Our 2025 Rally : The What, Where & Why... Lebanon Tennessee : June 19-21 2025

[skibum69]

I can see how the border would make it oh so difficult. The other option is to do a Canada rally on a smaller scale.

 

[flyhi2cfar]

Shouldn't the reason for their decision have accompanied the news release on the venue for 2025? Or didn't they expect some push back from members when they changed their own schedule/zone assignments by year? I don't think it's a plot in any way. Yet, there's members who would have appreciated an explanation as to why they chose to change the venue which is in another zone?

Like I mentioned, no dog in the fight, but their changing the venue without consulting/notifying the members of their prospective zone change and WHY, without any input from members seems to be creating discourse with some of the members. I can understand their surprise and disappointment.
Perhaps they didn't expect any major blow back from members or maybe very little blow back [ which it appears to be at this time ]. One shouldn't have to ask the BOD or committee why they made their decision, IMO, of course.

What also concerns me is this…
the announcement was in the
May issue of Owners News.
We know the lead time required for that!
So the decision on Lebanon preceded, even that date (April__?) by a healthy margin.
Enough time to write up something meaningful allowing our members some understanding of the “where & why”.

 

[kbasa]

Hmmm; I'm confused here, while Lebanon was/is a great site and area for our Rally, going by the official Rally map and rotation schedule it's not supposed to be in the running for 2025? As has been mentioned, Fargo or the Black Hills would be a great choice/destination, so why ignore a rotation schedule that the membership has voted for and supported for many years now? I'm hoping some higher-ups will chime in and give an explanation as to how and why this has occurred; I certainly don't remember the members being solicited about these random changes, and when I voted in the MOA elections I would not have voted for anyone advocating for this change in the rotation schedule! Of course since this has happened 'after the fact' I guess the point may be moot? Another sad MOA decision!

I've been to about 25-30 MOA Rallies (since 1980), and with the big beautiful country we all live in, you can't tell me that there aren't some new/different choices of Rally sites instead of this repetition (Redmond, OR included) of previous sites? It's getting kind of boring! How about something new like the Gulf Coast of Texas/Louisiana, or New Mexico etc... Or even Fargo!

It's starting to seem like the main MOA criteria for a Rally site is based on how big of a cement slab is available for some members RV's and motorhomes? While I realize that we're all getting older; this is a motorcycle club, and riding a motorcycle would seem to be the basis for a motorcycle club? Maybe I'm missing something here...

Regards; Chuck3 MOA #19958

Hotels are often a barrier. The club is an older demographic which means fewer and fewer members really enjoy sleeping on the ground as much as they did 30 years ago.

I think I submitted the Sonoma County Fairgrounds here in NorCal as a site, but I suspect that the club is shopping for a cheaper venue than one here in wine country. Too bad. The ocean is an hour away. There are plenty of top notch roads that are largely empty and offer some of the best riding in the country. The people are friendly, the wine, beer and cider is local and awesome and if you like food, this is the place to be.

Oregon is nice and I've gone there twice, but I'm taking a pass this year. A third time? Nah. Show me something else.

 

[flyhi2cfar]

"Oregon is nice and I've gone there twice, but I'm taking a pass this year. A third time? Nah. Show me something else."

A ferry onto Vancouver Island is just a day away from Redmond. That place is sure something else.

 

[Omega Man]

I thought these National Rallies were not only supposed to be a journey, and a chance to meet up with friends?
Seems like there would be a lot of scenery changes if a rider hadn’t been to a particular area in a while not to mention seeing old and new friends that just go to rallies held a “reasonable travel distance” from their home.
OM

 

[brownie0486]

I thought these National Rallies were not only supposed to be a journey, and a chance to meet up with friends?
Seems like there would be a lot of scenery changes if a rider hadn’t been to a particular area in a while not to mention seeing old and new friends that just go to rallies held a “reasonable travel distance” from their home.
OM

Define your idea of what a reasonable distance is? A reasonable distance for one might be 12-1500 miles, another might believe 2-2500 miles was reasonable [ that's each way, not round trip ].

At my age, I'm no longer interested in traveling more than 1200 miles each way to any event, let alone a motor rally. With our aging members, IU suspect there are more like I am than otherwise [ for the time being, maybe ]. My summer trips aren't over 1200 miles from home for the last several years and I'm gone for nearly a month [ which is a far cry from running longer mileage to attend a 2 day event ]. Offer a rally farther than that, I'll not be in attendance.

 

[Omega Man]

Define your idea of what a reasonable distance is? A reasonable distance for one might be 12-1500 miles, another might believe 2-2500 miles was reasonable [ that's each way, not round trip ].

At my age, I'm no longer interested in traveling more than 1200 miles each way to any event, let alone a motor rally. With our aging members, IU suspect there are more like I am than otherwise [ for the time being, maybe ]. My summer trips aren't over 1200 miles from home for the last several years and I'm gone for nearly a month [ which is a far cry from running longer mileage to attend a 2 day event ]. Offer a rally farther than that, I'll not be in attendance.

Okay with me.
OM

 

[kbasa]

"Oregon is nice and I've gone there twice, but I'm taking a pass this year. A third time? Nah. Show me something else."

A ferry onto Vancouver Island is just a day away from Redmond. That place is sure something else.

Been there just a couple years ago. Victoria is a treat.

 

[kbasa]

I thought these National Rallies were not only supposed to be a journey, and a chance to meet up with friends?
Seems like there would be a lot of scenery changes if a rider hadn’t been to a particular area in a while not to mention seeing old and new friends that just go to rallies held a “reasonable travel distance” from their home.
OM

Meeting with friends is only part of it, to my thinking. A big part, of course. But riding there is the main attraction for me and, I assume, others.

I’ve been to Redmond twice and it was great. Seeing and exploring another locale on the west coast in conjunction with those friends would be a bigger draw for some of us.

Life is short. As a couple, we don’t go to the same place for vacation year after year and never have in 45 years together. We try hard to find new places to visit when we go. We want to meet new people, try new food, sample new beers or wine and learn something about a place we haven’t visited.

Let’s see if three years from now lets us find a new location in the western states. Some of the finest riding in the country is in California, but we haven’t had a rally here since the first one a half century ago. We haven’t had a Colorado rally since the 90s. Utah was great. Spokane was really fine. So was Gillette.

I love Oregon, but this is the third rally in Oregon since 2000. I think some of us were hoping for a new location to show us a different part of the country. No shade to anyone on the rally committee or site selection team. I know first hand that sites are increasingly hard to find.

Maybe next time.

 

[kbasa]

What also concerns me is this…
the announcement was in the
May issue of Owners News.
We know the lead time required for that!
So the decision on Lebanon preceded, even that date (April__?) by a healthy margin.
Enough time to write up something meaningful allowing our members some understanding of the “where & why”.

45 day lead time

 

[Omega Man]

Meeting with friends is only part of it, to my thinking. A big part, of course. But riding there is the main attraction for me and, I assume, others.

I’ve been to Redmond twice and it was great. Seeing and exploring another locale on the west coast in conjunction with those friends would be a bigger draw for some of us.

Life is short. As a couple, we don’t go to the same place for vacation year after year and never have in 45 years together. We try hard to find new places to visit when we go. We want to meet new people, try new food, sample new beers or wine and learn something about a place we haven’t visited.

Let’s see if three years from now lets us find a new location in the western states. Some of the finest riding in the country is in California, but we haven’t had a rally here since the first one a half century ago. We haven’t had a Colorado rally since the 90s. Utah was great. Spokane was really fine. So was Gillette.

I love Oregon, but this is the fourth rally in Oregon since 2000. I think some of us were hoping for a new location to show us a different part of the country. No shade to anyone on the rally committee or site selection team. I know first hand that sites are increasingly hard to find.

Maybe next time.

No worries. I just find all the peeing on the locations disappointing. With first hand knowledge of putting together events, club and otherwise, from cookouts to Make a Wish charity events, I find all the “sour” talk ahead of the event really doesn’t help………there is enough of that after the fact.
Trying to “drag” people/attendees up with the notable good parts of the last visit, I find helps the mood and encourages the organizers and All the volunteers needed for he event.
I find 100% satisfaction from 100% of attendees/participants is realistically unattainable but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a goal.
OM

 

[PGlaves]

Some of the finest riding in the country is in California, but we haven’t had a rally here since the first one a half century ago.

Actually, Laguna Seca 38 years ago in 1986. Our second rally!

 

[r0ckrat]

45 day lead time

Knowing the publishing process, they probably reserved a small space at 45 days out for "text only" of the expected length/size. This can be inserted into the files last minute and not require the 45 day lead for proofing etc. necessary for photos, and can be as close as a day or two prior to printing.

 

[kbasa]

No worries. I just find all the peeing on the locations disappointing. With first hand knowledge of putting together events, club and otherwise, from cookouts to Make a Wish charity events, I find all the “sour” talk ahead of the event really doesn’t help………there is enough of that after the fact.
Trying to “drag” people/attendees up with the notable good parts of the last visit, I find helps the mood and encourages the organizers and All the volunteers needed for he event.
I find 100% satisfaction from 100% of attendees/participants is realistically unattainable but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a goal.
OM

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Oregon. If folks haven't been, they should go. The riding is pretty terrific, the people are absolutely welcoming, the site is terrific and you're reliably going to have decent weather.

And you're 100% right about getting 100% satisfaction. It took me a while to learn that even back when I was president of the YBs. Someone's not gonna like some aspect of any event.

 

[gregfeeler]

No worries. I just find all the peeing on the locations disappointing. With first hand knowledge of putting together events, club and otherwise, from cookouts to Make a Wish charity events, I find all the “sour” talk ahead of the event really doesn’t help………there is enough of that after the fact.
Trying to “drag” people/attendees up with the notable good parts of the last visit, I find helps the mood and encourages the organizers and All the volunteers needed for he event.
I find 100% satisfaction from 100% of attendees/participants is realistically unattainable but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a goal.
OM

"I just find all the peeing on the locations disappointing." Well said and I totally concur.

Folks, it's fine to have your opinions and it's fine to express them, BUT this is primarily a volunteer run organization, and if you think a job can be done better it falls on you to volunteer your time just as much as anyone else. And, no, "I don't have the time" is really not an acceptable excuse. We find time or make time for things that are important to us. I can promise you that in all my years in this club some of the most productive volunteers most certainly "didn't have the time". They had families, careers, owned their own businesses, and all the other responsibilities of life, but they still made it happen for the club and they got one of the biggest rewards you can get in life, and that's the feeling of making a difference for something good. Just sayin'

 

[brownie0486]

"I just find all the peeing on the locations disappointing." Well said and I totally concur.

Folks, it's fine to have your opinions and it's fine to express them, BUT this is primarily a volunteer run organization, and if you think a job can be done better it falls on you to volunteer your time just as much as anyone else. And, no, "I don't have the time" is really not an acceptable excuse. We find time or make time for things that are important to us. I can promise you that in all my years in this club some of the most productive volunteers most certainly "didn't have the time". They had families, careers, owned their own businesses, and all the other responsibilities of life, but they still made it happen for the club and they got one of the biggest rewards you can get in life, and that's the feeling of making a difference for something good. Just sayin'

It appears to me, though this opinion may not be a fact/reality, that the org is more interested in costs associated with putting on the national event which affects the boards location selection. Perhaps that's necessary and perhaps it's not. One solution if it's a finance/money issue to secure a venue it to raise the annual fee by 20.00. That would bring 32K members here alone an extra 640K to the kitty for securing venues regardless of cost. Or just raise it 10.00 per year, the club now has 320K to spend on the national.

Just how much money flows each year through the MOA which is allocated to the nationals expenses? I have no idea, but if it's over 320K I'[d be shocked.

 

[r0ckrat]

It appears to me, though this opinion may not be a fact/reality, that the org is more interested in costs associated with putting on the national event which affects the boards location selection. Perhaps that's necessary and perhaps it's not. One solution if it's a finance/money issue to secure a venue it to raise the annual fee by 20.00. That would bring 32K members here alone an extra 640K to the kitty for securing venues regardless of cost. Or just raise it 10.00 per year, the club now has 320K to spend on the national.

Just how much money flows each year through the MOA which is allocated to the nationals expenses? I have no idea, but if it's over 320K I'[d be shocked.

Hmm... I wonder if the 26k members that don't go to rallies would appreciate the idea of a rate hike just to support the rally...

 

[brownie0486]

Hmm... I wonder if the 26k members that don't go to rallies would appreciate the idea of a rate hike just to support the rally...

If the org can't afford certain venues [ someone mentioned costs of certain venues cost prohibitive ] a 5.00 added charge for annual dues isn't all that much for about anyone that runs a bmw motor where the moniker is "bring more wallet". It could become a potential issue for some as you suggest. However, it may bring more attendance to the annual rally by having venues that just weren't feasible otherwise in many locations.

Just 2.00 added to members here which only represents a fraction of the members overall nationwide would pull 68K. I'd think that would cover more venues now out of reach based on costs.

 

[Omega Man]

If the org can't afford certain venues [ someone mentioned costs of certain venues cost prohibitive ] a 5.00 added charge for annual dues isn't all that much for about anyone that runs a bmw motor where the moniker is "bring more wallet". It could become a potential issue for some as you suggest. However, it may bring more attendance to the annual rally by having venues that just weren't feasible otherwise in many locations.

Just 2.00 added to members here which only represents a fraction of the members overall nationwide would pull 68K. I'd think that would cover more venues now out of reach based on costs.

It sounds like you want members to subsidize an event that they, except for a few, won’t attend on a yearly basis?
I’m afraid that this location question is something that will not be solved here on the forum. I have no doubt that the organizers do everything they can to keep the rallies the best they can be including- locations, vendors, entertainment, costs and accommodations.
OM

 

[brownie0486]

It sounds like you want members to subsidize an event that they, except for a few, won’t attend on a yearly basis?
I’m afraid that this location question is something that will not be solved here on the forum. I have no doubt that the organizers do everything they can to keep the rallies the best they can be including- locations, vendors, entertainment, costs and accommodations.
OM

Doesn't the member dues subsidize the national already? If that's true, then 32K members just here on this forum subsidize 4-5K members attending the national already?