- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 3,025
Thought I'd post this. I was going to post this about 2 weeks ago but I wasn't sure if others would find it "helpful" or amusing or whatever. But now I've decided I don't care. 
We were in Paris (the one in France, not the one in Texas) a few weeks ago. On Avenue Grand Armee there is a row of MC dealers for about a 3 blocks on both sides of the street covering just about every brand you can think of. Looked at the new Ducks and had to get out before riding out on a new 1198! OK, not really - I can no longer handle the riding position and they are a lot cheaper in the US anyway.
But next to the Duck dealer is a Triumph dealer so we went in there to look at a new Bonneville SE - wife is thinking about one and we had not yet seen one in person. BUT...up above the big Triumph logo was a big, gold Norton logo. I talked to a salesman there who spoke good english. Here was the conversation, only sightly modified for clarity (YES, this really happened):
Me: You are also a Norton dealer?
Him: We sure are!
M: (turning to my wife, impressed) Wow - we'd like to look at one of the new Nortons!
H: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
M: What's funny about that?
H: We're a Norton dealer, we don't actually HAVE a Norton.
M: When do you expect to get any?
H: H: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
M: If you don't know when you will get one, how can you call yourself a Norton dealer
H: We can take a deposit and put you on the waiting list.
M: If I put down the deposit, how far down the list would I be.
H: You'd be first!
M: So when do you think I could expect a call that it's here?
H: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
So we looked at the Bonneville. Wife doesn't like it much - said, "It looks OK, I guess." I know my wife well enough to know that her words actually meant, "I wouldn't be seen dead on that thing." So the visit was a total bust. She didn't like the Bonny and I didn't get to see a new Norton. I don't know what we're going to look at for her - "No jap bikes!" "No Harley." She was a Harley rider (Low Rider) about 10 years ago but doesn't care for them now.
We were in Paris (the one in France, not the one in Texas) a few weeks ago. On Avenue Grand Armee there is a row of MC dealers for about a 3 blocks on both sides of the street covering just about every brand you can think of. Looked at the new Ducks and had to get out before riding out on a new 1198! OK, not really - I can no longer handle the riding position and they are a lot cheaper in the US anyway.
But next to the Duck dealer is a Triumph dealer so we went in there to look at a new Bonneville SE - wife is thinking about one and we had not yet seen one in person. BUT...up above the big Triumph logo was a big, gold Norton logo. I talked to a salesman there who spoke good english. Here was the conversation, only sightly modified for clarity (YES, this really happened):
Me: You are also a Norton dealer?
Him: We sure are!
M: (turning to my wife, impressed) Wow - we'd like to look at one of the new Nortons!
H: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
M: What's funny about that?
H: We're a Norton dealer, we don't actually HAVE a Norton.
M: When do you expect to get any?
H: H: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
M: If you don't know when you will get one, how can you call yourself a Norton dealer
H: We can take a deposit and put you on the waiting list.
M: If I put down the deposit, how far down the list would I be.
H: You'd be first!
M: So when do you think I could expect a call that it's here?
H: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
So we looked at the Bonneville. Wife doesn't like it much - said, "It looks OK, I guess." I know my wife well enough to know that her words actually meant, "I wouldn't be seen dead on that thing." So the visit was a total bust. She didn't like the Bonny and I didn't get to see a new Norton. I don't know what we're going to look at for her - "No jap bikes!" "No Harley." She was a Harley rider (Low Rider) about 10 years ago but doesn't care for them now.
