Why do you no longer attend the national?

[MarkF]

This is a Poll for those who went to one national rally and never again or those that used to go but no longer do. I wonder why? I'm putting some options up but please feel free to comment as well. Thanks.

[lorazepam]

I cant vote cause I am going again. Lima has some primo camping, and awesome facilities for the rally. If I want to ride I will ride on my own time. I am going to the rally to look at all the stuff, meet old friends, make new ones and drink mass quantities of beer.

[CustomSarge]

I'd never live it down, I'm 3 hours by truck+trailer (taking both handbuilts). As for activities, maybe I should find lorazepam. C-U-dere.... <<<)))

[Friedle]

Hello Mark,

I tried to get a series of questions asking for this very information on the last member survey the MOA did this past year. We already pretty much know WHY people attend the International Rally, BUT only about less than 20% of the members attend in any one year. A fairly small percentage of the club membership have attended three or more International Rallies. What can we do to make the experience more attractive to a larger percentage each year. And, perhaps more importantly, what can we add to the experience to attract those MOA members who have NEVER attended an International Rally for whatever reason or reasons.

Having co-chaired two previous Internationals and presently working on a third (06 in Essex Jct, VT), I obviously have a vested interest in trying to obtain some information from our membership as to what we can do to entice those "never evers" to attend our club's premier yearly event.

Friedle

[James.A]

For me, as a relatively new member, Canada, S. Carolina, and Washington were too far away considering my limited vacation time, my ancient bikes, and my ancient carcass having to ride them.

[philspace]

We did Midland - roads were a PIA (how do you say FLAT), but we did it. Trenton was way cool - Don was a class act, the Kiltmeister did a fantastic job there were good roads to the north of Trenton and both slab and fun routes up and back.

Charleston - great roads, but the urban setup with the split campus just didn't work, spent a day/night looking for folks that we knew were there and never found, had to compare notes afterward via email :cry

Lima will probably be cool, but I'm not giving up a week of riding time for that part of the country, BTDT. We will probably save up our vacation time to hit the RA rally because of the later date and the the location (roads and country side).

The one big rally (I know, not as big as the MOA) that really impressed me was the RA rally last year. Picking a resort area/ski area for a bike rally is perfect. All the facilities are there and generally a ski area also means good roads, mountain biking, restaurants and other kinds of summer fun as well as lodging. As bad as the weather was with the hurricane, having the facilities at Canaan made it all worth while, it was great - definitely something to consider for the future (hint, hint, nudge, nudge conjugal grin) :nod

[BradfordBenn]

I can't vote cause I am still attending nationals. But I have a hunch that the forum is the wrong place to ask as most of us are pretty involved in riding and rallying and would go. My guess though is the distance issue. Not everyone can get the time off to go to the rally.

Having said that, I like the idea of having it move around the six(?) zones of the country so that it becomes close enough that people can go.

[philspace]

I can't vote cause I am still attending nationals. But I have a hunch that the forum is the wrong place to ask as most of us are pretty involved in riding and rallying and would go. My guess though is the distance issue. Not everyone can get the time off to go to the rally.

Having said that, I like the idea of having it move around the six(?) zones of the country so that it becomes close enough that people can go.

My bad - I missed the part about never again. I intend to go to many more, I'm not that old yet.

[MarkF]

Hello Mark,

I tried to get a series of questions asking for this very information on the last member survey the MOA did this past year. We already pretty much know WHY people attend the International Rally, BUT only about less than 20% of the members attend in any one year. A fairly small percentage of the club membership have attended three or more International Rallies.

Did the survey find why some don't come back? For me, I go when the venue is a "can't stay away" location, like VT next year or Trenton. Otherwise, I prefer to use my vac time to attend local rallies. Besides, July is not a good month for me to use vac time.

[naddy100]

When rally attendence has been discussed before, one issue was whether the rally was a party or a conference. The origins of the rally are party-ness, and any perceived movement toward conference was seen as bad.

My preference is more toward the conference side. I believe the planners try to balance the two ideas of party and conference.

I haven't been to a national MOA rally, so I don't fit the profile to vote on the original question.

Noel

[kbasa]

When rally attendence has been discussed before, one issue was whether the rally was a party or a conference. The origins of the rally are party-ness, and any perceived movement toward conference was seen as bad.

My preference is more toward the conference side. I believe the planners try to balance the two ideas of party and conference.

I haven't been to a national MOA rally, so I don't fit the profile to vote on the original question.

Noel

IMHO, the rally is whatever you want it to be. I go to professional conferences more regularly than I'd like and they usually have "tracks" you follow. Business track, practice track, MCLE track, etc.

The national has "ride", "party" and "conference" tracks along with the "buy stuff" track. :ha

[gsmetal]

For me it depends on the location. If it's within a day or so ride -we are going but locations where it's a 3 or 4 days ride, it simply ain't gonna happen due to limited vacation time.

I'm not much of a long distance rider.

Anywhere in the Midwest is great.

I'll see you in Lima.

[The_Veg]

I can't vote since I have yet to attend one, and distance/time is my main issue. I'll be in Lima, and the distance is just enough that I may as well take off that whole week (half my year's vacation time), plus I think it would be wise to allow myself the following Monday as well- so there's 60% of my time off. The upside is that means that I can do most of the fun riding/sightseeing in the region before arriving in Lima, and maybe still get there early enough to help with setup or whatever.
Choices for future Internationals will be made based mostly on time required. I do also wonder if adjusting the scheduling of the rally to allow for southern locations would be a good idea (although I can see where that could be a real hassle too).

[Braddog]

For me, as a relatively new member, Canada, S. Carolina, and Washington were too far away considering my limited vacation time, my ancient bikes, and my ancient carcass having to ride them.

Werd.

That, and family priorities. I coach my kids, and we always have tournaments during the BMW National. My kids take priority over motorcycling and rally attendance.

My personal goal is to attend more of the local club rallies that I can easily get to within a day's ride. Last year, Hiawatha, this year Wisconsin Dells and maybe the Fort Ransom, NoDak, rally.

Hats off to those that choose the national rally location, but Lima, Ohio, is still pretty much "east", and it would take a very long 1 day ride for me to get there and a very long 1 day ride for me to get home. Maybe as my priorities shift in a few years I'll just take a couple weeks off and hit the road. That time hasn't come yet for me.

[BiffsR]

I would have to agree that attending the national usually comes down to available vacation time, and distance to the Rally. Other family obligations also play a role.

I see where some folks are ripping Lima for it's lack of fun roads within 100 miles, but they are missing part of the equation. Anyone who is coming from the east should be able to have a great ride to and from the Rally.

Instead of arriving on Thursday, take a day and ride in WV or SE Ohio, or western PA. If I were in the DC area, I would be licking my chops at the chance to spend a bunch of time on US 250, or US 33, etc.. on the trips through WV.

[DARRYL CAINEY]

I have been very fortunate to have attended 18 of the last 19 Nationals so wanting to go has never been an issuse with me. What is an issue is the time or weekend the National is on. Most of the people I know work for the Automotive Industry and thay have the first two weeks of July off. Putting the Rally in the middle works the best for me or I have to book additional weeks off which I might or might not get.

Darryl

[Whiplash]

This is my first BMW rally, so I can't vote.
What I can say though, is that most people that discontinue riding to rallies is mainly scheduling problems or the crowds have gotten too big.
Daytona and Sturgis are a good exsample.

[SheRidesABeemer]

Interesting replies. I've been averaging a rally every other year, since my first in Midland. And it's about location and timing. Spokane was very appealing because it was clear accross the country and I'd never done that. I look at the rally for what it is for me - a vacation. Do I want to spend my vacation in Lima, OH? Uh, no. There will be no one answer to make us all happy. But I do agree that moving the site around the country can eventually satisfy most of us. I think VT will be terrific, because for those of you not from New England, it's a must ride location.

[EClips]

Ditto..a very interesting question and interesting replies. I am always anxious to attend a National, but it depends upon the location. If the distance is a full day of travel or less, we're there. Otherwise the vacation time away and competing time demands tend to eliminate the rally from our schedule. Moving the location is best for all of the members and the new plan to announce the location over a year ahead of time is excellent. It will be interesting to see if the additional trip planning time increases attendance.

[Gittin Old]

I've been to the last 3 rallys and had a great time. Only gripe is he month of July. It's so damn hot!

[DougGrosjean]

I've been an MOA member off and on, for about 5-6 years.

During that time, I've attended Lima and Midland.

Would have attended Charleston, but would have been traveling 300 miles each way with a 9 y/o, and given the bad weather figured that would not be a way to have any father-son bonding. Solo I'd have done it. Shrug.

For me, it gets hashed out almost a year ahead of time. IOW, what else is going on at the time of the MOA rally? How far is it?

If nothing else is going on, and the rally is close, I'll attend.

If lots of good stuff is going on nearby, and the rally is far, it's unlikely I'll be there.

Basically the rally competes with everything else we do during the summer: annual Mensa convention, whitewater kayaking trips, other motorcycle rallies (COG Nat'l and Mid-Ohio Vintage days are events I also like to take in), family vacation, etc. The pie (whether it's a money pie or time pie) is only so big.

I guess I just have too many hobbies to be a year-after-year-chronic-rally-attendee.

Best,
Doug Grosjean
Luckey, Ohio
www.douggrosjean.com

[hwunger]

Very much enjoyed the Spokane, WA rally !

Coming from BC it was close by and wery well done ... if another rally is held in the PNW I will attend ... Horst in BC.

[selil]

I pretty rarely attend rallies. Besides the common understanding that I am a curmudgeon and general pain in the .... posterior single brand rallies hold little interest to me. I have attended things like Wing Ding, and the Harley Anniversary. I've been to the Curve Cowboy Renunion. Usually I use the excuse that the rally is to far away or timed wrong. Ignore the fact that I've ridden across the entirety of the continent on several occasions for dinner. Now I'm out of luck since timing and distance are no issue. Still I have not sent in my rally registration.

Why would I want to attend a rally? I mean I'm a nobody. Few if anybody knows me, I don't have a clue about an association I've belonged to for 5 years, I get a magazine and read about stuff on the Internet. Why would I want to pay a couple hundred dollars for a rally to stand around and be clueless? The Cliques are already forming as riders gather basically in smaller groups of similar minded people. Rally within a rally, Adventure Riders, Air Heads, Oil Heads and others already seem to making plans. Maybe within in that smaller grouping scheme would be something to "join" for me.

Now don't go thinking I'm whining. The question was asked and I'm answering truthfully. Why would I want to attend a rally? The directed rides? I can go for a ride on my own. Standing in long lines and trying to get fed? Camping in close quarters to people I don't know? Sure I can make friends though I do my best to be invisible. Other organizations have formalized state and regional rallies that are smaller groups and allow for camaradarie. Afterall that is the real reason we go to rallies. Camaradarie is the only reason I would attend. To see people I don't know and meet new people. To F2F with people from the Internet maybe.

BMWMOA just hasn't made a great case for somebody relatively new like me to ride to the rally and attend. Heck I don't even KNOW if there is a local BMW MOA chapter near me!

[Rob Nye]

Sam,

I would be willing to bet that if you went to the rally you would meet some other like minded folks who participate in the LDR and IB Done lists. I for one would be psyched to meet "That Damn Sam".

You would also see some cool bikes and be able to check out all the cool aftermarket stuff for BMW's.

That is just the tip of the iceberg.

You don't have to camp to have fun. I happen to prefer camping.

Best,

Rob Nye
IBA 250

[BradfordBenn]

BMWMOA just hasn't made a great case for somebody relatively new like me to ride to the rally and attend. Heck I don't even KNOW if there is a local BMW MOA chapter near me!

Ya know Sam, I agree with you but I just decided to jump in with both feet anyway and met all these people from the forum. Plus you'll know me, I'll intorduce you to Rob.

There is a local club BTW, check them out at http://www.bmwmoa.org/about/clubs/regions/in.htm

[lorazepam]

The solstace ride is a group that met here online. If you like some of the folks here, and want to meet them, do what I did. I have no idea what I am doing as far as being a host, but I like these folks and now we have a chance to get together, swap stories and drink beer. You would be welcome here, and would probably have a great bunch of stories from the road.
Its low key no pressure to be anyone but yourself, Just like a rally only smaller.

I dont belong to a local group, just the moa and the ra. I hang with those that I have met on the road and here.

[rocketman]

I hear ya Sam and concur with most of your thoughts. I too am not much of one for large groups where you’re swallowed into the crowd. For some, such as Rob (who I would like to meet some day) or the Feeler-Mister, meeting folks in such situations may be easy, for others this is not the case. Like you too I am perfectly content to simply get on my machine and ride and while I have had some enjoyable rides with groups, the rides I’ve taken solo, or with perhaps just one rider have always turned into much more interesting rides. I think there is something intimidating to many non-riders when encountering a large (more than three) group of riders and they are less apt to interface with you. I can’t count the number of interesting folks I’ve met while riding solo, as I have often mentioned there is a reason you see all those benches in front of small country store that are so absent in the cities, its an open invitation to sit and “chat a spell”, which I often do when riding solo, but is much more difficult (at least for me) in a larger group.

Charleston was my first large rally (of any kind since the late 70's) and I certainly did have a good time, but for me much of that was the chance to meet with a few folks I’ve interacted with over the net on the Black Sheep list more than the rally per se. Big events can easily make you feel lost in crowd unless you are an outgoing type who can easily walk up to folks and strike up conversations. Not all of us are like that and sometimes I think folks who are outgoing tend to forget or not realize that. I’ve met many who think there is something “wrong” with those who are able to be perfectly happy simply being alone but I stopped worrying about that sort of thing ages ago.

I find it an interesting contrast between all those BMW owners who espouse the idea of the camaraderie of BMW ownership as one of the biggest draws of owning this brand, yet in my travels I have often noted how much more likely I am to see BMW riders out riding alone than almost any other marquee out there.

Rally going is in the end a personal decision, no one but you can answer the question of whether it is something you will enjoy or not, not all are geared toward them and those that attend may no doubt claim you are missing something, yet those that prefer the freedom of the open road enjoyed in solitude can make an equally valid claim. You can always go and if you find it not to your liking, you can simply pull up stakes and head out, I’ve done that on several of those rare occasions I’ve attended a rally and the crowds just simply started to feel “stifling”.

While I’ll probably attend another MOA rally it will, like the last one, be mostly to spend some time with folks I’ve met before and can only really spend time with at such an event because of the distance between our places of residence and perhaps met a few new folks that, again, I have spent time interacting with on some forum but have never met face to face. Bottom line is there is nothing wrong with being a loner, hell it has its advantages too.

Some folks are leaders, some are followers, others are joiners, then there are those that prefer exploring the lesser traveled byways with nothing but the wind and their own thoughts for company. To each his/her own.
My sig line probably says it as well as anything.

I Ride the Road of Solitude

I ride the road of solitude,
The wind upon my face.
I sense the road beneath my feet,
As onward now I race.

The rhythm of the open road,
The freedom that it brings.
The motor adds it’s gentle note,
To the road song that it sings.

It lifts my spirit, fills my mind;
With joy that is unbound.
Releases me from all my cares,
With each new pleasure found.

I ride the freedom road alone,
As ever on I fly.
To find a new and quiet place,
Beneath the open sky.

The freedom of the open road,
My mind and soul released.
It brings such joy, such peace of mind;
Astride this gentle beast.

And even in my deepest sleep,
My soul rides on and then;
I waken to a bright new day,
And off I ride again.

This need to ride ingrained so deep,
As surely it must be.
I can’t resist, nor wish to try,
I ride and am set free.

I know that when I leave this world,
My soul will travel on.
To ever ride the open road,
As I travel on, alone.

2005 © RocketMan.

[TheSlashFiveTourer]

I hear ya Sam and concur with most of your thoughts. I too am not much of one for large groups...I’ve met many who think there is something “wrong” with those who are able to be perfectly happy simply being alone...

You can always go and if you find it not to your liking, you can simply pull up stakes and head out, I’ve done that on several of those rare occasions I’ve attended a rally and the crowds just simply started to feel “stifling”.

...there is nothing wrong with being a loner...Some folks are leaders, some are followers, others are joiners, then there are those that prefer exploring the lesser traveled byways with nothing but the wind and their own thoughts for company. To each his/her own.

Rocket…we ‘solos’ hear you talking, my friend. In addition to your own words of wisdom above, I might add the thoughts of one Robert W. Service:

The Men That Don’t Fit In

There’s a race of men that don’t fit in,
A race that can’t stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain’s crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gipsy blood,
And they don’t know how to rest.

If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they’re always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: “Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!”
So they chop and change, and each fresh move
Is only a fresh mistake.

And each forgets, as he strips and runs,
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It’s the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day with a hope that’s dead
In the glare of the truth at last.

He has failed, he has failed; he has missed
his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life’s been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh
He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He’s a rolling stone, and it’s bred in the
bone;
He’s a man who won’t fit in.

[Kenny2]

Spokane was my first and it was an easy ride.
Ohio is my home, (Toledo) so not to go is disc'ing the family.
2006.....well, got to figure time and since I am in the SW of the US of A, I am looking at making it a four corners.
Really, it IS the ride, not just the end point.

So many roads, so little time....

[rocketman]

Rocket…we ‘solos’ hear you talking, my friend. In addition to your own words of wisdom above, I might add the thoughts of one Robert W. Service:

The Men That Don’t Fit In


Ah yesh, the Bard of the North, he wrote some excellent stuff, hadn't read that one thou.
I really like "The Cremation of Sam Mcgee" besides being a great poem, the meter he used in it was pretty interesting. I tried one of two of my own using the same meter, pretty challanging. Thanks for pointing that one out.

RM

[rlitavecz]

I can't vote either. I have been to every national since Rhinebeck in 99 and have enjoyed them all. I too am a loner (usually.) I go because I love to see the bikes, the vendors, and to enjoy a few beers while seeing some great bands (last year's thursday show at spokane was outstanding!) I am looking forward to seeing George T. this year. I am not thrilled with Lima, but plan to travel better roads the following week. The rallys give me a destination and an excuse to ride, sometimes a long way (NY, WA, OR.) Last year I rode alone, but volunteered for registration on Saturday and attended ERC on Thursday. Met lots of nice people.
I'll be planning for next year as soon as I return from Lima. I put in for vacation a year ahead and book some rooms along the way.
Rob

[mehrten]

I've been to the last 3 rallys and had a great time. Only gripe is he month of July. It's so damn hot!

Last year going to Spokane what kept us going was the though of getting to Spokane and cooling off. Didn't happen.

Wanda and I really enjoy going to the Nationals/Internationals...just can't take the heat getting there and then camping in 100 plus temps. Even Texas in 97 (I believe) seemed cooler (or were we just younger).

We are looking forward to a National/International in the high country in the spring or fall.

Deryle Mehrten
Arizona, USA