Informal Survey

[RSmith]

Informal Survey

I enjoy another hobby that utilizes vintage gas motors .... large scale radio control models. Our classic model engine group, the "Society of Antique Modelers", has found the ranks of its membership dwindling each and every year, due to the fact that time passes and modelers are becoming older and retiring from the hobby.

Also, our "younger" modelers have historically shown little interest in engines that were bought and flown 3 or 4 decades before they were even born. Modelers in their 40's & 50's today can relate much better to the model engines that they learned to fly with in school yards around the country during their youth.

Bikers seem to be the same. The bikes I grew up with, in the 60's, are vastly different than the bikes from th 20's & 30's. I can remember seeing a handful of Indians, on the roads growing up in Detroit, but none of the others I enjoy viewing in museums now.

I am always impressed when I meet a veteran AMCA member who describes owning and operating a fleet of 1930's - 1940's bikes, that are valued at over $150,000 - $400,000+ all together, sitting in their garage.

When soldiers came home from serving in Viet Nam, we bought Honda 750's, Kawasaki triples, Triumphs, or maybe a Sportster.
On a servicemans pay in 1969, that's all we could afford, and those were the bikes we made OUR memories on. Today, those are the 35 year+ old bikes many of us can now afford again in 2005 ... this time for AMCA restoration projects.

I agree with the previous comments and the thoughts expressed here and at the discussions at Mid-Ohio this year. The imports ARE coming to the AMCA. In a couple of months another page on the calendar will turn and it will be January, 2006. That date will allow yet another "crop" of imports to participate ... the 1971's. Those motorcycles are what flooded bike showrooms back then and they were owned/ridden by the majority of "new" riders in those years. Thirty five years later ... the 17 year olds of the 60's are now in their 50's and they want to enjoy the A.M.C.A. too, but they bring with them their own set of motorcycle memories from a different era.

Many of us enjoy going to "Vintage" bike auctions, presented by J. Wood, or Mid-American auctions. Just take a look at the next Mid-American Vintage Motorcycle Auction, scheduled for September 17, 2005, in Arlington, Texas - http://www.midamericaauctions.com/sh...ion.asp?ID=62.
Of the 91 bikes listed last week for that auction, 85% are Japanese and other imports.

The veterans of the AMCA have told me about the beginning years and how our rules were created to allow all motorcycles of the appropriate vintage. As the lucky owner of a Harley, a Bill Hoard restored 1968 Bonneville and a 1966 Suzuki X-6 Hustler, I hope we continue to grow and enjoy all bikes.

[DOC HARLEY]

SURVEY

In Reply to the 1st post....... You are not the only one dissapointed by the cover. I choose to put those issues out of reach to others, but then again, thats my choice. I also chose to stop buying AMCA calenders for the same reasons. You wanted honest opinons from members. In 1965 I was working at the local bike shop which sold hondas, and along side my service desk was parked my MOTORCYCLE, which was a 1955 Panhead. When costumers came to pick up there bikes, they always checked out my MOTORCYCLE. In the late 60's when choppers were the rule, I parked my streched out and chromed MOTORCYCLE next to my service desk. All the customers checked it out. They didn't seem interested in the new 450honda that just came out. It was a fast bike and could beat most Harleys. They all said the same thing......If I could afford one............ $1150 for a new sporster or $595 for a new honda bike. Then the energy crunch came in the earley 70's. What a boom for the cheap bike and MOTORCYCLE market. They were being sold faster then we could put them together. By then a 30.50 scout MOTORCYCLE was sitting next to my desk. All orignal complete with oil puddle beneath. The jap bikes were really being dumped on us by now and there were a lot of them. Even ELVIS road (or at least posed for) a 305 honda. I'm getting tired of this hunting & pecking so i'll come to the point. Just as the jap bikes were dumped on us back then , I see that they are being dumped on us again but in a different way. I have always considered jap bikes as just that. bikes. They were well built and served the purpose. Again this is just my opinion. MOTORCYCLES are MOTORCYCLES and bikes are bikes . The last time i looked it was not THE ANTIQUE BIKE CLUB of AMERICA. It was the ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB of AMERICA. No doubt i've stepped on some toes , oh well. This is a survey and the man wanted honest opinions and thats mine. DOC

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Found a pic of the Kawasaki SS650 from the 1960's that I mentioned earlier in this post.

Thought some might like to see what I'm talking about when it comes to interesting Japanese motorcycles.

Hrdly

[Elisent]

I've been a mostly Indian collector for quite a few years and attend many of the east coast meets. I have no problem with the Asian bikes. I now own 2 sandcast Honda CB 750s and let me tell you, parts are not that common or cheap. I don't think you have to worry about rows of Asian bikes in the judging field for quite a few years. Those collectors do not feel welcome at our meets. With as many people as I know in the club I knew when I brought a 69 Honda 750 to be judged at Whiterose last year I was in for a major busting from my Indian friends. They even had an intervention for me at dinner at the Jefferson Inn. (it was pretty funny) I know I would have been totally ignored if I was a new member and an Asian only collector. I'm a member of the Vintage Japanese club and the people that collect those bikes seem happy there. They see no need to join the AMCA. Points judging? That is blasphomy just like it was with the AMCA years ago. This asian invasion predjeduce is sad. The asian collectors could learn alot about restoring and collecting from our AMCA members. These people have the same passion about thier bikes but the knowledge base is where the AMCA was 25 years ago. Oley was really at least ten years early featuring asian bikes. I thought it was a nice olive branch to invite these collectors in, but most members of our club just arn't ready to accept them and most asian collectors feel like red headed step children at our meets. To chastise the AMCA leadership over this is rediculous. Like the framers of our country the founders of the AMCA seemed to purposely make rules to include not exclude. If it was to be an American only club they would have set it up this way. The 35 year rule wasn't even changed in the 70s when the officers knew what was coming 35 years down the road. I do think the 15 year rule of the VJMC is a little ridiculous. I like the balance in our magazine. Even though I don't collect Triumphs ,I love reading about them. I thought the future collectables article was excellent and like seeing the ocasional asian bike in our magazine. As I see it the board is making a concious effort ,even when many have thier own brand predjudices, to run the club the way it was invisioned by the founders. I compliment them in doing this even when they themselves probably have no interest personally in seeing asian bikes at the meets. There wil not be an asian invasion like the 70s into our club. It will be a trickle. Just my humble opinion. Eli

[KNUCK]

I think the point here is that the real interest in most vintage motorcycles is before 1970 or so, my opinion, as far as antique or classic . The classic car people don't really give a second look to anything much beyond this age. Past this point they are all pretty much cookie cutter cars or bikes. The same would go for antique furniture, or an antique clock. At some point it just isn't interesting. The era of mass production is also a factor. If a cut off is not set pretty soon the club will be watered down. I really do not see people going out to see a 1980 anything in a vintage show. The 80's and 90's are ugly, sorry. You can't please everyone. Start another club called the AMPC, Antique Mass Production Club. Do we really need more than 10,000 members in this club? The AMPC could get to 10,000 easy. I could go on but will stop.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

uh-oh....there's an Italian motorcycle on the front cover of the Winter Antique Motorcycle!!!

Damned those 'I'talians!!!.....GOD HELP US IF THEY EVER DISCOVER AN IRISH BIKE.....

[LouieMCman]

The Winter Issue is out ???

Louie

[exeric]

I just received the winter issue with the Guzzi on the cover. I don't hate Asian bikes or European bikes and it doesn't bother me that our club accepts them and judges them. More power to them, however, this club is overwhelmingly American oriented among the rank and file, and I don't think anyone will deny that. For many club members the magazine is their only access to the club so why do we continue to promote non-American bikes through our magazine? I believe the answer is, some one in the thin air of power in this club believes this is how you market our club to potential "new members". There seems to be this fear that the motorcycles we love will not appeal to new members. Well, I say, "Who cares !"

The reason the majority of AMCA members love American motorcycles is because they are beautiful, unique, rare, rich with history, valuable, and American. If it has to be explained you'll never understand. . . . I hate to think this old adage applies to the officers of our club.

I think trying to "market" our club to young people by putting contemporary Asian and European motorcycles on the cover is poorly thought out at best, and insulting at worst. Let's be honest here, if you were looking at motorcycle magazines at Barnes and Nobel, would our magazine inspire you to join the club? Let alone, fork out $7 bucks.

Most everyone I know in this club got motorcycle fever like you get the flu. They didn't get someone to sneeze in their face, they were just minding their own business when it fell on them like a ton of bricks. New members will find the club, so why don't we just get back to the motorcycles we are really passionate about and fulfill our little facet of the huge motorcycle hobby. I believe that's what we can give to a new member.

[VPH-D]

As a very new AMCA member, I agree that "classic" refers to pre-1969 motorcycles or cars, the last of the magneto Sportsters and generator Shovels. I attended a non AMCA bike show recently, and enjoyed the stock English bikes along with the H-Ds. I can't recall if there were any Japenese bikes in the show, because I would not spend any time on them anyway. I, too, was not thrilled at the cover of the last magazine, and found the rider's smug look offensive. Just another opinion.
Thanks
VPH-D

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

For me its not a problem. I joined the AMCA because of the diverse motorcycle marques.

I remember my first time at a AMCA club meet. That was the Colonial Chapters meet in Harmony many years ago. I can't remember the year but I do remember that what attracted me most about the Colonial meet was the diversity of marques on the field.

Having owned older American, British and yes even a couple Japanese motorcycles (three Kawasaki SS650 from the early sixties come to mind) at the same time, I said to myself, now here's a Club I could identify with.

As always, I didn't join right away, but would later around the mid-eighties as I wanted to take advantage of the Swap meet privelages and camping facilities at the other out of State chapters that I was traveling to. But the key I think for me to join was really the feeling I got from all the people there that regardless of what marque motorcycle you were interested in, you were made to feel welcomed to be there. The simple reaction from other attendees would confirm this as others would come over to you and check out your bike, parts, trinkets and share their stories about something or other that related to that old odd-ball bike sitting next to you.

Long story short, twenty something years later, I still never tire of attending these meets. And nothing compares to turning a corner on a swap meet row and seeing an old Italian, British, German even an old Japanese motorcycle in some state of restoration or another in amongst all the Harleys and Indians.

If I wanted to belong to an American Motorcycle only club, then I would seek one out and join it. For me the AMCA is about the diversity of the mechanicals among the more common machinery...or something like that.


Hrdly

[jeg]

I personally don't give a crap about the name on the side of the tank. It's all about what's interesting to me. I have an american two british one German and several jap bikes. They are very nice condition & i ride them. What happens if the club membership were to pass the 100,000 mark. Thay are not enough of the old american bikes to go around. That being said the club cannot grow any larger without other brands. Does the club need to grow? Absolutely! Without it the club will die. I'm 50 now & have b
een to a couple of final club meetings because they did not grow.Our local british club is in decline (this i know as i was the prez for the last 3 years & it is one of the largest in the east) simply because the guy's 40 & younger did not grow up on these bikes. I'll shut up now - got to work on my chief

[Baytown]

AMCA

I live in Australia, own 2 American bikes and one German, and most probably, won't get the chance to go to too many US based AMCA meetings, so can't comment on tribalism. S'pose it's no different to over here with the majority of the HD (Evo, Twin Cam) crowd ignoring the old iron, mostly cause they have no idea what they're looking at, or the effort involved .)
However, I've been a member of the club for 5 years, solely due to the superb magazine, (excusing the reproduction quality of the Winter 2005 issue) and would suggest that if people aren't interested in features on bikes from other countries, just don't read them.
I personally would rather see US origin bikes as well, however, appreciate the effort put in on non US machines almost as much.
The club is for antique bikes, from around the world, and as long as the magazine maintains the normal standard of excellence, they will continue to get my membership fee.
Just my 2 cents.


Ken.