Bill- I'm like you when it comes to buying 4 wheeled vehicles; I do my research, go in armed to the teeth with my Edmunds, Consumers etc. value printouts, say hello to the salesman, tell him which vehicle I'm there to buy, tell him that it'll be the easiest commission he's ever made, and that we'll be done in an hour so that he can get on to his next customer....I'm a very practical single Mom, I work full time for my money and I value it. I food shop with coupons, I look for the best deals on all my purchases, etc. And I save for retirement and rainy days.
So, with that said, just go buy a bike and start RIDING!!
Riding is where you suspend your belief in the seriousness of everyday life...you let go of all of your worries and stresses and important responsibilities and just ride and corner and accelerate and relax and master your fears (not just of riding in challenging conditions) and count the hawks in the sky and see sunsets and sunrises and eat lunches at tiny diners and daydream in your head and meet wicked cool people and laugh till you're sick and play not work and smell the different smells of the air going from sun to shade....
So what if a dealership gets $500 over what you could have paid 6 hours away at another dealership. Not to mention people die riding these things every day, so buying a bike is not about making yet another "safe" choice. It's about indulging in a luxurious and perfect way to play and be in the world. You'll have made back that $500 in life value by the end of your first month of digging your ride and having people come up and admire your coolest of cool Triumph.
