Green Transportation: SPOTLIGHT on Various Puget Sound Motorcycle Dealers & their brands

One of my goals with my Blog is to provide information about Puget Sound Dealers and their stock, makes and models, and hopefully a bit of human interest about how and why they started their particular dealerships. I will also list some of the accessories they sell - helmets, jackets, complete riding suits, gloves, lubricants, tires, and anything else they sell, especially unique items they carry which may distinguish them from similar dealers.

First up is Moto International:

They can be contacted at:

http://www.motointernational.com/main.htm

7701 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103 USA
phone: 206-297-3822 fax: 206-297-3828
e-mail: sales@motointernational.com

Every time I go there, I always converse with David Richardson
himself [Author of Guzziology]. Here's a picture of David, taken
by "Guzzista" writer Kevin Hoffberg:

http://guzzista.wetpaint.com/page/Dave+Richardson+the+legend+behind+Guzziology

Here are some of the wonderful Italian motorcycles that Dave has at his dealership:

Here's a very nice brand new Moto Guzzi Norge

1200, 2007 model for just $9,900, with a 2 year

warranty. A great reliable, shaft-drive touring bike

with a 1200cc engine for under $10,000. Yummy

I want one.

If you're looking for something a tad more sporty,

here is a nice Aprilia Tuono 1000:

Here's a beautiful new 2008, with full 2 year

warranty for $8,499, which is $4,500 off MSRP.

Next up is a very interesting motorcycle, a 2009

Aprilia Mana 850. This bike is just $7,499, which

is $2,400 off MSRP, and of course has a full

2 year warranty. This is a GREAT entry level/new

rider motorcycle, that has no clutch lever, and you

can operate this motorcycle without having to use

a traditional clutch ! Another cool thing about the

Mana 850 - see that horizontal line bisecting the

"gas tank"? Well that is actually a storage compart-

ment that can fit an entire helmet! Gas goes elsewhere.

Here are some pictures, and then a link to a good

thorough review of this 2009 model:

And now the review link to Motorcycle USA:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/29/2533/Motorcycle-Article/2009-Aprilia-Mana-850-Review.aspx

Here's another great bike the Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport. This bike is not
on the US Moto Guzzi website, but is on the Italian site:

http://www.motoguzzi.it/#/motoguzzi/IT/it/moto/naked/1200-sport/1200-sport-4V

http://www.motoguzzi-us.com/en_US/default.aspx

The Italian website lists the MSRP at 12,460 EURO,

which is about $15,440 presently. This bike had just

arrived the day I took this picture, and still had protective

vinyl wraps on the exhaust pipes. So, I'm not sure if this

is a 2009, 2010, or what the price is, but I will post it soon.

Here is another great standard, naked, classic looking

bike, updated, but styling borrowed from the 1960s, the

V7 Classic:

What I like most about the Moto Guzzi motorcycle is the

Italian aura. The fit and finish is amazing, and the sound of these

big V-twin engines is something you must hear. I hope to take

a couple for test rides soon !

Next up is RideWest BMW dealership:

http://www.ridewest.com/

STORE HOURS:

Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Wednesday 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Thursday 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Friday 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sunday Closed

Ride West BMW Motorcycles
8100 Lake City Way NE Seattle WA 98115
Phone: 206.527.5511 Fax: 206.522.5369
Toll Free Phone: 888-527-RIDE

From the moment you walk into ride west, you know you're
dealing with a completely different animal, in terms of buying
a motorcycle. You're dealing with "the BMW experience".
One thing that is immediately different is that all the bikes come
with 3 year 36,000 mile warranties, as well as 3 year 36,000
Roadside Assitance coverages:

One of the obvious observations one makes when looking around this BMW motorcycle dealership is that at least 50% of the bikes Ridewest has on display are dual-sport or trail bikes. These bikes are meant to help people explore as much of the earth as possible, and not just the parts that have paved roads !

Here are a couple examples, the F800 GS, and the R1200 GS Adventure: