Don't miss the Seattle International Motorcycle Show!

Discounts! - If you needed another reason to attend the IMS... how about huge savings?!  BMW has just announced that they will be handing out special coupons at this year's show:

10% off of any BMW apparel or accessory purchase up to $249

20% off of any BMW apparel or accessory purchase from $250-499

Or a whopping 30% off for purchases $500 and over!!!

Combine that with our December gift card promotion and get even more for your money on all BMW apparel and accessories!

We have never seen a promotion like this from BMW, and encourage you all take advantage of this opportunity! Remember, these coupons will *only* be available at the IMS show, and only from the BMW booth there.  We will not have any of the coupons available here, and we cannot process the discount without a valid, original coupon. 

Gearswap - Speaking of riding gear, Ride West has a special offer to help pay for that new riding suit you've always wanted - just in time for the holidays.  With Gearswap, we'll pay you for your used riding gear when you upgrade.  Simply bring in your old gear for a quote and we'll take care of the rest.  Use it with the other promotions listed above to stretch your holiday budget to its fullest!

Having trouble picking out the perfect gift? Thinking of upgrading your gear or picking up new accessories soon? Have a big service coming up that you'd like to save a few dollars on? Our annual gift card promotion returns just in time!  From now until the end of the year, purchase a RideWest Gift Card for $200 or more, we'll add an additional 10% to its value!  Gift cards have no expiration date, function just like cash, and can be used in conjunction with any other offer on parts, accessories, apparel, or service (but not bikes). 

Speaking of service, be sure to check out our winter service specials!

Happy Holidays from the Parts Department!  

Bill Niwa | Apparel Manager | apparel@ridewest.com » Jeff Conlin | Parts Manager | parts@ridewest.com » Sean McCoy | Parts Advisor | sean@ridewest.com

» Ask MotoAdventureGal » By Alissa Clickenger

Alisa Clickenger is MotoAdventureGal. On a motorcycle, she's crossed the USA multiple times, ridden up to Alaska, all over Europe, and traveled solo to Argentina in 2009. She rides and writes for a living, and leads a women's motorcycle tour that teaches and empowers women to tour in groups or alone. 

» WomensEmpowermentMotorcycleTour.com 

» Alisa@WomensEmpowermentMotorcycleTour.com

» A Message From Our Owners » 

December is always an interesting month for us at Ride West BMW.  It's a busy month in terms of completing our fiscal year and setting the stage for the following one.  We start the yearly budgeting process in October, ramp it up in November and put it in high gear in December.  It's a time consuming process that tries to accurately present our forecasted revenue and income for next year.  Then we have the inventory process; another very time consuming procedure that takes weeks (actually months) of preparation.  The inventory takes place over a weekend and involves a number of the store personnel counting, itemizing, pricing, double checking and verifying that every nut and bolt is accounted for.  And then there is the year end closing process for our corporate accounting department.  Many long evenings, particularly right at the end of the year, making sure that every penny is accounted for and where it should be listed on the balance sheet.  With all of the local, state and national requirements that are instituted each year it is necessary that we double check these regulations.  

Then we have our events calendar.  Seventeen years ago we thought it would be a good idea to get our customers involved in the sport even though they may not be riding much through the winter months.  We started slide shows of customers that have taken interesting national or international rides, and we usually have one or two in December each year.  As the years progressed we expanded our winter event offering to new motorcycle buyers events in our service department, seminars, riding clinics, rides (yes, even in December), club dinners and anything else we can think of.  And of course we always have sales and promotions of products and apparel leading up to Christmas.

And then there is the Seattle International Motorcycle Show which is held in mid-December.  Except for one year a few years back, we've always had a presence at this show.  For many years BMW Motorrad rented a major space at theSeattle venue and we supported it with a flood of employees.  Then a few years ago they decided that their advertising dollars would be better spent elsewhere and did not attend the show.  We thought, "OK we won't attend as a dealership either".  It was disastrous.  The show is a major impetus for the introduction of new models and to develop sales leads and we suffered sales early the next year because did not have a presence there.  Thereafter we purchased our own large booth and continued on in BMW's absence.  Fortunately, this year BMW has once again decided to support the entire national line up of shows.  And Ride West personnel will be there in force as always.

Put on top of all of this the holidays, with employee vacations throughout the month.  Who said that the motorcycle business is dead in December?  It surely was not us. 

Happy Holidays to all, and once again thank you for your continued business.  We look forward to seeing you throughout the balance of this year and the new one to come.  And look to Ride West for even more activities and events in the future. 

Ann and Keith Thye

PS:       The monthly articles written by Ann and Keith Thye for this publication will be discontinued for a few months.  Keith is on a four month motorcycle journey through Central and South America and Ann is involved in other activities that will require her attention for a few months.  Please look for the continuation of this series beginning in mid-Spring.