Random thoughts on my day at Daytona....

[1BigDog]

I sit here tonight rehashing my day at Daytona while nursing my 4th Angry Orchard Hard Cider bottle. After finding myself bikeless in Florida after 14 years of living here, me and the wife put the top down on the Mustang and headed south to Daytona. She knows that I want a Rocket Tourer really bad but she has never seen one up close. I figured that I would see a few on the road in Daytona. I saw only 1 all day and that was on the loop. Soooooo, when I passed the long established BMW dealer at the foot of the Main St bridge I also see that it is a Triumph dealer as well. Never noticed that before. I pulled in and went into the shop with wife in tow. No used Rockets on the premises. In the show room, all the way in the back is a 2014 Tourer sitting in the corner. There she is I bellowed.....Wife finally saw it and she wants one too. Said that maybe I can buy the new one. Wow....Really??? So in the heat of the moment I parked my fat arse on it and waited for a salesman. After 10 minutes not one paid any attention to me. Was I at a Harley dealer I thought???? I got off and looked it over a bit more. Opened the saddlebag and it would not close again. One salesman walked by, didnt even look and kept going. So I decided to leave, walked by the group of 3 salesmen standing there, looked hard at them then walked out. I never buy new anyway but in the heat of the moment I may have pulled the trigger but the dealer had killed that thought. So, we make a left onto Main St and do the stroll from one end to the other, so, it was in a car.....what the hey! As I was looking at the crowds looking at me I said to my wife "have you noticed how the crowds have changed over the years" Looks like the same crowd only older with gray ponytails. Looked into the rear view mirror and saw that same old gray haired biker looking back at me. Sigh!!! Drove over to the Sunshine mall and it was only a 1/4 of what it was a few years ago. Hit up a favorite restaurant that I used to host meet and eats at but they were out of business. Ended up at Martins in Flagler Beach for a nice oceanfront dinner before heading back home. So, there is no moral to this story.....as I pop open my 5th bottle of hard cider.......

So, to recap......hard cider good.....Triumph dealer on Beach...bad...Martins good....Gray hair....
Bike week in general??? Need a bike to enjoy it more. I will be on a Rocket by then....

 

[TRIIICK]

Should have gone with the guys and stopped in at Froggys..A lot of the action has moved up to Ormond Beach in the last few years.

 

[1BigDog]

Didnt know anyone was down here. But without a bike, its kinda like having your kid brother tag along.

 

[Boog]

BigDog, I know that the Triumph Manassas dealer is about 10-12 hours north of Jacksonville, but I guarantee you will be greeted in a manner much more conducive to quality service.

 

[tdragger]

BigDog, I know that the Triumph Manassas dealer is about 10-12 hours north of Jacksonville, but I guarantee you will be greeted in a manner much more conducive to quality service.

true dat. They've been great.

 

[bonecarver]

I sit here tonight rehashing my day at Daytona while nursing my 4th Angry Orchard Hard Cider bottle. After finding myself bikeless in Florida after 14 years of living here, me and the wife put the top down on the Mustang and headed south to Daytona. She knows that I want a Rocket Tourer really bad but she has never seen one up close. I figured that I would see a few on the road in Daytona. I saw only 1 all day and that was on the loop. Soooooo, when I passed the long established BMW dealer at the foot of the Main St bridge I also see that it is a Triumph dealer as well. Never noticed that before. I pulled in and went into the shop with wife in tow. No used Rockets on the premises. In the show room, all the way in the back is a 2014 Tourer sitting in the corner. There she is I bellowed.....Wife finally saw it and she wants one too. Said that maybe I can buy the new one. Wow....Really??? So in the heat of the moment I parked my fat arse on it and waited for a salesman. After 10 minutes not one paid any attention to me. Was I at a Harley dealer I thought???? I got off and looked it over a bit more. Opened the saddlebag and it would not close again. One salesman walked by, didnt even look and kept going. So I decided to leave, walked by the group of 3 salesmen standing there, looked hard at them then walked out. I never buy new anyway but in the heat of the moment I may have pulled the trigger but the dealer had killed that thought. So, we make a left onto Main St and do the stroll from one end to the other, so, it was in a car.....what the hey! As I was looking at the crowds looking at me I said to my wife "have you noticed how the crowds have changed over the years" Looks like the same crowd only older with gray ponytails. Looked into the rear view mirror and saw that same old gray haired biker looking back at me. Sigh!!! Drove over to the Sunshine mall and it was only a 1/4 of what it was a few years ago. Hit up a favorite restaurant that I used to host meet and eats at but they were out of business. Ended up at Martins in Flagler Beach for a nice oceanfront dinner before heading back home. So, there is no moral to this story.....as I pop open my 5th bottle of hard cider.......

So, to recap......hard cider good.....Triumph dealer on Beach...bad...Martins good....Gray hair....
Bike week in general??? Need a bike to enjoy it more. I will be on a Rocket by then....

That is the dealer where I bought my 2011 touring.. We did the same thing. went in for a look.. went to leave, my wife and I looked at each other over the roof of the magnum and said,what the hell.... Went back in and bought it..

 

[1BigDog]

Boog and TD, I am on Kens list for a call when one arrives. We talked a few weeks ago for about 20 minutes. I check his site every few days.