Festivities of the Orange Kind

Not everything works out as planned.

I was originally planning on riding Saturday, hopefully with a group heading somewhere but by Friday afternoon I sort of gave up on that idea.  I was feeling guilty.  Guilty because there was work that needed to be done, I had yard work to do that I kept putting off because of the summer heat and humidity.  Now that the heat and humidity are gone, there is no excuses.  Today, for example, was a pleasant 84 F (28.9 C)...still warm but without the humidity it is a pleasure to work in.

My mom and dad asked me to clean the gutters of their winter home...I still needed to do that.  

Truth be told, well I enjoy riding and exploring other parts of the local world, I really didn't feel like crossing the Howard Franklin bridge into St Petersburg to meet a group of strangers to ride back into Tampa and spend all day exploring the parks of my adopted city.  Or I could meet the other group and ride out to Lake Wales on various back roads and spend all day in the saddle.

Both options appealed to me but frankly I was not looking forward to either like I originally thought I would.  .  

So when the lovely Sue mentioned the Hunsadar Farms Pumpkin Festival was having their final weekend to me this Saturday, it just seemed right.  Plus they had an air cannon you could shoot a pumpkin out of.  An AIR CANNON!  Okay, the geek was me was excited.  Maybe they let me fire it...just once PLEASE!  PRETTY PLEASE!

So Sue and I jumped into our "Great Pumpkin" and hit the road.  Hunsadar Farms is about 75 minutes south of us in Brandenton, Florida.  The Pumpkin Festival was a combination of things, merchants, musicians, a petting zoo, food stalls, entertainment and Americana.

It's not that far from the Rosa Fiorelli vineyards, which just happen to be my favorite local wine maker, so you know we had to stop there too!  Trust me, follow the link and order a bottle or three, it's worth it.  

Scarecrows provided a distraction

We walked hand in hand taking in the crowd, the event was geared to the little ones to some extent as petting zoo's and jumping frog competitions were part of the day's events.  Two girls, maybe 5 and 6, tried their hands at frog wrangling to the amusement of the crowd, the and horror of their mother.

We got to see the air cannon fire a pumpkin into a strand of trees some 300 plus yards away.  There were some monster trucks, a hay ride, corn maze.  All the normal stuff that you would expect, but a zip line?  No, that we didn't expect.

There were a few shows and demonstrations as well.  Dirt bikes going off of jumps (missed that show) and a Monster truck flattening some old car (missed that too), but we did see the "Wall of Death" where, in addition to motorcycles, they used an old go-kart and a pedal bicycle.

Overall it was a good day, and sometimes you need to do something different to get out of the rut.  I think I was in a rut, so getting out helped.

Well the bank is safe, I think

Sheriff didn't look that tough however.

Other scarecrows provided useful info.

A really old fashioned Merry-Go-Round

More photo's can be found on my Facebook page.  

#pumpkinfest  #blogger  #blog  #pumpkinfestival  #hudsadar  #hudsadarfarms

Battle lines - the power of the negative.

**UPDATE**  I recently learned that the manager I was dealing with previously at this company had been arrested.  His crime?  Altering VIN numbers on vehicles.  While this happened in 2007 it makes me wonder why he would be hired by a "reputable" dealer with that history.  As well as having access to credit information?  Just another nail in the coffin as far as I'm concerned.  01/05/2014**

  I have nothing to say about riding these last few days.  I've commuted back and forth to work a few times, I rode out to a old cemetery and had to take the scooter off road a bit to get the photo I wanted.  I have a small problem with my oil pan - I had the oil changed recently and it appears the drain plug nut somehow got stripped.  I tightened the nut myself but the leak continues.

All of these things are minor.   The biggest issue, the biggest problem I would have would be with West Coast Powersports, where I bought Kimmie.  My lovely girlfriend insisted that I buy the extended warranty on her.  I have to be honest, I thought it was, and still is, a waste of money.  However the previous dealership that sold me the Burgie did so knowing that the variator was bad, that it would of ran me about a grand to fix.

Because of this experience, and another bad experience we had in Florida buying a used jeep, we decided to get the warranty.  I've nearly tripled the miles that were originally on Kimmie without issue.  She actually seems to enjoy the ride as much as I do.

My issue with West Coast Powersports is this.  The company failed to process the extended warranty correctly, despite other payments going through correctly on my debit card (helmet, etc). The company failed to contact me for over 3 months in this regard. The bill, I was told by West Coast at the time, would go to collections. My bank has no record of them even attempting to collect these funds till the middle of May.

Andy, the general manager, failed to listen to me in this regard repeating that they had numerous failures trying to collect. He later admitted that the company did not have the correct authorization information. After I requested that he take one payment out and that I would pay off the balance with a money order within the week. He took two payments resulting in my account being frozen (My bank knows my history and personality. They assumed there was a problem when 2 payments came in a combined total of over $350 and froze the account as a  fraud protection measure). He then refused to release the hold. My girlfriend, whose name also appears on the account, called him only to be insulted by him. 

Not only is this extremely unprofessional but very upsetting to me. I have had nothing but warm fuzzy feelings for that dealership till this moment. I own my business and have been in the process of repairing my credit. If a payment due to me is not received in 30 days, I'm on the phone figuring out what went on. Now I will admit I was not keeping a close eye on my personal account as I do my business accounts, otherwise I would have realized there was an issue.   

Jeff, the general manager, did finally contact me after I used the only tools that are available to the consumer.  I reported him to groups like ripoffreports.com, the better business bureau, comments on the various motorcycle and scooter forums I belong to.  Frankly I hate to turn negative.  I hated to do this.  But the consumer has very few weapons available to him any more.

Jeff did state, and I intend to request this be notarized on official company letterhead to protect myself, that the bill in question would not be sent to collections.  On my end I plan to plan to pay it in full within the next few days.  I still have not received a copy of the warranty as well.  

After my dealings with Florida dealerships - only Jim Brown Chevy, where we have bought the Great Pumpkin, deserves praise - I am weary of any dealership now.  I don't believe I will be doing any business in the future with West Coast powersports.  Unless I have something under warranty that is.  

At this point I'm not sure if I will be dealing with any Florida dealership in the future.

  

In the end it's a situation that could have been avoid.  Something that should have been avoid.  I was acting in good faith and do not like being treated like I am some doddering old fool.  They don't like to have their name dragged through the mud.  If Andy would have listened to me in the beginning this how ugly situation could have been avoided.   

This issue appears to be resolved now.  I'm still not completely satisfied sadly.  I'm not sure if I could be at this stage of the game. 

You can't always get what you want...

But like the man said...sometimes you get what you need.

I simply wasn't planning on buying a used 2009 Kymco Xciting 500.  I originally had my eye on a slightly used 2012 Burgie with a Givi Windshield and top box on it. Somehow the dealer let me walk out the door because he was an pimple in the lower and back side of the human body (OK maybe not but I didn't care for him). His loss.  

In fact, the link to the dealership that I was dealing with used to be on my website.  I had bought my original Burgman there as well, however after my incident with a bolt and a few other minor things my satisfaction with them was low.  Plus I thought they were trying to take advantage of me.  They are designed for a high turnover of bikes, and I am not the unknowing boob that I was over a year ago when I bought my first Burgman.  Don't treat me like I was.  I also spent most of my adult life in sales, you work with the customer to make a deal, you don't let your ego get in the way (considering we were only $500 away in price). I thought I had a legit and fair offer.  They would not work with me.  Oh well, their loss.  This is the end of my ranting and raving. 

Up the street from him was a Honda/Suzuki dealership.  I was looking at a 2008 Kymco Xciting 500 as well as a Piaggio MP3 500.  Frankly they were not my first, second or third choices and I really wasn't impressed with the Kymco at all.  There were several "traditional" bikes I was looking at too, but in the end I decided to stay on a scooter.  A Honda Silver Wing was also in the running but was sold late on Friday (after I was told it was still available).

I was not even looking at the possibility of buying a 2013 Burgman, I could not really afford it...but I let myself get talked into with some gentle arm twisting.  They were willing to work with me. In fact, I was told I had it with the exception of crossing the "T's" and dotting the "I's."   As the pictures show, I am not riding a new Burgman.  That deal fell through, much to my regret.  

Pic by West Coast Powersports

What I ended up with was a 09 Kymco.  Yep, the bike that really didn't excite me in the first place.  She's got slightly over 4,000 KM (or about 2400 miles) on her, is dark metallic silver and had a displacement of 498 cc.  So she's slightly more powerful than my previous 07 Burgman 400.  I was able to pay cash for her and walk away with a new helmet out of deal, that's about it.  It's not what I wanted and frankly I am not sure how long I'll keep her, but at this stage in my life...sometimes you get what you need.  Life is to complex for me not to have another ride. 

The mirrors are crappy and to short for me.

It's a little strange driving a new bike.  This one is a little heavier and a little more powerful than the bikes I've ridden before,  I need to go off into a parking lot somewhere and do some emergency stops and such...just to get used to the handling.  In about two weeks (Feb 16) I plan on taking a 100 plus mile ride up to Crystal Springs with the Suncoast Scooter group.  Another first for me.

Can you think of a better way to break in a new (well, new to me) bike?  To get used to her?  I just hope of capable of doing 100 to 200 miles in one day.  In any case it should be an exciting adventure and should serve as a good shake down for the bike. 

First impression:

1)  I rode it home from the dealership at night and on the freeway.  All told about 60 miles.  One of the reasons I decided to buy the scooter in the end was the "Malossi" stickers on the side.   Malossi makes parts for racing bikes, and it seemed strange to me that the previous owner would put Malossi stickers on the bike without actually putting in Malossi parts.  That meant the previous owner probably knew what they were doing and took good care of the bike.  I hope so anyway.  When I opened her up on the highway, the tachometer stayed low.  A good sign that I might be right. 

2)  I already need to replace the crappy stock mirrors.   Way to short.  

3)  The low beam light is fine, but the high beam bleeds to much off into the sides of the road.  I already have a solution (maybe) based on something I read in the Burgman Forums.  LED's might solve that issue.

Thanks to Daboo from the Burgman forums for the idea.

4)  The Kymco has no storage.  A top box is not a luxury.  It's a necessary. 

5)  This is weird. The speedometer is in Kilometers.  The miles per hour gauge is small and hard to read.  GPS might be in order here.

  

   

Life's curve balls.

Due to circumstances beyond my control the Green Swamp ride has been postponed.  Life has a tendency to throw me curve balls.


This was curve ball # 1 - Unexpected surprise

Ever since I have moved to Florida I've had a stuffy head, watery eyes or some sort of issue.  I've never been "officially allergic" to anything in my life but since moving here some 3 years ago I've been even more miserable than I normally am.  Suddenly a doctor's appointment opened up a week earlier than expected.  I took that appointment, even though it would force the ride back into the hottest part of the day.  Whatever he gave me  however made me as dizzy as hell.  So no riding.


Curve Ball # 2 - High and inside.

My other ride is a Hyundai Elantra, which I've named "Ebony" due to her black color.   She's been a good car to me since I picked her up used back in 2004 or 05.  She only had some 10K on her at the time.   In the following years I've managed to put some 147K on her.  I've replaced the transmission twice (who ever owned her before me tore up the standard transmission the first time).   I was responsible for the second time.

This past Wednesday she died on me.  The starter would not turn over.  In addition she needed two front end CV joints, new brakes and possible rotors...and an oil change.  Since I was in the middle of the route I run two days a week and stuck in the middle of Tampa.  I had no choice but to get the starter done and little choice on the price I had to pay, so $300 dollars later my car was back on the road.  To the best of my knowledge that was the original starter so I could not really complain.

The CV joints I knew about and had to get those done soon.  That came as as no surprise.  The oil change was no surprise.  The brakes and rotors were a surprise as there was no indication they were going bad.  Well none of the work has to be done today, since it is my day off I thought I should work on this problem.

I've considered selling one or both of our cars (she drove a 2003 Jeep Liberty) in the past and on the way home from the doctor my lovely girlfriend said "Hey, lets stop at this dealer.  Just to look."

Curve Ball # 3 -

I am now the owner of a 2012 Chevy Sonic.  AKA "the Great Pumpkin."

Sue and I are now a one car family (having traded in her jeep as well).  In the back of my head it always made sense.  She does not work (due to a medical issue) and I work from 4 PM EST to 1 AM EST and normally ride the Burgman back and forth to work.  We have no kids, no one to shuffle about.  The stores are close by and the nice thing about the Burgman is it's large storage area.

My Elantra managed to be about 30 miles per gallon of gas combined highway and city.  Her jeep about half of that.  My Burgman gets twice as many miles per gallon as the Elantra.   This new car is expected to get about 35 mpg/combined.  We are saying money on gas, and insurance (1 vs 2 cars to cover) but now have a car payment.  Something we didn't have before.  The jury is still out on if the savings will be worth the car payment.

This does however mean that I will have to ride my Burgie more, sometimes in conditions that I don't currently ride in.  For example, rain.  I will be, for all practical purposes, a 1% now.  Am I up to that task?  I expected to eventually go that route, having only one car...I was not expecting it to be today. Well, at least I got a lot more room to park the bike now.