Davenport 2013

[swall]

I am heading out to Davenport this weekened and wondered about road construction. I see there is some work on most of the Interstates getting to and around Davenport. Anybody got tips? Would be coming from the Joliet area and contemplating a ride on U.S. 6 as much as possible.

[fillibuster]

I am heading out to Davenport this weekened and wondered about road construction. I see there is some work on most of the Interstates getting to and around Davenport. Anybody got tips? Would be coming from the Joliet area and contemplating a ride on U.S. 6 as much as possible.

Here's hoping it was all good for you! I (we) skipped out Sat afternoon, headed west at 80 mph, and the only things slowing us down were the wrong-lane slowpokes, and an occasional smokie.... and maybe a yearning to go back for just a few more memories of magic-land!

Even depleted maybe 25% (depletion was evident), D-port is still the biggest, most of it best-est, and this year the HOTTEST, meet of all.
Friends and I even skipped the races cuz of the heat. wimps? maybe, ok? coulda-woulda-shoulda watched them racers disappear and re-enter from that dust cloud; some said they'd never seen anything like that before. ... 97+ humid, no breeze.

[T. Cotten]

Beware of construction zones on your way home, Folks,

For as the Illinois signs warn, speeders will get their tickets in the mail after the cameras catch you.
And I passed three marked State cars in a hundred miles.

It is hard to judge any "depletion" of the Meet, as not only was the usual vendor field full, an entire new west field was opened.

The "depletion" was a matter of personal focus.
The theme was minibikes and scooters, and that's invisible to most of us, naturally.
Its hard to fill a pavilion with mopeds.
And local citizens on parade were thinned out, not only because of the oppressive heat, but the separated race promotion, which got its own share of complaints.

If you are into '60s and '70s imports, the Meet was enormous!

It is still too big for me,...
See you all next year!

....Cotten

[swall]

I rode my '07 BMW and ended up taking U.S. 6 all the way from Morris, IL to Moline. U.S. 6 is an excellent two lane road. Some towns to go through, like Ottawa, LaSalle and Princeton, but they were not much trouble. Some of the electronic signs on bank buildings were showing 100F for the last 30 miles. My personal perception of the meet was that it was smaller than in previous years.

[fillibuster]

Beware of construction zones on your way home, Folks,

For as the Illinois signs warn, speeders will get their tickets in the mail after the cameras catch you.
And I passed three marked State cars in a hundred miles.

It is hard to judge any "depletion" of the Meet, as not only was the usual vendor field full, an entire new west field was opened.

The "depletion" was a matter of personal focus.
The theme was minibikes and scooters, and that's invisible to most of us, naturally.
Its hard to fill a pavilion with mopeds.
And local citizens on parade were thinned out, not only because of the oppressive heat, but the separated race promotion, which got its own share of complaints.

If you are into '60s and '70s imports, the Meet was enormous!

It is still too big for me,...
See you all next year!

....Cotten

I guess if measured against a bumper crop (the biggest d-port) it was a draught, in farmers' standards!
If measured against 2011, my estimate is 75% on the vending and attendance.
The display hall was lucky to have Mike Fullenkamp's display in the SW corner, and the "Del's Bikes". Otherwise, darned few for the exhibit. The hall was barely a quarter of capacity, if that.
I still loved it all!
Hope it's there another hundred years.

[T. Cotten]

Fillibuster!

I guess its a matter if you want corn or beans.

Vintage motorcycling isn't just about the "glory" machines, but also what we grew up on, and remember dearly.

And the theme of the Meet reflected that, even if you, and myself honestly..., couldn't relate.
Would you prefer that only domestic big machines mattered?
They certainly take up more space in the pavilion.

From hearsay, there was perhaps a hundred new booths.
Obviously they were common enthusiasts, and not commercial parts-pirates, for the most part. Where else are you going to find a real deal?

Wouldn't a lone Knuck part in a Honda booth seem like an opportunity?

"The biggest fish are caught in small ponds.".... Hoosed Datwun

....Cotten

[fillibuster]

Fillibuster!

I guess its a matter if you want corn or beans.

Vintage motorcycling isn't just about the "glory" machines, but also what we grew up on, and remember dearly.

And the theme of the Meet reflected that, even if you, and myself honestly..., couldn't relate.
Would you prefer that only domestic big machines mattered?
They certainly take up more space in the pavilion.

From hearsay, there was perhaps a hundred new booths.
Obviously they were common enthusiasts, and not commercial parts-pirates, for the most part. Where else are you going to find a real deal?

Wouldn't a lone Knuck part in a Honda booth seem like an opportunity?

"The biggest fish are caught in small ponds.".... Hoosed Datwun

....Cotten

Tom, I'm not sure we were at the same meet (?). I walked all of the vendor spaces north and west of the race track, and I'm certain that the spaces north of the main drag (the east/west adjacent to the grandstand) were 1/4 vacant, where parking a pickup doesn't count either. Likewise, the people in the lanes were much thinner than I remember. But the display hall on Saturday morning was woefully empty, and not because little scooters take up less space. .. Had more bikes left earlier than I first observed on saturday morning?
Once again I had a great time, and scored some good opportunities that might not have survived my patient shopping, had other buyers been there beating me to the trigger. But in the interest of giving an honest report, I feel that vendor and shopper attendance were only 75% of capacity, ... which is still more than adequate for my entertainment!
A question about the races: What would the meet be without the races?
and another question about the meet: Have the Blackhawk Chapter been using a long-term lease agreement that guarantees the venue in the future? I presume so, but taking it for granted would be foolish, no?

[fillibuster]

Fillibuster!

I guess its a matter if you want corn or beans.

Vintage motorcycling isn't just about the "glory" machines, but also what we grew up on, and remember dearly.

And the theme of the Meet reflected that, even if you, and myself honestly..., couldn't relate.
Would you prefer that only domestic big machines mattered?
They certainly take up more space in the pavilion.

From hearsay, there was perhaps a hundred new booths.
Obviously they were common enthusiasts, and not commercial parts-pirates, for the most part. Where else are you going to find a real deal?

Wouldn't a lone Knuck part in a Honda booth seem like an opportunity?

"The biggest fish are caught in small ponds.".... Hoosed Datwun

....Cotten

Tom, I'm not sure we were at the same meet (?). I walked all of the vendor spaces north and west of the race track, and I'm certain that the spaces north of the main drag (the east/west adjacent to the grandstand) were 1/4 vacant, where parking a pickup doesn't count either. Likewise, the people in the lanes were much thinner than I remember. But the display hall on Saturday morning was woefully empty, and not because little scooters take up less space. .. Had more bikes left earlier than I first observed on saturday morning?
Once again I had a great time, and scored some good opportunities that might not have survived my patient shopping, had other buyers been there beating me to the trigger. But in the interest of giving an honest report, I feel that vendor and shopper attendance were only 75% of capacity, ... which is still more than adequate for my entertainment!
A question about the races: What would the meet be without the races?
and another question about the meet: Have the Blackhawk Chapter been using a long-term lease agreement that guarantees the venue in the future? I presume so, but taking it for granted would be foolish, no?

[T. Cotten]

Fillibuster!

Saturday is the new Sunday, when club members can relax and have their seminars, field games, visit with Bobby Hill and Bill Tuman at the KIWI Indian booth, etc.

I pulled out on schedule at noon, even though there was still a lot more activity than expected. If you didn't get there for Thursday and Friday, you missed it.

....Cotten

[T. Cotten]

And about the races, Folks,

The races are produced separately from the Meet. I have no idea who the promoter is, and the races are not even in last years Meet program. (Haven't read this years...)
Honestly, the majority of folks who come to the Meet aren't that interested anyway, unless they take part.

....Cotten

[fillibuster]

Fillibuster!

Saturday is the new Sunday, when club members can relax and have their seminars, field games, visit with Bobby Hill and Bill Tuman at the KIWI Indian booth, etc.

I pulled out on schedule at noon, even though there was still a lot more activity than expected. If you didn't get there for Thursday and Friday, you missed it.

....Cotten

I was there on Wednesday afternoon! til past dark, and then at 6 a.m. on Thurs! Spent $2000 on thurs.!! (whoopie!!)
Finished spending on Saturday at 11 a.m. , left at 1 pm. Shared a lot of tech talk, learned some things.
My only regret is that I couldn't have endured the races, so stayed in the shade.
Long live the D-port swap meet.

[fillibuster]

Fillibuster!

Saturday is the new Sunday, when club members can relax and have their seminars, field games, visit with Bobby Hill and Bill Tuman at the KIWI Indian booth, etc.

I pulled out on schedule at noon, even though there was still a lot more activity than expected. If you didn't get there for Thursday and Friday, you missed it.

....Cotten

I was there on Wednesday afternoon! til past dark, and then at 6 a.m. on Thurs! Spent $2000 on thurs.!! (whoopie!!)
Finished spending on Saturday at 11 a.m. , left at 1 pm. Shared a lot of tech talk, learned some things.
My only regret is that I couldn't have endured the races, so stayed in the shade.
Long live the D-port swap meet.

[T. Cotten]

I forgot to mention also, Folks,

Dave Despain was the speaker at the Saturday night banquet.
Although I am not a race buff, I do remember him announcing at the Peoria TTs many times.

Another fact of life is that a "smaller" Meet meant more reasonable prices. Its not odd that the disappearance of a few half-million-dollar motor-mansions coincided.

Still, all I could afford were worn-out sprockets.

.....Cotten

[bikerdds]

Davenport 2013

I forgot to mention also, Folks,

Dave Despain was the speaker at the Saturday night banquet.
Although I am not a race buff, I do remember him announcing at the Peoria TTs many times.

Another fact of life is that a "smaller" Meet meant more reasonable prices. Its not odd that the disappearance of a few half-million-dollar motor-mansions coincided.

Still, all I could afford were worn-out sprockets.

.....Cotten

Tom, I agree with you. There were many new venders in the newly opened area. Filled out pretty much to capacity Friday. It was so hot, however, that most folks had little "spark" in their step while looking for stuff including me. It was around high 90's until Saturday morning, when many were all ready leaving for home. Heat can kill a meet almost as much as rain.
There is another VERY ugly spectre raising it's head that could seriously affect all our meets in the near future. Venders are starting to get nailed by a federal task force based on trailer/rig size. The local/state laws and weight limits are not the issue. All based on 10,000 lbs FEDERAL regulation that will severely affect what and how much your vender/dealer can bring to meets in the future. The days when some guys brought the house with them will be over if this is the case. They will have to down size severely. You WILL have to tell them in advance what to bring you in those cases. I feel this will do more to kill our meets than anyone ever could have dreamed of.
It's all about money; like that is some surprise. Amazing how our government cares so much about crap like this and not what really affects the country.
Pick on the little guy. It is easier to get away with.
Not only that, dealers/venders who end up with a large amount of cash or carry it to perhaps buy a pile risk RICO statutes if caught with the money! Technically, that is true for any of us. You get pulled over and found with 25G or more, and you may have a hell of a fight to get it back. Many of us have done that, as this hobby tends to be very cash driven. Trying to get some folks over this will be next to impossible.
Other than that, had a GREAT time with friends. Marty

[rwm]

3-4 years ago the ohio d.o.t. pulled me over on my way to wauseon. i made the mistake of telling i was headed to the fulton county fair grounds. with in a week of the swap meets end an application to collect ohio state sales tax was in my mail box. i mailed it back to them blank. with it was a letter telling them that the $300 in tickets their d.o.t gave me had soured me on doing business in ohio. i explained to the revenue dept. that i turned around at the first exit and headed home. for about 2 or 3 months a few more letters showed up . i just ignored them. eventually the letters stop coming. your right at some point these states will want their cut of yours.