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Yamaha Employee is Sexist

by Tara
(Melbourne, Australia)

I've just been at the Australian Motorcycle Expo in Melbourne. There were some excellent stalls, I made a purchase with a local clothing retailer called Girl Rider. They have some nice stuff and their jackets are really nice.

Anyway, I own a Yamaha Virago, it's a 98 model, a bit older, but it's mine. I figured I'd ask the Yamaha guys what would be the best fuel injector cleaning additive for my bike, and (I know that dealers can be a rip off) I would have made a purchase if they had any onsite.

I approached the Spare Parts counter at the Yamaha stand, there were two customers being attended to in front of me. There was a guy sitting at the back of the counter with a Yamaha Staff shirt on, he ignored me, but as he was drinking coffee, I figured he was a Gen Y on his coffee break. I waited, I walked around to look directly in the glass top counter, I waited. Another Yamaha staffer came over to talk to the coffee guy, I waited. A child about 5 years old runs to the counter, says over his shoulder "Dad, can I have this?" and points to something in the cabinet. Dad walks over and says "What?", kid points again, says "That blue thing". By now Dad is now in front of me at the counter next to the kid, coffee guy gets up and walks over to serve the family guy.

I said out loud, and with quite a bit of disdain "Sexist bastards" and walked away.

I can't believe the treatment I received there today, most of the motorcycles dealers only approached guys, or couples.

I asked the Victory guys for some details on their bikes, and they were polite, and helpful. The guy gave me a full information pack - DVD's included. That was really good service, but I had to ask first.

I was also surprised at the lack of accessories. There was no where near the amount of clothing retailers I expected. Most of the dealers had no accessories onsite.

I specifically went there to check out heated clothing - I only saw one guy with heated gear, and he was really nice, gave me a card, told me to send him an email. I also went to check out a windshield, and the guy (his name is Beaver) at the only windshield shop was very helpful and I plan to spend some money with them.

I did leave there with a decidedly bad taste in my mouth - which is why I'm now settled on the couch with a beer.

Comments for Yamaha Employee is Sexist

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Dec 01, 2010

Manufacturers
by: Anonymous

Let's not prejudice Yamaha with bad salesmen. It's the salesmen not the motorcycle. I've had good and bad at all dealers, even Harley.

Dec 01, 2010

Time to Speak Up
by: Anita

When that happens to me, I speak up with "Excuse me, I was here waiting for more than ten minutes and I believe that makes me first right now." They will usually, even if begrudgingly, wait on me at that point. If we get angry, that just makes us look like the unreasonable one even though we are right to be angry. Eloquence in defending one's self sometimes works better.

Dec 01, 2010

Sexist
by: Lynn - Florida

I think it is mostly laziness on the sales staff part. A good salesperson will sell to anyone and treat everyone equally. I have had similar situations myself. If you feel you are obviously being ignored, please tell the owner of the company as I'm sure they would want to know.

Dec 01, 2010

Employee is Sexist
by: Liz Casey

Dang! That's awful, girl. I so feel for you.

You know, I have never, ever, EVER been treated like that at any Harley dealer, ever. And, I have been to tons of Harley dealerships all over this great land of ours. I don't get that sexist crap at all from the Harley folks. They are totally pro women riders and always helpful when I go in to a dealership.

My first bike was a 500 cc Honda Shadow that I purchased back in 1985, and the dealer was tripping over himself to get to me. You didn't see many chicks on bikes back in those days at all. It was fun.

So, I have never seen this kind of sexism myself. But, I feel for you. Just shake it off and know that it isn't the norm. Women riders make up 650,000 + people in the US now. Our numbers are growing by the day. Just hang with your sisters and ignore those dirt-bags! Oh, and come ride with us: BikerBabeTours.com. : )

Nov 28, 2010

I Sympathize
by: Jane

It's hard to predict just where you'll run into this type of attitude. My Yamaha dealer is great, very helpful and doesn't seem sexist at all. But one of the two guys who taught the 3-hour introductory riding course I took wrote me off as soon as he saw me. I could read his thoughts: older woman, going to fail, so it's not worth the trouble to teach her. When we students had to push each other on the bikes to get used to balancing without power, he looked directly at me and asked: Does anyone have a heart problem who shouldn't be pushing. There was an older guy there (same age or older than me who had been a biker previously) and he didn't get asked that. I didn't get the individual instruction that the others in the class got, and I was really fed up by the time the class was over. I decided to go buy a bike and learn by myself with the help of the internet and forums like this one. If I do the two-day license course I'll take the female-only class that a different organization offers.

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