Evil Clutches!

Well, Im renting out motorbikes for a living down here in Guatemala. Its been a slow start but this week I have to say that I am "ahead" for the first time and that includes all living expenses as well as running costs for the bikes. This does not include recuperation of capital expenses yet but hey, its only Wednesday :)

In the process of renting the bikes out, I am learning quite a bit more about customers...
It seems that in almost all cases, my gut instinct about people is correct, but it depends on me both talking to them and seeing them ride off on the motorbike... and thats a little bit later than desired if I am to take corrective actions if the feeling is bad!

And what does that mean?

Well, I get a really quick feel as to who the people are when I talk to them (and they talk back) and since it takes me about 10 minutes to do the explanations of where to go and what to do and how to drive the bikes, I have enough time (based on my "You can see anyones "imbalances in 5 - 10 minutes" theory) to do a good basic assessment. This results in me gently rejecting those people whom I feel are just going to cause me problems (in short, Damage my bikes).
So Im left with the ones with no "ill intent" so to speak.
But the trouble is that some of these people are not very "self aware" when it comes to practical skills (and that of course could be said for most of us in some aspect or other).
In particular, people seem amazingly able to delude themselves that they know how to use a clutch!
But using the clutch in a standard transmission vehicle is probably the hardest part of driving other than negotiating traffic. It requires the subtle use of throttle and clutch which becomes completely second nature once you have mastered it (gets learned by that primitive little "lizard brain" at the top of the spine) but uses absolutely all of your concentration when you try to do it the first time.

So, it seems people truely believe they know what they are doing but in reality they SUCK! - Im pretty sure Id detect deliberate deceptions!

There is a bit of an incline when driving out of the area where I park the bikes, and if someone stalls the bike more than three times trying to drive away, then I know Ive got a problem.
They are going to be really hard on the bikes because there are so many really steep hills in the area and they are going to drive up them and they are going to not care about the bikes because they are rentals...
The result has been that I have had to do repairs on both the smaller bikes because of poor rider skills in the clutch department. And soon enough I will have to replace the clutch plates.
There is not really that much to be done about the problem other than plan for it... The repairs cost less than the rentals earn, and it just takes me time to fix - not that Im that busy :)
In the longer term though, I am seriosly thinking of getting another two bikes that have automatic transmissions and so will survive the trials of unskilled drivers better...

If next week is like this week then Ill go look for the right sort of bike to buy.... a rugged scooter would I think go well here :)