I have known Art for many years, stopping in at his old Triumph dealership,
and bench racing. Later when he moved to their new digs, I would stop in every
once in awhile and visit, usually with the latest new bike from Triumph the
dealers didn’t have yet, and we would talk. He had a true love for
motorcycling, was in the business to make money, the object of capitalism, but
also promoting motorcycling. A few years back he told me if I wanted a new
bike, he would pass it on at his cost, how can you pass up a deal like that?
But I did for many years, over biked and under garaged, and in between the press
bikes had plenty of new Triumphs to ride. But on a ride a few weeks ago, we
stopped in on a hot Saturday, and we visited, and today I am picking up my new
T120 Bonneville. Maybe the last thing I expected, but I’ll deal with it. It
seems the garage seems empty without at least one Bonneville in it.....and will
be remedied later today.
But I know many Triumph dealers, who want my business, and offered me a
price a cost. Seems there is a great deal of variety in dealer cost, which can
vary from a few hundred to over $1000. When my local dealer and friend offered
me one at his cost, it was over $500 more, he explained a $235 fee for the
service department. Huh? Another showed me an initial cost of over $1800 less,
but added on the same amount in freight and set up. Confirming with Mick who
should know, these guys are charging over $1300 for hooking up a computer and
downloading the program, charging the battery, and checking the fluids. The
bikes come fully assembled, when I reminded him about adjusting the mirrors, he
laughed and said “there’s the difference.” They may take a few minutes, between
answering the phone and going to the head....Freight is consistent, the factory
charging a flat rate of under $500. They all pay the same for the bike and
freight. So why the difference?
In auto terms it is called packing, an added profit added to the cost, then
the profit figured from there, so when being offered at cost, depending on the
pack, the dealer cost is different. So much for the days of “I can get it for
you wholesale...” I don’t want any dealer to lose money or go out of business,
but I don’t want to either. My money is just as important, so is my bottom
line. It seems in all the prices offered, only Art was telling the truth, the
others, when I gave them a price to match, a bit higher than his, all told me
they would lose money. Instead they didn’t make a sale, the profit on a
non-sale is still nothing. But my telling of others my great deal, never
revealing price, will be a great goodwill to Art, I hope it helps sell him more
bikes, at a profit. I like having him around, and find it refreshing to find a
man who stands by his word. We know that as the truth, maybe the final
frontier.
For 50 years now we have been told by Captain James Tiberius Kirk that
space is the final frontier. We have been there, touched the edge of it at
least, and seem to be on the same leading edge with truth. We are close, but
not there yet. I will admit that choosing which bike I wanted was an emotional
ordeal, but it came down to the one I would look back on after walking away, the
one that I would look at from the diner window, and want me to go riding again.
The T120 was my first choice, the silver and red, traditional colors, but an all
black had me for a few moments. But I let my head help as well as my heart, and
my first choice is my final choice.
We are told the heart can be deceiving, how many have made a decision based
on emotion, only to change emotions and wish they hadn’t done what they did?
When we start with the heart, it is always us as the starting point, which
immediately puts us at a disadvantage. I am getting better, telling my sons to
never make a decision on a high or low emotion, but I am still a work in
process, or progress I hope. There is truth out there, but we seek the truth,
which can only be found in Jesus Christ. To some a truth may be one
dimensional, to others two dimensional, but in Christ we find it three
dimensional, as in the trinity. And when spirit driven, we find a dimension we
never could imagine, and cannot put into words. The basis of all lies may be
the truth, but as soon as you stray from the truth, you are off course, and
missing your target. The target hasn’t moved, Jesus never changes, we do. All
truth is based on the truth, and in Christ we have the way, the truth, and the
life. Not a way, a truth, or a life, THE way, truth, and life. For just like
dealer costs may vary, so can a truth.
Some religions deny the deity of Jesus, some deny the trinity, dropping him
to a great teacher only status. It is when we go beyond the physical dimension,
and into the spiritual dimension that we see Jesus for who he is, and begin to
understand why he came. The first step to truth is the truth, and only found in
Jesus. Yet many let their hearts desire make the choice,and pay too much and
get too little. Not quite what they wanted or bargained for, the truth is the
bottom line, not how you get there. Jesus is the bottom line of truth, so while
others concentrate on the journey, making plans and then seeking God, he wants
us to seek him first in all things. He is the bottom line and knows how to get
there. That is the way. That is the truth. That is the life.
Visiting Riverside, Iowa last summer, we saw the future birthplace of
Captain Kirk, in the year 2238. A headstone for the future, a truth based on
the creativity of Mr. Roddenberry. There are many truths based on his fictional
stories, based on truth, which can lead us to stray from the truth. If only we
can look at the present as flatteringly as we look to the future, the truth may
not have to set us free, but keep us from being bound.
God tells us the path is straight and narrow, the quickest way between two
points is a straight line. He wants nothing to get between us and him. Yet he
provides the curves to sharpen our skills, and to remind us of how much we need
him and how much he loves us. Also because he loves us and wants bikers to have
fun, a frontier many Christians have yet to explore. Today I will get the Art
of the deal, and I appreciate it and Art. 42 years ago I made the best deal
when choosing Jesus. A priceless deal, yet he paid the price. His bottom line
is salvation, which is God’s will for us, to know Jesus. That is the truth.
Anything else is just added profit for man, at a cost we cannot afford. Make
the deal with Jesus today, enter a frontier where only man can go via the holy
spirit, the truth, let it be your next and final frontier. We will be spending
eternity in the future, some truth is profitable, some prophetable. Only in
Jesus is the freight included....and gives a whole new meaning to “beam me up
Scotty.”
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com