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the "Tire Nazi"

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
 
I remember you, JP,

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! :)
 
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A Day And A Half Of Tire Misery

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
 
JPRiepe said:
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.
 
cjack said:
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
 
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 said:
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.
 
eddie said:
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.
 
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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
 
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
 
BradfordBenn said:
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
 
Fritzc said:
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.
 
Voni said:

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.
 
Sorry you guys ....

...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
 
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For a friend

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.
 
Roadhound said:
...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.
 
How about A New Forum

eddie said:
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
 
Voni said:

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.
 
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
 
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