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Would you do it again?

Would you ride to a rally like Charleston again?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Possibly, it depends on the location

    Votes: 22 31.4%
  • Possibly, it depends on the weather

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No.

    Votes: 16 22.9%

  • Total voters
    70

Visian

look out!!!
MOA-ers... given that Charleston drew a near-record ~7,100 attendees, despite all the gripes, what is the likelihood that you'd ride to a rally with a similar format to this in the future?
 
Charlston...what else??

It wasn't a Rally. It was a convention. 7,100 people? No doubt the number registered. Curious to know how many were there Saturday morning, weather notwithstanding

Hey, no one had any control over the weather but in all of the MOA rallies I have attended (19) this was the worst. People were spread out over miles-friends who were at Charlston I saw perhaps once, if at all, organization at registration was not great, lots of misinformation-and I'm not even going to start to talk about the bus service.

Most troubling thing I saw though was watching a MOA Director from a large-ish northeastern club try and run people off from a camping area on the west end of the U of C campus. No matter who dared try to pitch a tent in that area, here he arrives painting tales of "Loud and rowdy people who will be carrying on all night" and advising people they "really don't want to camp there". Worked on some but not on 2 young couples from Ohio who pretty much told him to stick it. Sad they got a bad opinion when they discovered he was a MOA Director. Hmm, wonder if they will renew their memberships next year?
 
I had a good time!

I didn't like the setup, but it was better than I expected! I saw 3 people I know from my hometown! Met the Kbasa's & talked to a few people at the motel!
I like walking around the normal rally's looking at peoples gear & recognizing people & bikes that I've seen at other rallys! This was the first rally that I didn't camp at & I'm glad! Also glad that I didn't go earlier! Arrived at 2pm fri & bailed the next day at 2pm after people got tired of seeing me walking around the vendor area! Trenton was my first National & the setup was great!!
 
I'm in. Anytime I can sit around with a bunch of my BMW friends and have a brew, look at bikes and generally waste a bunch of time, you can count me in.

If the venue allowed for closer proximity it would be a bonus. Day buses would have been terrific too.

Dave
 
Any Rally beats work!

Been lurking on all the post for this topic since returning home. We (wife, several friends) stayed 48 miles away at Hawksnest State Park. 60 minutes to the rally, relaxing setting when at our 'motel'. We cancelled the Mariott right across from the CC to do this, so I guess that answers any questions about our preferrence to 'big cities'. Friday morning we had a great ride through the country over to Charleston, walked all around the facility until we finally found registration (pre-registerd, so no rush) and generally had a great time. I'd say the location was too spread out, and too big city, but it still beat working! We saw dozens of friends, walked a lot of miles, and survived the dreaded hwy 60 railroad crossing in the dark. (Didn't see the big deal with it, but living in the western NC mountains we're used to the unexpected in the middel of a curve. Heck, everythings in the middle of a curve! I thought that 15 mph downhill right hander in the dark beat the pants off the tracks for a rush!). Not enough vacation for Spokane, but if the lottery comes through we'll be there. Now, if you could just find a few more sites like Durango.....
---
p.s Thanks to all the volunteers. BTDT. (yep, I'm sucking up. It's a tough job they do for free. Even a thumbs up to the guy asking to see an armband as we left the campus Friday night):dunno . Now, about those day passes ...............;)
 
Would I go again?

Bette & I enjoyed ourselves. We've been to regional rallies and camped also. Enjoyed them also.

Things I would change if I was God;
75 degree sunny days/60 degree starry nights, shuttle buses that ran on time where posted, having the convention center surrounded by camping with h/motels across the street:bliss , have a 90% discount for MOA members at the vendors, have enough rally t-shirts :eek ,

I think the MOA has learned what works and what needs work. The bitches I've heard, the MOA has little control over, PA system and weather.

Thanks for all the voluntees hard work, keep it up.

Rob Lessen
Arma, KS
 
For Unregistered. So what does your bitching have to do with the question. I don't remember seeing anything about rehashing, again, what you didn't like.

All this bitching and griping about the Rally vs. Convention is getting old. I'm packing up for a convention trip starting this weekend where the attendance will be close to 850,000 people, maybe 10,000 aircraft, hotels full for a 70 mile radius, and I'll get to camp out for a week with 40,000+ of my new/best friends in a field. Yet each time I always manage to find friends I only see once a year. I get to drink a few beers, volunteer my time to help out, make some new friends, do some flying, spend time and money with more vendors than I have time and money for, and still manage to find something there that makes me think all this is really worth the trip. Bus schedule? Try walking two miles down a runway just to meet a group for lunch. And then walking two miles back because itÔÇÖs time for your volunteer shift to start. You want to talk about weather and a beer tent? Try sweating out the damage/destruction not only to your campsite but to a couple of thousand aircraft, some one of a kind antiques and vintage, sitting out in an open field when the forecast is for major thunderstorms with hail, possible tornadoes and high winds.

I think itÔÇÖs a tough job putting on any event, be it motorcycles or airplanes or music concerts or a kids softball tournament. ItÔÇÖs not an easy thing to pull it off with free labor that doesnÔÇÖt get to work together as team all the time and with outside contracted vendors that may or may not perform. There are times when the weather is not going to cooperate. Buses will not always run on schedule all the time. The MOA is growing. There really are some people that enjoy a Rally. There are other people that enjoy a convention. There is room for both. IÔÇÖve been through this same fight with the airplane guys when the organization grew and accepted ÔÇ£changeÔÇØ. Over all it sounds to me like the people working the ÔÇ£gatheringÔÇØ did the best they could with the cards they were dealt. Quit bitching and get over it.
 
Hell yes, I'd do it again. Tomorrow.
As I've stated elsewhere, I wasn't all that excited about the city concept and it turned out just about the way I expected; things too far apart, too much traffic, etc.
But, hell, I go there to talk to people I know, meet new ones and enjoy being around the whole BMW scene.
Which I did.
And I'd do it again tomorrow, whether it was in Charleston or just about any other place.
 
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Spokane, probably

Spokane is probably a ride I am taking ... if nothing else just to meet KBasa. (Rumor has it that the CamelBack Mrs.K is wearing in all the pictures is simply a huge Martini.):yum
:1drink

The other side is that one disappointing experience does not mean that they are all going to be bad.

If the first ride you took you dropped your bike, would you ride again? Most of us would.

So I am not going to give up on the rally. I also am not going to sit around and complain, I have volunteered. So now if I am disappointed, it is my own fault.
 
KBasa said:
In for Spokane?
KBasa ... given my vacation schedule and a few other factors, I'd put myself in the "Doubtful" category right now.
But where there's a will, there's a way.
You buyin' me a beer if I come?
I can be bribed and I come cheap.
 
BMWRider said:
KBasa ... given my vacation schedule and a few other factors, I'd put myself in the "Doubtful" category right now.
But where there's a will, there's a way.
You buyin' me a beer if I come?
I can be bribed and I come cheap.

Heck, I'll go a whole sixer if you come out. Your chance to meet fish and all the rest of the western hooligans.
 
I surely would.:) We had a great time. If things were set up more like in the past. It would even be better.
 
Did you notice...?

I wonder if any of you noticed something different about the Charleston rally, that I seem to have observed:

I spent a lot of time in the registration area, and hanging around the vendors. I saw what seems to me to be a significantly larger proportion of non-gray hair, compared to previous rallies. Maybe it is just my perception. I am used to a preponderance of 45+ year olds at these events, and here I was, looking at a lot of both women and men who were more likely in the 30-45 y/o range.

I also saw more children and teenagers at the rally than I seem to remember before.

Considering the inevitable changing demographic of BMW motorcycle owners, I am wondering if we should pay attention to this factor when planning future rallies? I suspect the availability of reasonably priced hotels might be increasing the proportion of riders who prefer to not sleep in a tent. In so doing, are we attracting a higher proportion of younger riders (and their families)?

I am convinced that the ultimate success of our Club's rally is careful consideration of the rally venue. The old guard beemer riders are accustomed to camping, and are most vocal about it. I wonder if these younger riders I noticed at Charleston are less vocal, but actually 'vote with their feet' by coming out for a combination hotel/camping opportunity when it is presented? Could that have been a contribution also to the near record attendance we had (~7100) at Charleston?

Only the registration data will help us figure this out. I worked one shift helping with the 'Awards and Tallies' process. I don't remember as yet, any effort to keep track of average rider age, or where the attendees were staying.

Relying on the loudest shouting, we may not ever know the truth about this. We need data, wisely interpreted.

As I understand it, Spokane may provide us with yet another opportunity to consider the fairground vs. in town rally experience - this time skewed somewhat in favor of the fairground. Yet, Spokane is a modern city, presumably with many available hotels and motels - not all that far from the fairground. I hope that next year someone will design the registration forms to accumulate data much more easily about rider and family demographics and preferences.

I have camped at all but the last two nationals I have attended. I have thus seen both sides of the experience. Yet my experience at MOA indicates that by simply listening to those who shout the loudest, you can get a very skewed impression of the feelings of the average member or the average rally goer - much less the breadth of those feelings and preferences.

Let's find the right way to pay attention to young and old, camper and hoteller, local and long distance, and other factors, as we trudge through the minefield of doing what's right for MOA members. The best path is to find the solution that appeals to as broad a range of members, as possible - not just the loudest ones.

Jim Shaw:idea
 
Did you notice...?

Jim makes some very important points.

In the October issue of the "BMW Owners News" there will be a copy of the Rally Survey that was passed out during the closing. Along with those already received at the rally or by mail, and the polls on this site, the BMW MOA Board of Directors will be looking at those activities most enjoyed (and those with the most objectively critical comments) to shape near future rallies. Mail the survey to us, participate in the polls on this forum, we will read them.

Yes, any available numbers of "new" rally attendees will be factored in to the conclusions we will be making.

A lot of things were bigger hits than we had ever thought. Others suffered from outside forces beyond any mortal's control in any venue. Still other could have been more successful with changes in execution.

One of the most successful, but least noticed, was the '59 minute" closing ceremony orchestrated by Jim. (Thanks again, Jim!) Another was the availability of good, inexpensive food, rather than the usual rally fare. Being able to "entertain" a "significant other" or small child with something besides the band in the beer tent made it a more enjoyable rally for a lot of folks / families.

So we do ask that you take a few minutes to fill out that survey as soon as you receive your October issue. Mailing it back to us will assure that your voice is heard. The voice of a "new" member / first time rally attendee should be just as important as any other.

See you all in the Great North West,

Don Hamblin
President, BMW Motorcycle Owners of America
 
I had a great time.

Came down from Ontario.....7 of the 10 hours in the rain on the Wed. Found a good spot just down from the beer tent, which really wasn't all that loud at any time. Ya so it rained every day, ya so it rained 10 of the 12 hours it took to get home. Ya so I lost some equipment. I was on my bike, away from home, meeting new people who road machines like mine or ones that I wish I had, that is why I ride. The layout of the rally was nice, you had a choice of where to stay and even if the bus wasn't on time.....ride.

If it's in W.A. next year I'll be there no matter what the layout.....3 weeks holidays of riding across the U.S. again.....what a hoot. :clap

A big thanks to the volunteers :clap
 
Well said, Jim Shaw. As a member of the new demographic, I appreciated your comments. Although I am a camper, most of my riding buddies and fellow club members in my age group (late 20s/early 30s) prefer hotels. I can only imagine the difficult task it is to choose a National location!

My only complaint about this rally was that the set-up seemed to segregate the campers from the hotelers.

However, to answer the original question of the thread - Would I do it again? - Hmm. Letsee, would I get on my bike and ride across the country in order to camp, ride some new roads, see some new scenery, hang out and talk with other Beemer riders, and oh yeah, I get to drink beer too. Gee, twist my arm.
 
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While this is my third National, it was the first time my wife opted to join me. We Stayed in the Holiday Inn overlooking the Kanawa river. She mentioned repeatedly, usually during the evening rain storms, Aren't you glad we aren't camping ?

I do prefer the central layout that an all camping rally has, but having a hotel wasnt so bad. I sure do like motorcycles.

Still trying to figure out how to make spokane.

Craig in Ct
 
I was a first time rally attendee, and some of my observations were:

Since I stayed in a Hotel, having to "gear up" to go to the convention center, and then do it again to go to the beer tent, was a bit of a hassle.
The rally did have a convention feel to me, but then again I wasnt sure what to expect as far as meeting people, and trying to make new friends.
I think having a central location, so that you could meet the other riders in all situations, without having to travel from place to place would be good.

I dont mind camping, and now that I have seen what the campgrounds looked like, I may try camping at the next rally, yes I will return.
I found that I was able to strike up a conversation with anyone I chose, everyone was very friendly, and had many great stories to tell. I just wish that the dang rain had held off during the rally so that the ride to the motel in the dark and rain hadn't kept me from enjoying this great group of people as much as I would have liked.
I found it to be a very enjoyable experience, and one that I will repeat, and I hope it is next year, depending on if I can schedule the time off to attend that far away.
 
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