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Ride West BMW - E-Newsletter
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September 2011
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| Greetings!
Knowing What You Don't Know - Safety Corner
I was cruising along a couple of weeks ago on my way home from a dual sport rally in Sandpoint, Idaho. The weather was great, and I was tired but enjoying every inch of the ride on my personal BMW F 800 GS, which has now been "farkled" to the degree that it is probably the only one to its exact specification that exists. A sensible person might consider it to be "done," but those of us who have been riding for years laugh at that suggestion.
I was riding south from Fort Spokane, Washington on a back country road with lots of extended "whoops" as the road rollicks along over the wheat fields. In front of me there was a ¾ ton pick-up, and in front of that I could occasionally pick out some sort of small silver car. To my left ahead I noted a large pick-up heading north toward me towing a large and fancy ski boat.
And then things started to happen... I noticed the pick-up in front of me start to slow down - pretty hard. The rear bumper rose several inches as the front brakes drove the forward end of the truck toward the pavement. The truck was big enough that I could not see the reason, but obviously something was not right! I began to slow at a controlled but aggressive rate, and without thinking about it, moved to the center of my lane. Why there? I couldn't have told you at the time, but in retrospect I think my training was telling me to go there because I did not have enough information to make a better choice - yet. But soon I would.
About this time the oncoming truck towing the ski boat passed me going the other way, and out of my peripheral vision I could see he was pulling off on the right shoulder. Why?
Right about that time, the truck in front of me swerved over the center line and into the left hand lane, and now I could see the problem. The truck pulling the ski boat had lost the wheel off the trailer and it was rolling toward me with a closing speed of (now) about 80mph.
As I stayed on the brakes it rolled by between me and the white fog line on the right, a mere four feet away, until bounding into the ditch far behind me. As I got the bike stopped there were lots of words that should not be printed here ringing in my head.
Upon reflection, I had done exactly the right thing. I believe that if wheel and tire had been rolling directly at me I would have had time to react and miss the wheel to the left or the right and not gone off the road - barely. My decision to stay in the center of the lane and brake aggressively had been the right call.
And why had I done the right thing? It was not because of my innate super hero riding talent, nor my ability to have x-ray vision, nor my impressive mental capabilities, and I hope you can see the sarcasm in these words. No, what saved the day for me was training. Lots and lots of training. Courses like MSF training, "Advanced Street Skills", "On Street", "California Superbike School", "Adventure Camps", and people like Chris Johnson of WMST, Bret Tkacs of PSS, Jim Hyde of RawHyde, David Hough author of Proficient Motorcycling, Keith Code of California Superbike School, Dave Wendell of PNWMS, and so many others were not riding with me - and yet they were.
Training from the right professionals and a lot of practice will allow you to think clearly and make correct decisions, even when there is not time to think clearly and you are not aware you are making decisions. I knew that before, and I think I could have been just fine without such a dramatic example, but thank you to all the people who have labored so hard to make me a better rider. Can you imagine what a BMW F 800 GS colliding with a trailer tire and wheel would look like? I can. Not pretty.
So my question for you today is - who trained you? When? Is it time to renew your education?
Dave Swezey
GM - Ride West BMW
gm@ridewest.com
(206) 527-5511
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Scott Vanderpool Demo Ride
Ride West Rocks with KZOK!
 | Photo By Doug Cooper
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Dave Preston had an interesting visit a while ago. A squadron of four representatives of KZOK radio, your "classic rock" station, came to see him with a proposal for advertising on the station.
One of the four was Scott Vanderpool, the morning "talent" on the station. Scott has been a motorcycle rider for decades, and for most of that time on a BMW. Of course, as we motorcyclists often do, David and Scott were soon off on a rambling conversation about motorcycles, trips, stories, gear, and so forth - none of which had anything to do with the intended subject. It was great fun watching the other three people trying to keep track of what David and Scott were talking about, to say nothing of what it meant!
As the meeting ended, Scott mentioned an interest in the BMW R 1200 GS. David offered a demo ride on our R 1200 GS, and Scott and one of his colleagues took off on a three hour test ride.
The next day Scott was kind enough to post a description, pictures, and a video of his BMW R 1200 GS adventures on the KZOK web site. Check it out here.
It turns out that meeting to pitch advertising can be fun!
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Just Riding Through
All Signs Point to Ride West Parking Lot!
People think of BMW Motorcycle dealerships as fairly conservative places - and the staff and customers too. We're used to seeing, on a daily basis, models from many different years, with some of them sporting very high mileages - and their bikes!
But sometimes something just that little bit unusual meanders in. This customer (pics below) came by for advice from Sean about disc brake pads for the front brake on this incredible machine. After some thought, the decision was that it would be best to mount a 2nd front disc.
This trike is powered by a Ford Focus inline 4 cylinder engine, with a rear mounted radiator and twin extractor fans. You can see the owner has used two Givi hard case boxes to provide some storage. The rider sits extremely low to the ground, with the shift lever for the automatic between his legs. There is a passenger seat and two HUGE speakers for the stereo. You will also note the instrument cowl with twin headlights as well as the separate stalks with additional driving lights. The wild paint job has some detailed graphics that do not show well in the pictures, and that is probably just as well - they are photogenic but not politically correct, to be sure.
Not your usual customer conveyance, and certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but the engineering and thought throughout this creation are laudable.
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Do Us a Favor? If you enjoy the "Ride West" experience in purchasing a bike, dealing with our fine Service Department, shopping for Apparel, Gear, and Parts, and/or taking part in our many Team Ride West activities - here is your chance to show it!
You can vote for us as the "Best Motorcycle Dealer" on this Evening Magazine poll. Try to ignore the picture of the "wrong" motorcycle on the ballot! And thank you!
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Find Us On Facebook!
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This Month At Ride West BMW
Click To Register
WMRRA Racing
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Pacific Raceway
Adv. Street Skills Course - PSS
Thursday, September 16, 2011
PSS Maintenance 1 Class
Saturday, September 17, 2011
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Club Room
Team Ride West Dinner
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
6:30 p.m. @ Cafe Veloce
PSS Maintenance 2 Class
Saturday, September 24, 2011
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Club Room
Team Ride West ABTOR IX!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Click Here to see our Events Calendar.
For more info: e-mail Dave Preston at team@ridewest.com
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New "Social Network" links
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OH YES, It's Free!...
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Free Coffee!
- Free Doughnuts - Every Saturday!
- Free Earplugs!
- Free Wireless!
- Free Insurance Quotes - For your motorcycle, auto, RV, ATV, & home!
- Free Demo Rides - Extended
- Free Used Bike Inspection
- Free Service Loaners!
- Free 30 Point Inspection
- Free Seminars & Clinics
- Free "Club Room" for your events!
- Free Shower facilities for travelers!
- Free membership in Team Ride West!
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BMW Promotions
Our website is now linked to the latest BMW Promotions, so be sure to check back. For more great ways to save on your next BMW Click Here
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Team Ride West
Join TRW Today!
Team Ride West features dozens or rides, social dinners, special deals on classes and other opportunities that come along, and (perhaps best of all) no meetings and no dues! E-mail Team Ride West Manager Dave Preston at team@ridewest.com
Coupons available to Team Ride West members who attend Team Ride West rides Worth $50. And, they may be cashed at up to 5 per purchase!
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What's New In The Parts Department?
New and Noteworthy Products
Shorai and Ballistic Brand Lithium Batteries - Lithium rechargeable motorcycle batteries? That's right! And they weigh on average about 7 pounds lighter than most stock BMW batteries. We have just received another shipment along with the new Shor ai rapid battery chargers. These amazingly lightweight, long lasting, spill-proof, maintenance free replacements from Shorai and Ballistic Industries are quickly becoming the standard for the Powersports Industry. They have a longer service life than most batteries on the market and discharge so slowly, you could literally let your bike sit for a year (unless you have a draw like a clock or?) and still be able to start it like it was yesterday! Less weight, longer life, maintenance free? Sounds good to us! www.shoraipower.com or http://www.ballisticparts.com/ Street Sneaker 3 - We've made a special purchase on last year's great summer riding shoe, the Street Sneaker 3, just in time for the best weather of the season. Stop by and try on a pair of these stylish, protective Sneakers that feel as good off the bike as they do on. RIGID LED Lighting Kits - These may be the end-all, be-all, and the future of auxiliary motorcycle lighting as we know it. As it turns out, LED's are super reliable, efficient, intense, and the perfect solution for today's Powersports vehicles. Rigid has 3 main kits to choose from $200.00 on up, providing anywhere from 1300 to 2880 Lumens per light (a new LED Maglite is about 114, FYI). They include the Dually (4 x LED's in each), The Dually 2 (6 x LED's in each), and the ridiculously awesome dual 4" kit (8 x LED's per LED). All three kits put out more light than most traditional bulbs and are super efficient. For example, the super high output D2 uses only 28 watts per light, much less than even a set of  PIAA 510's! All this translates into more usable power for your other accessories (like heated gear). All Rigid kits are offered in a spot driving pattern, fog pattern, or a combination of both. You can also get them in amber! Stop buy and check them out! Shop Our Online Store! - Our online store has been updated - Many of you know the brands we carry in the store, but we also have a huge, entirely different selection on our website, www.ridewest.com, with a vast selection of parts, accessories and riding gear that's always available at your fingertips 24 hours a day. One way to find what you're looking for is our new "search by application" feature. Try typing in your motorcycle make and model into the search box of the online store and see what happens! Or type something else like "Leather" or "Boots". You'll discover all types of items you might not have known existed. Click Here to check it out! End of Summer? Sale! Sale! Sale! - Well, summer is really just getting started. But starting September 1st, we're having a summer riding gear on sale on select warm weather and mesh riding gear...just in time for the really hot weather! Sizes will be limited, so shop early for best selection.
Jeff Conlin - Parts Manager
Bill Niwa - Apparel & Accessories Manager
(206) 527-5511
parts@ridewest.com
apparel@ridewest.com
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Tech Tip Of The Month
Service Schedule
 September arrives with the summer still in tow. Summer had a slow start but the the last few weeks have been as crazy as ever down in the Service Department. I'm sure you have noticed that in the mid-summer months we sometimes have a difficult time accommodating unscheduled services. We do our best to keep everyone on the road and on schedule but sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day.
Our schedule seems to be calming a bit now and with the summer winding down, kids back in school, and the roads clearer, there's still time for a fantastic fall motorcycle trip. So give us a call or go on-line and get everything ready for a great fall season of motorcycle riding and hopefully a few more road trips. And don't forget that when the sun finally does retreat behind the clouds for the winter months, we can probably fit you in whenever you want, with hardly any wait and probably some discounts to go along. Say tuned, and lets hope a great fall will make up for the slow start to our summer.
Mark Eddy
Service Manager
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A Message From Our Owners
Big Plans for Ride West BMW
Let the buyer beware. We have all heard this adage over the ages and yet it applies today as fundamentally as it ever has. We were reading the newspaper the other day and came across an article that struck home, since it had to do with vehicle sales. The author was relating an experience that she had recently had when she sold an automobile individually (not through a dealer) to a buyer that replied to a Craigs List ad she had placed. Money was transacted and the customary papers were signed, the buyer driving off with the car. The problem, in this case, occurred after the fact in that the buyer never went to the Department of Licensing and registered the car in his name. The title cleared, but not the registration. A few weeks later the old owner, the seller, began receiving toll tickets and parking tickets that had not been paid. The balance of the article dealt with her attempts to track down the buyer and to get that person to properly register, which of course the buyer was very reluctant to do because he knew exactly what he was doing.
We all have either our own horror stories or those of someone we know that have been stiffed by a buyer of something, possibly a vehicle; the check did not clear the bank and the buyer has already driven off; the credit card was stolen and now the seller has to deal with the consequences; the vehicle has been through a flood and was not divulged to the buyer; or there is hidden damage that is not discovered until well after the sale/purchase. It's a nasty world out there and there are numerous people that would just love to take full advantage of you. So let the buyer, and seller for that matter, beware.
You have probably already guessed that this article is leading somewhere. We are a BMW motorcycle dealership that in July celebrated our 16th year in business. Our reputation is important to us and we always play fair to protect that reputation. We buy and sell motorcycles everyday and know how to do it without getting stiffed. If you are selling a motorcycle then let us do it for you. Yes, of course there is a charge to you (that's how we stay in business and how you can count on us being here for you tomorrow), but we take all of the risk from you when selling your motorcycle. And it will be done right. And in the state of Washington, if you use your vehicle as a trade in on a new bike, the trade in value is a credit against the sales tax levied. If you are buying a motorcycle then purchase it from us. We go over all used bikes with a thorough inspection and stand behind any bike we sell. Plus, you can purchase a used motorcycle extended warranty which covers your bike as well as a new warranty. And of course, new bike purchases are covered under BMW's three year/36,000 mile warranty.
Talk to us. We want to help you sell your existing ride and purchase a new one. And last but certainly not least, thank you for your business over these past sixteen years. We have enjoyed every minute of it (OK, except for maybe that one time---or was it two times) and look forward with anticipation to the future. Thanks again.
Ann and Keith Thye
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| $200.00
Referral
Coupon!
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Need a quick $200 bucks? Print out this coupon and bring it in with a friend, neighbor, co-worker, heck...even a total stranger, on their first visit, and if they purchase a new BMW, from Ride West BMW, then will give you a $200 Gift Card or $100 cash, which you can use in any department. You can use this coupon as many times as possible but you can only get one gift card per sale. So let all your friends know that BMW makes a motorcycle that meets everyones needs, style, and adventure, we even have a bike that gets 70 MPG, has heated grips and ABS standard, and that is only $8165* Did I mention.....we have a zero down option and you can get 90 days to first payment on approval of credit with BMWFS! (Lets see....ride all summer without payments...where do I sign!)
| | Offer Expires: October 31, 2011
*Includes freight but excludes dealer handling, tax, title, and licensing
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