That itch

So it's a lovely Saturday.

"Where's your riding gear?" Craig asks.

Truthfully I had considered it.  I don't have a helmet but I'm sure the dealership would have let me barrow one, or even thrown it in as part of the package if I was serious about buying.

I won't lie, I had the itch.

In fact, I've had the itch for a while now.   It was always there.  I would be driving somewhere and see a group of bikers heading out somewhere.   I would sometimes see a bike for sale on the side of the road, or in a dealership somewhere.  It really started to itch badly when I saw advertisements for the 2018 DGR!  It may have been one of the best moments in my motorcycling life...and I wanted to do it again.

The Triumph dealership did have a street twin that seemed to be calling my name.   Nice and neat with that classic look that I love so much.

Tempted?  Yes, very much so.

They actually had a 2017 on the lot that was still under warranty and the previous owner had switched it over to half pipes and did something else I don't remember to the exhaust.   The bike had a low, throaty growl to it that sounded deep and resonate.  "That" a random women said to me, "sounds like a motorcycle" and I knew exactly what she meant.

Frankly if the salesman had not pushed so hard, I may have signed some paperwork right then or; at least taken a test ride.

At 900 cc and a high torque engine however, I could see myself getting into trouble quickly on that bike.   I hate to admit but I like some speed.  I may have been a little to "quick" for my own good on the scooters...so I worried about that...and I know deep down that I would be a hell of a lot more careful.

Plus, even though I learned to ride on a standard transmission motorcycle.  I never fully felt comfortable in shifting.  When I rode a friend's bike here and there, I never really felt that I mastered shifting...so that was one reason why I switched to, and preferred scooters.  That was one less thing to worry about.

Sue and I are talking, and she seems more interested in getting a bike than I am.  The Harley Dealership next door had a lovely 35K trike with all the fixings.   That is more than I paid for my car, and it was brand new.  She would like me to get something like that and again feels that it would be safer.

In a way she is right.  Plus I know that with all her medical issues, the days of her climbing on back and just riding with me are slim to none.  She knows that too, so a trike may be better overall choice.

Now...can we find one that's affordable?

It all started with a dinner party

It all started at a dinner party with friends on a Saturday.   Craig, my Harley Davidson Road King owning friend was all excited about a new Triumph he was thinking about buying, it's an all-black softail.  He talked it up like the second coming, and frankly I'm happy for him, its been a long time since I've seen him excited about anything.  He deserves a new bike...and he wanted me to go with him when he picked it up this coming Saturday.

"You can buy an new bike for yourself Rob."

When I'm asked, and I am asked, if I miss riding...the answer is always "Sometimes."

I don't miss sitting in traffic on the way home, of being hot or being rained on, paying insurance on the bike, having to deal with dumb questions and stupid people on the roads.  The eternal bane of working on a bike.

I do miss the friendship you have with other bikers.  I do miss the joy of riding.  I do miss the "de-stressing" that a good ride can bring after a stressful day like today was.   It does pain me to see a group of bikers heading in some direction towards some adventure.

"You have had a lot of adventures, I like hearing your stories." Melissa, a friend of mine said.

The recent advertisements for the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride I've been seeing on Facebook and YouTube have got me wanting to get back on a bike.  The ride I took part of in 2016 was one of the greatest rides I've ever been on.   Recently riding has been on my mind.

When I got my license renewed recently...I debated about leaving the motorcycle endorsement on it.  I paid the extra few bucks and did leave it on.

Then here I am, sitting at work...casually type in "Burgman for sale in Tampa."  I found one.  It's three years old but was used as a demo only and never really ridden much.

The dealership has it under priced probably, wanting to get it off the floor (it's about 3K under similar bikes).   It's got the ABS and comes with the Executive package.  It's only a 1 to 2 hour drive from where I am depending on traffic and conditions.

I do some quick math...I can make a payment work.

Now it becomes a matter of "Do I really want to it on one again" or not.  Susan would like me to buy a trike if I buy anything; feeling that they are more stable.   Well my strength in my wrists have come back, I still have some pain in my right one nearly two years later.

Although my independent agency has not taken off like I have hoped.   I ended up going back to work for a steady paycheck...and it's not at the rate I should be making.  I've actually considered leaving the field recently although I'm not sure what else I can/would do.

I make excuses.

Then I close my eyes and think back...sure most of the memories are rose colored.   Then I kept the blog up for 5 1/2 years, trying to write something once a week...enjoying that, having adventures.   When the accident happened, I was finally starting to feel like part of the community.  I was finally feeling like a "biker" whatever the hell that meant.  To return to that....well I would enjoy that.

I can drive over to Deland after work, I can apply for the financing online.   I can have everything done by the weekend...pick it up on a Saturday and be home about 2/12 to 3 hours later...because you can never ride a straight line on a bike.

Maybe....maybe.

Than again...maybe not.  I read what I wrote a few days after the accident.  Remember what Susan told me, remember that I went into shock and spent a miserable night at a hospital.  Even though I was well insured (it is my business after all), I still had sticker shock at the final bill.

I still keep the Scooter Revolution Facebook page up.   Sometimes posting a story or cute little video I come across.   Sometimes I still comment on bike pages I follow or a blog I read.

Am I ready? 

I've found a Kymco 500, Kimmi's twin sister (Regina?), at a better price and a brand new model at that.   I've looked at a very affordable MP3, While I've considered it...I keep talking myself out of it.

If their is any doubt should I be on a bike?  A bike is designed to be ridden and not placed in a garage.

End of the year milage post - Looking back on 2015

Later on today I'll fire Kimmy up, her "change oil" light will come on (it came on earlier this week), and I'll take her for a bit of a ride.  The last of 2015.

A friend of mine shared an animated GIF to his Facebook page (which for some reason I can not make work on Blogger - I tried) that shows his how his year went.  It started well, and as he progressed down the slide it got rockier, till at the very end (now shown as December) he rockets off the slide and face plants into the dirt.

Funny...but very accurate.

It's been another year of health concerns (not so much mine but Susan's), incidents, accidents and me complaining about the heat.  A gasket that literally had to come on a slow boat from Asia didn't help matter either. Nor did various battery/electrical issues.  All these things it seemed conspired to keep me off the bike.  Or at least made me feel like I didn't ride the way I have in the past.

Even though it's the last day of December the weather outside is gorgeous.  We're predicted to have a high of 84 degrees today (29 C) with only a 20% of rain, weather I know many of my fellow bloggers would die for.  I really don't feel like riding  We have had weather like that since the start of December, yet my Kimmie has sat, lonesome in her spot in my driveway.  This has had more to do with me not wanting to ride or being willing to ride than anything.

Earlier in the year I considered trading her in, thinking that starting a new relationship with a new bike would break me out of my malaise.  Or selling her altogether.  In the end though, I've formed a special little relationship with my Kimmie and letting her go would be like losing a part of who I am.

As I look back over the last year I know that I did a bit more than I thought I did.   I drove up to Brooksville and wanted to explore there a little more (another trip soon I think, this time on Kimmie).  I went exploring in Ybor, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Tampa.  I got to ride through the very heart of central Florida.  I even got to see a tiny house.  I even visited a legendary store in the Daytona area too.

Sadly however, not all these adventures were in the saddle.  Still though, they were adventures.

I'm looking forward to the arrival of Bobscoot and plan on showing him the sites, places that I've not made it to on my bike yet have visited in the past.  Places that I want to go but haven't yet.  So yes, I guess I'm looking forward to 2016.

Kimmie and I are not done yet, we still have roads to ride and sights to see, but I need to stop being the "whiny little bitch" that I've become over the last year.  There is great potential in the coming year...and I have to take advantage of that potential.

In a bit I'll ride for an hour, maybe two.   Another fifty miles or so will be added to her speedometer.  I don't see me putting any milage on that to her.  I'll come back in and duly edit to post, so I can have a record for the coming year.

Last year I started with 21736 miles (or 34,981 KM).  For the end of the year milage...it ended up being 26900.  Or only 5,164 miles for 2015.  About 1000 less than the year before.   Not good, not good at all.

Happy New Year then to all my friends and family.   Be safe, be well and be happy.

The arrogance of some dealers (and some local vandalism)

Before I begin this week's little rant I want to state one thing.  I'm not selling Kimmie.  I'm perfectly happy with my little scoot.

It's been a hard, long and tough week as we had had to deal with some ongoing personal issues.  So with some time to kill and absolutely nothing to do I decided to wander into two different dealerships to check out some models.

The first was the local Triumph dealership.  I like Triumph, to me when you think of what a motorcycle should look like, your looking at a Triumph.  It's all sleek lines and controlled power.  The Bonnie's are considered classics for a reason.

I've already decided that when the time comes to have a new bike I'll most likely buy the Honda 700 CTX but here I am at a Triumph dealer.  I throw my leg over the Bonnie, and....wait.   I don't wait long as a rather brusque older gentleman rushes over and starts to sell me.   Maybe he was an old salesman.  I've done sales too at various times in my life.   Sometimes you know when your dealing with just a "lookie lou."  Anyhow long story short I was dealing with him for less than 10 minutes when he's already shuffling me out the door.

A new friend of mine is pushing me to buy a Harley but I've no desire for that.  She's dangerous in a lot of ways since she rides without gear and I am Mr. ATGATT.  But lets put that aside for a moment.

Compare that experience to the one I had with my local dealership, Barney's.  I walk in and start chatting, I throw my leg over a nice Honda.  Again over a nice Aprilia.  We chat about local rides, about Maine.  30 minutes pass...then 50, and I realize that they have not tried to sell me yet.  We are bike people talking about bikes.

Guess where I'm going when the time comes.

Sadly where I live suffered a rash of vandalism.  I live in a quiet and safe community (okay, older community) and bikes are pretty common.  Mostly Harley's which are used maybe 3 or 4 times a year to go to special events or rallies.  You may hear the occasional low rumble of a bike being worked on but by no means is my neighborhood Hell's Angels central.  It's more Geriatric Angels central.

Which makes the recent vandalism all that more disturbing to me.  Someone poured paint over one of my neighbor's Harley's.

There is, of course, no excuse for this.  From what I understand they have an idea of who the culprit was and are taking the appropriate legal measures.

From what I understand the paint was water based so it actually did come off the bikes with proper cleaning.   Still though you hate to see anyone damage someone else's property.  The good news is that this damage was not permanent or hard to fix.

As I look at the photo though I can't help but wonder if any paint was poured into the gas tank itself.  That would be an issue.

Summertime...and the living is not that easy (an update).

I debated about what to write about this week.  A lot has been on my mind.  It's officially the first day of summer, riding season should be in full swing by now.  But truth be told I've not been in the mood to ride or been out on the bike that much.

I've had a bit of a summer cold and the heat index has pushed it's way into the low 100+ degree range each and every day.  It's made taking the car, with it's air conditioned glory, all that more easier to justify.  I considered writing a post about riding in hot weather...but I've been off the bike - so I can't justify it.  Summer is also the rainy season in Tampa, and every night when I get off of work...it rains.  It rains on me.  It rains on me hard.

Plus, truth be told, I'm a little weary of riding Kimmie due to the issues I've been having.  The recent issues I've had with her electrical system have showed me how much I need to learn mechanically.  I also want to go further, and I'm not sure if Kimmie is the bike for me.  Touring is a dream right now...but one I wish to pursue.

Jacksonville is not that far, only three hours, and Daytona about the same.  Key West is a bit further.  I have friends that are a day away in places like South Carolina and Georgia.  Having a slightly larger machine, a more comfortable bike might make trips to those places a bit more feasible.  Having some knowledge in case of a breakdown only makes sense, and I've looked into where to get that knowledge.  The nearest "garage night" to me is in Orlando and by the time I get off to work (normally about 6:30 PM), drive the 90 or so minutes to Orlando and get back it late at night.  It's not worth it for me to do.

So...I ended up at a local dealership with stars in my eyes.  I have been looking at the Honda CTX DCT 700.  It offers the dual clutch option (DCT) which means it can be switched into automatic easily, and after being on a scooter for a while I like that idea.  I also liked that I was able to swing a leg easily onto the bike and sit on the bike flat footed with no issues.  The seat height is only about 28 inches.  Their was a used CTX (not with the DCT option) that had the bags already attached and a large Giva top box there as well.  All this is optional and more pricey of course on the new model.   I could get aftermarket bags, of course, to help keep the costs down.

And in the end that is what it comes down to.  While I would be looking at anywhere from a $70 to $250 dollar payment depending on what I wanted to put down, Kimmie's trade in value and my credit (good but could be better).  I'm still not sure if I want another payment - no matter how low it could be.

I've also read that the CTX has no "soul" - which is hard to define anyway.  I've also read it's a game changer in some respects.  I like the fairing which would make a ride in rain or cold that much more enjoyable (although my days of riding in "cold" seem to be behind me for now).  Sitting on it, I can say I felt comfortable, but not in love.

It's also not a trike or Can-Am, which I know Susan wants me to consider.  Of course the cost for a new fully loaded CTX DCT is about 11K.  The price for a new Can-Am is starts at $19,900.  It only gets more pricey as things like windshields and luggage is added.  Of course the Can-AM is also a bigger, more powerful bike.  Going used just makes a bit more sense.

While I've driven quads and similar machines, I've never been a fan.  So for now...I still have my beloved Kimmie...and questions that I need to find the answers to.

the damage done

10:38 AM Wednesday -

So on Friday, April 24 my mechanic Mike calls with good news.  "Rob, the part arrived by air balloon from Patagonia today."

"Great"

"I'm not going to be able to get to your bike till Tuesday afternoon." Mike says.

"Dude, I've waited this long a few days more won't kill me." I simply state.

And it won't.  Although that Tuesday morning a serious storm moved into the area which promised to last a day or two, so it was doubtful I would have ridden much anyway.  Kimmie did eventually start up on Monday night however when I turned the key to drop her off at the shop.  Although it did mean I had to move her around a bit, which just confirms my loose connection/short hypothesis.  Since she'll be sitting out in the rain overnight (I didn't bring the cover) I'm wondering if that will only aggravate the issue.  

The gasket alone, including the part and labor, is only going to cost me about $500.  Not exactly a minor repair but considering the horror I felt when Mike first said "Gasket" I'm relatively happy.  It could have been worse.

The part that scares me honestly...is the electrical gremlin.  I've dealt with those little buggers before and unless your willing to rip out and replace all the wiring (I'm not) they can be a bitch to pin down.  At least it was in an old car I owned.  I ended up selling that car.

Hopefully today I'll have the final tally.  I considered getting a new front tire put on as well, but with a few days out of state coming up, I decided to put that off.  I just owe a little to much on the credit card right now.

Still though, it occurs to me again that my time with Kimmie is limited.  Another year?  Two?  Not really a long term relationship is it?  It did last longer than my first marriage although I'm sort of joking there.

Our relationship changed after my accident back in January, 2014.  I was off the bike for most of 2014, and since that fateful day; we have had issues with Susan's health, my father's health and other things.  I just don't feel like I've done a lot of riding.  Now it's a parts issue that's kept me off of Kimmie for nearly a month.

I've no desire to give up riding or blogging.  However it does change your point of view.

10:38 PM Wednesday -

So it's a a cool night in late April, I'm searching for the solution to my electrical problem...a rectifier.  I'll be honest I had to look up exactly what this little thing did.  In layman's terms the rectifier converts AC current - which flows two ways - into direct current, which only flows one way.  How this occurs is through what engineers call "magic."

Since I had a bad unit it was undercharging my bike and would have lead to my battery dying prematurely.  While it's a common part, Mike the mechanical wonder boy, did say it be about 3 or 4 more days.  So even if he could get the part for me in, I would be without the bike till Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

Guess who will be out of town?

The total damage done however is only about $660 US including labor, parts and shipping.  I can live with that.  It's part of owning a bike.

Solve for X

My first bad motor scooter

So we are still waiting on the part.  A nasty phone call to my mechanic results in a mumbled apology and "I'll look into it personally" from Mike the owner.  "Mike, where are you getting this part shipped from?  North Korea?"  I ask.  "Yea, I think we are." He says.

I've laid awake in bed the last two nights or so considering my options.  I have to take a lot into consideration if I go new.  Cost, mpg, storage, etc.  In a lot of ways I'm reminded of what I went through when I first decided to by a bike all those years ago.  Hard to believe that I've been on a bike for slightly over four years now.  Hard to believe that I'm am considering getting yet another motorcycle.

Me on the day I bought the Burgman.

My little Zuma 125 met my needs in the city.  It had high MPG (about 85+).  My late Burgman 400 was powerful enough to handle the highways and city traffic of my move to Zephyrhills, Florida.  My Kymco Xciting 500 has (slightly) more power and meets my needs as I zip all over creation.  I've farkled (is that a word?) it out some; adding a cramp buster, flashing front light and a top case.  As I moved up in power my mpg fell a significant amount each time.  The Burgman was in the low to mid 50's.  Kimmy is in the high 40's to low 50's.

I really don't want a new bike, I don't feel ready for a new bike (although financially I am)...I don't think I'm done with Kimmie yet but as she sits covered with her burial shawl in my driveway I know that I have to consider it.  I know I'm leading hard to the Honda CTX and I know I'll have to start all over again with luggage and such.  

Kimmie' in happier times

The Honda is expected to be just shy of 68 mpg.  Certainly a respectable number, although I know that my mileage may vary.

I hear bikes on the road whining in the distance "Join us" and I can't.  I want to be on the road.  I suppose it's something only bikers understand.

I wonder how much longer I will wait for Kimmie to be repaired.  I know that I will have to replace the CVT belt eventually, a front tire sooner than later as well as figure out the electrical problem (she's not turning over at all) and get the stupid gasket replaced.  What might have been $500 will probably end up costing me closer to $1000.  If she's going to be up in the air anyway why not put a new front tire on her?

So what else could possible go wrong?  What other issue is lurking under her plastics?  I don't care for uncertainty and I've been lucky enough to get to where I am by reducing that uncertainty.  By understanding the numbers and making smart moves based on the data.  To much "X" here and not enough "Y" for my liking.

A new bike doesn't solve all those issues and in fact creates some new ones.  On Saturday I am heading off to my dealer again to consider my options.  Get a trade in value and maybe, just maybe look at a few other options.  But honestly if a new bike payment is under $150 a month....I may have to change to blog's title.

Saturday April 11, 2015

(Odd, I edited the date from May to April). - There are a few things I want to do this Saturday.  I need to go and get a hair cut, need to work in the yard around my house as the weeds are starting to take over my front yard.  I have tickets to the Rowdies season opener later day.  It's going to be a full and busy day.

I also want to drive over to my local Honda dealer and take a look at their stock.  I love my Kimmie but it's been three weeks since I last ordered a part and I'm told it will be at least another week for the gasket to be in stock.  Kimmy is also starting to suffer from an electrical gremlin hiding somewhere under her plastic.  She is not turning over at all right now and since I replaced the battery it's got to be a short somewhere, but to get that resolved I would need to have her towed up to the mechanic and it makes more sense to wait on the part (See the link here).

So here I am, thinking and seriously considering buying new.  Is it better to get a new bike or just repair Kimmie?  Is this a one time fix or is she going to cost me more in the future?  These are unknowns.

My credit is good, actually its in the best shape it's been in a long time, I have a good job and make decent money.  I also have a nice cushion in savings.  Taking on another debt at this time is possible but I'm not exactly known to be a spender.

If, and that is a mighty big if, it would depend on the trade in value of Kimmy and if it makes sense in my budget.  I only have 20 to 25 years to retirement after all and frankly saving for that is important to me...and times flies by.

The same issues that I had in buying a bike before still plague me.  At 6 foot even (1.83 meters) and 210 pounds (95.25 kilo's) I'm a solid man.  Ergonomics matter to me, even though most of my riding is back and forth to work I want to be comfortable.  Storage matters to me as well as it's not uncommon for me to have to pack my lunch, maybe a book or two and laptop away with me - so can I get saddlebags?  Or does it make more sense to get them from a place like Motorcycle House?

I guess I'll never know till I'm actually up on the Honda CTX and see how it feels.  Right now though the thought of a new bike appeals to me.  We will just have to wait and see.

Don't tell Kimmie but....

I've been looking at other bikes.

Maybe it's because spring is just around the corner.  Maybe it's because of my daily commute.  Maybe it's because Sue and company have been pushing me to buy a trike or Cam-Am.  I have to be honest, the Cam-Am idea has grown on me but frankly if I were to buy anything with three wheels it would more likely be a Ural.  It' fits with my "weird" side rather nicely.

Kimmie has been giving me issues lately and is currently in the shop.  A oil leak that I can't identify (originally I thought it was a bad drain plug) resulted in my engine light going off one day last week (I pulled off to the side ASAP and luckily I was near my buddy's Craig's house and he was able to get us home).  Cold weather starts are still a issue and for some reason my "check battery" light came on.

So for these reasons my guys at Affordable Motorsports (my go-to mechanics) are giving her the once over twice.  While their at it I asked them to pull the Tupperware off and give me an idea of the wear on the CVT belt.  This is her second day in the shop.

Depending on the cost of repairs; I'm looking at a couple of different options, although any change is still six to nine months down the road.  While I can certainly afford a new bike, I'm hoping to put it off as long as possible for economic reasons.

I have been "nickle'ed and dime'd" to death on cars in the past and don't want Kimmie to end up costing me more than she is worth,  Kimmie is about seven or eight years old and I've put 20,000 + miles on her in the last 2 years, in addition to wrecking her once.  She's served me very well and I've no desire to get a new bike...but I have to be realistic too.

Truthfully the idea of a manual transmission still scares me a bit.  I just think that with the traffic being what it is in Florida - where one out of every four or five drivers is uninsured - worrying about gearing and such is just an extra burden.

However that also limits my choices.  I also want a little more power than I currently have.  The 500cc of Kimmie has meet my needs and more, but I think a slight tick upward into the 650 to 850cc range is in order.  My choices narrow even more.

Here is a rough idea of the bikes that I'm looking at.  They are in no particular order and the links are all to the newest models.  It makes more sense to buy used but again if I buy new then I know exactly what maintenance was done when and who did it.

Suzuki Burgman 650 - The granddaddy of all maxi scoots!  Storage and comfort at a semi-hefty price although their are lots of options available.  Plus, honestly I'm leaning more towards an "actual motorcycle".  The secondary market is great for a Burgman however.

Aprilla Mana 850 - An automatic motorcycle with paddle shifters. I have mixed emotions about this one.  While I like a lot of what it has to offer, it's also a bit pricey and the reviews don't seem that great.

Honda CTX - probably my favorite.  ABS and a good price although limited options.  Storage is non existent.

Honda CTX - thanks to Honda for the pic

BMW GT 650 - Pricey but a lot of options.  ABS is standard and it's probably the only "beamer" I'll ever own.

Kymco Myroad 700i - Well Kimmie's bigger better sister (Myra?) has a bigger engine, the ergonomics and storage are still an issue for me.

Triumph Bonneville - OK, not really an automatic but that lovely classic design and the secondary market is full of them.  Again no storage.

Royal Enfield - Again not automatic, or even that powerful (it's only 500cc) and would probably be better suited to life in the city.  Not the long commute I have now.  Still its a great looking bike and they even make a diesel model!  Who knows if we will ever see it in America.

In the end though it will come down to form vs function.  What is going to meet my needs and satisfy my soul.  So the Honda CTX, just may be my next bike.  Of course it all depends on how Kimmie heals.

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.