Effect of eBay on AMCA swap meets

[koanes]

I think it is completely unreasonable to include your travel costs in your total parts cost. To follow that line of thinking you would also have to figure out what the home costs that you shelter your computer with. If going to a meet is a chore, that you accept, in order to purchase parts, you should stay home and pay your internet bill. If you go to a meet to enjoy the old motorcycles and the comraderie with people that have the same passion for the machines, and accept that you may not find that elusive part, now thats what I call vacation.

[brian_groff]

Originally posted by koanes
I think it is completely unreasonable to include your travel costs in your total parts cost. To follow that line of thinking you would also have to figure out what the home costs that you shelter your computer with. If going to a meet is a chore, that you accept, in order to purchase parts, you should stay home and pay your internet bill. If you go to a meet to enjoy the old motorcycles and the comraderie with people that have the same passion for the machines, and accept that you may not find that elusive part, now thats what I call vacation.

Here here! Well put!

[bobdo]

I agree, Brian.
I have not met you guys that I know of, but I'd like to.
I don't mean to imply that Mr. Koanes falls into this category, I don't know enough or want to judge, but a lot of people lean toward the practical approach rather than the passionate approach to bikes. When it comes to bikes, I'm passion driven. I can respect both views, at times I wish I had more sense, or is that cents?
Happy trails...

[darrylri]

Originally posted by koanes
I think it is completely unreasonable to include your travel costs in your total parts cost. To follow that line of thinking you would also have to figure out what the home costs that you shelter your computer with. If going to a meet is a chore, that you accept, in order to purchase parts, you should stay home and pay your internet bill. If you go to a meet to enjoy the old motorcycles and the comraderie with people that have the same passion for the machines, and accept that you may not find that elusive part, now thats what I call vacation.

I hate to say this but your argument is specious. For most people, they pay for their home and their computer and their internet bills regardless of whether they are at home and using these things or not. Does your mortgage go on vacation when you do? So, your costs to travel to a meet just went UP, because you're still paying all those bills even while away. Might as well throw in the car payment and the utility bills, too, not to mention the cost of painting the house now and then.

However, we all are in this because we enjoy doing it, right? ("Passion" is definitely a word that applies to me.) We go to meets because we also enjoy seeing the other bikes, talking to other owners, and possibly meeting up with friends we don't see otherwise. The additional "feature" that you can see parts and handle them in person, and possibly even bargain the price down a bit (vs. the cost on eBay that only goes up) might well be a positive thing. But is your only motive in travelling there to get parts? My ability to buy parts on the internet doesn't affect my interest in going to a meet.

[koanes]

Gee Darryl, I had to look the word specious up. By definition, you may be right, it was simply my unsophisticated way of making a point. And I believe there may be some small measure of merit in my statement none the less. I enjoy the parts hunt, eBay or wherever, but I like to think most AMCA members attend the meets for other reasons as well.

[bobdo]

Sorry Mr. Koanes, I meant to say I agree with you & Mr. Groff. It was Mr. Smith that appears to be a "practical" type person.
Wow, "specious" is an interesting word. I also had to look it up. I thought it was a typo for special or spacious or something. Anyway, diversity is what makes life interesting.

[darrylri]

Originally posted by koanes
Gee Darryl, I had to look the word specious up.

Well, there you have it: I'm a proud graduate of the LA Unified Schood District. ;-)

Irrespective of the use of sesquipedalian words, I think that we all agree that the costs for attending a meet are ameliorated by more than just the bargains we find.

Just remember: eschew obfuscation!

[koanes]

Well, I'm feeling expansive today, so I will allow that all of us, are all right, about everything. Still I am fairly certain that I have indeed been obfuscated. I will keep a closer watch for that treatment in the future.

[darrylri]

"I know that you believe that you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure that you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."

--Alan Greenspan

Actually, this has been attributed to a lot of people

Now, if I could just find a way to work antidisestablishmentarianism into this, it will be perfect.

;-)

[Ohio-Rider]

You guys are begining to scare me......

[axle]

a simple response that i use is "if you can get more for it on ebay why isn't it on ebay"? allthough sort of a snotty comment it usually quiets sellers and you bring them back to reality.
just my 2 cents.

[Jim M]

Two years ago at Davenport, I made the mistake of telling a vendor that I can find that shovelhead wheel cheaper on e-bay. I was almost the first person to be beat to death by an angry mob at Davenport. I learned my lesson to be respectful real quick.

[exeric]

I try to vend at every meet I go to. I have a storage container that contains my usual junk and then I always try to toss in a few new pieces of junk to make it interesting. I don't have the selection of good stuff like I had in the past but i think it is important to bring something. My point is, share the wealth. We have way too many hoarders in this club and God will tell you that you can't take it with you. Everyone has something they aren't going to need, so give someone else the opportunity to use that junk you have in a mouldy old box. As for Ebay, I think it's a wash as far as prices go. Meet prices are just as high, or low. Ebay is just another tool to find that missing part. The meets offer those intangible things that make this club work, so even if there wasn't a swap meet they would still be worth going to. SHARE YOUR JUNK !

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Yes....by all means support your local and neighboring States AMCA Chapters!! We sure would have liked to see some of you guys at Harmony this year!!

Yeah it rained...again...even after we changed the date! Sure it ****s and casts a shadow on the Meet...but you deal with it with a smile on your face....get a little wet and be glad your around old motorcycles...even if they are dirty.

But what really casts a long shadow on a small event like Harmony is the lack of our fellow Members support. Those few hardy souls that seem to be there year after year doing all the hard work it takes to put on the meet would never think about not going because of some inclimate weather....or dissappointing You. They go and they support their Chapter and Club!!

It truly is not about making money......its about standing under one of the many Harmony barns roof in between the rain showers....BSing with old friends and new ones....checking out the bikes......taking a ride on the local back roads....finding something of use they can purchase from one or more of the dedicated member vendors that showed up to take back home.

Hell you can always go on e'bay anytime of the year day or night looking and reading in one dimension....But at an AMCA event Its the experiance of the day...a 3-D filled day of sight and smell that only comes around just once a year.

Besides...who the hell else is happy to see your ugly mugs and listen to your BS anyway!

Support all our Chapters events. Hrdly

[Magic]

Times change as well as the people and nothing stays the same forever. As the membership grows and has so does the need for parts. The meet deals are as said hands on face to face and many of those selling at meets yes sell on ebay and it's often nice to meet them in person. Those same people often are honest sellers on ebay and enable the restoration of many M/C's to continue throughout the year and not only on scheduled meets. Ebay has helped me continue work yearround that normally would be difficult especially since I ride my oldies and sometimes things break and I want the correct OEM part not aftermarket. Yes Ebay changed the way the sellers sell at the meets as they know there is a larger than life market out there for them! I've had an average of 1 in 10 not so good deals on ebay and that's the down side ofcourse. Keep Riding