the "Tire Nazi"

username said:

did you make any friends?

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I'm gonna guess no.

Tire Nazi

I had a specific goal to get new tires at the rally. As I recall there were several (more than 2) venders last year at Lima, representing several tire brands who were selling and mounting tires. The tire Nazi was the ONLY tire vender there and was totally overwhelmed!! Not sure who was to fault but had he been more informed, he could have had more help and more tires. Even the dealer in town had this huge semi, awning and four tire changing stations courtesy of Metzler, in anticipation of the rally. Problem? NO TIRES!!!! I was told on Friday to come back on Saturday morning as they had a load coming in that night and it would be first come first served. I didn't bother going back as I really wanted Dunlops anyway and my friend assured me My tires would get me safely home. I wasted at least four hours trying to just get to talk to the tire nazi and his buddy and I searching through the few tires he did have looking for a set that would fit my bike. I don't blame the Tire Nazi for anything that went wrong. I just wondered why there weren't more tire venders there! I talked to the Michelin Rep. for twenty minutes before I realized he was just there to hype the brand and was not there to sell tires and had no idea where to get any Michelin tires.
Before attending the rally I had emailed the Dunlop web site and got a message back saying the rep. was out of town. That is strange for a (big?)
Corp.
Anyhoo, upon arriving home on my now nearly bald tires, emailed Competition Accessories for Two Dunlop D220 tires, which arrived at my house in three days, had my friend Gary Teatro mount and balance them for a very reasonable price and feel secure again.
All in all the vendors at the rally were way over my head in products and cost of products. BMW cycling has become a much more upper echelon sport, whereby the venders seemed more of the New Zealand Tours, $700 riding suits, electronic stuff costing $$$$$$$$$$$$$. The Hannigan rigs were only for extremely rich customers. I don't think I know ANYONE that could afford one of those rigs. Bob's BMW was the only vendor that I spent any time with at all! I think I will look for another airhead and just go to airhead rallies.
My major enjoyment at the rally was getting there, staying at Lake Carmi for three days, riding around Vermont, visiting with my old friends, new friends and intermittant friends at the beer tent and eating places. I go to rallies alone, get a tray of food or a beer, see someone sitting alone, join them and soon I have a new friend. I see a guy at rallies that lives in my town and that is the only time we ever talk. Strange huh?

did I make any friends?

username said:

did you make any friends?

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Did I make any friends?
A friend* is someone with whom you maintain a long term relationship.
I traveled there with a friend from Manchester UK, he came over here to enjoy riding the back roads of Vermont and thatÔÇÖs what we did, we didnÔÇÖt hang around the fairgrounds. I also have a long time friend who lives in Stowe and he accompanied us on many rides.
At the rally, I met a lot of very nice people, but I meet a lot of nice people every day.
I wasnÔÇÖt there to find NEW friends*, I donÔÇÖt NEED to go to a rally to make friends.

Specifically addressing the onsite food/beverage vendors...
Yes, beer cost less than water in this case. We sold the beer and set the price, but
the reason those food vendors were on site is because they have a negotiated agreement
with the fairground owner/authority. When we rent a site, we likewise "inherit" those
contracted vendors with the site, all part of the agreement, a sort of "package deal."
If we can find a different kind of venue that suit our needs, we can probaby treat food
vendors like we do our exhibiting vendors. I'm sure the yearly rally location search committee
is wide open to your suggestions, I know I've seen ski areas and the Charleston, WV
model used in the past, for examples.

As for the "ripoff" exhibiting vendors, they do have a cost to move inventory on site,
stock up to cover a large, unpredictable demand,
staff their booths for long hours, and then ship it all home again.
It is an additional cost to their usual storefront business, after all.

Have any of you complaining about the lack of service considered that we had 900 more attendees than ever before? I don't think anyone anticipated that fine a turnout. Makes it a little hard to be prepared (at least economically).

In the past I've found Robert's prices to be quite good, and his knowledge is amazing. "He's forgotten more about tires than most people know." I didn't buy any tires this time, so I don't know what he was charging, but I can't imagine his prices were unfair.

All service type vendors seemed to be working their butts off - on into the night when the rest of us were partying or sleeping. I think they all put forth an outstanding effort.

Muriel

BeemoKat said:

I brought my bike over to him at 8 on Friday, still not touched (except by people draping their riding gear and other stuff on it, what's up with that, NOBODY would even think of touching someone else's bike at a Harley rally), after my shift in the beer tent at 9p. Finally got my tools from the far end of the campground and took the wheels off with help from Josh & Dave. Had new tires on at 11:30pm, and paid full price. I was HUGELY tempted to just ride away with them, but I do believe in Karma, and would have had a hard time sleeping.
Also, if I had gotten over on him, I'd have NO right to bitch!

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It definetly doesn't seem fair for you to remove and reinstall your wheels and still pay full price.I thought about going to the Metzler truck to compare prices but got the word they were out of tires,so I had no choice.

It definetly doesn't seem fair for you to remove and reinstall your wheels and still pay full price.

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I can see where one would feel that way . . . do you know for a fact he didn't give you a break for removing your own wheels etc?

I guess my attitude were I in that situation would be that Rob was inundated, and I'd gladly help him so he could get to more people. A price break would be nice, but I would be doing him a favor and, in turn, other riders a favor.

Muriel

My cost for Avons with him doing all the work was $380.His price to me was $395 but he handed me back $15 when I paid him.

BeemoKat said:

I had one little problem with a vendor, next year I'll know better and make plans differently concerning tires, probably will screw up in some other aspect of planning, and will learn from that mistake as well. I had way too much fun, I will make it to as many of these as possible. I think the people who had a bad time brought it with 'em. (see signature!)

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I guess that crack about "see signature" was addressed to me.
You're probably too young to know this, but back in the early sixties anyone who rode a motorcycle was labled a "juvenile delinquent".
I rode a BSA then, and I'm still riding and enjoying the things I did as a teenager, hence the signature.
I've been to motorcycle gatherings (call them rallies or swap meets) in Europe, the UK and North America. I didn't have a bad time at the BMW rally, I had a blast, but most of my fun was on the rural roads of Vermont and very little of it was at the rally site.
I have several rallies I never miss (Stafford UK, every April), the bmw rally isn't worth the effort to attend.

Bensonhurst said:

Did I make any friends?
A friend* is someone with whom you maintain a long term relationship.
At the rally, I met a lot of very nice people, but I meet a lot of nice people every day.
I wasnÔÇÖt there to find NEW friends*, I donÔÇÖt NEED to go to a rally to make friends.

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I resent the implication that I NEED to go to a rally to make friends. That is only a small part of the overall experience. That is probably not what you meant but it sounded like it.
It was evident that many rally attendees already had their own friends by their circled encampments that seemed to say "You are not welcome and we have all the friends we need right here!" At some rallies I have seen the large yellow ribbons "fencing" off the territories and reserving prime camp spaces for friends coming later. At Charleston, a large Eastern Club even told a "squatter" he should camp somewhere else because he would be unhappy in that spot.
I had a good time at the rally, will probably go to Wisconsin for the main reason it is close and I like riding in Wisconsin. Wisconsin paves all their rural roads. I will ride the Ferry across L. Michigan then ride around the U.P. and wherever I go I will meet new people.

eddie said:

Stacey,I did wonder about you guys.I was looking for the V-Stroms.Would have really like to have ran into y'all.Julie bid on and got a different job a few months before the rally and they wouldn't let her have two weeks off as planned.I rode up and back with a friend.Would have been great to see the two of you.Tell John we said hello.

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Well, we were supposed to be on the V-Stroms, but I, uh, kinda, um, wrecked mine on the first day of vacation. I was only bruised and bruised a nerve, but the bike didn't fair so well. So, we went on to Plan B and had a great time regardless.

Tell Julie as well.

BMWGypsy said:

Well, we were supposed to be on the V-Stroms, but I, uh, kinda, um, wrecked mine on the first day of vacation. I was only bruised and bruised a nerve, but the bike didn't fair so well. So, we went on to Plan B and had a great time regardless.

Tell Julie as well.

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Sorry about your bike but glad your OK,hope we see you guys soon.

tire nazi story...funny

A guy over by the back gate took his tires off his GS to have new ones put on. My buddy, a cynical bastard, was working the back gate. The guy put his GS on the hardstand next to the gate so it would be O.K.. People coming in saw the bike sitting there on the centerstand with no wheels...front or rear.

People asked of course... my Buddy says..." oh they refused to obey orders so we took their wheels". He had no problems....

I feel compelled to ask the following question, which is not meant to be insulting to anyone.

Why would anyone plan to get tires at the rally, where 1000's of other people w/ similar interests and needs are concentrated in a small area? It's reasonable to expect any on-site service providers to be swamped at such an event, and therefore in my mind this is NOT the place to have any service performed.

It's like complaining that the beer vendor at the baseball game didn't take the time to listen to your problems.

pbbeck said:

I feel compelled to ask the following question, which is not meant to be insulting to anyone.

Why would anyone plan to get tires at the rally, where 1000's of other people w/ similar interests and needs are concentrated in a small area? It's reasonable to expect any on-site service providers to be swamped at such an event, and therefore in my mind this is NOT the place to have any service performed.

It's like complaining that the beer vendor at the baseball game didn't take the time to listen to your problems.

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Exactly what I was thinking. I can, however, understand someone who travelled a long distance underestimating when he/she might need new rubber suddenly finding them selves in a pinch, but I would never go to a rally (especially one this size) expecting some great deal on tires.

Fairs and special events - you pay dearly for the good stuff and you pay dearly through the nose for the rest.

MEWAYBRIGHT said:

I didn't make the Rally this year but from the sound of it I didn't miss much as far as the rally goes... high prices, vendors lacking in customer service and more high prices... wish I could have made it for the riding though. Maybe next year....

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Actually this year was a pretty good rally. I think that what is happening is that more and more people are talking about the rally at the Forum. There is always something to change and improve on.

Think about it, if you get 9,000 people in one place for a few days, do you think everyone is going to be happy about everything?

I planed to get tires if I thought mine wouldn't get me all the way home safely.I didn't think they would,better to spend $380 for tires than suffer the phyisical and dollar cost of a crash.I also had my oil changed and bought new boots to replace my leaking ones.Got a total of 8300 miles out of my last two sets of tires,thats combined not each.Just part of ridding the model I ride,replaceing tires often.

pbbeck said:

I feel compelled to ask the following question, which is not meant to be insulting to anyone.

Why would anyone plan to get tires at the rally, where 1000's of other people w/ similar interests and needs are concentrated in a small area? It's reasonable to expect any on-site service providers to be swamped at such an event, and therefore in my mind this is NOT the place to have any service performed.

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For the person that I know (BeemoKat) that needed tires, he woke up Friday morning with a flat. Not a totally planned event. I think he was considering tires at the rally anyhow, but a flat doesn't give you a lot of options, unless you want to try and remove the tire yourself and patch the tube at the rally. I'm pretty good with a wrench, but I don't do my own tire work. Trying to get a tough-sidewall no-tube-required tire off a rim with short tire irons is not a lot of fun.

marcopolo said:

Exactly what I was thinking. I can, however, understand someone who travelled a long distance underestimating when he/she might need new rubber suddenly finding them selves in a pinch, but I would never go to a rally (especially one this size) expecting some great deal on tires.

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I try to plan my bike maintenance so that nothing needs to be done throughout the whole trip. I took off half worn tires (M1) and put on new so we wouldn't have to think about tires and could enjoy the ride.