Local tragedy strikes close to home for me:

[tedbiele]

Guys come in all the time looking for the right motorcycle for them. Many that come through the doors are looking for the latest and greatest in technology. Others looking for the right fit. Many others still just looking for the fastest bikes on the planet.
As a salesperson I have always taken pride in the right bike for the right rider. Typically I do a great job at sizing someone up and getting them on the right bike. Based on their need & desires and my knowledge. Many times a guy will come in and be looking at the wrong bike. Is there really a wrong bike? Sure there is. Most of us know the difference.
Three weeks ago two young gentlemen enter the doors at the dealership. I greet them. As I always do. If you know me, you know its with a smile and a handshake, you know what I am talking about. I showed them around. Giving them the tour of the sportbikes. They weren't their for anything else.
I was concerned somewhat. Because for a beginner newbie rider - I was faced with the dilemma of explaining why an GSXR 1000 and a GSX1300R were not suitable for such a new rider. Hell, for that matter, not a 750 nor 600 supersport are truely suitable for beginner riders either. But the conversation persisted on going back to the hellraiser bikes. It seems the friend of the newbie prospect was telling him how an SV 650 was for sissies and to look at the liter or Hayabusa bikes instead.
The gentleman didnt get approved for the loan through Suzuki. He came back in to the shop a week later while I was out. He ended up buying the hayabusa from another salesperson, who also tried talking the rider out of it also, much to our shagrin.
Two weeks go by and I found out that he died while out and about riding above his head. To say I was devistated and mad is quite an understatement. I kept saying to myself "what if?".

Please. If you or someone you know are buying your first motorcycle. Please get help from a knowledgable person when making your decision. Dont antigonize your friend into buying something he doesnt need. He could end up like this. Lord knows we dont want that ever!

Say prayers for the Fuentes Family please.



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[MC MUSTANG]

Prayers and thoughts go out -thanks for being a salesman with scrouples...

 

[Sloto200]

Thanks for trying Ted! If i had a dollar for everytime i hear one of the new troops that come through the door say... "when i get to my first base i'm gonna get a gixxer 1000!!" i'd be rich! The first 2 things out of my mouth are, what is your experience with sportbikes and have you even looked into insurance yet? 99% of the time the answer is no to both questions.

Prayers to the Fuentes family!

 

[zukracer]

I had a similar situation with a friend at work... he insisted that he was going to get a busa... he had *NEVER* been on a bike, ever. I tried and tried and tried to talk him out of it. I would ask him "where do I send flowers"... finally after some prodding and the fact that the dealership flat out told him they would rather be sued than to sell him the bike, I asked him if he could even insure it. I told him if he could insure it, I'd drive him there to get it..... I drove him to the dealer and rode his Katana 600 home for him

2yrs later, about 35k miles and he upgraded to the busa

I guess it was about a week after he had the busa, he came to my desk and thanked me for "making him" buy the katana. He told me he had no clue what I was talking about when I tried to explain how easy it is to get in trouble and how unforgiving the busa is of newbie mistakes. He also told me he was alive today because "fo shoo I woulda been dead as heck"

Ted, there's just so much you can do to try and prevent folks from doing stupid things. Sounds like you were doing all that you could, but peer pressure and stupidity seem to have won out in the kid's head.

I've told my boss many times, I can't fix stupid.... I can point them to where smart is... but I can't fix stupid. The sad thing, there's a lotta stupid in new bike buyers

 

[Shanling]

A salesman at a local dealership had a similiar thing happen to him. A young man's Uncle was the one telling him to "be a man" and buy the Hayabusa instead of the smaller bike that the salesman was trying to get the kid to buy as his first bike. Of course, the Uncle prevailed and a month later the kid was gone.

It is always horrible hearing these kinds of stories. The Uncle has since divorced himself from motocycling and is under going some serious counciling. It was his brother's son and he can't even face his brother. From what I have been told, the Uncle was with the kid when he lost it on the Busa.

Prayer said for the Fuentes family and another said for you tedbiele.

 

[BA BUSA]

You tried Ted and if someone is determined to hurt themselves that's
about all anyone can do is try to help them. We all make mistakes, this is
how we learn...unfortunately this guy paid the ultimate price  

 

[Revolution]

you tried but it was beyond your power.

my first bike was gonna be a new 2001 honda 929 but i did'nt get approved because of bad credit. i only needed about $800. more down to get approved, but in desperation to ride asap i went with a new 2001 harley [1350cc]. i thank the man upstairs cause the harley is waaaay more forgiving than a superbike. had i gone with the 929 i probably would'nt be here.

was'nt your fault ted.

 

[grabntwist]

Ted, all I can say is try not to think about it. I could only imagine how you feel. You did all that you could do. He was determined and had his mind made up.

It's unfortunate sometimes that things like this happen. It is often people (non-riding public) hear of these tragedies and look at all riders as wreckless and dangerous riders.

Sorry.

 

[GSXcite]

Ted, don't blame yourself. You did all you could. I'm in the same boat in the car business. Had a 16 year old who had his well to do parents buy him a supercharged Saleen mustang for a first car . I tried to reason with them but they bought it for him anyway. You know the rest of the story, 1 week later, he goes out of control and hits a bridge, killing his best friend, and injuring himself seriously. Ted, your a good person who did the right thing. Don't beat yourself up over this. Prayers to the family of the young man.

 

[ks-waterbug]

Prayers said..... Your a good man for trying to steer this youngster away from the Busa/1K.

 

[Un-Caged]

That's unfortunate. There's a kid who works at the shop next door to me with his mind set on a busa. In fact, he's already bought a turbo kit.

The guy has never been on a bike; I definitely won't let him test ride mine, and my other friend (his co-worker) with a 929, swears the guy is on a tunnel ride towards a casket. The whole scenario scares me a bit; I guarantee when he does get it I'm going to ride with him as much as I can and pull him over to discuss any dangerous behavior I witness.

 

[georgiabusa_05]

All you can do is talk to them and hope they will listen. Prayers sent.

 

[GPW]

My first bike was a Ninja 250...some people get it some people don't. All you can do is turn on the light.

 

[squirrel59]

Sorry to hear you did your best. I went from 78 CB 750,87 Virago1100,Zrx kawi1200 to my Busa.It takes time anda lot of riding to be ready for the best and the fastest.The young ones just don't get it .Thankyou for having scruples.

 

[Aquaman]

That's too bad.I heared in Europe,you have to start out with smaller cc bikes,then gradually move up...

 

[BigBSBusa]

Sorry to hear it, Ted. It sounds like you did all that you could to talk him out it and your co-worker, as well. The solace you can take is that the decision wasn't yours to make. Prayers go out to his family.

 

[bronc3]

Hang in there Ted, you did what you could. It's not your fault in any way of course.

It's not really the bike's fault either, they are all fast enough to kill. It's all between the ears and in your right wrist.

 

[JustBusa]

 

[chrisjp]

prayers out for the family...and you are moving to a dealership near me soon? lol

 

[ALLshow.NOgo]

damn sucks to hear that Ted. You tried but sometimes people are just stubborn minded even in situations such as this life and death. I myself learned on a 2002 Katana 600 May of 2004 my girlfriend at the time taught me in 2weeks then I took the msf course (160$) rode it daily driver then 3 months later we got the Busa. We are still here. You just got to keep a good head on your shoulder. That and be a quick learner.