A cracking idea!

 

Got to love a man like that. Kudos to J Bloor and I'm proud to be riding one of his motorcycles.

 

U of Penn is considered one of the ivy league schools. I have ivy growing up my brick. Wonder if I can get non profit status and call myself a University the way Trump called his "school". I will offer the doctorate, however. And, give away free diplomas to the first $30K investors.

 

IV = Kings College, NYC, (Columbia), Yale, Harvard College, Princeton. The rest...

Non-profit? Some have done that with their slush funds. Have any friends at the IRS?

 

RidgeMotorsports in Batesburg is tops. Jeff and Wanda are great to work with and their service department is super. I'm a little (17 miles) north of Paul e so it's only a 100 mile trip one way. Most of the high dollar car dealers are either in the West Ashley area of Charleston or Mt. Pleasant. Vehicle taxes are based on residency address. Only problem around here are out of staters who don't register their cars in SC to avoid any taxes at all. However, a big crackdown on this practice has eliminated the problem almost entirely. Hefty fine for non-registration (ask my brother-in-law who kept his Tenn. tags too long).

 

RidgeMotorsports in Batesburg is tops. Jeff and Wanda are great to work with and their service department is super. I'm a little (17 miles) north of Paul e so it's only a 100 mile trip one way. Most of the high dollar car dealers are either in the West Ashley area of Charleston or Mt. Pleasant. Vehicle taxes are based on residency address. Only problem around here are out of staters who don't register their cars in SC to avoid any taxes at all. However, a big crackdown on this practice has eliminated the problem almost entirely. Hefty fine for non-registration (ask my brother-in-law who kept his Tenn. tags too long).

There are legal ways to avoid having to change tags, DL, etc. I worked with a guy in S.C, who claimed N.C. as his state of residence. At the end of every month he went "home", thereby meeting the letter of the law. He never stayed in S.C. for 30 consecutive days.

And if you also have a residence in another state, there is not much they can say about it.

 

I entertained moving to Nevada from California, Nevada law require re-register the vehicles within 30 days, after moving from another state into Nevada.

Noticed a truck the other day On I-80 California, with both California AND Nevada TAGS. First time I've ever noticed that, wonder what that situation all about.

While serving in the military, my Massachusetts driver license never expired, it was the same for vehicle registration, when I served, don't know if that ever changed or not?

We have an Air Farce base in this area, those guys catch flake for out of State registration sometimes from dim witted California typical nut burger civilians. We have an issue in this state with ignorant bastards. Leftovers from the Timothy Leary LSD experiments. They pay attention to anything with a fee or tax because they live off that money.

 

I am brand new to the site. I used to be a Triumph owner! I Had a 1996 Trophy 900, got the wife a 2000 Legend TT, both bought here, at the same dealer in the Albany NY area ( 1.5 Million people) the only dealer we had. They closed because they found it hard to deal with Triumph! Went back to doing BMW as a service location not selling bikes and "stuff". Wife still has her Legend ( but maybe for only a few more weeks). I road her bike a few years ( I ride daily, have only owned 5 bikes - 3 Harley's, Triumph Trophy, and now a Victory Cross Country 8 Ball). I DO NOT and WILL NOT own non American "Stuff" if it can be helped ( British is - in MY opinion american after all we were " The American Colonies"). But back to the point! Sold my Trophy in 2002 with 130 K miles on it, The each of my Harley's also made a 100 K plus a bit, but it was a lot of work involvedto get them there, the Trophy only needed a pick-up coil! I rode her Legend while I waited. Wanted a Rocket Tour but keep waiting for them to make it a "touring bike" with a top trunk or at least an optional oneavailable from parts. Mean while they got the local Harley shop to take on Triumph ( the had just dumped Aprilia ) couldn't sell them- Daaaaa! As no one went to a Harley shop looking for sport bikes. They took on Triumph ( found out a year after - as they had no advertising of that fact), walked into the showroom and was treated like a second class citizen for even mentioning the word Triumph. " OH we only have one person that deals with them and he is not here today". So I heard about Victory, found the dealer in the area and visited. We had some medical issues ( wife and I )that spent some of our money which put bikes on a back burner - still had her Legend though. The Victory Dealer wanted and was trying to talk Triumph into letting his dealership take their bikes on ( they were already a multiple dealer), but his brother was the VP of Victory so they said no, REASON - he could give away all Triumph's secrets. Which of course all magazines do even before the bikes hit the streets, because motorcycle manufacturers give that info away freely. Then they started selling Indian's for Polaris and now Victory is Gone ( hole nuther story). Wife's bike has only 11,000 plus miles and she wants bags and stuff for it, to make it easier for daily riding and of course longer rides.
I found a dealer in Green River 90 plus miles away ( the closest) to get some parts needed , but what we wanted ( saddlebags,crash bar - for aux. lighting etc., is no longer availible almost anywhere) they had a America LT on the floor that the wife liked, it fit and had touring "stuff" already on it!!! But it got sold. So we have been looking and may have found another ( as they also are no longer made, as they were not wanted) it's a 2015 brand new left over, from a dealer south of us that closed their Triumph sales department. We should have moneys set by mid week to get it. I do not understand how Triumph wants US ( yes I think of Triumph People as "US") to be able to make the brand GROW if they treat the dealers like dirt and only want these hugh dealerships to sell them. They do not have a large market of people after their product. They need to get people interested in their product so when they force someone who is at least trying to sell it to send money on showrooms etc. they have people out there interested. One or two magazines get a bike to road test, and the PRODUCT always comes out with a good/great review, but then you NEVER see anything else, No magazine ads nothing!!!! What do tey expect??? We will still be Triumph/ Victory people even though it seems like both BRANDS do not want us! Maybe went the Legend goes it will turn someone else into a Triumph Rider! Thanks Jerry

 

It's the persevering dealers who DO want us, that keep Triumph alive. Well that is to say WE do, because we have access to persevering dealers...well some of us do. I will go out of my way to do business with a dealer who will go out of his way to do business with me!

 

I get it each and every time you say it! Jerry

 

I don't feel the least bit of allegiance to any motorcycle sales and service business and I trust none of them.

The latest disappointment.........so my son buys a new Monster 1200 from our local Triumph/Ducati dealer and at the 600 mile mark takes it in for the 600 mile service. One of the must do's on the list is to remove and clean a permanent oil screen from the bottom of the cycle held on by screws and permatex (the first time cleaning is very important per the manual and then every other oil change).
The invoice reflected charges for doing it and for new screws.

I being an unbeliever- prior to service made a discreet magic marker mark across the plate and permatex. When they wheeled the bike out to us I checked my mark and guess what! Things got a very testy to say the least. Faces got very red and the bike was wheeled back in and the oil screen was removed and cleaned.

How much other stuff is charged to customers and undone????

One reason (there are others) why I do all my own service when possible and I own a cycle that is easy to work on.

 

The latest disappointment.........so my son buys a new Monster 1200 from our local Triumph/Ducati dealer and at the 600 mile mark takes it in for the 600 mile service. One of the must do's on the list is to remove and clean a permanent oil screen from the bottom of the cycle held on by screws and permatex (the first time cleaning is very important per the manual and then every other oil change).
The invoice reflected charges for doing it and for new screws.

I being an unbeliever- prior to service made a discreet magic marker mark across the plate and permatex. When they wheeled the bike out to us I checked my mark and guess what! Things got a very testy to say the least. Faces got very red and the bike was wheeled back in and the oil screen was removed and cleaned.

Call DNA. They need to know about this. Otherwise..., nothing changes. New to Ducati are they? My dealer will attend to anything he finds in the course of routine service, not just the check list which I also get. If it's simple while things are apart, no extra charge. Otherwise, straight time. I'm good with that. He values his reputation. http://www.triumphrat.net/air-cooled-twins-talk/797505-triumph-dealers-closing-down-5.html#post8727305

Can MN support a Ducati franchise?

 

I had the same experience with an old Yamaha brought into a dealer for tires and balance. They charged me for the balance, but the old rusted weights were still on the wheels. I tore into the owner who said the wheels didn't fit on their machine. I said what about the old fashion way? And, why did you charge me since you knew it wasn't performed and would be obvious to me? He then told me that he really doesn't like to work on old bikes. If service requires replacing parts, I always ask for the old parts which is usually the law. But, I no longer go to any dealership for service. I do my own. I now have my own tire and balance equipment so I don't have to put up with that BS anymore.

 

We can argue 'till the sun goes down as to whether Mr. Bloor and his Triumph minions know what they're doing. They might, or they might have it all blow up in their face. The fact remains that I will NOT travel 150+ miles for a Triumph brand 'cycle when there are others out there just as nice and just as fun available from dealers much closer to my house. I have 3 Triumphs now but I will not buy another one. It's not that I don't like the Triumphs. I just don't like they way Triumph handles their dealer organization and seems intent on running good, functioning dealers out of business. It's the same way I choose hardware stores: If my favorite hardware store starts putting carpet on the floor, I start looking for another place to buy nuts and bolts.

 

The local dealer has been around for a while they sell lots of Triumphs and Ducati's. After the incident I discussed it with my son and he wanted me to back off as he will be needing his new bike serviced there again in the future. Obviously they now know us and I suspect he (my son) won't be missing any services he's charged for in the future.

I think everybody should understand that these shops cut a lot of corners all the time. They charge for things they don't do and for new parts they don't use. This goes for ALL of them.

My wife took her car down for a mil light and the shop (which has been around for a long long time) casually said it was time for new spark plugs she agreed and low and behold they charged her $48 per plug (which could be had for $14 next door at Oriellys) and $100 installation.....$388+tax for 6 new spark plugs installed. I questioned it and they cut her back some money.

Took my car into the local "Honest One" for an oil change during the typical upsell the guy tells me my air filter is missing (completely gone) and I may have damage, suggests a $350 service. I think about it and realize that the last time the car was serviced was there and at that time they tried to sell me a new air filter by showing me the old one which then I suppose they forgot to put it back in!!

 

You shouldn't feel the least bit uncomfortable by marking the cover. This tactic by customers has been going on for decades, especially when dealing with local gas station garages. It wasn't entrapment. I would say that its best to be polite and calm when pointing out such an "over site" and see what the response is. If genuinely sincere and apologetic by the dealer, then no bridges have been burned and you move on. I was polite with my situation until the owner told me the wheels of my bike wouldn't fit on their balance machine. His answer should have been we couldn't balance and the charge has been removed, vs charging me and keeping quiet when returning the bike. Every situation needs to be evaluated.

 

BMW boxers except maybe the new water cooled ones have 6K intervals for valves.(Hex heads, Cam heads= 6K, then 12K) But, you can use the same stool to milk a cow and then adjust your valves. Just that easy.

 

Valves are tricky enough on Ducatis but the belts have gotten trickier lately and harder to line up. Technically, those need swapping out every two years. The newer Kevlar ones are actually good for much longer, but you need to keep an eye on them. They are set by frequency (Hz) now, not tension/movement in mm. Should have watched the last time mine were done.

 

Triumph dealers closing down?

In the greater Vancouver area with a population of 2 million, we used to have 3 Triumph dealers, now we have 2. There was zero Triumph presence at the recent Vancouver Motorcycle Show, even though every single other brand represented. Said they were out launchin bobbers.

I don't think I would have hopped on the Triumph train if there didn't happen to be a dealer about a mile from my office. I dealt with that shop -"Western Powersports" - for 5 years until it went **** up 3 years ago. Western was a medium sized Triumph and Yamaha dealer also selling ATV's. Most of the staff seemed to care, but not everybody was on the same page. It was a dysfunctional family kind of place where service was an adventure that eventually got done, much of the clothing and accessories were ancient and over-priced, but at least you could go touch stuff, try before you buy and talk about bikes. Over the years I got lots of help from the people who worked there and made friends and attended rallies in Nelson with them and was sad to see them go out of business and lose jobs.

About a year later, very conveniently, another Triumph dealership opened about 5 miles from my office on the road I commute on every day at the half way point going home. "International Motorsports" carries Triumph as it's flagship, plus they sell Aprilia and Moto Guzzi and Husqavarna and ATV's and sleds. First time I went in to International I asked whether they had hired anybody from Western, and the reply was "That was a failed business. Why would we want to bring that here?" Fair, I suppose.

Triumph recently made International spend 80 grand to put in new floors as part of the image. Personally, when I'm kickin tires and scoping out Tuonos, Grisos and Thruxes, I don't pay much attention to the floor as long as there's no oil spills. T-shirts and gear are displayed airily, in the style of a women's clothing boutique, and the custom go your own way bits hanging on the walls are reminiscent of what Harley's done for years.

Over the past couple of years I've had lots of dealings with International and everybody there has been good to me and the service manager is exceptional. At least for me, the main reason to keep going to one shop over another is how they treat you and the relationships you form. In the past I have had the experience of getting so pissed off at how a dealer treated me that I willingly rode 250 miles for service elsewhere- for 5 years. Much prefer to get along with the one 5 miles away if at all possible.

 

Dealer in Roseville has large space for triumph, is getting set for remodel as I understand, and is great place to see the bikes. David is the main person I've worked with there and have known him a long time. Good place, good energy.


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After Christmas I stopped by the local Triumph dealer in northeast PA. I noticed they took down the Triumph signage and I asked if they dropped the line. The sales guy confirmed that Triumph was being unreasonable with their demands and changes to the dealership. They sell a bunch of other makes. I only bought my bike there, they never touched it after that. They had one bonnie and a thunderbird in stock and that was it.

As long as Hermy's stays open - no worries for me.

 

Makes you wonder why Lux bought a Triumph at all. Maybe because his Scrambler was cheaper than buying another HD. I don't think I can see the words fake choke or fake carbs anymore. I'll stick to Girls on Bikes. I don't mind fake there.
Personally, I don't care where parts are made for any bike brand or where the bike is assembled. I like bikes for what they are due to design; engineering and manufacturing are to be assumed, but don't take up the top spot for me. Neither does country of origin. For many, it does. I just like what engineers and designers come up with. A German designed the Suzuki 1000/1100 Katana in the '80s. I don't care that he wasn't Japanese.

 

Seriously, some of you people carry on like a bunch of bitchy schoolgirls. I am glad that harleys, triumphs, and to a certain degree royal enfields have managed to survive by adapting. Otherwise we would all have to ride yamasakis etc. These bikes come from what many view as the golden era of motorcycling. I don't like many of the changes triumphs went through to survive, but I'm glad they did. Same goes for harleys.

 

Not everything about that era was golden. You need to take off the rose colored glasses when viewing the past.

There were other brands to ride beside HD, triumph, and Yamasaki. There was Ducati, moto Morini, moto guzzi to name a few.

 

Some of the best mechanics I have found come from the Old HD/British bike backgrounds.

Truth be told, the HD's held together better back then then the British iron stuff.

The two best bikes on the road were BMW and Harley Davidsons.

The BMW actually had a reputation as the bike to use for going cross country along with the old FLH's.

Those old FLH's were really the first bikes that people started to go coast to coast on without incident, by the time they got to that shovel head Pan lower.

You Triumph people with product loyalty suck wind.

 

Truth be told, the HD's held together better back then then the British iron stuff.

Unless you happened to have an H-D during the AMF era. I used to have to give some of those guys rides home all the time on swing shift. They didn't want to wake their spouse at 12:30 when swing shift ended at the shipyard and their Harley's wouldn't start, wouldn't run, etc. etc. Those HD guys riding on the back of my Honda; hee hee hee.

 

I wonder if Triumph and other brand motorcycles will end up with import taxes? I hope not.



I've heard it's next to impossible to get American cars and motorcycles into Japan? That's a crying shame.

 

I wonder if Triumph and other brand motorcycles will end up with import taxes? I hope not.

I've heard it's next to impossible to get American cars and motorcycles into Japan? That's a crying shame.

Guess you didn't hear about this one. Applies to 51cc - 500cc from the EC in retaliation. Not sure it's going anywhere. We've been screwed over quite a bit for quite a while though... http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/news/a32336/the-american-beef-industry-wants-a-100-tax-on-european-motorcycles/

 

In 79 I bought and repaired a totaled 79 Roadster (AMF). Had about $1800.00 in it when finished, good as new. Never had a problem after re drilling the mid range jet to correct a very bad built in lean cruse condition. Sold it to a friend after a few years who sold it to his nephew 10 or 12 years ago, after rebuilding the engine. As far as I can tell this was and is a better riding and shall I say less sloppy feeling bike than the ones that came before it. AMF had very little if anything to do with design or engineering. AMF did keep a mismanaged company afloat through some hard financial times and had it not been for AMF The Motor Co might not exist today...IMHO.

 

They had a lot to with poor quality control during their reign.

 

I dont really like hinckley triumph anymore. It seemed a nicer company when they were up and coming and had a lot to prove. Now its another soulless corporation entity.

 

Gabriel, they also ride BMW. All those riders in Klim gear that cost more than my bike with their shiny aluminum tri boxes riding on the weekends on the same back roads as me. How about the squids in full leathers with shiny unscathed knee pucks? Or, the current crop of cafe riders in their uniforms. It's one clique after another. Bikes are different, people are the same. Like bad ass sportbike riders calling my SV650S a girl's bike. What motorcycle company has a soul? They are all just corporate entities. Maybe Guzzi, Royal Enfield and Ural have souls since everyone likes to dismiss them so much. We should be glad that we can still buy a motorcycle these days.

 

Regardless of the weekend Beemer riders you see on your trails, take a look at any BMW MOA or RA rally and look at the attendance size, and lack of trailers. They rode to the event. Look at some of the high mileage award winners. Now compare that to Harley riders.

Sure there are people buying into it for the image. This is true of all bike types. But as was stated earlier, it is because HD is so prolific at marketing to this shtick, and the wannabees buying into it that gets the laughs.

As cliques go, you left out squids.

Why should we be glad that we can still ride a motorcycle these days? I believe Elizabeth Dole tried to limit bikes in the U.S. back in the early 80s, nothing ever came of it, and today, motorcycle registration is higher than ever. And also stated in another thread, most people do not even give motorcycles a second thought, so no one is trying to ban them. ATV sales good as well as personal watercraft. It is a great time to ride a 205HP bike, or drive a 550HP Camaro.

 

Second line, Gabriel, I dissed the squids as well. Ask those in the AMA whether motorcycle riding whether off road or on hasn't been under attack for various reasons. Plenty of HD riders walk the walk when it comes to mileage. But, don't look at Daytona for an example. There are plenty of posers to go around as there are riders who ride.

 

I am not talking about off road riding. That is a whole other issue.

Sure plenty HD riders walk the walk, but not in the numbers of BMW riders. And while there are plenty of posers to go around, HD has more than there fair share, and they market to that demographic. So yes, I make fun of it. I also think HD gets a deserved knock for building antiquated bikes. Oh and they killed off the Buell line. I just can find so much wrong with that company.