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What would you like to see at the 2020 Great Falls Rally?

On the flea market issue; how many MOA Rally vendors carry old vintage body and engine parts for the /2, /5, /6, /7s and other airheads? The vast majority of the items sold by the "amateur" sellers, usually someone cleaning out the back shelves of his garage, are used items that a commercial dealer would not bother with. The slightly scuffed sidebag, scratched fender, or dented gas tank from an R80 does not hold much appeal or profit for the pro dealer, but just may be the needed item for someone bringing that old bike back to life. Granted, guidelines and supervision would be needed to bring back the flea markets, but when I entered the BMW fold 20 years ago, the finds of the rally flea market were one of bright spots that helped me along the way.

Lets see this method of recycling our currently unused gear to the next user return!
 
Last edited:
DaveSlash5 said:
On the flea market issue; how many MOA Rally vendors carry old vintage parts body and engine parts for the /2, /5, /6, /7s and other airheads? The vast majority of the items sold by the "amateur" sellers, usually someone cleaning out the back shelves of his garage, are used items that a commercial dealer would not bother with. The slightly scuffed sidebag, scratched fender, or dented gas tank from an R80 does not hold much appeal or profit for the pro dealer, but just may be the needed item for someone bringing that old bike back to life. Granted, guidelines and supervision would be needed to bring back the flea markets, but when I entered the BMW fold 20 years ago, the finds of the rally flea market were one of bright spots that helped me along the way.

Lets see this method of recycling our currently unused gear to the next user return!
Click to expand...

I agree. I suggest supportive or contrary emails to the board members and rally chairpersons. I think a decent solution can be found to once again allow on-the-tarp flea market stuff.

BUT, be aware that the state may required a tax ID number and the collection of sales tax, so no felons allowed.
 
glenfiddich said:
Yoga or some sort of stretching class for long trips is something I’d love to see. If there was a seminar on “Working Out the Kinks After 300 Miles of Crosswinds in Kansas” I’d be the first in line!

Pete
Click to expand...

Talk to Andrea Borella.
 
DaveSlash5 said:
On the flea market issue; how many MOA Rally vendors carry old vintage parts body and engine parts for the /2, /5, /6, /7s and other airheads? The vast majority of the items sold by the "amateur" sellers, usually someone cleaning out the back shelves of his garage, are used items that a commercial dealer would not bother with. The slightly scuffed sidebag, scratched fender, or dented gas tank from an R80 does not hold much appeal or profit for the pro dealer, but just may be the needed item for someone bringing that old bike back to life. Granted, guidelines and supervision would be needed to bring back the flea markets, but when I entered the BMW fold 20 years ago, the finds of the rally flea market were one of bright spots that helped me along the way.

Lets see this method of recycling our currently unused gear to the next user return!
Click to expand...

As I remember, the "Flea Market" was done away with because of vendor complaints about how the vendors had to pay for a location and the Flea Market people did not" Add to this the fact that some of the people in the "Flea Market" were considered to be somewhat commercial vendors, in competition with the space paying vendors.
When I took on the job of Flea Market committee chair I was raked over the coals by someone who knew that I had a BMW related business, even though I didn't bring any of my inventory to the rally and didn't in any way use the Flea Market as a place to advertise my business.
I chaired that committee the following year, but after that I gave up the position to someone else. I believe that the National in Gillette was the last time that there was a Flea Market.
So I think about the problem associated with buying something that you have to find a way to ship home or carry home may not be worth the hassle.
I find it much more convenient to go on line to find any used parts that I might need, deal with the seller and come to an agreement on price, stated condition of the item, and a fair method of returning the item if I am not satisfied.
 
glenfiddich said:
The Italian fencing champion? A little more info would be nice. Google wasn’t much help without search terms to narrow it down
Click to expand...

The Andrea Borella in question is one of our Ambassadors and has organized fun runs at many MOA Rallies over the last number of years. She is ball of energy and does much to promote good physical activity.
 
1074 said:
As I remember, the "Flea Market" was done away with because of vendor complaints about how the vendors had to pay for a location and the Flea Market people did not" Add to this the fact that some of the people in the "Flea Market" were considered to be somewhat commercial vendors, in competition with the space paying vendors.
When I took on the job of Flea Market committee chair I was raked over the coals by someone who knew that I had a BMW related business, even though I didn't bring any of my inventory to the rally and didn't in any way use the Flea Market as a place to advertise my business.
I chaired that committee the following year, but after that I gave up the position to someone else. I believe that the National in Gillette was the last time that there was a Flea Market.
So I think about the problem associated with buying something that you have to find a way to ship home or carry home may not be worth the hassle.
I find it much more convenient to go on line to find any used parts that I might need, deal with the seller and come to an agreement on price, stated condition of the item, and a fair method of returning the item if I am not satisfied.
Click to expand...


Having chaired the 2016 Rally and been involved with most of them since Gillette I think this is the first time I've heard this come up since they were discontinued. I do miss them myself. I bought a number of things at our flea markets including a Pearl White R100RS.

However, the tail from rallyrat happened, and there were a number of complaints by the commercial vendors at other rallies. The flea markets had been loosing interest for a number of years and had gotten so small that many people didn't even know there was one. However, what really put the nail in the coffin was/is the Internet, specifically eBay, Craigslist, the MOA Marketplace, and the IBMWR Marketplace. It just doesn't make sense to wait for a once a year for a chance to sell and buy when that can happen every day of the year. Sellers don't have leave their bike at home (or trailer it) so they can haul a load of parts, and that brings us back to the issue that someone with enough to sell that they need to haul a load is much closer to a business than just someone cleaning out their garage.
 
GREGFEELER said:
... and that brings us back to the issue that someone with enough to sell that they need to haul a load is much closer to a business than just someone cleaning out their garage.
Click to expand...

Well Greg, you haven't seen my garages, nor apparently have you even looked in your own recently. :)
 
GTRider said:
An interesting approach; organizations that resist openly examining issues or actions that create problems, in the interest of unpacking and resolving those issues, are usually destined to have repeated problems of the same type and source.

Best,
DeVern
Click to expand...

There are two sides to any story. The truth is that without the BMW MOA paying tens of thousands of dollars for "GS" events at the national rally there wouldn't be a GS Giants. Back in the early and mid-2000's when GS riding was beginning to get popular the MOA was already building tracks for dual sport riding education. With the strong encouragement of one of our longtime great volunteers, this activity was enhanced and called the GS Giant - one or two were even held and paid for by the MOA in addition to the one at the national rally. It was because of these repeated events that GS riders were able to come together, form relationships, and then do a great job of creating the GS Giants.

What has happened between the Giants and the MOA since then is story for another time and place. But, I can assure there are two sides to it and blame enough for both.
 
I have an idea... in fact, dare I say, a stroke of brilliance. Everyone clearout their trasure trove of motorcycle related goodies and bring it to the rally in a U-Haul trailer. Then those that participate can exchange trailers and have a whole new pile of stuff to store away.
 
akbeemer said:
I have an idea... in fact, dare I say, a stroke of brilliance. Everyone clearout their trasure trove of motorcycle related goodies and bring it to the rally in a U-Haul trailer. Then those that participate can exchange trailers and have a whole new pile of stuff to store away.
Click to expand...

A true swap meet. :D
 
glenfiddich said:
The Italian fencing champion? A little more info would be nice. Google wasn’t much help without search terms to narrow it down
Click to expand...

You might want to get out your anonymous book and look up Ambassadors. She also has been chairing thr fun run at the National for years!
 
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