Informal Survey

[indianut]

Am I the only one who is more than a little dissapointed at a Suzuki being on the cover of the magazine that the Antique Motorcycle Club of America publishes? Anyone who has been to an AMCA meet can plainly see that the people who bring the import bikes keep to themselves and it seems like they are only there as a means to try and get trophies? I am not saying that these bikes are not Historically significant, they are, to the people who care about them. I am just willing to bet that if were up to a vote the overwhelming majority of Members would like for the club to be exclusive to American Motorcycles. There are many clubs specific to Imported Motorcycles. It seems like this club is trying to be run like a business, not a Motorcycle Club. Also I find it hard to believe that after reading over the list of vehicles in attendance at the Oley meet, that the #2 Most Unique was a Honda 400!! Give me a break. This may not be Politically Correct, but I REALLY want an HONEST opinion from other Members. Just look at this web-site at how long it has been, the # of hits, and the frequency of interest in the Import Section. The INTEREST just is NOT THERE! The argument of affordability also I feel is invalid, as there are literally thousands of Softails and Road Kings out there and for less then the cost of one of them you can buy a Chief or Panhead. I feel that without a cut-off date the club will just be watered down to the point where a Honda Trail 70 will be Judged! OH wait...we're already there. By the way, I own a Vintage Honda and a Vintage B.M.W.

[Barry]

I have to agree with you 100%, lets keep it American.

[Jack_Hester]

Indianut -

My latest issue just came in the mail, today. I'll have to agree with you. There are plenty of sites that cater to the imports, and their historic contribution to the sport. But, I tend to put magazines back on the shelf, if they spend too much time on them. And, don't even pick them up, if they are on the cover. It's just not what I'm interested in. Maybe the AMCA should be renamed the AMCI, for the imports. Maybe I've stepped on some toes, but I pay good money for this membership, and really expect to see old American Iron on and between the covers.

Jack

[41knuck]

Unfortunately, what is happening to this great country is happening to this club. We have to appease the masses and be politically correct doing it.

[INLINE4NUT]

To some extent we have already been down this road and the people in charge are all for a bigger club, I too agree with you people but dont expect things to change ! I am very UNHAPPY to see this for our great club,but I guess its to be ! Smile and enjoy it while we can !

[Paps]

Everyone knows my feelings on this subject. Nothing wrong with the 35 year limit but most of the 35 year limit bikes from the past are well known for existing more than twice that amount of time as far as manufactures go. If I build a bike tomorrow and it ends up being my only year of production, whether the bike is 1cc or 1500cc, junk or quality, will my scoot be eligible to compete with the endless years of the vintage past originals???? I believe this is where the discrepancy is. Harley Davidson and Indian have been around forever, along with several others. These bikes fit the 35 year classification. Paps

[INLINE4NUT]

Well it is nice to see people are responding to this topic although I dont believe anyone in charge is listening or cares about the masses or what they think ...but none the less its a good topic!lets hear some more!!!

[indianut]

INLINEFOURNUT I was hoping for more response. So far only 10% of the people who viewed this thread have responded. I truly believe that many people are so hung up on P. C. that they worry about their 'Club Standing' to much to voice their own opinion! C'mon guys, we don't even care if your opinion is different from ours, we just want to hear it!

[darrylri]

Well, let me offer a dissenting view, then. I am interested in BMWs; I have 7 of them from 1928 to 2002, and 4 of them meet the 35 year cutoff (I'm just stating this so you can see where I'm coming from).

I'm a relatively new member (2 years) and I haven't yet been able to attend a road run/meet, though I hope to this fall. From the first issue of the club's bulletin, it was quite clear to me where the interest was centered. That's ok, I find it a bit refreshing to see more information about bikes that I simply don't know very much about.

Do you really feel that threatened that there will be a flood of imports into the club, now that the "Japanese Invasion" years are starting to come into range? Was there a similar concern when the big British bike years of the 50s and 60s started to be valid for judging? And since the judging seems to be a separate affair for each bike, does the intro of more imports really affect your bike's judging?

If you find the folks with bikes from other brands a bit standoffish, perhaps it's because they (like me, for example) don't have the depth of background on the specifics of Harley and Indian tech that you do, and therefore really have little to contribute to the usual parking lot chatter.

Looked at from the other side, I could easily talk you to sleep about the minor variations and subtle model changes of BMWs through the years, who supplied magnetos and horns, what the model naming is about, and the like.

[Pete Gagan]

Greetings All:
You must bear in mind, that the name of our Club is the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, not the Antique American Motorcycle Club. Three of the four founders owned British motorcycles- Ted Hodgdon a '14 BSA, Henry Wing Sr. a 1927 Douglas, and Henry Wing Jr. a 1927 Scott. The Club was originally patterned after the British VMCC which was founded in 1946.
My first old bike was a 1912 Indian which I acquired in 1956. It was newer than a 1960 Honda is today. Most of us wish to own the machines we lusted after when we were young, and for younger members, a lot of those bikes happen to be from the land of the rising sun.
I am an old fossil, and to me they are modern. However, I can't stop the clock, let alone turn it back. Give the young guys a break!
Pete Gagan, AMCA President.

[cwdavis]

Informal Survey

Gee; after reading these posts it's surely not too difficult to understand why as Indianut said; "the import bike people keep to themselves". With the warm welcome offered by so many of the members, it's a wonder they don't just walk right over, say Hello, and ask if you'd like a closer look at their machines.

I'm not particularly interested in Japanese bikes, but lots of nice folks are. The name of our club is the Anitque Motorcycle Club of America, not The Antique American Motorcycle Club. I assume the founders picked the name intentionally so as to include machines from around the world. Maybe we could try to be as broad minded.

[len]

Hmmmm

The Antique American Motorcycle Club. Got a nice ring to it. Only been a member for 1 year. Love the magazine but I to was shocked at the cover. To me the bike looked to new. I always let my buddies look through the magazine but I really thought I might hide this one from them knowing the razzing I would take. I know times change and I guess we got to change with it but I wish they would have eased us into it not a cover shot right off the bat! Im trying to change my ways but I am a die hard old harley fanatic. Man I even enjoyed the stories about the British bikes. I guess antique to me is something over 50 years old.

[len]

Hey wait a minute. I am an antique!

[INLINE4NUT]

Mr President with all due respect to your position, I have a few points to ponder,if you will idulge me! One, this I believe is the second time youve pointed out to us that it is the Antique Motor Cycle Club of America and not AntiqueAmerican Motorcycle Club point taken! second you make mention of the fact that the founding fathers had other than US made MCs in their collection,thats fine but what was the focus of the Club and their collections?? It just seems that we are getting to much of other than what WE want all of a sudden! I have talked at differant meets with quite a few fellow members and they all seem to be saying things that are along these lines.... maybe just a little at a time would be a better way to come across! It would give us all a little more room to take it all in! The ONE thing Ive always liked about our meets is not having to deal with anything but old time parts,lately thats changing to some extent also,I realize all things change and we need new blood and this is a end to our means, I also did like the father/son picture reading thier bike to show in the mag,their faces said it all so I wouldnt want to take that away from ANYONE! Some changes take more time and I still think we need to proceed with caution!
When you took ofice I felt good that you took the time to talk to us all at the meets now I am wondering if your taking the time to listen. Ohhh and one other thing while Im on it dont use that oldfart thing we see you every issue on bikes and that loks like a kid to me ha!ha!your only as old as you feel !! As for giving the young kids a chance?? their turn will come soon enough Thanks for hearing ALL of us out.

[Paps]

I can see all points from opinions given but I am still in a bit of shock maybe over what I see as early submission of machines whose roots are young in my mind. I could except a Rikio in any and all judging but I have difficulty viewing a late 60's and early 70's Honda etc. in the same class. I don't know what it is like in all parts of the country or the world for that matter but here The bike bone yards are full of those machines and their parts are priced with the weight of scrap metals. You won't find the traditionally judgable scooter in a bone yard. Many a folk around my neck of the woods have barn fulls of these scooters. Most owners of these scoots ride them to work. Very few even hose them off. Most folks I know hold only use value in them. I guess I am still one of these people. I still think of them the same as I think of my automobiles, just a form of transportation. I find it very difficult to see them in a different light at this time. These bikes take up most of the ad space in the classifieds. 90% of these bikes are running and they go for a few hundred dollars to half a grand depending on condition of course. A friend of mine puts at least one back into original condition monthly. Some are mint but yet he can't get a good return on any of them. Original parts can be found everywhere. Can we say the same about the bikes we usually expect to see at an AMCA meet getting judged ? If only a small fraction of the Japanese bikes were brought for judging, there would be no room for the vintage bikes built by the long enduring or historically known manufactures. Will it come to this? Paps