Rally Attendance

[Dave92029]

I don't recall that the Rally attendance was mentioned at the closing ceremonies.

Does anyone know the "official" number who attended?

Thanks
Dave

[Unregistered]

It was mentioned 6,000 with 4,000 bikes.

[Sue]

From the MOA office a few minutes ago, here is the final tally:

The final rally attendance was 6187

:thumb

What I cannot fathom is why so many people didn't come. Great Rally, beautiful riding area, well organized, tons of information up front...

It was fantastic. Hats off to Jackie Hughes and her sidekick Chris. They are going to be a hard act to follow.

[Dave92029]

Thank you Sue.

No doubt that the next rally in Lima will attract more members, simply because more members live closer.

Too bad we gave up on the mid week rally idea. I bet more people would have attended if the rally was scheduled mid week.

I feel that the mid week rally it is more important when the Rally is at any of the corners of the country, causing more people to spend more time traveling.

Just one man's opinion.

I'm already looking for interesting ways to travel to Lima from San Diego.

Dave

[MarkF]

Originally posted by Dave92029

Too bad we gave up on the mid week rally idea. I bet more people would have attended if the rally was scheduled mid week.

I feel that the mid week rally it is more important when the Rally is at any of the corners of the country, causing more people to spend more time traveling.

Just one man's opinion.

Mine too! If it's more than a day away (12 hrs/650 mi) the mid week rally is a GREAT idea. Also, most of us would take an extra day each way to enjoy the ride.

Sue, that might get me to go!

MarkF

[Sue]

You guys are preaching to the choir. Living in Wisconsin, I could make any national rally anywhere and only have to burn one week of vacation, if the rallies were mid week.

BUT ---

The BMW MOA conducts a survey of the members every couple of years, and these surveys indicate that the general membership prefers weekend rallies. Until the surveys indicate otherwise, I have no doubt that the trend for weekend rallies will continue.

Sue

[MCMXCIVRS]

A mid week rally probably would be easier for many to fit in to a busy schedule. For me however it is entirely random whether or not I can make a weeks holidays fit the need. I work shift work, and my days off selodom align with the things I want to do. So if the rally was to change to a mid week format it would neither be a benifit nor a detriment to me. Thus, I would support the majority decision on this and just hope it can fit into my schedule.

If I am to make it to next years rally I will have to book off part of one tour, and all of the next. Summer is a tough time to find people willing to trade shifts. Plus, I have reached a senority position that limits the people who I can have work for me, so I am not making firm plans to attend next year. I all ready have my vaccation time booked, and since I was next to last pick, I got stuck with some really crappy dates. I really enjoyed this years rally, my first national, and I hope I can help boost next years attendance by one.

[ian408]

Originally posted by Sue Rihn-Manke
The BMW MOA conducts a survey of the members every couple of years, and these surveys indicate that the general membership prefers weekend rallies. Until the surveys indicate otherwise, I have no doubt that the trend for weekend rallies will continue.


I noticed a few people still headed for Spokane as I was headed
out on Sunday morning. Imagine if they were headed for the
rally only to find everyone gone?

I'd like to see a weekend rally span Friday-Monday. But having
to leave work on Tuesday evening? Priceless!

Ian

[MarkF]

Originally posted by ian408
I'd like to see a weekend rally span Friday-Monday. But having
to leave work on Tuesday evening? Priceless!

Ian

I think a lot of rallies have tried to have an full Sunday schedule but everyone bugs out early. I've been at rallies with a big Sunday breakfast but most people still get up early, pack up and bug out without even sitting down for a cup of coffee. Sometime I sleep late (8AM) and the camping area looks like a ghost town when I get up.

MarkF

[ian408]

Originally posted by MarkF
...Sometime I sleep late (8AM) and the camping area looks like a ghost town when I get up.


I swung back to pick up Ricky on Sunday around 8am. It
was a ghost town then :)

Ian

[Visian]

Originally posted by Sue Rihn-Manke
What I cannot fathom is why so many people didn't come. Great Rally, beautiful riding area, well organized, tons of information up front...


Where was the information made available? Yes, in our magazine and some on our website, but were any media used that primarily reach non-members?

The Redmond Rally drew 6700, IIRC.

Much effort was made to distribute releases to mainstream MC publications (print and web), and regional publications. At Redmond I met many non-members and hope I convinced some of them to join. And there was a nice 4-page color write up of the event in Rider magazine a few months afterward.

An integrated PR/promo/Rally effort focused at attracting and creating new members would give us a higher return on our Rally investment... we're already there and partying anyway so we might as well try to make some new friends.... and reaching out via media that reach non-members is how we light that fire.

Ian

ps => 6100 people is still a pretty respectable number. I just *hated* to miss this rally.

[kbasa]

We were front page news in the local newspaper and I saw a few TV crews wandering around interviewing people.

[BradfordBenn]

Yup, I casually talked with a reporter dude. According to Spokane Convention Bureau I think we accounted for a projected 6% of thier total revenue for the year, the largest single event after the fair itself.

[Hodag]

Mid-week rallies would be nice for those of us with jobs. However isn't our average age of membership in the AARP range.......
mark

[BradfordBenn]

Average membership age is 47 years old, according to Ritalin Poster Boy.

[Kenny2]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Average membership age is 47 years old, according to Ritalin Poster Boy.

Hey!!!! I'm above average!!!!!:clap :bliss

[Visian]

Originally posted by KBasa
We were front page news in the local newspaper and I saw a few TV crews wandering around interviewing people.

Excellent. Anyone see any general bike press there, too? In the past we have received excellent exposure in vehicles such as Rider Magazine, Corbin's Ride On, and in the BMW magazine.

What I meant by an "integrated PR/promo/Rally effort" was a program focused on marketing to prospective members prior to the rally, driving traffic to a continuity program on our web site that channels prospects to a special experience at our rally for the purpose of creating new members.

It would be fun!

Ian

[Unregistered]

For comparison Honda Marysville 25th homecoming hosted 15,000 this year.

[Unregistered]

For comparison Little Sturgis Rally attendance was 24,500.

[lorazepam]

why were there 15000 bmw riders at Marysville?

[jgr451]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Average membership age is 47 years old, according to Ritalin Poster Boy.

Did you say 67 sonny?
My old eyes don't see like they used to...huh?
Wazzat?

[Unregistered]

The record MOA attendance is only 7,000.

[Sue]

For the record -

The National Rallies in
York, Pennsylvania
AND
Charleston, WV
both logged 7200 registered attendees.

[MarkF]

Is more really better?

MarkF

[Dave92029]

iF THEY ARE ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!

[Unregistered]

The point is Honda homecoming increased attendance 5,000 and Little Sturgis 3,000 over the previous year while MOA decreased 1,000. Honda homecoming started 15 years ago with 1,800 and Sturgis started 11 years ago with 2,000. MOA was drawing 2,000 twenty years ago. They are all in late July and Thur-Sat. Good luck at Lima and a new record.

[Unregistered]

More is better--$30,000 more revenue per 1,000 attendees. Rally costs are relatively fixed whether 5,000 or 10,000 show up except for the registration rally pack.
Speaking of registration--how about a fastlane. Ride up, pay $35, get wristband, enter--no paper work.

[friedrich]

I would not go to sturgies if they only had 100,
1st after the courts gave that politition only 60 days for killing a motorcycle guy.
2nd i could not stand all that harley noice.

[kioolt]

Originally posted by Unregistered
The point is Honda homecoming increased attendance 5,000 and Little Sturgis 3,000 over the previous year while MOA decreased 1,000. Honda homecoming started 15 years ago with 1,800 and Sturgis started 11 years ago with 2,000. MOA was drawing 2,000 twenty years ago. They are all in late July and Thur-Sat. Good luck at Lima and a new record.

Sturgis is having their 64th rally next week. Where did the 11 years come from?

[kbasa]

Originally posted by Unregistered
More is better--$30,000 more revenue per 1,000 attendees. Rally costs are relatively fixed whether 5,000 or 10,000 show up except for the registration rally pack.
Speaking of registration--how about a fastlane. Ride up, pay $35, get wristband, enter--no paper work.

Two things - why aren't you registered so we know who you are. :stick :)

Secondly, we instituted on line registration this year. If you do that, you walk up, give them your name and get your wristband. You don't even have to pay.

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by KBasa
Secondly, we instituted on line registration this year. If you do that, you walk up, give them your name and get your wristband. You don't even have to pay.

And if you volunteer, you can usually arrive early and avoid the lines all together:D

[Unregistered]

Sturgis,KY--known as Little Sturgis.
Sturgis,SD gets over 300,000 and started 64 years ago.

[BradfordBenn]

I was thinking Original Mini Rally, hosted by BMW Motorcycle Club of Battle Creek #14 which is typically in Sturgis, MI which just had its 31st in April.:bliss

[prowler]

One of those little "quirks" ocurred for those of us working the beer garden Wednesday afternoon (yes .......... it did open on Wednesday). Those of us who were pre-registered left the garden Wednesday afternoon to get our arm bands and when we got to the registration tent found our line was longer than the non-pre-registered line.

The Early Bird really got the worm that Wednesday (smile).

[YeehaStephen]

Originally posted by ian408
I noticed a few people still headed for Spokane as I was headed
out on Sunday morning. Imagine if they were headed for the
rally only to find everyone gone?

Ian


I was late due to a couple of small emergencies at home before leaving. I got to Paonia a day late only to find out the schedule had been moved back a day. Got one good night of Beer Tent hovering in before leaving there.

My lady friend wanted to fly home early so I was late getting to Spokane too. Headed in on Sat morning, I passed dozens of riders headed out early. I figured I'd be too late for Spokane too, but there was still some activity around the Beer Tent Sat night.

It was too hot, so I headed back up into the mountains sun morning. So, my rally was really only 1 day long. 8-)

Spent the extra time in Glacier. What an awesome place!

and... btw... isn't the Chief Joseph highway one of the best kept secrets in motorcycling?!

SS

[Montana]

and... btw... isn't the Chief Joseph highway one of the best kept secrets in motorcycling?!
Not any more - thanks a lot. (Man, it's tough to keep a secret around this crowd...)

[ian408]

and... btw... isn't the Chief Joseph highway one of the best kept secrets in motorcycling?!

SS
ssshhh! if you yell, it won't be for long!

ian

[JOSH]

I believe that Rhinebeck was the last mid-week rally that the MOA had. We thought it worked for Rhinebeck. Anyone east of the Mississippi could only take one week off from work to attend, instead of two weeks. Anyone else already had to take two weeks off from work anyway.

Additionally, the Mid-Hudson Valley can be a very congested place on summer weekends. With a mid-week rally, all of the available sightseeing places had the smallest crowds of the week, plus the traffic is at its lightest.

Many people spoke out against the mid-week rally after Rhinebeck was over, but I thought that it worked great for those circumstances.

Josh Ascher

[JOSH]

Yes, when Registration first opened for rally volunteers at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, everyone came to register all at once. I personally went thru the registratin lines telling peple they were crazy standing in the hot sun and should come back at 4:00 PM when there would be no lines. Very few took my advice, but at 4:00 there were no lines.

Josh Ascher
Registration Co-Chair

[dlearl476]

Originally posted by Sue Rihn-Manke

What I cannot fathom is why so many people didn't come. Great Rally, beautiful riding area, well organized, tons of information up front...


Perhaps because the AMA vintage motorcycle days were the same weekend? And BMW was the featured marque? I don't know, just a thought. :dunno From what I understand, MOA was well aware of this and chose to ignore it.
From what I hear, it was a heck of a party (http://home.ama-cycle.org/post/vmd/index.asp?sid=4)

[Sue]

Originally posted by dlearl
Perhaps because the AMA vintage motorcycle days were the same weekend? And BMW was the featured marque? I don't know, just a thought. :dunno From what I understand, MOA was well aware of this and chose to ignore it.
From what I hear, it was a heck of a party (http://home.ama-cycle.org/post/vmd/index.asp?sid=4)

Not quite the way it happened, my friend...

Actually, the contract with the Spokane fairgrounds was signed nearly three years ago --- WAY before Mid-Ohio scheduled Vintage Days for the same weekend. And it was the AMA that chose BMW as the featured Marque, knowing full-well that it conflicted with our national rally.

Although it was unfortunate, our board of directors had no control over any of this.

Note: as rally chair for 2005, I have contacted Mid-Ohio to find out the dates for Vintage Days and the SuperBike races for next summer. It will be awesome if our rally falls between these dates. What a wonderful week of motorcycle events that would be, only 80 miles apart! Unfortunately, Mid-Ohio has not set the dates for next year yet.

I have my fingers crossed! :)

[dlearl476]

>Not quite the way it happened, my friend...

>Actually, the contract with the Spokane fairgrounds was signed nearly three years ago --- WAY before >Mid-Ohio scheduled Vintage Days for the same weekend.

Sorry, my mistake, I guess it was just an unfortunate coincidence that VMD has taken place the second or third weekend in July for 4 of it's 6 years. And the third weekend for the last three.


>And it was the AMA that chose BMW as the featured Marque, knowing full-well that it conflicted with our >national rally.

The NERVE of those guys, not scheduling their little party (60 THOUSAND + attendees from what I undertstand) around our rally (6,000+ by your count) Just who the hell do they think they are? If I HAD a membership, I'd cancel it, TODAY!;)


>Note: as rally chair for 2005, I have contacted Mid-Ohio to find out the dates for Vintage Days and the >SuperBike races for next summer. It will be awesome if our rally falls between these dates. What a >wonderful week of motorcycle events that would be, only 80 miles apart!

I agree. And I'd try really hard to come out and buy you a beer for giving you such a hard time! Probably the truth of the matter is that less than 10% of the MOA rally attendees give a plug nickel about vintage stuff. And me, I'm just bitter 'cause I couldn't go to EITHER event. Which brings me to my bit of constructive criticism: I really wanted to go to Spokane, because I've been there and ridden the area before. I couldn't because it was a weekend rally. Just couldn't swing two weeks off for a three day event. Part of that was MY not paying attention to the firm dates until it was too late to get the time off. But a weekday rally I could swing, and get a couple of SS1000s in to boot.
And NEXT year, AMA-MOA-VMD, now THAT sounds like a winner, and worth taking two weeks off for. Having spent some quality time in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cinti working (and commuting on my R60 and K75) I know there's some pretty swell riding in the buckeye state as well. Not to mention I have plenty of time to plan!
Good luck with the plans. Hope you have a grand rally regardless.
:):clap :clap :clap :clap

[j-budimlya]

sounds like you could have called in sick on Firday, had a great SS1000 to Spokane, enjoyed Sat. with old friends and then done another SS1000 back on Sunday....then, of course, taken another sick day on Monday to re-coop...and been back at work on tuesday....Just smiling and feeling alot better...

See ya' next year??

Jim Bud

[dlearl476]

Originally posted by j-budimlya
sounds like you could have called in sick on Firday, had a great SS1000 to Spokane, enjoyed Sat. with old friends and then done another SS1000 back on Sunday....then, of course, taken another sick day on Monday to re-coop...and been back at work on tuesday....Just smiling and feeling alot better...

See ya' next year??

Jim Bud

That would work if I had a normal job. (Un)fortunately, I don't. Weekends are my busiest days, and my Sundays are ususally 24 hours. If I don't do it, it doesn't get done and twenty or so of my co-workers are really inconvenienced.

[dcrbmwc]

Rally Attendance was definitely impacted negatively by the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days held the same weekend at Lexington, Ohio. BMW was the featured marque. I saw MANY persons who normallt attend the MOA National at this event, including Bob's BMW.

[AltheBiker]

Originally posted by KBasa

Secondly, we instituted on line registration this year. If you do that, you walk up, give them your name and get your wristband. You don't even have to pay.

I paid via the net and registration was still long. There were still paperwork to fill out. Actually, it would have been faster to not have pre-registered. There were more people working the "pay" line than the pre-paid line. That said...neither line took too long and I will probably pre-pay next time too. I DO like the idea of a "fast lane" though.

[BradfordBenn]

I think part of the process and speed is when you show up and how many people are in line. I got there and it took all of about ten minutes to get processed.

Just remember that most if not all of the people doing the paperwork of the registration on site are volunteers, so we are all getting our money's worth out of the staff ;)