Test Drive Day, Part 1

I've been talking about getting another bike, so I finally got off my butt to go out and test drive some bikes today. I went to the BMW/Triumph dealer, since I like the retro look of the Triumph bikes (British!). I got to test drive an older model ('06 or '07, I think) of the Triumph Thruxton. It's a racing bike, so the handlebars were much further down than I'm used to (the current model's handlebars are higher up, which is why I'm considering it at all). So, it's my first real test drive (drove a friend's Vmax briefly, and now I wish I had borrowed it for longer) on a bike that was significantly different from my bike. I was leaning way forward (so much so that I felt like I was going to fall forward) where on my bike, I sit straight up. The bike was heavier, taller, more powerful (865 cc vs. 250 cc) and the foot pegs were tucked under me instead of just under my knees. The salesman (appropriately enough, an Englishman) suggested a test drive route, which was very helpful (reduced decision-making while driving). It was mostly in-town, but there were a couple miles on the highway, from Wadsworth to Simms on 6th, enough for me to get comfy, then realize I could go faster than on my bike! I got up to 80 or so before having to slow down for the exit, and that wasn't on full blast. :D The safety patrol of my readers will *tsk tsk*, but I pretty much had to try it. :D I wouldn't buy the vehicle I test rode, since my back was already aching by the end of the twenty minute ride, but I'd consider the one with the higher handlebars.
I also wanted to try the Triumph Bonneville, but they recently sold thier test model and hadn't cleared another one for test riding. They'll give me a call when it is.
After that, I moved on to the Suzuki dealer. Unlike the lovely people at the Triumph dealership, a sales fellow (the owner of the dealership, I think) said that on Saturdays he's "short on staff" and I should come back during the week. He's short on friggin' staff on the weekend? What the hell? That's when working blokes like myself have friggen' time to go shopping! Then, to add injury to insult, he reminded me to wear long pants and closed toed shoes - a reasonable request, if I was wearing a skirt and high heels... except that I wasn't! Because I rode my bike there, I was wearing jeans and tennis shoes (on a hot day!) and was carrying my motorcycle jacket. I clearly know what to wear to ride, you patronizing git. I'd rather not buy a bike from him, but I might have to go back for a test drive and then buy from someone else. Muahahahahaha!
I was highly tempted to go right away to the other side of town to another Suzuki dealership, but I ended up going to dinner with my uncle Sam. A much better way to spend an evening, I believe.

In other news, I went to a late showing of Blade Runner at Red Rocks, a beautiful outdoor venue, with some friends. I hadn't seen it for a long time (years) and I had forgotten how great it is. Before watching the movie, we hung out and one of my friends was really throwing me for a loop talking about the fabulous performance by Dolph Lundgren and what happened to him after that? I couldn't remember him in it, but then again it had been a long time. I really couldn't imagine a fabulous perfomance by Dolph Lundgren either, but... OK. Then, another friend joined the conversation. "Oh, you mean Rutger Hauer?" Now that I remember! Yes, fabulous death scene. And aside from the divine Ladyhawke, yes, he did kind of disappear into B-movieland. Sure, they're both Teutonic testosterone-laden action heroes, but really... mixing those two up?

Hope you all are having a great weekend.