local dealer

[Unregistered]

Anyone out there try dealing with Franks BMW? Never met someone who doesn't want business as much as him. Charming guy.

[Unregistered]

Mixed reports.

[Belg]

Eh, after the long, bloody hot ride up there, the free water was worth it's weight in gold...

[Unregistered]

I stop in there every now and then. He does not seem to be a very enthusiastic dealer.

[Unregistered]

Don't think I have ever had any business ever use the "f-sharp" to explain what I should do till I met this guy. Not a happy fellow.

[GSCookeMnster]

Lester is Lester. I've dealt with him for 18 years/3 Beemers and he is very honest and will help you out/do you right with problems. However, if you come in with a "flatlander" attitude, you won't get far. Try to push him, and he'll tell you flat out what you can do. The man loves Beemers & old bikes, did very well setting up & greating rally goers with food & drink. He also gave a very substantial sum of money ($3,000) to the rally charity.

[ryegatehermit]

I've had the same experience with Lester. I've bought 3 bikes and he's always treated me fair. He doesn't like to be jerked around. When you consider that his tire distributor didn't come through for him, he was holding up pretty well.
He even got a relative to shuttle customers back to the rally so they wouldn't have to wait while their tires were being installed.
Sure, he may have been a little snarly by saturday afternoon, but he put in a lot of hours trying to keep customers satisfied. :clap

[PMARCEL]

just had same experience, not one smile in the place, the metzler tire deal
wasn't a deal, makes me appreciate Max's all the more. The Rally was GREAT,
what a job moa does with all the preparations.

[Unregistered]

He was snarley on Wed. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

[Unregistered]

The vibe was definitely "don't even ask". The sign they posted on the front door was your first clue - something to the effect of "it will be done when it's done".

[Unregistered]

And having a kid behind the counter who knew nothing.. other than to say "oh this is a long day"..just isn't good business... took him 15 minutes to figure out what tires I needed and the price was way out of line. (I walked out)

And why was the big Metzeler truck sitting there..those guys weren't even installing tires, but were all set up for it.

[kennyD]

I thought Frank's did a great job.
Got new tires there and excellent service.
I'd ride back there from NJ anytime for service like this.
Anyone not pleased should try coming down here for service.

Good Job to all at Frank's!

KennyD :brow

[Unregistered]

I did the buy one get one on the metzeler tire deal. I needed new pads on the rear. The out the door price was over 400.00. Poor Customer service. I travel frequently and try to visit the local dealer when I am out. Frank's rates poor, and the Metzeler folks should get their stuff together. They were a flop.

For all you long time Frank Customers....visit others.

[Unregistered]

the service was horrible. their attitute was worse. i heard one guy say F*** so many times, how business like is that. also did you see the mechanics, i don't think they are old enough to shave let alone drive. and for the Metzler guys, give them credit, they told me that Lester would not let them do anything. so i give them credit for putting up with his attitude. so the moral of the story is, buy your tires in another state.

[Unregistered]

Too bad--those Metzeler guys can really crank out the tire changes.

[R80RTJohnny]

I went on saturday morning looking for a quote for tires for my 86 R80RT and I think that I completely confused the person at the counter. The price quoted for tires was 309 out the door (Sorry but at that price I'll pass). Bear in mind that one of our club member's paid 339 for and R11RT.

Somehow the rally connection was just not there...

[Unregistered;]

I could not agree more with the first post!!

I am a local and if I did not love my bike so much I would sell and buy another Honda, all because my local dealer sucks so badly. I needed a new steering damper. I was quoted $120 and required to put 50% down be cause this was not a stocked part. I found that hard to believe but OK I needed it. When the part came in the price went up to $150 ??? When I bitched I was told I didn’t have to take it but I would loose my deposit or I could pay up. So now, I pay them back any chance I get. I also had other run-in's but that was the third strike and there out!

I now get my bike serviced at Road Side (they have 2 of Lesters former techs) and by Lesters son. Both seem happy to see me, my $ and my bike. If I ever need a dealer to work on my bike I will trailer it 2 hrs down to Max with out a second thought.

Screw You Lester and your bitchy wife. You don't deserve the BMW franchise.

[Bigbird]

It's probably a couple of hours away from Northern VT, but if you want really good service and a welcoming attitude, you might want to try Heid's Hodaka down in Johnsburg, NY. Bill and Terry Heid were BMW dealers until a few years back, and have been servicing BMWs since the 60's. They're honest, fair, friendly (well, Bill is more like "Crusty"), and the service is first rate. It's not like your typical 21st Century BMW dealership, but more like a cycle shop out of the 50's or 60's where you might expect to see Steve McQueen kick starting his Triumph.
Heid's is one of the main reasons I've stayed with BMW. I know I can trust them and it's always a pleasure to ride in for service or to to chew the fat. The shop is about 85 miles from my home, but I've met riders who've come to Heid's from as far away as Syacuse & New Hampshire. Anyway, if you get down that way, (Johnsburg is near Chestertown), stop in and check it out.

Bigbird

[jmerlino]

Let's be fair here: This was an incredibly stressful week for those people, and I'm sure they were all stretched to the breaking point.

I myself had to wait about 45 minutes to get a small part, but I'm not complaining because I know there were a lot of people there who needed service badly. While I was there, I observed a number of customers whose attitudes could best be described as, well, "cruddy" might be a polite way of putting it. One fellow felt the need to argue about the price of his tire change. Another fellow went on at length about how long things were taking.

Frankly, if I had to deal with that all week, by Saturday, I'd have been in a pretty crappy mood.

I'm not saying that Frank's is the greatest - that's the only time I dealt with 'em, and the locals would know best. I'm just saying that you're looking at a group of people who are operating under very unusual circumstances, and they deserve to be cut some slack for that.

[Unregistered]

I also had a por experience at Frank's. Yes, the situation was unusual ,in that there were more bikes in Essex Junction than they'd ever seen, but Frank's and whoever else was contemplating making money off of rally attendees should have been set up with more staff, parts, tires, etc. It's not as if we just came to town. They've known for 12 months.
Dave #13880

[mwernert]

I bought my used K from Lester - whatta nightmare. I sometimes consider upgrading to a newer R but positively, absolutely refuse to do business w/ him again. How does he stay in business??????

[Rob Nye]

Hey now,

Before this gets outta hand....

One of our biggest challenges is getting everyone in the local community to understand what is coming, sometimes this includes the local dealer as well.

Lester is like the Soup guy from the Sinefleld show. He may not always be the nicest fellow but his heart is in the right place.

He donated a grand prize bike which couldn't have gone to a more deserving volunteer and he donated $3,000 to the designated rally charity. For this he deserves a sincere thank you.

Thanks Lester!

Let's try to keep the negative comments in perspective and this topic centered around your rally experiences verses a deal gone bad two years ago.

Thanks,

[Unregistered]

Hey now,

Before this gets outta hand....

One of our biggest challenges is getting everyone in the local community to understand what is coming, sometimes this includes the local dealer as well.

Lester is like the Soup guy from the Sinefleld show. He may not always be the nicest fellow but his heart is in the right place.

He donated a grand prize bike which couldn't have gone to a more deserving volunteer and he donated $3,000 to the designated rally charity. For this he deserves a sincere thank you.

Thanks Lester!

Let's try to keep the negative comments in perspective and this topic centered around your rally experiences verses a deal gone bad two years ago.

Thanks,

Nicely put Rob.

[Callmethebreeze]

Nicely put Rob.

Yeah, I'm getting misty too, man of mystery. Is it true that you and Rob have been linked romantically? One of my "sources" says that he saw Nye walking around with a guy wearing a Max's BMW bag over his head. Just a rumor, I put no stock in such things.
This whole dealer thing is about expectations. If I had a bike breakdown at the Rally, then I'd be relieved that two dealers (Lester and Max) were available to get me up and running regardless of the time. Anticipating fast turnaround on tires, add on mufflers and farkles would be an unrealistic expectation. The focus was on helping motorcyclists get their machines back on track and rightly so.
I thank both dealers for their contributions whether in money, prizes and/or service.
Breeze

[I]Disclaimer: I am not running for or from anything in the MOA. I am not trying to get next to any of the wigs at the MOA. I don't belong to the Yankee Beemers yet. I fix my own bike or take it to my local dealer. I wouldn't plan on getting routine or cosmetic service done at the National.

[sjbmw]

Yeah, I'm getting misty too, man of mystery. Is it true that you and Rob have been linked romantically? One of my "sources" says that he saw Nye walking around with a guy wearing a Max's BMW bag over his head. Just a rumor, I put no stock in such things.
This whole dealer thing is about expectations. If I had a bike breakdown at the Rally, then I'd be relieved that two dealers (Lester and Max) were available to get me up and running regardless of the time. Anticipating fast turnaround on tires, add on mufflers and farkles would be an unrealistic expectation. The focus was on helping motorcyclists get their machines back on track and rightly so.
I thank both dealers for their contributions whether in money, prizes and/or service.
Breeze

[I]Disclaimer: I am not running for or from anything in the MOA. I am not trying to get next to any of the wigs at the MOA. I don't belong to the Yankee Beemers yet. I fix my own bike or take it to my local dealer. I wouldn't plan on getting routine or cosmetic service done at the National.


The riding was so great no way for a optional service call.

[jshuck]

I had a good experience. I was doing the Puppy Dog ride when the rear bearing on my GS started a song. I had just changed the fluid and checked for metal thingees about 1000 miles earlier. I had the BMWMOA gold coverage so out came the cell phone. After 52 minutes on hold, she really tried to call every participating tow shop in Vermont. She even called the State Police. So I called Frank and asked for their list. He gave me 3 and I got the first one to come down. BMWMOA Gold approved so we sat and counted blades of grass.
I do my own work, so I had a pretty good idea what the problem was. I pulled the caliper and no rocks were lodged in there but the noise was still there. Lester stated that once they get it on the lift, they could determine what the deal was, but at this point they were out of bearings, a normally stocked item. So, I call by buddy Bob Rosen at Cliff's in Danbury, CT He was coming up the next day, so I asked him to bring a bearing, seal and shims. The tow truck driver said I was the 5th bike they had towed to Frank's that day for a variety of reasons...crash, no go, over heating, etc.
Once I got over to Frank's again, with the rental car, it was not long till they had me back on the road. After a test ride to make sure things were 100%, I got the bill. $145...plus a few farkels for me. Not a bad deal considering I brought in the parts and his $55 @ hr. labor rate.
The people were 3 deep at the couter most of the time I was there and all the workers seemed busy and friendly. He had hired 7 extra people for the rally, but skilled techs are not found at your local gas station. I've worked both sides as a rep, behind the counter and in the shop. I thought he did a good job considering the mountain of people. He installed 300 tires each day with the help of the Metzler folks who were working inside in the A/C. I thought he did just fine. I was puzzled however at what kind of support BMW was giving him. Could they have not had a few helpers there or maybe a parts truck. It's only good wil afterall. As I was leaving a guy and his wife with a 3,000 mile RS pulled in with the trans input spline stripped.. Yipppes.
john shuck, Westport, CT

[dancogan]

Frank's BMW was slammed all week. We talked to folks w/ a sidecar who had to be trucked to the store the Sunday before the rally. Lester was there, getting ready for the rally, and went to work on their bike immediately. Had them back on the road that day, including having someone help them return their rental car. For me, they put in 2 special orders and both came in the next day. Considering the unusual volume, I think they were doing a great job!

[HadABabyItsABeemer]

Well, I heard from one of the guys that were sharing the townhouse we were in that the buy one get one was a joke.
Bob, rode an RT, the tire he needed for the back he could get for $119 instead of paying list of $190 from frank's just to get the "free" front tire. Plus, not to mention the costs for the change of tires and another charge to balance each one. Yes, I know, you will pay all that elsewhere, but if you want to give a good deal for fellow beemers, then do it and show that to your customers. jmho

[Unregistered]

Well, I heard from one of the guys that were sharing the townhouse we were in that the buy one get one was a joke.
Bob, rode an RT, the tire he needed for the back he could get for $119 instead of paying list of $190 from frank's just to get the "free" front tire. Plus, not to mention the costs for the change of tires and another charge to balance each one. Yes, I know, you will pay all that elsewhere, but if you want to give a good deal for fellow beemers, then do it and show that to your customers. jmho
Yeah, not much of a deal. The front tire was "free" but you paid full list for the rear tire, plus $55 for mounting for each. The guy I spoke with at the Metzler trailer seemed kind of embarrassed about it.

[Unregistered]

Lester is a horse’s ass. He was taping the, “Don’t ask for time estimates. It will take as long as it takes” sign on Friday morning at 7:45am, long before any wave of customers should have caused his operation any stress. It’s clear he made a decision early in the weekend that he wasn’t going to take any crap from customers.

Message to Lester - Hey hard ass, in case you didn’t notice you are in a service industry. If you don’t like dealing with customers, most who don’t mind spending good money on quality products and services, then do the riding public a favor and find a new line of work.

The world goes round and I can only hope you have the opportunity to meet someone with the same crappy attitude as yours when you’re the one in need.

[Unregistered]

Franks could have been the hero of the weekend for several riders who really needed assistance. Instead, they were just part of the problem.

[Unregistered]

Franks could have been the hero of the weekend for several riders who really needed assistance. Instead, they were just part of the problem.
Couldn't say it better!

[vtmarmota]

I've dealt with Frank's for more than twenty years and 5 bikes. You would be hard pressed to find anyone as honest and generous as Lester and Jeanette. They are great supporters of Vermont's "other" club, the BMWROV and do an admirable job despite the difficulties of operating a family run motorcycle dealership in the North Country. Does this mean all rallygoers were treated the same as the local customers who deal with Lester during more relaxed times and on a regular basis? Probably not, but let's take a kinder, gentler attitude as suggested by Jmerlino and Rob. Let's take into consideration the crazy, hectic and often stressful situations rallies can bring. I'm sure the old "two sides to every story" adage would also apply in many instances.

[BradfordBenn]

C'mon guys, if you were unhappy with your service and experience, I am sorry, but I also pretty impressed with how Lester came up with a $3K charity donation and a donation of a grand prize, which I was very happy to see go to Phil, I think we should cut him some slack.

Remember no matter how much planning, things always go a little different then planned.

There were things that could have been better, there are things that could have gone worse. If you are really that unhappy with Lester, there is always Max. You have options.

Let's also recognize the good things they did.

[Colt03]

Many of you rally people judge a dealer based on how they performed during this rally, perhaps you have that right. But I am here to say that Lester and Jeanette are good people, and I wouldn't be riding a BMW if Lester hadn't encouraged me to test ride the BMW's over the years. I have nothing but good things to say about this dealer.

I will also say that I have great service and support from MAX BMW and Cliffs BMW.

These dealers are supporting riders and I would hope we would support them.

[CTHalk]

That the only REALLY harsh statements about Frank's are from 'unregistered visiter'. Obviously he doesn't like the guy. Don't give him your money. That's all.

[RTRandy]

My experience was outstanding with that dealer. I had an unknown leak of oil coming out all over the left side of my dashboard which I thought was a leak in my oil cooler. Lester checked it out and discovered I had a blown left fork seal and that the oil was blowing upward at speed.

He offered me a choice to stay and fix it that evening or come back first thing in the morning. I came back in the morning and he had me fixed up in an hour.

During that time they had bought huge pallets of bottled water to give away for free to anyone coming by. They had tubs of ice and Lester's kid's and friends kept putting in the water bottles in to keep them cold. He also put out buckets of water and bike cleaner with terry cloth mittens to wash your bike along with having people who came to grill free hot dogs all day. I didn't know about the give away bike, but I'm not surprised.

I also know in having a conversation with Lester, that Metzler had not come through with the perceived promotional deal to his dealer and that he was going to take a hit on some tires just to make it right. I thought Lester was great and admired him for having his wife and two kids work there.

[dugmar]

Many of you rally people judge a dealer based on how they performed during this rally, perhaps you have that right. But I am here to say that Lester and Jeanette are good people, and I wouldn't be riding a BMW if Lester hadn't encouraged me to test ride the BMW's over the years. I have nothing but good things to say about this dealer.

I will also say that I have great service and support from MAX BMW and Cliffs BMW.

These dealers are supporting riders and I would hope we would support them.


Curious as to how Canton Cycles treats you guys. I grew up in Canton and remember going there as a kid to drool on the bikes. They never gave me a hard time even though I was too young to drive. You don't hear much about them anymore, aren't they in your home town now? Or is that Winsted?

[Muriel]

I stopped by Frank's Sunday afternoon and talked with Jeanette and Lester for a few minutes - they were still running flat out with a good crew. Lester had graciously agreed to store a bike for a rally goer who ended up in the hospital for a couple days, and I wanted to get the guy's tent and sleeping bag hung out to dry. There was a father and daughter camping in Lester's back field while they waited for a new clutch to be installed on their bike - nice field, big canopy, porta-potty . . . "all the comforts of home" provided by Lester.

"Lester's Kid" behind the counter probably has more experience than many adults - he grew up there. I can understand the stress put on Lester, Jeannette and the whole crew for the past week or so . . . it's not like you get to practice for a national rally. You can do all the planning you want, and now know how to do it better the next time. That goes for all of us.

Lester is honest, can be snarly, and more importantly can be extremely helpful, generous, going out of his way to help you. He and Max were both running full tilt with full crews doing pretty much all that is humanly possible in a sea of Beemers.

Give him a break.

Muriel

[redrider]

Two of us dropped by Franks on Wed and enjoyed the free lunch,the free water bottles,the free bike wash and the free Potties.All this knowing that most of us were just riding through to ck out the deals from the Vendors .
I was treated with courtesy and was attended to when visiting the store. I give the dealership Full Marks . :clap

[Friedle]

Most people who attended the VT Rally will never have any idea how much planning, time , effort, money and work Lester and his crew put into getting ready for our event. Many posts above mine detail all the good things Lester did for us during the Rally, other posts detail the good things Lester does for his regular customers on a regular basis.

I also noticed that all the vast majority of the derogatory remarks came from "unregistered users", while the supporting remarks came from named people. Even if you are not a registered user, you can still post your name at the end of your contribution.

As a three time Rally Co-Chair, I have learned to give far less credence to the anonymous complainers and far more weight to the named praisers. I think that might be a good rule for the rest of the BMW riding community to follow as well.

A huge "THANK YOU" to Lester and his whole crew for their efforts on our behalf before, during and after the Rally.

Friedle

PS: And no, Lester is not my regular dealer. I live at least 250 miles away.

[iRene]

you all have heard it form me in previous posts...

I travel from Maine for service at Frank's, I elected to buy my 2002 R1150R from Lester because he told me up front that it was one of the surging ones. Yep, he calls it like he sees it. I had called two weeks ago hoping for sceduled service the monday of rally week, and was wisely (and sensibly) waved off in anticipation of a strong need to be available for emergency service to rallygoers.

I have been angrily watching the vicious personal attacks on Lester and Jeanette by unregistered posters on this forum and I am appalled that access has been permitted for such malicious, name-calling diatribes from casual users. I see no value whatsoever in reading those.

There have also been good points made courteously about problems that are par for the course during an attendance record setting MOA national rally which I'm sure will be heeded and learned from.

[Unregistered]

Most people who attended the VT Rally will never have any idea how much planning, time , effort, money and work Lester and his crew put into getting ready for our event. Many posts above mine detail all the good things Lester did for us during the Rally, other posts detail the good things Lester does for his regular customers on a regular basis.

I also noticed that all the vast majority of the derogatory remarks came from "unregistered users", while the supporting remarks came from named people. Even if you are not a registered user, you can still post your name at the end of your contribution.

As a three time Rally Co-Chair, I have learned to give far less credence to the anonymous complainers and far more weight to the named praisers. I think that might be a good rule for the rest of the BMW riding community to follow as well.

A huge "THANK YOU" to Lester and his whole crew for their efforts on our behalf before, during and after the Rally.

Friedle

PS: And no, Lester is not my regular dealer. I live at least 250 miles away.

observation... ignoring criticism (even anonyomous) is a bad idea.

question...is there a "local dealer" in Wisconscin next year? send him a few links from this discussion.

idea... This rally is growing so fast... it may be time to "rally" a few extra dealers from the region to set up and and show off how customer service really works.

signed, anonyomous

[Friedle]

I didn't say I ignore anonymous criticism. I say I give it "less credence".

I note that you did ignore the opportunity to sign your post.

Friedle

[Unregistered]

I've listened to quite a bit about Lester - It seems to me there are bascially two types of posters. The local who choses to remain anonymous and the remote who identifies themselves.

I'm local, Lester is psycho, I want to remain anonymous just in case I need this nut job in the future.

The remotes may have been lucky enuf to avoid one of his episodes. If you're a local, you'll eventually meet the real guy. Fact is, I was tempted to start a "Beware of Lester" thread before the Rally - just to save some of you from ruining your day w/ a bad Lester encounter.

I appreciate all the "happy talk" and taking the high road, but this guy doesn't deserve it.

[Mika]

The point of this area is to discuss the rally: the events, the services, what was done well and offer suggestions for what could have been done better so that things will be better at the next rally. So far this thread, based on those criteria, has missed the mark for me.

I doubt Frank’s will be a vendor at the WI rally. Very few of us will ever use him as our local dealer. There will be vendors there from the local area, I am certain. Tell us what you expect from a vendor at the rally, what you needed and relate the stories you have to those issues. If you need to exercise your right to bash Franks takes it to the Campfire. I thought sharing the rally experiences was intended to improve things each time for the next rally.

[iRene]

I guess I'm STILL stuck angrily watching the vicious personal attacks on Lester and Jeanette by unregistered posters on this forum and I am STILL appalled that access has been permitted for such malicious, name-calling diatribes from casual users.

[Unregistered]

The guy could be an absolute saint for the rest of the year for all I know, but what I saw this particular weekend wasn't impressive.


Tom Steele
Montgomery Village, MD

[JOSH]

So far all I see is one person who seems to be proud to criticize anonymously. It is unfortunate that we allow you to comment as "unregistered". You have made your point over and over again. Enough blind siding. Apparently all the other commentors on this list have not had experiences as you claim to have had. In fact their experieneces are postive, but I am sure you will continue without revealing your name, it is easy that way.

Josh Ascher
3 time Rally Chairperson.

[Unregistered]

Let's put this in perspective already. Lester may not be a saint but who is? He goes well beyond what is expected of a dealer many many times, a thow back to the cycle shop of years past. I personally like the guy. Honest to a fault, maybe too honest because he will tell you whatever is on his mind, good or bad. Some of you seem to dislike his attitude but remember the times he has been there when needed. Please let up on the guy.

[k12koop]

Hey now,

Before this gets outta hand....

One of our biggest challenges is getting everyone in the local community to understand what is coming, sometimes this includes the local dealer as well.

Lester is like the Soup guy from the Sinefleld show. He may not always be the nicest fellow but his heart is in the right place.

He donated a grand prize bike which couldn't have gone to a more deserving volunteer and he donated $3,000 to the designated rally charity. For this he deserves a sincere thank you.

Thanks Lester!

Let's try to keep the negative comments in perspective and this topic centered around your rally experiences verses a deal gone bad two years ago.

Thanks,

I am in the boat with the others.... I dont care what kind of crappy day you have you dont treat customers that way. I went thier specifically to support the local dealer. I dont think support means I should be raped on price.

I often vote with my pocket book so I was happy to go to one of the other local dealers who put on the same tire the BMW dealer wanted $250 for for the amazing price of $160 installed. In fact the dealer had a tech come in on Saturday just because he was having so many overflow people from the Beemer shop. The tech at the shop that installed my tire said he would own a beemer except for the fact that he would have to deal with the folks at the beemer shop. This is not a guy who was there on a bad weekend he is a full time resident who actually loves beemers...

As for the donations, if he made an extra 100 bucks off of everyone who went there i would imagine 3k would have been easily covered.

Koop

[trundio]

NOT THAT IT MATTERS...BUT I REGISTERED FOR THIS POST.

I too visited Frank's. I met Lester. While I understand he had a "full-plate", he has little or no ability to connect with his customers, and his additional staff were clueless. There were maybe two employees who were knowledgeable.

I purchased the buy one get one, because my existing ones were pretty worn out, and I didn't want to ride home on them. The deal was poor, in comparison to my 2 local bmw authorized dealers.

I went back on Friday, to see Lester posting the sign that said don't ask for estimates, it will take as long as it takes. I was extremely embarrassed that this vendor taped this sign on the door of his authorized establishment during our international rally. Really, how can you possibly defend this action, from a business perspective??

WHAT I EXPECT AT A RALLY FROM A LOCAL VENDOR.

As said in previous posts: You had 12 months to gear up for this. I really don't think it would have been that hard to guage the demand based upon previous rallys. I expect a customer friendly, communicative dealer. If you are busy, come up and tell me. Don't expect me to wait for an endless period of time to talk to someone. Don't expect me to explain what I want to someone who worked at Burger King the day before.

What I expect of the rally organizers is to communicate what a local dealer should expect from rally participants. I would like to see a price sheet for tires and oil changes before the rally. I would understand a signup sheet, and possibly an understanding that I would have to leave my bike for several hours. If this was available beforehand, all the participants could easily guage their interest.

Its not rocket science. And since I was actually there, I believe and concur with most of the posts relative to the experiences at Franks....Registered, Anonymous, or named...

[mike cousino]

:lurk

I got a set of Avon ST45/46 tires mounted, balanced and installed at the rally for $225. :deal

[PAULBACH]

Last time I checked you had to be an adult to have a motorcycle license. As an adult learn to

profit by any bad experience. If it is not deadly it is not serious.

walk away if you don't like the treatment you are getting. There were many vendors at the rally. Shop around

save your energy and your money for the Wisconsin Rally.

[Motor]

Bmw could take a lesson here from "The Motor Company", When there is a large, And I mean many more than 8000, rally in an area Harley Davidson has techs from all over the region plus parts by the trailer load on hand.
I have 3 local BMW dealers in the DC metro area and they will all disapoint you if you go in often enough.

PS: We liked Vermont very much and had a good time, even with the rain as we float and don't melt.

[vtpaul]

:lurk

I got a set of Avon ST45/46 tires mounted, balanced and installed at the rally for $225. :deal


I think that proves the point of this thread.

[Mika]

Bmw could take a lesson here from "The Motor Company", When there is a large, And I mean many more than 8000, rally in an area Harley Davidson has techs from all over the region plus parts by the trailer load on hand.
I have 3 local BMW dealers in the DC metro area and they will all disapoint you if you go in often enough.

PS: We liked Vermont very much and had a good time, even with the rain as we float and don't melt.

It would be fun if we could follow the HOG way of doing things. There are a couple of points to keep in mind when looking sideways at that fine organization.

1. It was founded by Harley Davidson, we are an independent association operating under the charter of the international.
2. Harley Davidson is the one that makes the rules for the dealers and the clubs. This eliminates a bunch of problems that we run into with our three legged stool of manufacturer, independent dealers and independent association.

I firmly believe it to be something to strive for. But we have very different issues in trying to get there.

[STRESS]

I phoned Franks about scheduling an appointment about three days before I arrived in Vermont as I suspected an issue with my bike. I was told that they expected to be extremely busy and that customers would be taken on a first come first serve basis.
Monday morning I arrived at 8:30 (dealer opened at 9:00) and was greeted by one of the staff. I explained my situation and was told that they would take a look at my bike as soon as they could.
About ten minutes later I met Lester who came over to investigate my claim of a hard starting, rough running bike. Of course the bike started right up upon he trying to start it. He didn't discount that I had an issue but suggested cooling the bike to see if it would struggle starting in a cold condition. He wheeled the bike to the area in the shade and placed fans on it to shorten the time frame needed to cool the bike.
I had just had my bike worked on at my dealer so I was upset that I was in the situation that I was starting to question the integrity of the work I just paid for. Lester, approached me with my plugs and said:" my mother always said if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing" and handed me my plugs.
He then returned to the shop area and worked in a systematic way to figure out what was going on. During the time I was waiting I saw many others coming and going and never did I witness anyone who appeared disappointed.
Long story short, it was determined that my bike and my wife’s bike both had bad fuel. I was charged an extremely fair amount for the services. In addition I was a given name of great places to eat and ride. I had a great experience at Franks!

[Sue]

I bought the "buy one, get one" set of tires at Franks too. Cost was $392. Yee-Ouch!

On the other hand --- I was the dummy who did not look at my tires after Boise and before Vermont. I could have gotten a much better deal at my dealer here in Wisconsin, but I take complete responsibility for my lack of attention to the normal "pre-flight check list".

I was just happy that they could help me --- and although it chafed me to spend that kind of money, it's just part of the price I pay for going out and playing with motorcycles.

John Erdmann, owner of Milwaukee BMW was camped right next to us, and took great delight in teasing me about the expense. (uhg) He reads this forum, and I believe he (and our other two fine local BMW dealers) will do us fine next year in West Bend.

Now --- back to paying my vacation credit card bills. :banghead

[iRene]

I'm glad to see the last half-dozen or so posts have returned us to an appropriate discussion.
Carry on!

[dancogan]

Now --- back to paying my vacation credit card bills. :banghead

Aha! So I'm not the only one. :brad

[gogreen]

Called Friday late and was informed they were out of front tires for my RT, but would have more in the morning. Also I should come by and fill out a work order to get on the list for Saturday AM. Did all that, showed up at 0645 and left at 0830 a very happy fellow. The guys that were having problems were your typical "attitude dudes" that probably have trouble everywhere. Oh yeah Frank's installed rear pads and I still saved $100 on what I have paid at home.

[k12koop]

The guys that were having problems were your typical "attitude dudes" that probably have trouble everywhere. Oh yeah Frank's installed rear pads and I still saved $100 on what I have paid at home.

Actually i am pretty sure you dont know me. And i can tell you no less than 10 people in the line i was standing in left after the attitude we were shown at the counter. I guess all the bad attitude people came in at the time i was there.

The funny part about your statement is that if my attitude was so bad how come one of the other dealers and I had a big time talking bikes and the joy of riding. In fact i gave the tech who worked on my bike and installed my new tire for $160 my card and he is planning on coming down to ride with me at Deals gap.

For the people who know me, they will tell you that I am one of the easiest people to get along with. And if you feel that paying over $250 dollars for a single tire is a good deal, you can have my share, in fact i would like to sell you some.

Koop

[scootstado]

WHAT I EXPECT AT A RALLY FROM A LOCAL VENDOR.

As said in previous posts: You had 12 months to gear up for this. I really don't think it would have been that hard to guage the demand based upon previous rallys. I expect a customer friendly, communicative dealer. If you are busy, come up and tell me. Don't expect me to wait for an endless period of time to talk to someone. Don't expect me to explain what I want to someone who worked at Burger King the day before.

What I expect of the rally organizers is to communicate what a local dealer should expect from rally participants. I would like to see a price sheet for tires and oil changes before the rally. I would understand a signup sheet, and possibly an understanding that I would have to leave my bike for several hours. If this was available beforehand, all the participants could easily guage their interest.

Its not rocket science. And since I was actually there, I believe and concur with most of the posts relative to the experiences at Franks....Registered, Anonymous, or named...

:rofl

[LongWays]

I knew I was going to need a front tire and service by the time I got to Vermont - apparently I left home 7500 miles ago - so I stopped by the shop Thursday before I going on to the site. Heard about the rear tire fiasco - but with 28 fronts in stock no problem for me,and no problem on the servicing as well. Headed on over to the Expo site, registered, set up camp and went back to drop off the bike. Told them I wasn't in a hurry and if someone with more "urgency" :fight appeared to take care of them before me, I really didn't need it until Saturday anyways. Called the shop Friday morning, it was ready, grabbed the shuttle, picked up a few parts at the flea market in the Grange Hall out front: a shop t-shirt (its a Harley thing), and the bike. I was actullay surprised at the how reasonable the bill was - although they did offer to increase it if I was having too much trouble dealing with it.:rofl I would have no problem reccommending Frank's to anybody.

[marcopolo]

I stopped by for about 90 mins on Saturday and everyone there seemed to be in good humour. Perhaps it was because I wasn't getting my bike serviced. I did, though, take advantage of the guy outside with the shoeshine stand, as well as the free bottled water. I've been to Frank's a half dozen times to kick tires and whatnot, and I've had some nice long chats with Lester. I've always found him easy to talk to. He offered me test rides, even though he knew I couldn't buy a bike from him (and take it back to Canada).

[StevieWonder]

And if you feel that paying over $250 dollars for a single tire is a good deal, you can have my share, in fact i would like to sell you some.

First of all, I'll vouch for the fact that Coop is one of the good guys. He volunteers his time to help our members.

Having said that, as a former 4-wheeler racer, I can tell you that trackside prices are, will be and should be different from at-the-shop prices. The costs of gathering and transporting inventory for a mysterious variety of uknown customers/bikes to be installed at a remote location with equipment that must also be loaded up, transported and set up, housing and feeding the staff to sell/install the parts is a dramatically more expensive proposition that simply selling the product/service out of your fixed-base shop. Accordingly, the prices must reflect the reality of the situation. It may appear to be gouging, but if you're sitting on the side of the road wishin' you had that tire or other part, the price would appear MUCH more reasonable.

Like every other racer, I always complained about trackside prices, but when the alternative was a lost weekend, the cost, compared to the travelling, entry and other expenses, was actually not out of line.

Just another view point ...

[amiles]

I arrived at Franks late on Wednesday afternoon with a dead alternator & battery. I registered for service and settled down for a long (expected) wait. I had the chance to speak with several other riders, who, like myself were on pins & needles about getting our machines repaired and the dreaded cost. Shaded picnic tables made for a comfortable & social atmosphere.

I got to listen in as Lester explained to a woman rider how a BMW transmission functions and enjoyed several bottles of his free water.

When my machine went in, Lester briefly spoke to me on several occasions as the diagnosis went on. When the work was finished, Lester Personally test rode my machine.

I left that night with a properly repaired machine.

I could ask for nothing more I am a satisfied customer of Franks

[n1hnr941]

I was confused when I stopped at the Metzler truck and asked about a tire change. He said go talk to them at the counter. He was standding there with he thumb up his as*. And the tire machine was idle. What gave? I ended up having the "tire Nazi" do it for 145. He gave me the impression they were there for "support"?????????? eh!!!!!!!!!

[85801]

I came up early and Franks let me store my RT, inside for nothing. Needed a front tire, came back a few days later and bike was outside, with new tire and a smile from Dave. They did good by me.

[AZgman]

Yeah, I'm getting misty too, man of mystery. Is it true that you and Rob have been linked romantically? One of my "sources" says that he saw Nye walking around with a guy wearing a Max's BMW bag over his head. Just a rumor, I put no stock in such things.
This whole dealer thing is about expectations. If I had a bike breakdown at the Rally, then I'd be relieved that two dealers (Lester and Max) were available to get me up and running regardless of the time. Anticipating fast turnaround on tires, add on mufflers and farkles would be an unrealistic expectation. The focus was on helping motorcyclists get their machines back on track and rightly so.
I thank both dealers for their contributions whether in money, prizes and/or service.
Breeze

[I]Disclaimer: I am not running for or from anything in the MOA. I am not trying to get next to any of the wigs at the MOA. I don't belong to the Yankee Beemers yet. I fix my own bike or take it to my local dealer. I wouldn't plan on getting routine or cosmetic service done at the National.

FIRED! To quote you... "We are watching you!"

[Daver90s]

They seemed totally unprepared for the rally. They couldn't understand why there were so many BMW's coming in for service and were totally overwhelmed. What did they think was going to happen when 9000 bikers came to town? Granted, they're BMW's but they still break sometimes. They didn't have parts and too few mechanics working. We had a breakdown on the road and Lester was a real jerk on the phone. He did however "fix" the bike after we trailered it there. The word fix is in quotations because 500 miles later we had the same problem which left us stranded on I-90 in the rain. Doubt they'll be willing to even split the u-haul bill with us.

- A word to the local dealer next year:

Stock up on parts!!!! (even obscure ones)

Give your technicians time off during the week PRIOR to the rally with the understanding that they'll be working looooong hours during and after.

oh yeah - the Tire Nazi should also tell people up front that they should remove their own wheels - otherwise the work won't be done.

[StevieWonder]

If you ask me, you're being TOTALLY unreasonable in your expectation level of the vendor at the rally.

You've got nearly every BMW built over the past 30 years or so. Multiply that times the number of parts and you'd need a multi-story warehouse the size of a city block to house the parts. Obviously not going to happen no matter who the vendor is. Hell, just the tires would fill an 18-wheeler. Get real.

Those parts aren't free. It takes a ton of inventory bucks to buy them, pay for freight, unpack and inventory them, store them, transport them and sell them. Who's going to buy ALL those unsold parts that are SLOW, SLOW movers? What about the tools, equipment and personnel needed to install them for the non-mechanical types?

Oh yeah, don't forget about the unhappy campers who will b*tch about the price because it's 10% more than what they can get on the internet even though the internet seller didn't undertake the expense and effort to be at the rally.

The vendor is there as a service to the riders, to help those that can be reasonably helped. The vendor is NOT there to guarantee anybody a flawless service experience while on the road.

Clearly you've never owned a shop and, I suspect, never been in the service business. What you've expressed as your expectation level is TOTALLY removed from any semblance of reality.

[widebmw]

Why would a dealer want to have the BMWMOA National Rally near them.
Good will :dunno
I don't see much good will for the local dealer here.

Buy more parts (which parts, what years) :dunno
Hire temporary service people who have no experience :dunno

Let your service people have more time off before the rally when you are already booked up for a couple of weeks :dunno

[NancyK]

I'm landing firmly on the side of support for Frank's and Lester. I called them two days before I arrived, thinking I might have a rear main seal leak. The guy I spoke to asked several pertinent questions about what I was seeing and said it should be safe to ride the rest of the way to rhe rally. He said bring it in and they'd take a look at it for me... whenever we got there. We showed up Thursday morning, waiting in line to talk to someone at the counter, then shopped around the shop, knowing it might take some time before they could look at my bike. We offered to leave it and come back later in the day or the next day, knowing that we didn't need my bike for the next 24 hours and knowing they were really busy. They said they could look at it fairly quickly. They did. Then Lester took the time to personally explain to us what we were seeing on my rear wheel and why it was happening. He had one of his staff degrease and wash off the wheel so we could continue to see if I was getting what looked like seepage. He told us the seal was not leaking and it didn't need service. He encouraged us to take a couple of bottles of water with us when we left, saying it was expensive at the rally site. We bought three t-shirts and a pin from him. The counter people were busy, busy, busy, but polite. They looked a little like deer in headlights sometimes, but were doing their jobs.

As for the tire deal, I wouldn't have paid those prices either, but we made sure to put fresh tires on our bikes before we left. Those who had to buy tires because of the distance they'd come [understandable] or poor planning [happens but....] did have options.

I see the complaints, I understand why people would be upset, but we didn't see or have an experience even remotely like those being described.
His donation to the rally charity and the prize bike were extremely generous. He gets a big thumbs up from us. We'd go there again next time we're out that way.

[Daver90s]

If you ask me, you're being TOTALLY unreasonable in your expectation level of the vendor at the rally.

You've got nearly every BMW built over the past 30 years or so. Multiply that times the number of parts and you'd need a multi-story warehouse the size of a city block to house the parts. Obviously not going to happen no matter who the vendor is. Hell, just the tires would fill an 18-wheeler. Get real.

Those parts aren't free. It takes a ton of inventory bucks to buy them, pay for freight, unpack and inventory them, store them, transport them and sell them. Who's going to buy ALL those unsold parts that are SLOW, SLOW movers? What about the tools, equipment and personnel needed to install them for the non-mechanical types?

Oh yeah, don't forget about the unhappy campers who will b*tch about the price because it's 10% more than what they can get on the internet even though the internet seller didn't undertake the expense and effort to be at the rally.

The vendor is there as a service to the riders, to help those that can be reasonably helped. The vendor is NOT there to guarantee anybody a flawless service experience while on the road.

Clearly you've never owned a shop and, I suspect, never been in the service business. What you've expressed as your expectation level is TOTALLY removed from any semblance of reality.

I didn't ask you.

[StevieWonder]

Good thing ... 'cause then I would have told you EXACTLY what I thought. :nyah

[jdmetzger]

As for the tire deal, I wouldn't have paid those prices either, but we made sure to put fresh tires on our bikes before we left. Those who had to buy tires because of the distance they'd come [understandable] or poor planning [happens but....] did have options.


In regards to the tire guy, I'd like to see someone else, next year. I had a friend who woke up to a flat tire on Friday. He had his bike over there first thing in the morning; 5th in line. HE was told it would be done by noon. At 10:00pm, there were a few of us over there removing his wheels so the tires could be mounted. This was after the bikes owner stopped by SEVERAL times to check on the holdup. There were a number of other people that had to remove their own wheels, as well. In the meantime, it seemed the tire guy was more interested in lecturing on tires than actually changing them. I know it was a busy day, but there is no excuse for that. Make a list by make/model/plate number, and do them in order. When you get too many, tell them you can't promise it will be done, but you'll try. No excuse for the type of service received, from him.

[mike cousino]

I was confused when I stopped at the Metzler truck and asked about a tire change. He said go talk to them at the counter. He was standding there with he thumb up his as*. And the tire machine was idle. What gave? I ended up having the "tire Nazi" do it for 145. He gave me the impression they were there for "support"?????????? eh!!!!!!!!!
:lurk

I did some asking and here's some information that might be of interest:

-The Metzler Truck was only there for show.
-The guys that were there with the truck were; the driver, his friend, a Metzler Rep and some other guy that wasn't any help. They weren't tire changers.
-The Lifts and tire changers under the awning were there for the dealer's employees to use if they wanted. They chose to work inside where it was cooler and wouldn't be distracted by customers.
-The truck didn't bring any tires except the displays.
-Frank's got stiffed by Metzler and Parts Unlimited on the "Buy a Rear Tire, Get The Front Free" deal. They placed the 250 tire order, but didn't get them all in time for the rally. And, many of them weren't free it turned out.
-Metzler wouldn't ship needed tires "Priority".

Did anybody think to open their Anonymous Book and call for help?
:bikes

[BradfordBenn]

Did anybody think to open their Anonymous Book and call for help?
:bikes

Yup, but they were all at the Rally :doh

I also give a little leeway to the dealers as they do not want to bring in a whole lot of inventory that they might not need, but they should be polite about it. I think that what would be cool is if BMW Motorad could help the dealer out with spares. At work we do that for big events, like opening day at ball parks or Presidential Inagaurations...

[StevieWonder]

Here's a few real world questions:

How many BMW motorcycle dealers would STOCK anything other than common (oil filters, spark plugs, etc) parts for older bikes, say more than 10 yrs old?

How many would STOCK items like ECU's for bikes less than 5 yrs old?


I think you'll find the answer is very few. Dealers that specialize in older bikes may carry higher inventory levels than dealers who have a newer-bike clientele, but it'd be very, very rare indeed for a dealer to stock a multitude of parts because of the carrying cost and the very slow inventory turnover. Who would eat the costs if these parts didn't sell at the Rally?

You guys are not being realistic at all in your expectations about what a supporting vendor should have available. He doesn't know what bikes are coming, what shape all of those bikes are in and has no history of what kind of prior issues they might have had.

Give the poor guy a break. I'm sure after taking the beating we've seen him take here, there won't be a long line of volunteer support vendors for the next opportunity to get hammered for "not being prepared."

[VT2CAK75]

Hello all,

First time poster. Having been employed by both BMW NA and Frank's I feel as though I am uniquely qualified to comment on a few things.

First though, thank you Lester for providing me with the opportunity to experience first hand the demands of working in an independent M/C snowmobile shop. I have a lot of respect for you, Jeanette and your family and appreciate the lesson's learned closing work orders, picking parts, and climbing into the attic hunting for Metzlers.

Those of you frustrated at Frank's parts and service level should focus their angst on the marque which they so proudly boast and ride gazillions of miles in support of. You should demand that BMW NA do a much better job at servicing your needs rather than expecting an independent dealer to expend vital working capital on vintage parts and volume service for a 5- 7 day period. Get real! BMW NA leverages its historical product reputation in nearly every new bike sales pitch, why shouldn't it repay vintage owners with targeted service and parts support. Its not as if the MOA rallies just occur, they are planned for well in advance. C'mon BMW NA..exceed our service level expectations...just as your bikes performance levels often do.

BMW has the resources..just research the Quandt family P&L and get an sniff of the 2006 F1 budget. Haha..

DB

[R80RTJohnny]

After reading some very intersting posts I've come to realise that BMW NA and Metzeler dropped the ball on this one. BMW NA should have provided some assistance (parts and materials) to Frank's. As for Metzeler they should be ashamed for their behaviour. If I still remember this fiasco next time I need tires I'll make sure to avoid them.

After all is said is done to the staff at Frank's all I can say is Good job even though you were placed in a very difficult spot!

Maybe a small cube van with "spares" for 1970-on bikes would be in order for the 2007 National.

[mike cousino]

Yup, but they were all at the Rally :doh

What, you expected me to wait by the phone! You could've left a message. Truck and trailer were standing ready as well as tools, tire changer and spare room. I know others in the area that also anticipated and prepared for the call.

FWIW, most members listed in the Anonymous Book would welcome a chance to help out. You might even make a new friend!

[snoone]

All of you that are giving Frank's bad reviews are misguided and spoiled. From where I sit and after reading the posts Lester did the best he could under the circumstances and in addition made a hellava donation to the organization.. That goes a long way with me. Try riding down to NYC and dealing with BMW of Manhattan if you want to experience a real nightmare dealer . The supposid flagship service center of BMW dealerships is lacking in any and every kind of positive experience in every dept you can name. I wish we had Franks in the metro area

[Rob Nye]

:lurk

I did some asking and here's some information that might be of interest:

-The Metzler Truck was only there for show.
-The guys that were there with the truck were; the driver, his friend, a Metzler Rep and some other guy that wasn't any help. They weren't tire changers.
-The Lifts and tire changers under the awning were there for the dealer's employees to use if they wanted. They chose to work inside where it was cooler and wouldn't be distracted by customers.
-The truck didn't bring any tires except the displays.
-Frank's got stiffed by Metzler and Parts Unlimited on the "Buy a Rear Tire, Get The Front Free" deal. They placed the 250 tire order, but didn't get them all in time for the rally. And, many of them weren't free it turned out.
-Metzler wouldn't ship needed tires "Priority".

Did anybody think to open their Anonymous Book and call for help?
:bikes

Who did you ask?

Your information on Metzeler does not line up with a conversation I had with them a week before the rally about alternative locations for their truck.

As for folks who think that BMW should set up a service department, wouldn't that be cutting out their local dealer? I know in the case of Metzeler they always work though the local dealer and they will send labor and equipment
If the local dealer allows / requests it and that the driver is always available to sling rubber. At other rallies Metzeler has been on site with plenty of equipment and lifts with the local dealer also providing some labor and handling all the invoicing. Vermont was different and the variable is the local Metzeler dealer.

I have seen this many times, a local business sees the MOA rally as the greatest cash cow ever and wants all the meat for himself, only to choke on the meal cuz it is too much for any one shop to handle. Both Max and Lester were slammed for the entire rally, a third shop would have been too.

Another example is Steves Coffee Shack on the fairground. He went ballistic when he heard we give away coffee in the morning to the extent that we had to keep the south door closed and were not allowed to go out in the camping areas with containers of coffee. The first day Steve was so slammed a MOA member who owns a coffee shop jumped in and helped him keep up. I am sure he would have been just as busy if we had the south door open.

Profit is not a four letter word but at times can cause some very short-sighted thinking.

Best,

Rob Nye

[pdonoghu]

Yup, but they were all at the Rally :doh

I also give a little leeway to the dealers as they do not want to bring in a whole lot of inventory that they might not need, but they should be polite about it. I think that what would be cool is if BMW Motorad could help the dealer out with spares. At work we do that for big events, like opening day at ball parks or Presidential Inagaurations...

Our local NJ club had Frank Stevens from BMW Motorrad NA as our guest speaker two weeks before the rally. Frank mentioned that they work with the local dealer on special arrangements for extra inventory and return of inventory for the rally. They were planning on keeping the warehouse open late for emergency parts shipments. When I stopped by Franks, everyone was nice, we took advantage of the FREE cold water and bought a T-shirt. I happened to look in the back, and there was Frank Stevens from BMW working away at the computer. BMW doesnt make a big deal about it, but they do try to support the rally. Frank also mentioned that it costs about $60,000 to send the demo truck with expenses, lodging, etc. Frank was staying at the same hotel we did, I also noticed others from BMW Motorrad NA who were there. Just because you may not have seen them, or been aware of what they were doing, they were there trying to help out.

Paul

[Friedle]

There were over 50 names on the NA list of support, demo team, Mobile Tradition personnel, "home office" people, apparel team, and advertising agency personnel present at the VT Rally.

To imply that BMW NA does little to support the MOA Rallies is a totally uninformed and incorrect opinion. BMW NA was a significant contributor to the seminar schedule, offered a full schedule of demo rides, helped to make possible the Mobile Tradition Display, contributed to the closing ceremony and also to the door prizes.....and that is just what they did in the public view. There was also quite a bit of effort and support going on behind the scenes as well.

I offer a very big and public "Thank You" to BMW NA for their support.

Michael Friedle
BMW MOA Ambassador
BMW MOA Board of Directors
BMW MOA
International Rally Co-Chair 99, 03, 06

VERMONT, It's Not Flat

[Friedle]

Damn, I hit the send button too fast. =8^)

I also wanted to add a very large "Thank You" to Lester at Frank's BMW for going way above and beyond the call of duty. Lester probably had more motorcycles and people stop by his shop than he normally has stop by ALL YEAR LONG!! It is true you can't please all the people all the time, but Lester and his crew did a Herculean job of trying and that should be recognized.

The same should also be said for MAX BMW and their crew. Packing up an entire shop into a couple of trucks, moving it across two states and resetting up the entire operation is a enormous undertaking. Other dealers must think MAX is nuts. I know I could not find any dealer willing to do that for Rhinebeck or Charleston.

Thanks again to both Lester and Max for their outstanding support efforts on behalf of our MOA members.

Friedle