One Demo Ride Too Many

[Jamie]

This is regretfully further to my earlier post about helping the Geneva dealer with the Triumph Days logistics. After I was gone back home on my D675, a young lad who had reportedly waited hours for a D675 ride took the dealer's demo unit (the only "other" D675 in Western Switz. at the moment) to a nearby, former hillclimb road, less than 20 miles from downtown Geneva. He never made it through the first curve. He lost the D675 right there, at the bottom of that steep road . The bike reportedly crashed against a guard rail, bounced off to the other side of the road and then fell downhill, to end up smashing into the adjacent "Verbois" water dam concrete. The poor lad has numerous broken bones and other seemingly severe injuries etc. And the dealer is absolutely pissed off about the whole thing.

If there's a morale to this sad tale, I have not figured it out yet... Jamie

(Maybe this should not be posted? )

 

[sullyjones]

Some people on a test ride need to get absolutley everything out of the bike , almost for bragging rights later , in the UK it is getting more and more difficult to get test rides for this reason .
When I had a test on the 675 I had to fill in forms , insurance etc and thats from the dealer I always use . I also had a test on the suz gsx600 , that was very nice , a little better than the triumph in all areas , not a lot , but at least triumph are getting closer on their sports bikes

 

[Toystoretom]

I really hate to see that happen. Every time something like this does happen we are one step closer to no test rides on anything. Already.. about the only way you can test ride a Triumph is to be in a controlled pack, but only after you have produced all neccesary documents and have signed off on the rules of the ride. And then you also need full riding gear ect. ect. Even with all of that I saw a guy crash a Rocket last summer.

I hope the young man heals quickly. Maybe it wasn't his fault.. accidents do happen.

 

[SteveRed]

OUCH!!! For both the dealer and the rider!!

 

[vonbonds]

It is a shame the dealer is "pissed". Bikes can be replaced but this person sounds like he is in serious shape. Maybe the dealer should think twice about who they let take their bikes out in the future.

 

[Jamie]

the dealer should think twice about who they let take their bikes out in the future.

Yes he will. Just letting a kid with a two-month old motorcycle riding license earned on a 125cc scooter, against a mere photocopy of said license, go away with 125 HP of sports bike fury demands serious thnking. But then, where do we draw the line? Or who are we to draw it?

Am afraid "show up 'n ride" demo days , at least in Europe, are a thing of the imminent PAST. Such days are now gonna be "by appointment only", very selective, and with some "participatory" cash up-front, a contribution to the dealer's and/ or to the OEM's insurance liability, with only limited refundability upon returning the bike. Intact, that is.

The good news is that we, older folks, will be increasingly invited, without having to go through such formalities.