Disgruntled New Member...

GSfornow said:

Ah but I was at a ski show a few years ago in Boston and a friend found a PSIA (or similar) pin in the parking lot on the way in and put it on his jacket. He got all kinds of swag and special offers at the show because he was an instructor. I'm thinking the MOA pin is not quite so beneficial as that one was. He wears it every year now and it still works like a champ.

Click to expand...

Well, you have to earn the pin. There are three levels and two types of tests for each level. So, was it respect for what the pin represents, or just the pin itself? Dunno. I have a lot of pins, some earned and some not. I wear none of them.

Pin what pin?

Sounds like He needs to go for a ride, and chill out Bro!

Pin?

No pin? Bummer! But be patient. In 1954 I sent in 3 Ovaltine labels, 50 cents with a self addressed stamped envelope and I still don't have my Captain Midnight pin and secret decoder ring.

redclfco said:

You guys give out pins?

I had no idea!


Now thats got me wanting a pin...

Click to expand...

Pin? Decal??? I didn't get either for my first year- just a membership card

Sheet!!- I figured that BMW was German for $$$ and we had to buy everything

felaw said:

No pin? Bummer! But be patient. In 1954 I sent in 3 Ovaltine labels, 50 cents with a self addressed stamped envelope and I still don't have my Captain Midnight pin and secret decoder ring.

Click to expand...

I did get my Captain Midnight secret decoder ring. Remember the secret message at the end of each program? Well, when one used the ring to decode the message it was "Drink More Ovaltine"!

GSfornow said:

Ah but I was at a ski show a few years ago in Boston and a friend found a PSIA (or similar) pin in the parking lot on the way in and put it on his jacket. He got all kinds of swag and special offers at the show because he was an instructor. I'm thinking the MOA pin is not quite so beneficial as that one was. He wears it every year now and it still works like a champ.

Click to expand...

Hey, want my AASI (snowboard instructor version of PSIA) pin to wear when you go with your friend? Lemme' know....

SugarHillCTD said:

Hey, want my AASI (snowboard instructor version of PSIA) pin to wear when you go with your friend? Lemme' know....

Click to expand...

Nope, I'm good thanks. He sure does get a bunch of stuff though.

What is "gruntle" and why is a lack of it bad?

I wanna pin that glows in the dark for more conspicuity.

Dis-Gruntle defined.

roncooper said:

What is "gruntle" and why is a lack of it bad?

Click to expand...

According to Doobie's Dictionary: Gruntle n. 1 small, happy humanoid pincushion with one or more pins stuck into it's small, soft body. 2 Dis-Gruntle small, unhappy humanoid with no pin (s)!

(Sorry, could not resist, no "dis"-respect intended.) P.S. A lack of Gruntle is only bad when they have no pins. Good to have around when they have a pin or three.

He will really be mad when he finds out that the "Secret Handshake" is not revealed until 2 years of "Double Secret Probation" have been served.

I re-upped a few weeks ago, and got a pin with a "15" on it. So I sent a note to MOA headquarters, asking what it was, and they advised that that's how many years I've been a member.

I rarely wear pins, but I'll take any glory I can get..

My Canadian ski instructor ranking was a lowly level one, and didn't merit a pin...

Does a pin make me go faster??? 'Cause if it does...... Gimme it!!

I did not join this to get a pin. I joined it for what I will get out of it as a whole. My friends who own Beemers are all members and speak highly of the BMWMOA. They were constantly asking me if I had joined yet and today I can say that I have.

I'm looking forward to the future with my PD and my affiliation with BMWMOA and the good things that come.

amiles said:

He will really be mad when he finds out that the "Secret Handshake" is not revealed until 2 years of "Double Secret Probation" have been served.

Click to expand...

Thank you, sir. May I have another?

I think it boils down to the term "value" and value is different things to different people.

So does the 5 year pin come when you pay your 6th year dues or 5th year dues? I have some patches and pins from MOA events, as well as other clubs, but never knew what to do with them. I finally started putting the pins on a BMW banner I have over the workbench in my garage, and was thinking of tacking the patches to the wall below it, just to get them out of the drawer they are in.

As to the original poster, enjoy your year of the ON magazine, hopefully you won't need the anonymous book but if so, maybe you'll get to meet a great fellow member. Get to a rally or two, and hang out here on the forum once in a while. It's as good a club as you'll find, and as good an experiance as you make it.

Ride safe.

Mr.Hudson R.;

Your number 1 post showed zero tact. We all have fun here, pestering one another quite often and you step in with your very first post, blabering on about your pin. IF you asked, you'd probably got one and I know you think asking was probably wrong and you're right. A welcome 1st year pin would be cool, but it wasn't done. Very shallow complaint, as many here have said and I suspect something else sent you crying home and soured your experience here. A pin? You're ceratinly still welcome, riding ANY motorcycle, as we DO NOT even require you to be on a BMW to be a member! Stop your frigin whinning and try again. I see you're quite responsive too, as so many have posted replies and you are absent. Most are more than friendly, learn anything? Randy

Mika said:

An interesting first post and such wonderfully warm welcomes in response.

Sarcasim aside this is not the first member to complain about pins. Normally post go something like ÔÇÿI didnÔÇÖt get my __ year pin and IÔÇÖm pissed.ÔÇÖ Then someone responds with who to contact and the thread dies a justifiable death until the next time a member complains.

IIRC we are coming up on a new logo. Why not use its introduction to change the pin policy.
- eliminate it altogether or
- go with a logo pin for all members and eliminate the __ year pin program.

Just wondering. I am not a big pin fan so it really does not make a bit of difference to me. Besides, I am pissed that I didnÔÇÖt get my __year pin and IÔÇÖm leaving to go to the garage and work on my bike! I wonÔÇÖt be back until the next time I post ÔÇô SO THERE!!!!

Click to expand...

It's my observation that people are wound pretty tight these days. Many of us are conditioned to expect to be disappointed in our interactions with groups and organizations. Much of this is justified because of our personal experiences where service was poor and attitudes worse. However, in many cases this is a self-inflected wound. We come into a new environment with unreasonable assumptions and expectations. No one actually promised that thing we feel cheated out of, but we're still mad about it. Sometimes it's a small thing that becomes a trip wire for a lot of genuine, but unrelated, built up anger. I think we've all done this - or been tempted - at one time or another. It's almost never the best way to accomplish anything other than to give ourselves an emotional release.

As to the issue at hand, no, the 'MOA doesn't provide free pins as part of the initial membership package. Is it a good idea? Maybe. Some would like it, some wouldn't care, and others would think it a waste of membership dollars. Still, it's worth a discussion in the larger context of what new and renewing members should receive from the club. Mika is perceptive in remembering that we have a logo redesign in the works, as well as a complete assessment of our "brand". One of the related sub-tasks will be to look at membership materials, and I'm sure this question of pins - and other things - will be considered in that process.

I see you're quite responsive too, as so many have posted replies and you are absent. Most are more than friendly, learn anything?

Click to expand...

...and some are not too friendly...
But at 58+ posts I'd be afraid to comment now.

Then again it is a holiday weekend.

Is it too late to declare a "mulligan" ?

First post - it's OK, it's not insulting!

Well, let me try and purge the sour taste of that other vitriolic 1st post by offering my own first post as a rebuttal...

I'm new here - paid my dues about an hour ago, actually. That was the very first thing I read on this forum. Wow. How NOT to introduce yourself! The responses were what impressed me - some of you cats are pretty smooth!

I am looking forward to sharing your knowledge, and maybe contributing a little myself. I am also a bit of a recluse, and I hope to break away from that by attending some of your interesting looking functions in the future.

I ride a 2009 R1200R (Biarritz Blue - fastest color according to all the guys at R1150R.net - right Don?), my first BMW. Wonderful machine, 5000 miles and counting.

Oh, and I didn't get my @#$%*& pin.

Regards,

Peter