What's New In The Parts Department?

A Very Special Swap "Thank You" 

Year after year we are always amazed at the turnout of our semi-annual Parts Swap.  This May was no exception and we're thrilled to report it was once again the biggest Swap ever!  It's getting so big that we will be making some important changes for this fall to make your shopping experience much easier and quicker than before (stay tuned).  The Parts Swap is all about riding gear, but there were some great deals on some hard-to-find used parts as well.  Whether you were buying or selling, chances are you made out like a bandit on great stuff you can't find (or sell) at a better price! 

For the next Parts Swap, we're working feverishly to get the word out in more media outlets, as well as redesigning how the whole event works, including streamlining the checkout process, getting more detailed descriptions on the merchandise, inventorying used merchandise, and adding more one-time special purchases (new products) that are as good of a deal as some of the used gear. So thanks again for your participation and patience as this great event continues to grow.  We'll announce more changes as the months pass and hope to expand the Parts Swap into a more "Store Wide" event.

Auxiliary Lighting Kits - Adding lights to your motorcycle can be the best way to see better at night and dramatically increase your conspicuity - or visibility to other drivers. Today's auxiliary lighting kits offer a wide array of lighting options that all have a slightly different purpose. Use for long dark highways, fog or flashing LED's to be more visible to others. Adventure riders sometimes add both a HID driving beam and a slightly wider dispersion off road pattern light kit. Together with a high output headlamp, auxiliary lighting is something you'll wonder how you ever did without.  And with today's LED and HID technology, the stress on your bike's charging system is very minimal. We have assembled a wide variety of lighting kits to suit any need. 

Here's one of our favorite new lighting products: Trail Tech LED lights are built rugged and off-road tough. This brand new LED technology outputs 800 lumens in a tight, well-designed form. Their focused, forward lighting allows extreme visibility in night-time conditions. They take advantage of Trail Tech's line of specialized mounts, so you know you can put them where you want. Flat surface, solid post, handlebar, or helmet; Trail Tech's got you covered. A button on the back swaps between high, medium and low output - allowing you to either conserve battery life (for setting up camp!) or all-out assault the night. Hardened glass lenses, vibration isolation and machined aluminum bodies help them to have a hardy lifespan. Available at Ride West BMW Motorcycles now (please specify mount when ordering).

Jeff Conlin - Parts Manager

Bill Niwa - Apparel & Accessories Manager

(206) 527-5511

parts@ridewest.com 

apparel@ridewest.com 

A Message From Our Owners

A Visit from an Old Friend 

Dick Bruce came to visit us at the dealership the other day.  He had a book on the history of BMW that he wanted to present to us, because over the years he has become more than a customer; he has become a friend.  It doesn't matter that the book is written in French, it was the thought that counts.  Dick is 98 years old, and although he had his grandson drive him here, he got out of the car and entered the building under his own power. 

We first met Dick about 15 years ago, when the dealership was in the old funky building in the Greenlake area.  Our sales manager at the time asked us if we would mind delivering a new bike to a customer in the SeaTac area.  So we loaded it up on the trailer and off we went.  But the address was wrong, or at least it seemed to be.  When we found the place it was a retirement community tucked down in a residential area.  Thinking that we had written the address incorrectly we drove past and on down the street.  We would have called the shop to confirm the address, but this was when cell phones looked like bricks and were about as heavy.  As we drove back up the street  we saw a guy standing about a block within the retirement community  waving frantically at us. We drove down to see what the problem was and Dick Bruce introduced himself to us.  He was 85 years old and we were delivering his brand new R1200C BMW Cruiser to him.  His wife came out and said "I wish he would not do these things".

Dick rode the bike several times to Montana and throughout the Northwest over the next several years, and we saw him occasionally when he would stop by the shop, quite often during the bi-yearly Bike Swaps that we hold.  He came in yesterday, a spry 98 plus years old, and said that he decided to finally sell his beloved BMW as he was just not able to ride it anymore.  He gave up riding to stay by his wife's side as she was failing.  He rode a couple of times after she died and realized that it was time to sell. 

Before he left the showroom he he said he wanted to take one last look at all of the new models, and as we left him he and his grandson were admiring a new S1000RR.  We wouldn't be surprised to find him in here next week with a down payment.  We have commented many times before that it is the customers that make this business particularly fun, and Dick Bruce is certainly one of those customers.  What an inspiration!

Ann and Keith Thye