So here are a few pics of the DirtyBerg Express (lame name? suggest a better one!) The little girl on the back is my boss's kid and she would not leave until her mom let her go near the bike, so I did one better and put her on the back and drove her around the driveway.
There is quite a "Shortyism" behind the deal I got on all the new baggage. I first priced new bags and accessories at the same dealership I bought my bike from and they basically wanted to rape me without the use of a lubricant. Over $1100 for bag supports, turn siganal relocation kit, saddle-bags, tool bag and labor. I politely pulled my chin off the floor and walked out the door. Well on the way home I stopped at a couple custom shops to compare prices and was amazed at the overall difference. Two different shops gave me estimates of $600-$700 and I almost left the bike there for them to do the work, but I knew I cut another couple hundred dollars off if I just put forth a little effort. So I pulled into the local custom shop here in Claremore, it is called Booger John's Custom Cycles, and got to talking to the owners about a little bit of everything. When music became the topic at hand, Booger's wife (it is his real moniker, he even has it stitched on his work shirts) mentioned they missed getting tickets to David Alan Coe. Well if destiny didn't shine on me that day. I had just won two tickets from the College radio station for the Coe concert and would not be able to go. I mentioned I had the tickets and they went hog wild. Booger jumped out of his chair and started walking me around the store telling he would give 25% off for this or 30% percent off for that. I stopped him at the Willie and Max Leather display and said I wanted bags and the lot. He pulled two sets of bags to throw over my bike and settledd on the ones installed by saying he'd knock half off the bag price and would not charge labor in trade for the concert tickets. I told him to ring up the entire order and give me a total bill and I would consider it. A few minutes later he presented me an invoice for $385.45 and that included the tool bag, bag supports, and relocator kit. I wrote him a check for $400 in case there was something stupid that we missed and we set a date for the install. Sure enough we did miss something extremely stupid. The turn signal relocation kit does not come with any parts for the liscence plate braket and we were short one little piece of steel to attach the new light bar to the fender and bracket. We did waht we could without it and I ran into Tulsa the next morning for the missing part. We got enerything put together and as I was pushing my bike out the door Booger tossed me a company tee and hat for the tickets and his wife told me to pick out a new pair of riding goggles because she didn't like the ones I was using. I pulled the tee on over the shirt I was already wearing, strapped on the new goggles, and threw the new hat in the bags. We all gathered for a pic to which I was amazed was a polaroid and they walked me out to my bike to see me off. I have been back in quite a few times to shoot the shit with them and have made a couple new friends. So to end this I leave you with a word of wisdom from the DirtyBerg and it is to remember that customer service and true appreciation are the proper and right ways to run your business, without them return business is no longer a possibility. Plus, if you really want to help our economy, stay at home and shop. I do not mean to shop from your computer but to stay in your home town or where you live if at all possible to do your shopping. For starters, you will pay this difference in price with fuel consumption and the sales taxes you pay will go towards local improvments (hopefully) which in turn benefits business and property owners. Think about it. Sorry I went all political on you but I haven't had a classroom full of students to debate and argue with for some time. I needed to get that out. Anywho hope all who endured to have a wonderful day.
DB
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