Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes I don't generally bash bikes....

and this isn't a bike bash, really it's not.
Stone cold true story...
I walk in to my Dr's office for an appt (man, she's hot... different story for a different time), and after it's all said and done, I'm waiting for a referral order and this chick, tech, says..."is that your Harley outside?" and I reply, "it's a Triumph", and she says again, "Is that your Harley?" and I repeat a little louder (obviously she's hard of hearing) "IT'S A TRIUMPH"... and believe it or not, we go through this once again, and finally she says "oh".... "I just started working at Harley of xxxxxxx a couple of days a week".
I'm thinking, what the hell has the world come to? And I ask her "What do you do there?" and she says "Retail". I'm thinking, what the hell does that mean, retail, then it hits me, boutique fluff. "Do you ride?" I ask. She says "No, but the shop is going to have classes for employees, I might sign up". Right, they're going to let her ride... a bike....

I guess it's the same everywhere, eye-candy fluff to sell the non-motorcycle stuff. It's just darn frustrating to know it happens and meet it face-to-face.

Man, you remember that bike shop where the guy selling parts knew every inch of a bike, and could pull parts by your description, with the mechanic that could fix anything you broke, the shop with the ashtray on the counter? Well, I guess they're still out there, but they're getting fewer and fewer.

So there you have it, boutique Harley material if I ever saw it (she started it, not me).
Hell, she works at a dealership and I doubt she even knows about the Davidson part.

Hey, do the Triumph dealerships do that? I suppose they do. Man, what's the world coming to!

Yea kind of like going to any of the auto parts chains around here with part in hand and getting that far away look. Whats that? It dont come up in the computer

MCS Triumph in Hatboro PA (North Philly). Old shop, lots of dusty parts hanging on the walls that will never be sold. One or two new bikes, some used bikes. Manager Dave is always good to stop and chat with for a few minutes. It's a real shop - no Christmas ornaments, dog collars or fluff!

For contrast, I also stop in "Brians HD" near Philly. Big, multi-million dollar "store". I walk in and ask the fluff if they have dog accessories. They always reply sure and I laugh. They look at me strange and someone follows me....

I remember those bikes shops, smelt of grease and always had parts lying all over the place,in particular Amal carbs. Thought they had all gone but I found one local to me for my Yamaha RD, still has the old micro fish to look up very old parts & the guys know what they are talking about & still give free advice!

Martyn,
Man, I grew up on 2-stroke smoke! Take care of that RD and don't let that shop die!

http://www.angelfire.com/hi3/smokeonthewater/index.html

I miss that ring-ding-ding sound! A buddy in High School had an RD350, I rode it every chance I got, mostly with the front wheel in the air!

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I miss that ring-ding-ding sound!

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I know what you mean. The sound of a good two stroke motor.

I had a 1972 DT2 250 Enduro. That bike was a lot of fun off/on road.

Soren

Earl Smalls here in Marietta is the same way. They have an entire side of the store filled with eye candy (women) and fluff harley stuff. The entire back corner of the store has women's and baby harley apparel. Not to mention the big Jewelry counter.

That being said if you saw the last Torque they had the pics of the Triumph Concept Store in Hinkley. Looks like they're going in the same direction.

Cool. I also owned a mid 70's DT400. Had it bored once over with YZ fenders front & rear and enduro lights. Wife and I actually "toured" on that thing! Didn't have a great suspension for dirt work, but it had some power.

Skinner's Cycles, in Auburn AL, is an olde tyme shoppe. I got my first Triumph there 23 years ago. It's in a broken down building right out on the main drag. I love the place!

just think some where out there is another michelle smith and she keeps us watching and buying!!!!!

Just tuned Michelle in this morning! Yeah it's about V-twins, but it's got Michelle!

British-USA in S.Houston, Tx - A small old store with lots of old British bikes, and lost of old parts collecting dust, too. Was in there Thursday night and heard one of the parts guys tell a customer that most of their vintage stuff was just given to them. Nice collection.

Cliff, the owner is a legend around the Gulf Coast - been in the British bike business a long, long time. Usually find him about the store - involved with the customer, as he should be. Wonder how many HD store owners ever spend time around their own store? Kinda like trying to find the owner of a Walmart, Sears, Target, Best Buy...they don't exist!

I had a orange and white RD350 back in '71, Martyn. I never know what I had until I cranked the throttle one day and nearly got thrown off the rear after pulling a huge "wheelie"

-PES

My buddy had an orange/white RD350. I begged a ride on that thing as much as possible. Ring-Ding-Ding!

I had a red/white/black one back then too. I think it was a 72. I loved riding it. I bored it once and then resleeved it (larger pistons both times) and man did it get up and go. I used to eat up most everything 650 and under.

Fouled plugs something awful, before and after mods. I kept a half a dozen with me at all times...

Some lowlife creep stole it and all I got back were the jugs....

I still miss it.

I don't know anything about that RD stuff, but it was a lot of fun on the 650 Trumpet and 80 inch flathead winding tight in 3rd gear and ripping past Zundaps, Puchs and Allstates! I left the kids on Whizzers alone though. They had a tendancy to get all excited and crash.

There's alot of Bimbo's out there that's for sure. All some women know about a motorcycle is that it's on two wheels and "sure is shiny!".

Don't worry that the chick didnt know what a Triumph is, most don't know the different types of bikes.

When Pamela Anderson did the movie "Barb Wire" it was one of the then returning Triumph Motorcycle's first chances to get into the spotlight. If I remember correctly, one of the big wigs of Triumph (Bloor perhaps?) met with Pamela Anderson personally and taught her how to ride the Triumph that she rode in the movie. He spent all weekend with her and that bike. When she was interviewed later she said something like, "Yeah he (the big wig) took me out and we rode Harleys all weekend!!"

Triumph was not happy.

So dont feel bad

Backporch865

Had an orange/black RD350....As I recall once it hit about 5000rpm and the reed vales opened, it was like getting shot out of a cannon!

Speaking of parts store geniuses...I was in my local auto parts joint a few days ago and the kid behind the counter said "man, that's a cool lookin' bike...what kind is it?" I told him it was a Triumph, to which he asked "who makes those, Yamaha?"