The World’s Greatest Furniture Salesman

By Joe Berk

I’ve always loved Triumphs and I always thought they were not only the coolest bikes around but also the best bang for the buck.  I rode Triumphs in the ’60s and ’70s when they were air-cooled and I rode them when they were made by Hinckley.  I always thought the ’65 Bonneville was the best looking motorcycle there could ever be until the Speed Triple came along and took that title.   But the one that stole my heart was my ’06 Triumph Tiger in Caspian blue.  I loved everything about that motorcycle.    Seeing Bobbie Surber’s Tiger has me thinking about my Tiger again.

I wasn’t planning to buy a new motorcycle when I walked into Doug Douglas Motorcycles in 2006 and saw the one that would become mine.  But none other than old Doug Douglas himself noticed how I reacted to it.  Doug knew his business, and he told me he’d sell it to me for whatever the number was, which seemed like a reasonable deal.  Reasonable, however, was not the adjective that was governing my thought process when I saw that motorcycle, and Doug recognized that.  I gave Doug the only response I could think of at the time, which was:  I’ll take it.

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Sue hit the roof when I came home and told her she needed to give me a ride back to Doug’s to pick up a new motorcycle.  She stayed upset longer than usual when I told her how much it cost and that I would be taking the money out of the checking account.  “What happened to the money you got from selling your Suzuki?” she demanded.  It was more of an accusation then a question.

I had to think for a minute, and then I remembered.  “That mother-of-pearl and onyx bracelet I bought for you…I used the money I got for the TL to buy it” I said, and Susie mellowed.  Visibly.  It was like de-arming an IED.  “Oh,” was all she said, and then she was her usual cheery self.

When we arrived at Douglas Motorcycles, the tempest was over.  I introduced Susie to Doug and she said, “You must be the world’s greatest motorcycle salesman…my husband told me he took your first offer, and he never does that…”

Doug smiled.  “Oh, I’ve sold a few motorcycles,” he said, “but that’s not my real strength.  My real strength is furniture.  I am the world’s greatest furniture salesman.”

Sue was perplexed, as was I.  Had I missed something?  Did Doug Douglas Motorcycles have another wing that sold furniture?

“Yeah,” Doug continued, “there are a lot of couples who bought new bedroom furniture and new dining room sets when the husband came home and told the wife he bought a new motorcycle from me…”

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Riding Baja?  Insure with the best.  We always do.

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More Baja adventures?  You bet!