Goodbye, Honda Shadow !
I was getting really tired of people contacting me and either lowballing the offer or postponing the time to check it out. Over the last one month, only one guy actually landed up and checked it out, and then vanished. With the preparation of my Concours for the upcoming cross country ride I was getting a bit anxious about it.
Only last night, some lady mailed me saying she loved my bike and too interested to buy it. Contradicting my usual expectations, we had a good chat online with bargaining for the next couple of hours and I agreed to ride it down today early morning.
Just before 8am, my scheduled start time, I opened my email for a quick scan. And there it was, a big heartbreak, a mail from her saying my price was too much. I reluctantly sat again with her bargaining over the instant messenger. Another lower price. But this time I was bent on finishing this headache once and for all. By 9am we closed the deal and I started for the 50 mile ride.
She is a beautiful lady who has true biker-blood in her vains. She is studying for masters in psychology and works as a bartender for the night. Her dad and mom rides, and even her grandfather and grandmother ! Amazed to know she got her first ride at 6 months with her grandma. Gave her a ride and showed her all the goodies she was getting. Some more haggling, price went up a little bit. It was much like a grocery store scene, fighting over the price of a pound of potatoes.
Met her roommate. And then came the biggest surprise of my life, the two ladies are living as a married couple. Sometimes stories and newspaper articles jump at life, unprepared, like a bolt from the blue. I was like “wow, wow, wow”. What a rare opportunity to meet a pleasant couple like them. In our country, one just can’t imagine things like this, and it was difficult to keep my jaw from dropping on the ground.
Had a short snack at McDonalds and then a relaxed ride back in her car exchanging stories all the way. It would be a memorable morning for a long time to come.
December 1st, 2005 at 3:48 pm
I got to ask! Did you get pictures?!
December 6th, 2005 at 2:26 pm
Awesome to see more desi bikers. I was given this link by a Vinod Venugopalan from Alabama who also rides. Do check out my blog.
Nice blog dude!
December 6th, 2005 at 2:33 pm
By the way, I just saw the pics and your other posts. I currently ride a 2001 Shadow VLX, my first bike here in the US as well. I plan to trade up for a VTX next year.