2009 March 28 - Demo Days

2009 March 28 - Demo Days - Cycle Specialties in Modesto

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Today is the Modesto Triumph/BMW dealership's Triumph Demo Day. Eric, Pdub, Daniel and Jess drive down at 7:30AM to be the first in line to sign up for their favorite bikes to ride.

All would take two test rides on two different bikes.

Since my 1997 BMW R850R is due for a major service, I phone Pdub to see if I can get a ride home after leaving my R850R at Cycle Specialties for them to service. It turns out that I can. So I get a later start and arrive just in time to have lunch, hot dogs, salad, chips, cookies and soft drinks. I leave home around 11:15 and get to the dealership near Noon. I am not taking any test rides.
Cycle Specialties Web Site

Triumph USA has a traveling van loaded with a bunch of demo bikes for people to take group test rides.
The Triumph van and test bikes lined up

Here is the 2009 Bonneville

Cycle Specialties has been a long time BMW motorcycle dealer. They added Piaggio and Vespa scooters a few years ago. They added Triumph in mid 2008 and have just started flooring a lot of Triumphs after moving to their new and much larger store location in November of 2008.
Jimmy the owner's son at the computer

Free food - you know that is where the Rats are.
Jess and Pdub chowing down

Bill, Karen and Ralph - fellow members of my Central California BMW Riders Club


Daniel, Pdub, Jess and Eric with the Triumph van in the background

Now between their first and second test rides the four drove a few blocks to the Ducati dealership to test ride Ducati's. There was that debacle that happened the day of the NCTRF trip to Modesto to view various motorcycles. The test rider after Pdub totaled a new Duke. Now the dealership is again offering test rides.

By the time that I get there Pdub and Jess have already had two Triumph test rides. Eric and Daniel are scheduled at 1:00 PM for their second Triumph test rides.
Eric and Daniel displaying their wrist bands which have the time and bike for test rides


John W, the owner of the dealership is cooking the hot dogs

As Eric and Daniel get ready for their second test ride Jess decides to have seconds or perhaps thirds on the hot dogs.

Pdub is skipping the buns now

Now Jess is skipping the buns

Here is Gale the sales manager sitting at his desk

While Eric and Daniel are on their second test ride. Pdub drives Jess and me to visit the local Kawasaki/Honda and the Suzuki dealerships.
Jess trying on a helmet at the Suzuki dealer

Eric and Daniel returning from their test ride quickly grab a drink or a dog

We are now ready to leave and because of my age I am allowed to ride "shot gun".
Five in a Honda Civic head back to Stockton and Elk Grove. It is just a 40 minute or so drive to my home. Then the rest can sit more comfortably on their ride home.

~end
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