saying. Went on a funeral ride a few years ago for a local biker preacher with about 100 bikes and I swear only four of them knew how to ride. I was sure I'd be dead by the time I got to the cemetery. Very careful about who I ride with and where. I'd rather ride home alone than go to Heaven with three other idiots who couldn't ride. | ||
| Rick_a |
Only thing I made it to was the All Harley Drags this year. It was the first time at one, and I got in for free  It was great. Haven't seen so many Buells since the last CCS race I attended. Haven't seen that many tubers since attending the last (ever) AMA Pro Thunder race. |
