NC-X = Not allowed to buy a BMW

[Beemerphile]

my personal judgement says its not safe for me to ride in that area.

Well, I live in Georgia, and if I lived in Atlanta (and still worked for a living) I would not commute either. I make it a practice to avoid Atlanta at commute times like root canal surgery. The drivers are unskilled, aggressive, in a hurry, normally mad, and often distracted.

On the HP2, they come up for sale here occasionally. I have been tempted by a few. And also, the BMW dealer in Marietta is not the type that you had your experience with (the Other One in the Atlanta area can sometimes be a bit snooty).

 

[bamamate]

When I have to drive through Atlanta, I'm mad.

I doubt I would commute on a bike in Atlanta either.

 

[Phil X]

Maybe the video snippet linked in this article could alleviate that trouble with an ignorant BMW sales person sneering at the NC700? At least for myself it definitely would. And for anything serious offroad usage I personally would set up my even more budget WR250R instead and see what happens.
(However, the BMW rider from that mentioned video was a very nice and cool guy, just to mention this).

I personally would prefer visiting Neuschwanstein castle in case I feel a need for bavarian baroque style, as opposed to riding cranky BMW bikes provided by ignorant sales people. But I certainly realize, there must be some reason...

Good luck with your great plans, anyway! Hope it will work out the way you like it.
Phil

 

[Porkie]

I don't think I am going to road-ride/commute on a bike in the US due to the sheer rubbishness of the average driver. How dare you be so condescending to we folks on the BIG island. Most of the citizens commute more here in a week than you folks do in a year and we even go over 62 miles an hour on occasion. Don't judge lest ye be judged.

Be aware that some states won't let you export a bike to the US of A unless it meets EPA standards.

If you make it over here please teach me how to drive and ride--I'd appreciate it.

Sam

 

[draco_1967]

I drive for a living, and I will agree that there are far too many idiots behind the wheel. From my travels abroad (Europe, Indonesia, Jordan, Israel) I have found that, while US traffic doesn't seem as "crazy" as many other places in the world, too many people here are focused more on distractions than the world outside of their windows.



Sent from a Speak & Spell wired to a record player, a saw blade, a fork, and an umbrella.

 

[Mike Cash]

Atlanta is a special brand of crazy; there's no denying that.

 

[dduelin]

This happened to me about 1/2 hour ago. I am still trying to work out if it's funny or annoying.

Backstory:
In about 6 months I will be leaving the UK and going to live in the USA for three years. My current feeling is that I don't think I am going to road-ride/commute on a bike in the US due to the sheer rubbishness of the average driver. However, the area where I'm going has a whole load of trails, dirt and a big enduro scene, so I am thinking a lot about swapping my NC to go in that direction.

The enduro bike I have ALWAYS lusted after, ever since they came out, has been the BMW HP2 - they are not sold any more, and the HP1 is definately second on the list. All my thinking about dirt riding in the US has always featured mental images of me being dashing and brave on one of these two. I have been lucky enough to be on an HP2 twice and it was incredible.

Note - talking about the HP2 Enduro here - looks like there was an HP2 Sport in the US, which was a track monster.

Anyway.... enough with the salivating..... I have been putting feelers out in the US and I can't track either an HP1 or an HP2 down. So, I decided to toddle into a BMW Mottorad main dealer to see if they could help me find one on the second hand market - I also know that the BMW off-road school in the UK has a big group of them as well.


Note for American people: You guys got the HP2 Sport, which was a track monster. I'm talking about here what was called the HP2 Enduro

So, I ride to the dealer in my lunch hour. I'm on my NC-X, good helmet, good gear, have actually had a shave for once etc. Wander in, look at the enormous 1200GS's, watch in amazement/severe doubt as the sales guy sells an S1000RR to a lady of perhaps 50 years old who is 5 foot 4 inches, and pick up a few bits that I need - WD40, reflective stuff etc.

Finally get to talk to the sales guy. It goes like this:

Me: "Hi, I'm after some help....."
Sales Guy: "Is that your Honda outside?"
Me "Yup"
Sales guy: "hmmm... please don't take this the wrong way, but people who buy an economy bike like that aren't really who we sell to...."
Me: "erm..... well, I like the bike and it does the job. I've had BMW's before and the money side isn't really an issue....."
Sales Guy: "I have a lot of people tell me that... but they turn out to be time wasters. We're happy to sell your the bits and pieces, but I'm too busy to go through a sales process about bikes with you at the moment..."
Me: "Seriously? Do I look like a dubious character???"
Sales guy: "I'm sure your not sir, but the kind of person who ride's your bike is never going to be the kind of person who would ride one of mine..."

With that, I get an annoying little smile and told I can pay for my bits and that I should have a great day.

So, either I look decidedly suspicious, which I don't think I do ( Chubby? yes. Suspicious - no ), or the NC-X is giving out the wrong sort of impression to stuck up idiots in BMW showrooms....

However, when you ride north of Atlanta you will entering some of the very best motorcycle roads on this planet. That will be worth putting up with Atlanta for.

 

[radiotinnitus]

I had a hard time deciding between my NC and a BMW. I liked the practical things about the NC, but the BMW's were more emotionally attractive. What helped make up my mind was simply visiting both dealerships several times. Honda won hands down and they really treated me right. I don't understand the type of "salesmanship" you describe in your story, but I can believe it based on the experiences I had and felt at BMW in my town. It felt as if I would absolutely dread going back to the BMW dealership for maintenance and service. Go Honda.

Atlanta traffic on a motorbike? A meth habit would be safer.

 

[belinda k]

The staff at Morton's BMW in Fredericksburg, VA were the nicest we've come across in a while. When we bought my husband's LT, everyone from the owner, to the salespersons, to the 50-75 BMW riders that came in just to hang out, were as friendly as could be. Every couple of minutes, someone would walk by and strike up a conversation. This happened every time we visited the dealership.

We've had pleasant visits to all three North Carolina BMW dealerships, as well.

I guess one bad apple can spoil the bunch...if you let it.
Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone using Board Express

 

[Fuzzy]

Don't understand Atlanta being picked out over other big U.S. cities. I go their periodicly. Once inside the 285 loop the HOV lane is fine. I have lived in 11 U.S. states and near multiple big cities and Atlanta is not the worst for drivers. Much better than up north with much politer drivers. Most will actually make room if you put your turn signal on rather than cut you off.

 

[SergeantChuck]

Don't understand Atlanta being picked out over other big U.S. cities. I go their periodicly. Once inside the 285 loop the HOV lane is fine. I have lived in 11 U.S. states and near multiple big cities and Atlanta is not the worst for drivers. Much better than up north with much politer drivers. Most will actually make room if you put your turn signal on rather than cut you off.

I agree. The loop (I-610) around Houston is like a Nascar Course. It gets pretty crazy there too.

 

[maxou723]

Trust me idiot drivers are everwhere. Just this weekend I am at a red lighta and this girl driving her fathers Infiniti rear ended me. She didn't even bother saying she was sorry or even get out of her car. Instead she kept on sucking her lollipop!

And what makes it worse are the crappy roads that we have here in Quebec. I can't believe it when driving past the border to the States how the roads are beautiful. Here just driving around is a challenge compounded with the idiots on the road!

 

[MAJikMARCer]

... the main area of roads where I will be, which is north of Atlanta, the quality of driving, especially on the highways, is something I find scary...

Atlanta driving is fast, aggressive and dense. I certainly wouldn't blame you for not riding in that environment.

 

[happy]

Regarding BMW snobbish sales service, I have this to advise you guys.
I always wear my Rolex and also my bling bling false diamond teeth.
In that way, you are guaranteed free coffee, croissants and all test rides for free.

Don't just believe me, try it yourself.
You need to "over-snobb" them.

 

[Rocker66]

Some sales people just don't deserve their jobs. Years ago Sue was after buying a 500 so we went to look at several different types. At the Suzuki dealer she asked about a GS500 and the salesman started telling me all about it. I explained that it was Sue who was the customer not me but he continued to direct the answers to Sue's questions to me. He then started to comment on how the colour of the bike matched my Furygan jacket which resulted in her new bike being a HONDA!
On the other hand back in the '70s I remember being in Geoff Darryn M/Cs when a a guy walked in wearing work boots torn jeans and a donkey jacket and started talking about the R90/S which at the time was the top of the range BMW. Despite his appearance Geoff spent a lot of time talking to him about the bike and which accessories were available. To Geoffs delight he decided to buyone including just about every accessory in the catalogue . Geoff asked him to go to the office to sort out the finance but the guy just reached into his back pocket and pulled out enough cash t pay for the bike.
He stated that he had traveled down to Kent from London because after agreeing the deal with a London dealer (Gus Khun) they wanted to add the prce of a gallon of fuel to the cost. For the cost of a gallon fuel they lost a really ood sale

 

[dog]

I agree. The loop (I-610) around Houston is like a Nascar Course. It gets pretty crazy there too.

I commute to downtown Houston on Loop 610 and I-45 N. No doubt, it's a zoo most of the time: STOP - go really fast - STOP, repeat.... The thing that scares me most is all the phone/texting stuff going on at the same time.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I used to skydive in Waller. I lived in Louisiana and either jumped in Beaumont or Houston. Getting around Houston was nuts. It takes a special kind of rider to put up with that everyday. Hats off to you.

 

[Daniszeman]

hrm, I dunno, whenever I show up with my duffel bag, nobody refuses my business.

 

[BttrThnWrk]

...Much better than up north with much politer drivers. Most will actually make room if you put your turn signal on rather than cut you off.

After awhile, I finally learned that changing lanes required a hole in the other lane larger than my car and a VERY LAST SECOND turn signal - usually as I was moving over. If I switched on my turn signal too soon (defined as being while I was still completely in my original lane), the gap would go away before I could move into it. I grew up in Chicago (a northern US city, for those of you unfamiliar with US geography) and learned to drive there. Phew! I'm not really sure anymore how I lived long enough through all that Chicago traffic to ever get old enough to join the Army.

 

[n30r3l0ad3d]

I don't know about the rest of you, but one thing that I never stop thinking about is getting hit from behind while stopped at a light. I always check my mirrors in constant worry.