| Author | Message | ||
     Paint_shaker |
A 12 mile, 4 turn, square route with geezer glides as escorts... Thanks Ocala H-D/ Buell (heavy sarcasim emphasized)... | ||
| Glitch |
You're just spoiled | ||
| Paint_shaker |
No.... I am just too far from Suches!!!!! LOL | ||
| Doerman |
The ultimate test ride is Inside Pass... Coming to a neighborhood near you again this year | ||
| Smoke |
+1 on the inside pass demo's. tim | ||
| Nevrenuf |
it sounds like someone needs to move. | ||
| Tq_freak |
Paint is right....BoRiNg....If a wanted to take the path a Glide-a-bago would have taken I would have rode mine. There are several OK turns not to far from there. And people wonder why I ride up to Gainsville when even I need anything. | ||
| Buelliedan |
Would you really want to take out somebody you have only known for about 2 minutes and have no idea of their riding experience on a course that could potentally get them killed and have the family sue the dealership? That does not sounds very prudent to me. (Message edited by buelliedan on May 04, 2008) | ||
| Glitch |
That does not sounds very prudent to me. We haven't had anyone die yet. A few have gone down, but that's a risk the rider has taken on. We supply the bikes. Suches supplies the roads. You provide motorcycle endorsement, the correct gear and personal responsibility, and we'll ride the twisties! | ||
| Paulxb12r |
Paint is right that is no way to test ride a buell. I was their to it was just rong. Although those 1125 are something else you can tell they have some power. | ||
| New12r |
Would you really want to take out somebody you have only known for about 2 minutes and have no idea of their riding experience on a course that could potentally get them killed and have the family sue the dealership? Every march in Suches is this little event we call March Badness, Buell demos on some of the most twisted roads, 15 miles to be exact, elevation changes, blind turns, etc.... Inside Pass demo's were good, I just wish they were faster in the A groups. | ||
| Buelliedan |
From a business owners point of view that is just crazy for a dealer to take on that kind of responsibilty IMO. All it is going to take is one person to get seriously hurt and i can just see the lawyers having a field day. Especially if somebody from the dealership is leading the group. Why do you think Mr Buell no longer goes on rides anymore with groups? Ask somebody who was on the last group ride that he participated in what happened. | ||
| Vagabond |
When I took my test ride on an Uly, House of Harley in Anchorage cut me loose, and said, "see you in about an hour". The first thing I did was head down the Seward highway to wring the hell out of the bike in the twisties. Another rider that I know, after leaving the dealer, headed directly for gravel roads on the hillside. When I came back, I was sold on the bike. Been happy ever since. The gravel rider I mentioned is a dyed-in-the-wool Beemer freak, but wanted to experience the Uly firsthand. Dealer knew this, and still let him put some licks on the machine. no harm, no foul. Maybe we're just a small riding group up here (most south-central riders know each other no matter which mark you ride), and we trust too much. If I had a crappy test ride like the one described, I probably would have bought a Triumph Tiger instead. (Message edited by vagabond on May 05, 2008) | ||
| Court |
There was a period of time where the most dangerous place you could ride a motorcycle was on an organized B.R.A.G. ride. Testosterone seemed to displace brain cells and folks who traded barbs over the internet for months met and set out to prove who was more "manly". It's the reason I stopped riding at events. It got to the point where whenever either Erik or I would show up that someone had to prove something. Things have improved and Buell has done a fabulous thing with the Inside Pass events. You can sell someone a motorcycle that seems to far exceed their ability to exercise personal judgement. You'd be amazed, over the thousands of Buell demo rides I led in Daytona and all over the country how many folks showed up loaded demanding to ride. Daytona used to be funny. . . we'd have guys show up who couldn't walk demanding to take a bike and ride. Common sense should be. It's a motorcycle. Nothing in the above should obviate a dandy test ride. I always ride like it's my friends bike and she/he is following me. | ||
| Jaimec |
The last time I did demo rides in Daytona (two years ago at Biketoberfest) I had more fun on the Suzuki demo riding a Burgmann than I did riding the Ulysses on the Buell ride. The Buell demo kept us at or BELOW the posted speed limit, whereas the Suzuki demo let us really wring those big scooters out. Ever since that day I've been trying to figure out how to fit a Burgmann in the garage next to the K1200LT and the XB12Ss... | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Last Buell demo ride I went on a couple of years back at Buelldays here in France, me & my mate were on a couple of Uly's & had to wring their necks just to keep up! | ||
| Vagabond |
I always ride like it's my friends bike and she/he is following me. That's what I did. I rode it the same way I ride my friend's Ducati Elefant 900. BTW, the Uly is waay more fun  } | ||
| Djkaplan |
As good as the demo rides in Suches are (used to be - they were faster in the past) the best demo ride I ever took was at Flint River HD in Albany, Geogia. The guy riding with me on his Harley encouraged me to do all the wheelies I wanted and took me near a gold course to hit the only decent sweepers. He must have been really bored.... | ||
| Jlnance |
As good as the demo rides in Suches are The demo rides in Suches are fairly tame. They keep a tight leash on everyone (Sanchez made me quite falling back so I could take the corners faster.  ) I can understand that, a woman took the Blast I demoed off the side of the mountain later that day. No one wants stuff like that to happen. No the non-demo rides that go on around Suches are a bit more "spirited." | ||
| Drummer |
I did a H-D demo ride at Bike Week in Daytona about five years ago. I've done lots of demo rides at many national events but this is the only one where they just gave me the bike and sent me on my way. No group, no ride leader....just me on a 6-8 mile ride by myself. I loved it. Anyone know if HD still does it this way? | ||
| Paint_shaker |
I understand in today's lawsuit happy society the need for a controlled demo ride, but 4 turns in 12 miles on one of the best handling bikes made is a bit ridiculous. Keep in mind this is the same Dealership where I witnessed one of the sales monkeys trying to sell a bagger to a guy who was looking at a Uly. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I bought a brand new Sportster 1200 in 2004. It was my first street bike, and it was the first time I had ridden on the street ever, and the first time on a bike in something like 6 years. 2 months later, I wanted to test-ride a Buell. They gave me a race-kitted XB12R, and sent me on my way by myslef, and directed me down a pretty twisty road. Nothing extreme, but you got the idea. I did the exact same thing on a 2007 a few years later, again, on my own. | ||
| Jaimec |
Drummer, At these big events, Harley typically sends demo riders out on their own with the exception of people wanting to demo the water-cooled bikes. Those they take out in a group (or at least, they used to). At Americade where they combined the Buell bikes in the Harley demo fleet they combined the Buells with the water-cooled bikes in a group. Everyone else got to ride by themselves. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"The demo rides in Suches are fairly tame." They are now. A couple years ago, I remember almost levering a Sportster Custom into a ditch when the pipes hit the asphalt. I got to ride a Street-Rod fast enough to scare me... I think that was the same demo where the lady needed to be life-flighted out. | ||
| Swordsman |
Hey, Ocala is where I got my Ss! Not taking up for them, just thought it was a funny coincidence, considering I live in N. GA. ~SM | ||
| Ryker77 |
I'd be happy with just the ability ride in the parking lot! Most dealership won't even let you sit on the bikes.  If they will even talk to you when your looking at a Buell. I've been to Dalton GA HD/Buell about 10 times and never once was I given any attention. | ||
| Swordsman |
Ditto on that Ryker. At least they carry parts (well, can order parts anyway). The H-D store here in Cartersville doesn't deal in Buell PERIOD. ~SM (Message edited by Swordsman on May 06, 2008) | ||
| Guinnessisameal |
I had a GREAT demo ride at American HD in N Tonawanda NY... without getting into specifics, I felt pretty confident of the bike's abilities afterwards. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"I've been to Dalton GA HD/Buell about 10 times and never once was I given any attention." Yeah... I've been there. They have nifty shirts and free coffee. |
