It feels good when you get through to someone....
 

One of my team leaders told me that a rep of hers was interested in bikes and saving for his first one...

I approached the kid, probably 18, and asked him about it... "I want a Suzuki R600."

I told him a little about my bike(s) and my experience level, then I asked about his... "I know how to ride a bike."

Ok then, how many miles do you have under you belt? "I dunno, probably 10."

Mmmk. Do you want to buy a brand new bike? "Yeah."

Ok... Let me tell you a little about the GSXR 600. First, it's a race bike with lights. People literally buy them, take the lights off, then race them. They are that potent. You buying a Gixxer 600 with 10 miles of riding experience would be like you backing your parents car in and out of the driveway a few times, then getting a Formula 1 car when you first get your license.

"So you think a 250 would be better?" Most definitely. The new Ninja 250's are HOT... plus they're only $3500! It being your first bike, you're probably going to drop it... 5mph in the driveway, or 50mph through an intersection... it's a likely scenario... You're going to be pissed no matter what, but pissed about a $3500 bike is a little different than pissed about a $9000 bike...

We talk about various bike options, how different models compare, and all that regular shit you would talk about with someone wanting to get a bike...

Then we reach the subject of gear...

"I'm gonna get a helmet." Good start... what about jacket, gloves, boots, pants?

"Do I need all that?" Technically no, but check this out... *scar showing* this is with jacket, gloves, boots, jeans, and a helmet.

"I'm definitely going to get a jacket now, but I hate wearing gloves... do I have to get gloves?" Let's put it this way, my right glove was DESTROYED when I crashed, but I rode for two more hours immediately following.

"Wow." Hell yeah, wow. Gear vs. no gear is the difference between getting back up, cursing at your bike, and riding home... vs. waking up in a hospital bed, not knowing what happened to you. Remember how screwed up you got when you crashed your bike at 10mph when you were a kid? Now you want to wear shorts and a t-shirt when riding at 60mph?

"Good points... that stuff must be expensive though..." Well, it can be, but you can find pretty good deals online and with closeouts of previous year's designs... and really, what's cheaper, a few hundred dollars on gear, or a few thousand dollars worth of skin grafts?

"I guess I'm not as ready as I thought I was..." Most aren't... it's just good that you're willing to listen.

.......................

No more than 10 minutes later, another agent pulled me aside and asked me about the new 250 Ninjas... Totally unrelated to the previous conversation, but twice in one day I have non-riders asking me about the new 250 Ninjas... I wonder how many Kawi is selling?

That's AWESOME! you should have given her a card...

but that's amazing that she was so open... then again... women are a little less STUBBORN about shit than guys...

It was a guy... the team leader who told me about him was a girl...

That being said, I'm going to go look at bikes with a female coworker this weekend... She wants an SV650...

Its a dude.

Anyway, nice job OSP. I wish more people were willing to listen to stuff about gear. I work with a dude that started riding last season and totaled his bike being an idiot. Luckily he had a helmet on, otherwise he woulda been real fucked when the back of his head hit the pavement, but he was covered in rash. Yet his GF who rides a harley still rides in a tank top with no helmet.

EDIT: the new O S P honda thing is fucking great

thats cool, sometimes showing scars can do that to a newbie. and most of the time only telling them "600's too much" isnt enough to convince them.

btw, you'd be a hell of a kawi salesman...

I am a salesman by nature...

That being said, I'm emailing myself pics from my crash to show him today... just to solidify everything....

fuck no helmet laws.
i was looking at one of the motorcycle chp's. the officer was wearing a 3/4 helmet, no jacket, no gloves, some cloth pants, and some rain boots.
WTF??

I am anti-helmet law. Personal decisions should not be made by the government.

I got stopped for no seatbelt by a bike cop that had a 3/4 helmet, leather jacket, but no gloves.

Me too. I absolutely hate seat belt laws and I look at helmet laws as the same kind of thing. But whats fucked up is I can ride with no helmet if I choose (though I never have), but if I want to drive around the block with out a seatbelt I can get a ticket.

yea but this is one law that would actually help the ppl...having your brain splatter all over the pavement is not cool dude...:td: