1st meet

[wardognal]

After 6 years of restoring my 1970 BSA 650 Lightning, and spending 3 times the value of the bike, I am ready for my first Meet. My plans right now is to attend the NC Meet in May. Any advice would be appreciated that most first timers fail to prepare for.

[sirhrmechanic]

When you say meet... are you going to be judged? Is this a ride where you need to make sure you have some spares/tools with you? Is it just a fun get-together? More info...

Lots of folks here who can give advice for judging. For 'riding' meets, lots of folks have tips and tricks. If it's just a fun get-together, the only tip I can suggest is never say "This round is on me." Gets expensive.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[kunzog]

Denton, NC is a great meet. Good location with plenty of space for camping and parking for trucks and trailers. There are shower and toilet facilites, many of the campsites have water and electric hookups. Restaurants are close by and there are food vendors onsite. There are restored historic buildings and farm equipment to view plus an operating steam railroad train. A great place to meet up with old friends and make new friends. Bring a tent or a luxury motor home you will be welcomed!

[c.o.]

What Sirhr said and if you're riding it, let it roar. BSA's love to rev!!!!

[Tom Lovejoy]

Yep, nows the time to git your money out of it. Get on the road and ride + enjoy and congrats for getting it done!

[Sargehere]

Wardog, from your description above, I take it you're not planning to immediately start wearing out your Pride & Joy '70 BSA by running it all over the country under its own power just to visit AMCA National Meets. If that's it's ultimate purpose, that can wait, at least. It's only "a brand-new 1970 BSA 650 Lightning again" until you "do it all over" again. And it's nowhere near as much fun redux.

If you are interested in getting it judged, and it needs only 85-or-better points to take home a "Junior First," the only level it's eligible to win, first time out, I suggest that what first time entrants fail to do most is bring their documentation, and leave it at home. Bring all the documents that you used to make decisions during your restoration regarding what finishes on what parts, paint colors, what tires, what factory accessories you might have attached to the bike with you.

If you've done your homework diligently, you may get a score in the high-nineties, of "one hundred," but you'll get a Junior First and an invitation to bring it back to a national meet in another part of the country, where at least some new eyes, if not an entirely new judging team, will judge it again "from scratch."

One thing that often surprises new exhibitors is that entirely new faults might be found in the course of second and third judgings. "I took it home and fixed all the faults found on the first judging sheet! Why was my score lower this time?" (or "not higher?") Don't be surprised if that happens. Take the faults found and perform due diligence, and by the third go-round (and every bike takes that long), your brand-new 1970 BSA 650 Lightning will earn a Winner's Circle award.

Nobody's perfect (referring to AMCA Judges, not you) and we may be "marque experts," but that always entails a large encyclopedia to carry around in one's head. If a question arises at any stage of your quest from differing opinions, whether right on the Judging Field or something to be appealed right after, good documentation always trumps recollection, or even long-held opinion.

Good luck to you, and I look forward to seeing your Lightning at National Meets this summer! (being judged by people far better versed in later British iron than me. I'll be down the line looking at Harleys)

[LouieMCman]

Wardognal, this years theme at the Denton National is "British" bikes. We hope to have some of the best British bike judges there. We have also invite the Greater Atlanta British Club (as well as the Vintage Japanese Club) to set up a display at the meet, so we are hoping for a large British turn out....see ya there!