Budds BMW Mottorad Demo Day - May 26th | GTAMotorcycle.com

Budds BMW Mottorad Demo Day - May 26th

Chasem

Chasem

Well-known member
So I called almost a month ago to reserve a BMW R1200GSA for the demo ride at 12PM. After going back and fourth playing phone tag, I get the bike reserved... and the notification that I need to bring $25 for "charity"

Ok...? I donate quite a bit, and don't see an issue. Despite the fact I had no clue what this charity was.

I arrive at 11:45 and give them $30 for unknown charity and get ready to test ride the bike. The instructions were mediocre, and managed to get through the cringe-inducing comments about the female rider soothing all the men over....... I'm sure the female really appreciated the comments.

The demo ride was one gigantic congo-line of every single bike they have. Could they not have split this up, since they had numerous instructors or whatever. The person in-front of me was downright scary, seemingly never ridden with a group before. He almost dumped the bike numerous times, and would not keep up with the group. At the end of the ride, I was slightly annoyed from the terrrrrible riding. Anywhoo... we never reached highway speed and it was incredibly hard to get a feel of the bike. I was told we were not able to go on the highway because there was tons of traffic (Looked pretty clear to me......)

After the craptastic demo ride, I go over to the organizer and ask if I can test ride the BMW F800GSA (which was available and nobody wanted to ride it). I was told I need to pay again..... is this really charity? After explaining I already donated to whatever charity this is, I was told that I did in fact need to pay again. (his words were "pay" not donate). So every bike you test ride it's $25.

I made a comment about only having $10 cash remaining, and his cavalier attitude was to go across the street quickly and pull out more money from the ATM or write a cheque. Are you for real? I came to this demo event because I was interested in BMW motorcycles........ I could have donated more if I so was inclined (the cost did not cross my mind), however it did not feel right.

Worst "demo" ever.

The entire experience left a completely sour taste of BMW in my mouth. I don't even care about the motorcycle at this point. Forcing potential customers to "donate" to demo ride your motorcycles.... :lmao:


I'm still not sure what charity I donated to...... Even a receipt would have been nice.. LOL.
 
I just read that twice. That's messed up. I wouldn't go back to that dealer for anything again due to this
 
Sounds like a future KTM Adventure 1290 buyer to me.
 
Ouch! I bought 4 single use stretch bolts and a gasket in 2009. While waiting, checked out a used 850 Rockster. Picked up a funky vibe. Never been back. It's a whole different world over there. But I understand the service manager is a professor.
 
Stephen at buds bmw is a top notch guy... And unfortunately those are the rules for their demo rides...... Your donation goes to the Canadian Olympic society
 
Chasem said:
Ok...? I donate quite a bit, and don't see an issue. Despite the fact I had no clue what this charity was.

I arrive at 11:45 and give them $30 for unknown charity and get ready to test ride the bike.

After the craptastic demo ride, I go over to the organizer and ask if I can test ride the BMW F800GSA (which was available and nobody wanted to ride it). I was told I need to pay again..... is this really charity? After explaining I already donated to whatever charity this is, I was told that I did in fact need to pay again. (his words were "pay" not donate). So every bike you test ride it's $25.

I made a comment about only having $10 cash remaining, and his cavalier attitude was to go across the street quickly and pull out more money from the ATM or write a cheque. Are you for real?
Click to expand...

"Test ride is a ruse. They're trying to gauge how willing you are to part with money for no or unknown reasons. It's a good business strategy but, unfortunately, not everybody's a good fit." Ben Dover
 
abkdt41 said:
Stephen at buds bmw is a top notch guy... And unfortunately those are the rules for their demo rides...... Your donation goes to the Canadian Olympic society
Click to expand...

Not sure if that was the person I was talking to.... "top notch" would not be fitting for this guy. I loved the point where he pointed at somebody and said "look Steve is writing a cheque!" Ok... ??

Maybe the heat was cooking his brain. If somebody simply said, "Chase the donations go to the Canadian Olympic Society, it's a good cause and each demo ride would really help our cause"

I would have gone over to the ATM.

Oh well.... won't forget that experience.
 
Wow that place would be banned forever if it was me. Maybe try the new ducati/bmw dealership on steeles and weston?
 
Seems that how BMW run their demos. A few years back I went on a ride organised by BMW Toronto, and rode a K Bike. My experience was a great demo ride in which we went up in Durham region and back along the 401/DVP, and we rode a a *good pace* where I got to check out the power of bike and it bakes :) About 1 - 1.5hrs so a decent ride. I ended up interested in the bike and went elsewhere to buy. The "donation" was $20 back then. Not sure who it was for - lol. But I guess it keeps the "riff raff" away.

But like you said, the *way* they explained it could have been better. At Budds, the service team are excellent. Upstairs in the Motorad sales, just typical vehicle sales guys.
 
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Hey folks, I had a similar `donation`experience @ Maranello. I remember back in the day when Open Road BMW organized demo`s it was the same deal $20. Now when I asked for a receipt so I can claim it on taxes I got a confused look. WE NO HAVE NO GIVE. From my point of view it is much more `palatable`if I was told $ 20 a ride which pays for gas/BBQ/ whatever else. Besides this it was a very enjoyable ride. Thank you
 
vanjka said:
Hey folks, I had a similar `donation`experience @ Maranello. I remember back in the day when Open Road BMW organized demo`s it was the same deal $20. Now when I asked for a receipt so I can claim it on taxes I got a confused look. WE NO HAVE NO GIVE. From my point of view it is much more `palatable`if I was told $ 20 a ride which pays for gas/BBQ/ whatever else. Besides this it was a very enjoyable ride. Thank you
Click to expand...

Didn't get BBQ and I was going to ask for a receipt, but noticed they threw everything into a tin can..... and there was nothing to give.
 
Sounds ****** alright. Last year I did the Demo ride on two separate days about 2 months apart at Serpa (unfortunately they're now gone). First I rode the GSW, then the GSAW. Both times the experience was top notch, $20 a ride and you got a BBQ hosted by Moxies. The ride took you on the 404 and country roads, a good 30-40 minutes. Got to test out all the features on the bike comfortably (including cruise control). Sold me on it. :D
 
It's BMW, they are starting you early on getting used to overpaying on everything.
Did the bikes get through the demo without a major recall?

I'm done with demo rides, it seems insurance guidelines have limited them to flat square routes at 60kph.
 
This is really bad from OP's recap of the experience. While they may have good intensions on collecting money for the charity, they way they go about it is questionable. Plus, they should be issuing tax receipts if they are saying it's for a charity. For all we know, the dealership could've kept $24 of each of the $25 charged, and still pretend to be "it's for charity". Call it like it is, as a pay-to-demo. Transparency goes a long way.
 
EC2010 said:
This is really bad from OP's recap of the experience. While they may have good intensions on collecting money for the charity, they way they go about it is questionable. Plus, they should be issuing tax receipts if they are saying it's for a charity. For all we know, the dealership could've kept $24 of each of the $25 charged, and still pretend to be "it's for charity". Call it like it is, as a pay-to-demo. Transparency goes a long way.
Click to expand...

Yes, they really should state where the money is going, because people are misrepresenting "charity" at record levels. This used to be a major taboo.

i.e. buy a book/magazine at Chapters, they ask you to contribute to the "Children's Love of Reading Fund" at checkout. That money does go to groups to buy books for low income kids, but, the books must be purchased from Chapters/Indigo, at full MSRP (not buy 10-20X more books second hand).

Revenue Canada and US agencies are cracking down on this, there are cancer charities with >$180M in donations in the US with literally no research spending.

Even Value Village is nothing but a front for a retailer who pays a fraction of value to any charity.

http://www.seattletimes.com/busines...sues-firm-behind-value-village-thrift-stores/

When Kawasaki used to solicit donations for demo days, it was one-time, >$10 and to the CDN cancer society, collected by the CDN Cancer society.
 
Had the exact same experience at Open Road BMW a few years back before it became Serpa. I have no issue with giving to a good cause, just the way they approached it left a bad taste in my mouth.
 
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