Stupid questions people ask you when stopped

Our local BMW dealer offers $15 discount for keeping appointment on a rainy day.
http://www.bobsbmw.com/service/bobs-rainy-day-service-special/

They'd go broke if they tried that in Seattle.

Do they toss in a wash, and store the bike until a sunny day??

Leave it outside and the rain washes it, right?

Thats my theory.

I was riding from Stockholm, Sweden trough Poland, etc down to southern Jugoslavia on a Honda XL500 back then. On allmost every stop for fuel I had to explain that they where _abolutely not_ to put in two-stroke oil in. On one occassion, when I kick-started the engine, a very curious guy who had been overlooking the procedure burst out "-Ah, diesel!"

That's pretty cool. I haven't been very impressed with the bike shops around here. Even the one BMW dealer (which is also a Suzuki dealer, and maybe one other) I've found to be pretty awful. A few years ago when I was looking for good ear plugs I stopped by the place. Asked the fella behind the counter if they carried any ear plugs. He shrugged. "What do you need those for?" He asked what kind of bike I rode and looked at me incredulously. Ear plugs? For what? You have the stock exhaust, right?

I will say the last time I was in there to look at the new V-Strom, a salesman came up, offered a much-welcome bottle of water or Coke, and even came outside to look at my current bike. But that's a rarity.

I dunno if it's the region or if I give off a bad vibe or what, but I can't pretty consistently count on terrible service at any of the Memphis motorcycle dealers. That said, one of our local ADV members just got a job selling bikes around here. I ought to go see him.

Jamie

Classic!

With the prices BMW charges for shop work I doubt that. It might get it closer to a fair price though.

I was all geared up about to leave a restaurant the other night when some guy strolls on over and starts talking. I wasn't looking so with the ear plugs in I didn't know he was there When I noticed him I asked him to repeat himself. He was telling me some story about his truck being broke down and he was short 37 dollars for the tow truck...

I would have felt bad for the guy, but I swear this was the same guy who asked me for 37 dollars a year ago, in the same parking lot Either way, I had met my family there, and my wife left with my wallet and I had no money either.

I own too many BMW's to be able to contest this.

And yes, I got the "it snowed this morning, and you rode your bike in??" Duh -- flurries and nothing on the ground. Turn up the electrics and roll!

We rode to Reelfoot Lake with some friends a few weeks ago.
After we had lunch at Boyette's we visited the eagles and the nature preserve (we were still in full gear except for helmets because it was cold)....

There was a group of young children hanging out at one of the vistas. One of our friends had a black one-piece F/S suit. As we passed, one of the more outgoing kids asked if he was a racecar driver. He just laughed and said yes and we kept walking... A little later I remembered it was the same day as the Daytona NASCAR race.

The best is did you ride to work in the snow, no i pushed it

I teach elementary school. At the beginning of the year I introduce myself to the class with a slide show. The show includes pics of me and my motorcycle, which I use to transition into a discussion of safety and classroom rules. I ride to work nearly every day, and generally arrive just as the busses are unloading (we're open for breakfast 45 min. before classes start). I also keep my helmet on top of the file cabinet by my desk. Invariably, within the first month of school, one of the kids will say, "Mister, I didn't know you rode a motorcycle." Gotta love them.

There is a Boy Scout Troop over in Mobile for scouts with mental and physical disability's once a year they ask if rider's would ride in for about an hour and tell about there bikes and let the boys look at them. There were about 25 bikes there mostly H/D some BMW few other street bikes, I took my 990 covered in Mud, I put the bike on the center stand let some of the kids sit on it, one kid asked
- How fast will it Go? -
I say
- It go's so Fast it you can goto Jail. -
He jumps off the bike waving his hands in the air walking away saying
I not sitting on that bike.

Good on you for doing that event

Many people seem fascinated by motorcyclists and the setting has a little bit to do with what I hear.

For example, riding in the Smokies on either bike during the riding season no one really pays much attention. But if I'm off the beaten path of motorcycling venues or otherwise out during the off season, I get two different sets of questions based on which bike I'm riding.

On the Gold Wing I usually get -
1. "Where are you from?"
2. "Where all are you going?"


And on the DR I typically get these:
1. "Where are you from?"
2. (Then looking me up and down) "You rode here from WHERE?"
3. (And then, looking at the bike) "You rode here on THAT?"

From there the discussion can meander into all kinds of questions about the bikes, fuel economy, comfort, whatever.

But the openings are nearly always the same.

That's fantastic!!!