the "Tire Nazi"

[BeemoKat]

"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." - daver90s

Well said D, I could have saved myself a lot of time and stress with a little upfront warning. That said, I really liked Rob, and he worked his ass off. But to work that hard and STILL have dissatisfied customers (I wasn't the only one, I ran into a guy on Saturday morning who had brought his bike over for tires early on Thursday morning with nothing happening except for his bike being moved around) means that there is a BIG problem in the business plan or organization.

[jdmetzger]

I mentioned it in another thread, but I have to agree that his organizational skills leave a lot to be desired. That, and he seemed to be more interested in lecturing on tires than installing them. I thought his last name might be Goodyear, Firestone, Metzler, or something similar. :D

At least I got a chance to wrench on a bike other than my own. :p

[BeemoKat]

I appreciated you & Dave helping me out with that.

[Bensonhurst]

Poor customer care and high prices were the norm.
I found ALL the vendors were there to get rich, and somewhat less than customer oriented.
$2.50 for a bottle of water.
I've been to MANY motorcycle gatherings and swap meets (including Stafford England every year), this was the worst.

[eddie]

The price was high,took mine down at 8 saturday morning,had it ready by noon,he took the wheels off himself.being he was the only tire vendor I didn't expect him to be done any quicker.Seems I remember 3 or 4 tire vendors at Lima.Why only one this year?I to did not see any bargains at any vendor,didn't expect any.

[BMWGypsy]

The price was high,took my down at 8 saturday morning,had it ready by noon,he took the wheels off himself.being he was the only tire vendor I didn't expect him to be done any quicker.Seems I remember 3 or 4 tire vendors at Lima.Why only one this year?I to did not see any bargains at any vendor,didn't expect any.

Dang, Eddie. John and I wish we'd known you were there. We trailered our new, little Yamahas and spent much time working the rally (John, at least, got to go on the GS ride). Sorry we missed you.

[BubbaZanetti]

i had some rubber brought up to me by my gf (stuff i'd HOPED was going to be delivered before the rally) on friday night. i had talked to robert earlier in the week but when i saw how very swamped he was i took my tires to the "no mar" display inside. i took my bike apart in the woods where i was camped and put it back together there. the "no mar" was very impressive and i might consider going in on one with a few friends...............

[BradfordBenn]

Poor customer care and high prices were the norm.
I found ALL the vendors were there to get rich, and somewhat less than customer oriented.
$2.50 for a bottle of water.
I've been to MANY motorcycle gatherings and swap meets (including Stafford England every year), this was the worst.

The price of bottle water was not under the MOA's jurisdiction, those were done by the local vendors. Typically the water is $1 a bottle. Unfortunately we were not allowed to sell soft drinks at the rally, there were even problems with coffee as Rob has mentioned previously.

[AZgman]

Water was $1.00 a bottle in the beer tent and O'Doules was FREE... :groovy

Hey Brad, where are the forum frenzy pics?

[eddie]

Dang, Eddie. John and I wish we'd known you were there. We trailered our new, little Yamahas and spent much time working the rally (John, at least, got to go on the GS ride). Sorry we missed you.


Stacey,I did wonder about you guys.I was looking for the V-Stroms.Would have really like to have ran into y'all.Julie bid on and got a different job a few months before the rally and they wouldn't let her have two weeks off as planned.I rode up and back with a friend.Would have been great to see the two of you.Tell John we said hello.

[PHMarvin]

Hi, All,
I have been to 2 National rallys - 1991 in Flafstaff and 1999 in Rhinebeck. I told myself after Flagstaff that I wouldn't attend another. I felt ripped off and did not feel comfortable there. I took my 8 yr. old daughter and could buy a beer for less than I could buy her a soft drink. Rhinebeck, to me, was much friendlier. I went there because I was already in the area visiting family. With the gripes about prices (and the excuse that MOA, the RALLY ORGANIZER, has no control over the prices), maybe the MOA SHOULD have some say on food and/or drink prices. After all, it's OUR rally. In my mind, if a beer is $1, a bottle of water or can of a soft drink should be the same anywhere on the rally grounds.

[jdmetzger]

I appreciated you & Dave helping me out with that.

As I told you, it was not an issue. It was probably one of the more interesting times I had on the rally site; I could still hear the music at the beer tent, and you know how I like to work on bikes, even if it IS just removing/re-installing wheels. ;)

I guess that's just one of those rally things. It was annoying that the tire guy didn't get your bike done remotely close to the time you were given, but it led to an intersting evening, and I got to meet a few more people while we were over there. Everything has a silver lining!

[BradfordBenn]

Hey Brad, where are the forum frenzy pics?

Unfortunately I was not able to attend as I was busy counting stuff for Awards and Tally, but there should be others with photos floating around.

[tessler]

i had some rubber brought up to me by my gf (stuff i'd HOPED was going to be delivered before the rally) on friday night. i had talked to robert earlier in the week but when i saw how very swamped he was i took my tires to the "no mar" display inside. i took my bike apart in the woods where i was camped and put it back together there. the "no mar" was very impressive and i might consider going in on one with a few friends...............Did you see the No Mar guy demo the mounting/unmounting of the Goldwing tire? I was mesmerized. Amazing product. Gee, BZ, if I didn't live 160 miles away from ya, I'd totally pitch-in for one!

[cjack]

Hi, All,
I have been to 2 National rallys - 1991 in Flafstaff and 1999 in Rhinebeck. I told myself after Flagstaff that I wouldn't attend another. I felt ripped off and did not feel comfortable there. I took my 8 yr. old daughter and could buy a beer for less than I could buy her a soft drink. Rhinebeck, to me, was much friendlier. I went there because I was already in the area visiting family. With the gripes about prices (and the excuse that MOA, the RALLY ORGANIZER, has no control over the prices), maybe the MOA SHOULD have some say on food and/or drink prices. After all, it's OUR rally. In my mind, if a beer is $1, a bottle of water or can of a soft drink should be the same anywhere on the rally grounds.

We (the MOA) are only guests there. We don't own the place and those contracts and franchises are agreed to and the property of the folks who do own the place. I'm just grateful that there was no rule that you can't bring your own beverages onto the property if you wish. Although there were some restrictions.
I noticed that at some of the ham radio hamfests the drinks are sometimes 3.75 for a coke. When you're downtown, you pay downtown prices I guess.

[BeemoKat]

The price was high,took mine down at 8 saturday morning,had it ready by noon,he took the wheels off himself.being he was the only tire vendor I didn't expect him to be done any quicker.Seems I remember 3 or 4 tire vendors at Lima.Why only one this year?I to did not see any bargains at any vendor,didn't expect any.

I brought my bike over to him at 8 on Friday, still not touched (except by people draping their riding gear and other stuff on it, what's up with that, NOBODY would even think of touching someone else's bike at a Harley rally), after my shift in the beer tent at 9p. Finally got my tools from the far end of the campground and took the wheels off with help from Josh & Dave. Had new tires on at 11:30pm, and paid full price. I was HUGELY tempted to just ride away with them, but I do believe in Karma, and would have had a hard time sleeping.
Also, if I had gotten over on him, I'd have NO right to bitch! ;)

[Bensonhurst]

Hi, All,
I have been to 2 National rallys - 1991 in Flafstaff and 1999 in Rhinebeck. I told myself after Flagstaff that I wouldn't attend another. I felt ripped off and did not feel comfortable there. I took my 8 yr. old daughter and could buy a beer for less than I could buy her a soft drink. Rhinebeck, to me, was much friendlier. I went there because I was already in the area visiting family. With the gripes about prices (and the excuse that MOA, the RALLY ORGANIZER, has no control over the prices), maybe the MOA SHOULD have some say on food and/or drink prices. After all, it's OUR rally. In my mind, if a beer is $1, a bottle of water or can of a soft drink should be the same anywhere on the rally grounds.
THANK YOU, I was feeling alone in the wilderness.
I thought the rally left a great deal to be desired, it was my first and last.
All the vendors were there to get rich.
I've been riding the back roads of Vermont for over 30 years and that's the main reason I went to the rally. Riding in Vermont was, as always, wonderful but I didn't need a rally for that.

[MEWAYBRIGHT]

I didn't make the Rally this year but from the sound of it I didn't miss much as far as the rally goes... high prices, vendors lacking in customer service and more high prices... wish I could have made it for the riding though. Maybe next year....

[BeemoKat]

I didn't make the Rally this year but from the sound of it I didn't miss much as far as the rally goes... high prices, vendors lacking in customer service and more high prices... wish I could have made it for the riding though. Maybe next year....

I had one little problem with a vendor, next year I'll know better and make plans differently concerning tires, probably will screw up in some other aspect of planning, and will learn from that mistake as well. I had way too much fun, I will make it to as many of these as possible. I think the people who had a bad time brought it with 'em. (see signature!)

[username]

THANK YOU, I was feeling alone in the wilderness.
I thought the rally left a great deal to be desired, it was my first and last.
All the vendors were there to get rich.
I've been riding the back roads of Vermont for over 30 years and that's the main reason I went to the rally. Riding in Vermont was, as always, wonderful but I didn't need a rally for that.

did you make any friends?

[kbasa]

did you make any friends?

I'm gonna guess no.

[Fritzc]

I had a specific goal to get new tires at the rally. As I recall there were several (more than 2) venders last year at Lima, representing several tire brands who were selling and mounting tires. The tire Nazi was the ONLY tire vender there and was totally overwhelmed!! Not sure who was to fault but had he been more informed, he could have had more help and more tires. Even the dealer in town had this huge semi, awning and four tire changing stations courtesy of Metzler, in anticipation of the rally. Problem? NO TIRES!!!! I was told on Friday to come back on Saturday morning as they had a load coming in that night and it would be first come first served. I didn't bother going back as I really wanted Dunlops anyway and my friend assured me My tires would get me safely home. I wasted at least four hours trying to just get to talk to the tire nazi and his buddy and I searching through the few tires he did have looking for a set that would fit my bike. I don't blame the Tire Nazi for anything that went wrong. I just wondered why there weren't more tire venders there! I talked to the Michelin Rep. for twenty minutes before I realized he was just there to hype the brand and was not there to sell tires and had no idea where to get any Michelin tires.
Before attending the rally I had emailed the Dunlop web site and got a message back saying the rep. was out of town. That is strange for a (big?)
Corp.
Anyhoo, upon arriving home on my now nearly bald tires, emailed Competition Accessories for Two Dunlop D220 tires, which arrived at my house in three days, had my friend Gary Teatro mount and balance them for a very reasonable price and feel secure again.
All in all the vendors at the rally were way over my head in products and cost of products. BMW cycling has become a much more upper echelon sport, whereby the venders seemed more of the New Zealand Tours, $700 riding suits, electronic stuff costing $$$$$$$$$$$$$. The Hannigan rigs were only for extremely rich customers. I don't think I know ANYONE that could afford one of those rigs. Bob's BMW was the only vendor that I spent any time with at all! I think I will look for another airhead and just go to airhead rallies.
My major enjoyment at the rally was getting there, staying at Lake Carmi for three days, riding around Vermont, visiting with my old friends, new friends and intermittant friends at the beer tent and eating places. I go to rallies alone, get a tray of food or a beer, see someone sitting alone, join them and soon I have a new friend. I see a guy at rallies that lives in my town and that is the only time we ever talk. Strange huh?

[Bensonhurst]

did you make any friends?

Did I make any friends?
A friend* is someone with whom you maintain a long term relationship.
I traveled there with a friend from Manchester UK, he came over here to enjoy riding the back roads of Vermont and that’s what we did, we didn’t hang around the fairgrounds. I also have a long time friend who lives in Stowe and he accompanied us on many rides.
At the rally, I met a lot of very nice people, but I meet a lot of nice people every day.
I wasn’t there to find NEW friends*, I don’t NEED to go to a rally to make friends.

[iRene]

Specifically addressing the onsite food/beverage vendors...
Yes, beer cost less than water in this case. We sold the beer and set the price, but
the reason those food vendors were on site is because they have a negotiated agreement
with the fairground owner/authority. When we rent a site, we likewise "inherit" those
contracted vendors with the site, all part of the agreement, a sort of "package deal."
If we can find a different kind of venue that suit our needs, we can probaby treat food
vendors like we do our exhibiting vendors. I'm sure the yearly rally location search committee
is wide open to your suggestions, I know I've seen ski areas and the Charleston, WV
model used in the past, for examples.

As for the "ripoff" exhibiting vendors, they do have a cost to move inventory on site,
stock up to cover a large, unpredictable demand,
staff their booths for long hours, and then ship it all home again.
It is an additional cost to their usual storefront business, after all.

[Muriel]

Have any of you complaining about the lack of service considered that we had 900 more attendees than ever before? I don't think anyone anticipated that fine a turnout. Makes it a little hard to be prepared (at least economically).

In the past I've found Robert's prices to be quite good, and his knowledge is amazing. "He's forgotten more about tires than most people know." I didn't buy any tires this time, so I don't know what he was charging, but I can't imagine his prices were unfair.

All service type vendors seemed to be working their butts off - on into the night when the rest of us were partying or sleeping. I think they all put forth an outstanding effort.

Muriel

[eddie]

I brought my bike over to him at 8 on Friday, still not touched (except by people draping their riding gear and other stuff on it, what's up with that, NOBODY would even think of touching someone else's bike at a Harley rally), after my shift in the beer tent at 9p. Finally got my tools from the far end of the campground and took the wheels off with help from Josh & Dave. Had new tires on at 11:30pm, and paid full price. I was HUGELY tempted to just ride away with them, but I do believe in Karma, and would have had a hard time sleeping.
Also, if I had gotten over on him, I'd have NO right to bitch! ;)

It definetly doesn't seem fair for you to remove and reinstall your wheels and still pay full price.I thought about going to the Metzler truck to compare prices but got the word they were out of tires,so I had no choice.

[Muriel]

It definetly doesn't seem fair for you to remove and reinstall your wheels and still pay full price.
I can see where one would feel that way . . . do you know for a fact he didn't give you a break for removing your own wheels etc?

I guess my attitude were I in that situation would be that Rob was inundated, and I'd gladly help him so he could get to more people. A price break would be nice, but I would be doing him a favor and, in turn, other riders a favor.

Muriel

[eddie]

My cost for Avons with him doing all the work was $380.His price to me was $395 but he handed me back $15 when I paid him.

[Bensonhurst]

I had one little problem with a vendor, next year I'll know better and make plans differently concerning tires, probably will screw up in some other aspect of planning, and will learn from that mistake as well. I had way too much fun, I will make it to as many of these as possible. I think the people who had a bad time brought it with 'em. (see signature!)
I guess that crack about "see signature" was addressed to me.
You're probably too young to know this, but back in the early sixties anyone who rode a motorcycle was labled a "juvenile delinquent".
I rode a BSA then, and I'm still riding and enjoying the things I did as a teenager, hence the signature.
I've been to motorcycle gatherings (call them rallies or swap meets) in Europe, the UK and North America. I didn't have a bad time at the BMW rally, I had a blast, but most of my fun was on the rural roads of Vermont and very little of it was at the rally site.
I have several rallies I never miss (Stafford UK, every April), the bmw rally isn't worth the effort to attend.


http://allegretti.us/mcy/delinquent.jpg

[Fritzc]

Did I make any friends?
A friend* is someone with whom you maintain a long term relationship.
At the rally, I met a lot of very nice people, but I meet a lot of nice people every day.
I wasn’t there to find NEW friends*, I don’t NEED to go to a rally to make friends.
I resent the implication that I NEED to go to a rally to make friends. That is only a small part of the overall experience. That is probably not what you meant but it sounded like it.
It was evident that many rally attendees already had their own friends by their circled encampments that seemed to say "You are not welcome and we have all the friends we need right here!" At some rallies I have seen the large yellow ribbons "fencing" off the territories and reserving prime camp spaces for friends coming later. At Charleston, a large Eastern Club even told a "squatter" he should camp somewhere else because he would be unhappy in that spot.
I had a good time at the rally, will probably go to Wisconsin for the main reason it is close and I like riding in Wisconsin. Wisconsin paves all their rural roads. I will ride the Ferry across L. Michigan then ride around the U.P. and wherever I go I will meet new people. :kiss

[BMWGypsy]

Stacey,I did wonder about you guys.I was looking for the V-Stroms.Would have really like to have ran into y'all.Julie bid on and got a different job a few months before the rally and they wouldn't let her have two weeks off as planned.I rode up and back with a friend.Would have been great to see the two of you.Tell John we said hello.

Well, we were supposed to be on the V-Stroms, but I, uh, kinda, um, wrecked mine on the first day of vacation. :cry I was only bruised and bruised a nerve, but the bike didn't fair so well. So, we went on to Plan B and had a great time regardless.

Tell Julie :wave as well.

[eddie]

Well, we were supposed to be on the V-Stroms, but I, uh, kinda, um, wrecked mine on the first day of vacation. :cry I was only bruised and bruised a nerve, but the bike didn't fair so well. So, we went on to Plan B and had a great time regardless.

Tell Julie :wave as well.

Sorry about your bike but glad your OK,hope we see you guys soon.

[jshuck]

A guy over by the back gate took his tires off his GS to have new ones put on. My buddy, a cynical bastard, was working the back gate. The guy put his GS on the hardstand next to the gate so it would be O.K.. People coming in saw the bike sitting there on the centerstand with no wheels...front or rear.

People asked of course... my Buddy says..." oh they refused to obey orders so we took their wheels". He had no problems....

[pbbeck]

I feel compelled to ask the following question, which is not meant to be insulting to anyone.

Why would anyone plan to get tires at the rally, where 1000's of other people w/ similar interests and needs are concentrated in a small area? It's reasonable to expect any on-site service providers to be swamped at such an event, and therefore in my mind this is NOT the place to have any service performed.

It's like complaining that the beer vendor at the baseball game didn't take the time to listen to your problems.

[marcopolo]

I feel compelled to ask the following question, which is not meant to be insulting to anyone.

Why would anyone plan to get tires at the rally, where 1000's of other people w/ similar interests and needs are concentrated in a small area? It's reasonable to expect any on-site service providers to be swamped at such an event, and therefore in my mind this is NOT the place to have any service performed.

It's like complaining that the beer vendor at the baseball game didn't take the time to listen to your problems.


Exactly what I was thinking. I can, however, understand someone who travelled a long distance underestimating when he/she might need new rubber suddenly finding them selves in a pinch, but I would never go to a rally (especially one this size) expecting some great deal on tires.

[Mika]

Fairs and special events - you pay dearly for the good stuff and you pay dearly through the nose for the rest. :brow

[BradfordBenn]

I didn't make the Rally this year but from the sound of it I didn't miss much as far as the rally goes... high prices, vendors lacking in customer service and more high prices... wish I could have made it for the riding though. Maybe next year....

Actually this year was a pretty good rally. I think that what is happening is that more and more people are talking about the rally at the Forum. There is always something to change and improve on.

Think about it, if you get 9,000 people in one place for a few days, do you think everyone is going to be happy about everything?

[eddie]

I planed to get tires if I thought mine wouldn't get me all the way home safely.I didn't think they would,better to spend $380 for tires than suffer the phyisical and dollar cost of a crash.I also had my oil changed and bought new boots to replace my leaking ones.Got a total of 8300 miles out of my last two sets of tires,thats combined not each.Just part of ridding the model I ride,replaceing tires often.

[jdmetzger]

I feel compelled to ask the following question, which is not meant to be insulting to anyone.

Why would anyone plan to get tires at the rally, where 1000's of other people w/ similar interests and needs are concentrated in a small area? It's reasonable to expect any on-site service providers to be swamped at such an event, and therefore in my mind this is NOT the place to have any service performed.


For the person that I know (BeemoKat) that needed tires, he woke up Friday morning with a flat. Not a totally planned event. I think he was considering tires at the rally anyhow, but a flat doesn't give you a lot of options, unless you want to try and remove the tire yourself and patch the tube at the rally. I'm pretty good with a wrench, but I don't do my own tire work. Trying to get a tough-sidewall no-tube-required tire off a rim with short tire irons is not a lot of fun.

[cjack]

Exactly what I was thinking. I can, however, understand someone who travelled a long distance underestimating when he/she might need new rubber suddenly finding them selves in a pinch, but I would never go to a rally (especially one this size) expecting some great deal on tires.

I try to plan my bike maintenance so that nothing needs to be done throughout the whole trip. I took off half worn tires (M1) and put on new so we wouldn't have to think about tires and could enjoy the ride.

[JPRiepe]

I would like to thank the Mac-Pac club members who assisted me in my hour of travail at the hands of the Tire Nazi, at the recent MOA Rally.
Not only was a day and a half of my rally participation compromised by the Tire Nazi's incredibly inept service delivery, but it was doubtful for a while if I'd have been able to ride my biker home.

I am a re-entry rider after many years away from
motorcycling and took most of the Tire Nazi's utter bullshi* as
gospel. In essence, this personification of a cartoon character let
passersby dismount tires from other patron's motorcycles waiting in line for service, allowing him to throw tires on rims for line-cutters who arrived with wheels under their arms. It was one of these well-intentioned
"volunteers" who split the calipers on the front on my K75 and consequently
drained the brake fluid.

The Tire Nazi explained to me that this was my faulty for driving a
bike with defective brakes, most probably a bad seal. He ranted and
raved about the necessity for finding a caliper rebuild kit (closest
one was in New Hampshire) or a replacement caliper assembly (closest
one in New York). The Tire Nazi made a point of emphasizing his potential liability for installing tires on an unsafe motorcycle. He neglected to mention his culpability in letting anyone try their luck at changing tires under his aegis.

Three hours were spent searching vendors at the rally, and on cell
phones trying to locate parts.Much of this search was conducted by
friends of mine, who were able to trot across the fairgrounds and
stand in various lines for 45 minutes while waiting for advice.
It was Brian Curry of the Mac-Pac who reassembled my brakes, under a running apology from the Tire Nazi (which did not include any substantive offer of assistance).

Mr. Curry explained to the Tire Nazi gentleman that the brake seals were probably still good if the "volunteer" help hadn't ripped them out removing the wheel. Suddenly, the Tire Nazi understood what Mr. Curry was saying, and just as suddenly, my machine seemed unlikely to need a caliper re-build kit or a new caliper.

The Tire Nazi acknowledged this by saying, "My ass is sure out in the wind on this one." At this point, my bike had been tied up for 8 solid hours.

For the record, my appointment with the tire Nazi was for 7:30am on
Friday morning, July 21, 2006. I was on time. My tire was mounted on
the wheel (which had been removed at 1pm) at 6:30pm 11 hours later. Many of the machines that were scheduled for service and promised before noon -- along with mine that morning -- were still without tires as night fell.

The Tire Nazi explained to me that he could have fixed my brakes in 10 minutes. Odd that he didn't do so. Odder still that it took two mechanics the better part of an hour to clean the brake pads and bleed the brake lines before the unit was safe to drive.

Yet the day was not without entertainment value. The Tire Nazi held
hundreds of conversations that day: telling the fortunes of potential
customers by looking at their tire treads, explaining in great detail
his philosophy of work excellence, and awing the crowd with stories on
how he changed tires the day before until 1am in the morning. I got a
nice tan by rubbing spilled brake fluid onto my skin and baking for 8
hours. I understand that BMW brake fluid will make a nice glaze on a
chicken too.

My suggestion to the Tire Nazi is to wear a uniform appropriate to his
performance philosophy and work ethic. This doesn't have to be
anything fancy. A big red plastic nose and floppy shoes ought to do
the trick. He also ought to post a sign saying, "Please be advised that scheduled times really mean nothing here, and that some work may be performed by amateurs."

I'm sure that if further investigation is required, it would not be difficult to find the folks who stood in mute frustration and witnessed this operation on July 21, 2006.

JPRiepe
West Chester

[BeemoKat]

you had a much rougher go of things than I did. Live and learn, next season I'll go to G&P Cycles for tires, buy a better sleeping bag, not go to the concerts without my toothbrush in my pocket, remember where I packed my towel, buy some gore-tex boots, and of course, make some NEW mistakes to learn from.
And have yet another fabulous time! :)

[JPRiepe]

I didn't plan on getting new tires at the Vermont Rally. I also didn't plan on taking a 3800 mile trip before the rally either. While there, somebody got a gander at my front tire and said, "Lucky for you you can get a tire here."

In the future, I'll replace both tires if there is the slightest doubt in my mind that either could wear out on a rally ride. This was my first MOA Rally and it was just sensational. I had a great time. I met great people. I had terrific rides. And I learned a good lesson about getting tires at a rally.

I also had a good deal of sympathy for the tire Nazi.

1) He should have had another guy with him doing nothing but changing and balancing dismounted wheels.
2) You should be issued a number and a time when you drop your bike off. (And getting the machine back 2 hours late is still reasonably acceptable to me, under the citcumstances.)
3) Charge a premium for jobs that are accepted after 1pm for delivery the same day.

But his current method of of operation leaves a lot to be desired, and will only increase his potential liability, to say nothing of ill will.

JPRiepe

[cjack]

snip
It was Brian Curry of the Mac-Pac who reassembled my brakes, under a running apology from the Tire Nazi (which did not include any substantive offer of assistance).

Mr. Curry explained to the Tire Nazi gentleman that the brake seals were probably still good if the "volunteer" help hadn't ripped them out
snip

Good for you that he came by. I have noticed over the years, he has helped many folks with their BMWs.

[JPRiepe]

Good for you that he came by. I have noticed over the years, he has helped many folks with their BMWs.


I ride with the Mac-Pac boys had put out an all points bulletin to find Brian Curry. Naturally, he was up to his elbows working on the wiring of another guy's bike -- but wasn't too busy to let everything go to prevent a minor disaster from becoming an unnecessary catastrophe. A number of guys assisted him in getting this sorted out as well.

Jack Riepe
West Chester

[Stuff2C]

The website will be the demise of the MOA. I used to enjoy waiting for the ON to show up every month(20+years). Now I log on and read all the grumpy old f'ers piss and moan about spending $3 to much for a tire $1 to much for water at a rally. They bust on some guy for lying his bike on its side, just because he wants to enjoy himself. At 47 this club is making me feel old.

Real time old f'n internet whiners, will run off anyone (especially young ones) interested in a long term fun with an interesting club.

We're going backwards folks. :help

I have 3 years left (prepaid) that should just about do it for me. MOA#38033

[eddie]

The website will be the demise of the MOA. I used to enjoy waiting for the ON to show up every month(20+years). Now I log on and read all the grumpy old f'ers piss and moan about spending $3 to much for a tire $1 to much for water at a rally. They bust on some guy for lying his bike on its side, just because he wants to enjoy himself. At 47 this club is making me feel old.

Real time old f'n internet whiners, will run off anyone (especially young ones) interested in a long term fun with an interesting club.

We're going backwards folks. :help

I have 3 years left (prepaid) that should just about do it for me. MOA#38033

Stuff2C,Great post,I haven't been around as long as you but I have talked about all the whinning many times with my wife. I frequent a couple other BMW sites and I don't read all this whinning and BMW bashing you find here.This place would discourage any one from buying a BMW or joining the MOA.I think your post would have made a good new thread.

[cjack]

Stuff2C,Great post,I haven't been around as long as you but I have talked about all the whinning many times with my wife. I frequent a couple other BMW sites and I don't read all this whinning and BMW bashing you find here.This place would discourage any one from buying a BMW or joining the MOA.I think your post would have made a good new thread.
I'm about 35 years with MOA and have been on the other sites...I like this forum. It was pretty non-whiney until the National Rally...well maybe a little whiney about dealers...and BMWNA...and tire costs at dealers...hmmm...
Now that I think about it...it's pretty whiney, but it's BMW riders at their usual best...whiny. They couldn't even start a national club without splitting into two clubs in the early seventies. So they come from it honestly, from birth.
Oh. I forgot to say, I still like this forum. And the folks on it.

[hetkind]

I am going to chime in here...I have never bought a tire at a rally and never have bought one on the road, either. It is easy to see which tires, stacked on the pump house roof, are MY take-offs, and the ones I change for friends...mine have tread LEFT on them.

Common sense says that you should have a plan for keeping your bike in tires while on a road trip and in my book, counting on a mechanic or tire guy at a rally isn't one of them. Those guys are great for an emergency repair, when there are no other options. Now one year, I set off from Dallas going to the Finger Lakes rally in New York for the sole task of running the Dunlop K491s out of tread on my R80ST. They were approaching three years old and 25k miles, and needed to come off, just due to time. I pulled them off when I got home, 4k later and they still had good tread. but flat spotted. A worn, old K491 is NOT good in the rain in Dallas traffic...

At the Lima rally, I had advised many, both on the internet forums and in person, that the premier tire vendor in Western Ohio is Tires Unlimited in Dayton. You can pull up to the shop, pull your wheels one at a time and they will mount and balance at $15 over the internet cost. I would stop there, while living in Dayton, on a regular basis, for tires to go...then talked to a very nice couple from Dallas who bought tires at the rally site, for about the same price the dealer in Plano (Dallas) would charge.

So, using the tire guy at the rally for an emergency is great, as part of a maintenance plan, no effing way.

Oh, one last thing, I tend to run tires with decent life, Avon Azarios, Roadrunners and Distanzia for now, Jill has the conti road attacks on the K1200R, a Roadrunner back and ME33 (lazertech) front on her K75S.

Howard
Canton, Texas

[BradfordBenn]

The crankiness comes and goes, I chalk it up to the fact that there were 9,000+ people at a rally and not everyone is going to be happy. Also most people don't say anything when things go well but will pipe up when something goes wrong.

A marketing statistic from 2000 indicated that someone will tell 9 people unsolicited about a bad restaurant, but only 5% of people will unsolicited recommend a restaurant, and also only to one person. Same thing is happening here.

Remember it is OUR club, so it is up to all of us to also post the good things :brad

[Voni]

Remember it is OUR club, so it is up to all of us to also post the good things :brad

And to recognize a negative post and quit trying to convince negative people to change.

Just step away.

I'm gone from this thread.

Voni
sMiling :wave

[jmerlino]

I had a specific goal to get new tires at the rally.

Hey, I don't mean to be argumentative, here, but why would you do that? It seems to me that a place with 9000 of your closest friends all on bikes would be the worst possible place to get something as routine as tires done. I can understand people who had flats needing help, but I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would plan to get tires done at a rally.

[dancogan]

And to recognize a negative post and quit trying to convince negative people to change.

Just step away.

I'm gone from this thread.

Voni
sMiling :wave

That about says it all. Thanks, Voni.

[Roadhound]

...had the experience you did. It is a bitch when things don't go as planned and more so when you are on the road with little alternative.

I have had excellent service form Rob and learned a lot about my 1150GS and about tires by listening to him. I have used him at Daytona Beach 2005, Laconia 2005, Lima 2005 and seen him elsewhere. I have never seen him overwelhmed as is was in VT. He is a one man band that tried to help too many people. Shame on Metzger for not making sure the BMW crowd was taken care of. They are a large coroporation. Net net I think what you saw was one guy that tried to help too many people and couldn't deliver. Remember It was DAM hot there and I know I couldn't have gotten as much done in the heat as I could otherwise.

Hopefully lessons were learned by all parties, Metzger, MOA, the patrons and Rob.

Lastly I agree , I wouldn't want anyone other than Rob or his employee touching my bike, when I leave the bike with him.

Ride Safe

[quagmire]

There once was a tire nazi from Arizona
who's rhetoric gave customers a bona
but his tires were fair
he installed them with care
so all the ill-natured complainaz got homa.

[jdmetzger]

...had the experience you did. It is a bitch when things don't go as planned and more so when you are on the road with little alternative.

I have had excellent service form Rob and learned a lot about my 1150GS and about tires by listening to him. I have used him at Daytona Beach 2005, Laconia 2005, Lima 2005 and seen him elsewhere. I have never seen him overwelhmed as is was in VT. He is a one man band that tried to help too many people. Shame on Metzger for not making sure the BMW crowd was taken care of. They are a large coroporation. Net net I think what you saw was one guy that tried to help too many people and couldn't deliver. Remember It was DAM hot there and I know I couldn't have gotten as much done in the heat as I could otherwise.

Hopefully lessons were learned by all parties, Metzger, MOA, the patrons and Rob.

Lastly I agree , I wouldn't want anyone other than Rob or his employee touching my bike, when I leave the bike with him.

Ride Safe

Shame on ME???

I'm not quite sure how you're dragging me into all of this. I didn't have any tire troubles, or need for tires on my bike. I DID help a friend remove/re-install his wheels, and I did minor things for a few other people stuck with the same issues, because I believe in helping other people if I'm able. Same reason I stopped on the 401 in Canada to give some gas to a couple on a Harley who had run out.

What did I learn? Several things. First, you can have fun doing anything with the right company; even removing wheels at 9:30 at night. That doesn't excuse having to do it. Second, the "tire nazi" created his own problems. If you get a bike at 8am, promise tires installed by noon, and end up not touching it by 9:30pm, there is a problem. A pen and a notepad to write down license plate numbers (in order received) costs a few dollars TOPS, and would have fixed this WHOLE thing. Third, it was a good reminder to take some time this winter and practice removing tires/tubes, patching tubes, and re-installing/balancing tires. It's probably a good skill to have, even if I DO have roadside assistance, a cell phone, and a credit card.

I haven't posted in here for a bit, and I was content to let the thread die. Not sure why people are bringing it back. There is one other important thing to remember here: He was getting paid to run his business. This wasn't some thankless volunteer activity.

[GSTom]

Stuff2C,Great post,I haven't been around as long as you but I have talked about all the whinning many times with my wife. I frequent a couple other BMW sites and I don't read all this whinning and BMW bashing you find here.This place would discourage any one from buying a BMW or joining the MOA.I think your post would have made a good new thread.

Maybe the admins could create a new Forum called "Whining" to accomodate all those topics you mention :rofl

[eddie]

Maybe the admins could create a new Forum called "Whining" to accomodate all those topics you mention :rofl


Great idea Tom!!!!!!!!

[stan]

And to recognize a negative post and quit trying to convince negative people to change.

Just step away.

I'm gone from this thread.

Voni
sMiling :wave
This has gotten so bad that when anyone now comes up with some real constructive criticism; they are jumped on. When someone whines; please do not respond with a reprimand. Then the pissing match begins. If someone whines; just ignore it. Let it die on the vine. Move on with what needs to be discussed. I'd like to make a few suggestions for future rallies, but I wouldn't dare in the current atmosphere. Let the whining with die the whiner. JUst ignore them. Do not respond. I hope you do not consider this whining.

[StevieWonder]

It's whining when the poster offers no reasonable solutions.

Nobody, but NOBODY has addressed the fact that the tire "nazi" was being asked to support a huge variety of bikes with a just as huge variety of tire needs with ZERO way of him predicting the needs and the volume of those needs.

What I hear is that rally goers expect this guy to show up with an inventory of tires at his expense that he doesn't know if they will be sold. He's supposed to transport personnel and equipment plus this huge amount of rubber to a remote (non-shop environment) location on the HOPES that he's guessed right and sells the inventory so he won't be stuck with thousands upon thousands of dollars of tires that he may not be able to sell for years, for bikes that he never sees.

Then he's supposed to sell the product and the service for the same or lower price than an internet hound can sniff out and get his rear chewed out for not doing it fast enough nor cheap enough.

Serious question ... would YOU want to be the tire/tire service vendor with expectation levels like that?

How about getting specific with some reasonable expectations that balance likelihood and volume with profitability considering the costs of inventory purchase, transportation, personnel and the costs associated with operating away from home (food, meals, hotel, etc)?

So far most of what I've heard from those with bad feelings are, in fact, whining because they have no realistic recognition of what's involved and what SHOULD be expected and what it costs.

So, YEAH .... it's whining. :mad

[HexST]

maybe thats why only one tire vendor showed up this year

[eddie]

What kind of cheese are we serving to go with the whine in Wisconsin ? :bottle


:laugh

[Friedle]

What kind of cheese are we serving to go with the whine in Wisconsin ? :bottle


Vermont Cheddar Cheese from the Cabot Creamery of course! :eat

Friedle

[bullit7801]

Vermont Cheddar Cheese from the Cabot Creamery of course! :eat

FriedlePHAT CHANCE :p

tb

[hetkind]

would I want to spend 4 days mounting tires as fast as my body could move? I don't think so...

However, Jill and I have a nice ride in the Ozarks planned, starting Thursday,and our internet tires didn't show up in time to the house. Sometimes this vendor gets them to us the next day, other times a few weeks, but it is a crap shoot, and we lost this one. Last time I lost was about two years ago...

So backup position is riding 100 miles each way to cycle gear for a list price tire...but, changing a back tire on a K1200R with a handy lift and HF tire machine, infinate compressed air at home, beats the heck out of trying to find a 190/50-17ZR somewhere on the road during a our first long ride as a couple in two months.

So Jill's bike has a new rear, and new rears for both our X1XXR bikes (K1200R and R1150R Rockster) will be waiting by the shop when we return. At our rate of tire use, we should keep half a dozen around...

Is it too much to expect others to be as careful with tire wear/replacement as we are?

Howard

[Oznay]

It's whining when the poster offers no reasonable solutions.

Nobody, but NOBODY has addressed the fact that the tire "nazi" was being asked to support a huge variety of bikes with a just as huge variety of tire needs with ZERO way of him predicting the needs and the volume of those needs.

What I hear is that rally goers expect this guy to show up with an inventory of tires at his expense that he doesn't know if they will be sold. He's supposed to transport personnel and equipment plus this huge amount of rubber to a remote (non-shop environment) location on the HOPES that he's guessed right and sells the inventory so he won't be stuck with thousands upon thousands of dollars of tires that he may not be able to sell for years, for bikes that he never sees.

Then he's supposed to sell the product and the service for the same or lower price than an internet hound can sniff out and get his rear chewed out for not doing it fast enough nor cheap enough.

Serious question ... would YOU want to be the tire/tire service vendor with expectation levels like that?

How about getting specific with some reasonable expectations that balance likelihood and volume with profitability considering the costs of inventory purchase, transportation, personnel and the costs associated with operating away from home (food, meals, hotel, etc)?

So far most of what I've heard from those with bad feelings are, in fact, whining because they have no realistic recognition of what's involved and what SHOULD be expected and what it costs.

So, YEAH .... it's whining. :mad


It's a relief, reading something positive'bout Rob,who I still figure is THE best in the business,regardless of what some of the whiners may say. :thumb

[BeemoKat]

"It's a relief, reading something positive'bout Rob,who I still figure is THE best in the business,regardless of what some of the whiners may say. "

Since I'm the whiner who started this whole pissing match, maybe I can close this out with a few positive things about Rob:
He DOES know more about tires than anyone else I've ever met, he did a beautiful job of mounting and balancing my new tires, I'm very pleased that I took his advice on which tires to get, and he absolutely worked his tail off for LONG hours to get everybody's tires on. And he has a great sense of humor!

In my own defense, this was my first International rally, and I made mistakes in planning, which I take full responsibility for. The idea to get tires at the rally was based on what I now know to be "outdated" advice from friends who haven't been to a rally in many years.
OK, I'm done, the words "Tire Nazi" shall not get punched into this computer ever again.
Dave Kaftan
Ann Arbor, MI

[Stuff2C]

Not that it realy matters NOW. But if you don't like the way he does business...go somewhere else AND STOP YOUR WHINING!! SHEESH! Go out and learn to adjust your valves.

[GSJIHAD]

What I hear is that rally goers expect this guy to show up with an inventory of tires at his expense that he doesn't know if they will be sold. He's supposed to transport personnel and equipment plus this huge amount of rubber to a remote (non-shop environment) location on the HOPES that he's guessed right and sells the inventory so he won't be stuck with thousands upon thousands of dollars of tires that he may not be able to sell for years, for bikes that he never sees.


Umm, yes, that is what rally goers expect. Is this not exactly what a buisness owner is supposed to do. I am a part owner of a Wine Importing Biz. We buy wine from Spain, Argintina, Uruguay, and Chile all the time (with our own money) with no guarentee that we will sell it all. We have it all transported across the seas and stored in a warehouse we have to rent in NJ due to strange b.s. laws concerning booze. Being in biz. and selling products to the public is all about taking a risk and then, maybe, reaping the profits.

I rode out from Colorado and planned on spending the next 4 weeks riding around the East (which I did). I read on this site about the tire Nazi and how cool he was. I looked at my tires and decided they would probably make it to Vermont. In a foolish move I decided to try to take my money to a cool vendor at the rally whom everyone on the forum seemed to like and not to one of the dealers in Denver. All turned out well as the guys at the dealership down the road from the site took care of me. The tire nazi could have made a boat load of money at the rally. Instead he really came off looking a bit sloppy and foolish. I will not count on him again and I am sure he could care less. Just my thoughts.

[wuli959]

Shame on ME???


You're kidding, right? :confused:

Unless you're personally a large corporation, I'm pretty sure he misspelled the name of a motorcycle tire manufacturer :D

[Bensonhurst]

Not that it realy matters NOW. But if you don't like the way he does business...go somewhere else AND STOP YOUR WHINING!! SHEESH! Go out and learn to adjust your valves.
What does adjusting valves have to do with getting tires?
The people who are upset over this vendor, I'm sure, won't use his services again, that's hindsight.
But they thought they were dealing with a capable businessman and found out otherwise, the hard way.
I go to a rally to have fun, not get tune ups, or tires.
But, if I found myself in need service I would expect a vendor to be prepared and capable.

[tessler]

You're kidding, right? :confused:

Unless you're personally a large corporation, I'm pretty sure he misspelled the name of a motorcycle tire manufacturer :DWhen I read this post the other day, I was pretty sure he did (meant the tire company w/elephant logo) too. Metzger, you're cool, man. As we used ta say in Brooklyn, "Doanworryaboudit" ;)

[jdmetzger]

When I read this post the other day, I was pretty sure he did (meant the tire company w/elephant logo) too. Metzger, you're cool, man. As we used ta say in Brooklyn, "Doanworryaboudit" ;)

I appreciate that, tessler. I read it and re-read it, and couldn't figure it out. Later that night, I ran into BeemoKat at a biker gathering, who also informed me he probably meant "metzeler". So I missed that one. We all have off days, right? :doh

[Stuff2C]

What does adjusting valves have to do with getting tires?

If you don't get it... :thumb

[pastorpassum]

I've used Roberts services several times in the past, at Daytona, the Ra National in Birmingham (Barber Motorsport Park) and the National at Canaan Valley W.V. and have always received great service as well as a better price than I get from my dealer of 18 years. I always check in advance to make sure he will have my brand and size tire. This year I had about 2,000 miles wear still in my rear Michilin Anakee. As we were going on to Cape Breton and the Cabot Trail after the rally our total trip would take us about 4,500 miles from Carolina. I called Robert about 2 weeks out and asked if he'd have an Anakee and also a Tourance for my riding buddy. Sure, was his response. Friday before we left on Tuesday for the rally he called me and apologized stating that he'd been unable to get either tire, that he couldn't find them through any of his normal suppliers. He did offer that he would have other brands if indeed I had to have a tire and also that the Metzler truck was to be at Franks BMW 5 miles from the rally site. Possibly I could get a tire from him. After checking locally I was told the same thing from local dealers...no Dual Sport tires from Metzlar or Michilin were availiable! I called Franks BMW in Essex Junction as Robert had advised. Frank had 1 Anakee left and swore he would hold it for me until Wednesday before the rally. True to his word he mounted the Anakee for me Wednesday but although the Metzlar truck along with lifts and tire changing equipment was on site as Robert had stated they were idle as they had no tires for Dual Sport machines. A SNAFU due to the huge increase of sales of Dual Sport bikes. My buddy went back to Robert who was hoping for a UPS delivery of tires (Anakees, he still couldn't get Tourances) and promised one was reserved for us.
I can't say that Robert is the most organized person in the world, but I can tell you this, he worked his butt off trying to help those who needed tires. As has been stated before, there's no way he could have been prepared for the huge numbers needing tires as well as the unavailability of certain tires. Some say he overcharged them. My buddy paid $68.00 less than I did from Franks BMW for the same tire mounted and balanced. He received apologies for the delays but all in all I can't say enough about Robert The Tire Nazi. I'll continue to do business with him and be thankfull that he does the rally circuit. Years ago Metzlar and Dunlop both used to cover the National rallys, selling and mounting tires at discount prices. They've since quit. To my knowledge Robert was the only one in the area able to get dual sport tires duriing the time frame of the rally. He could have closed shop at 6PM as many vendors did and just told everyone ...sorry I can only do so much. Instead he worked his butt off and has caught a lot of flack on this forum for it. I guess that's the nature of forums...a lot of whinning. I for one am glad he was there.

Jim

[Bensonhurst]

If you don't get it... :thumb
But I think you're mixing apples and oranges.
I adjust my own valves, do my own oil changes, I've re-built engines, etc., but when it comes to tires I have to go to a qualified tire shop.
Do you have mounting and balancing equipment, are you suggesting we all should have such equipment?