How is the membership futures elsewhere?

[TMarony]

I was just signing off and happened to
look at our home page and what do I
see;

"The club is open to anyone with an interest
in antique motorcycles. All makes are
welcome, thirty five years old or older."

Whats interesting is first, "All makes" and
secondly 35 yrs which I take to mean is
prior to 1971. If so, Hrdly your comments are
well taken. And my interest in 60's
BSA's, Triumph's, or even Honda's
fit the above.

[LouieMCman]

I think the 35 year rule is great for the judging, you have to have a cut off date. As far as the parts vending goes, there always seems to be newer parts around and as long as they are mixed in with 35 year parts I haven't seen any problems. I see the 35 year rule for parts like the "NO DOG RULE"or the "NO AlCOHOL RULE" at the meets.
As far as the Jap bikes coming....they are already here. Check out the judging results at the larger meets and you'll find a lot of sixties and seventies bikes that are mostly not american. And unfortunatly less and less teens and twenties bikes.
What I find weird is that I have been riding Thirties and Forties bikes since the eighties and I actually feel guilty when I ride my 1972 BMW into an antique meet. It just doesn't feel right to ride a four speed, foot shift, electric start bike at an antique meet (or anywhere for that matter).
I think that as long as there is enough parking, that any motorcycle should be able to ride in to the meets.

[exeric]

TMarony, nobody is quetioning the 35 year rule or non American bikes perse. The issue is youth involvement, and how to bring in younger members.

I know this won't make me any new friends but why is everyone so obsessed with getting young people in this club? Are you afraid this won't carry on after we're gone? Do you think young people need antique motorcycles to make their lives fulfilling? Do you think they are just dying to hang around with a bunch of fat old bikers? Are you afraid that there won't be anyone to pay big bucks for these bikes when we want to sell them ?

I know I'm being a smartass but I don't see any reason to worry about the demographics of our membership. It doesn't matter what the officers of this club plan, or whether you try to bring them in, or keep them out. . . . . Youth will take over. I would almost guarantee that in 5 years this forum will be discussing how to get rid of them.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Have we ever done a demographic survey of our members? At least a recent one?

You know with questions like

Age
Location
National membership
Chapter membership
How long a Member
How many events they attend
How they learned of the AMCA
Bike(s) Marque(s) owned

I'd be interested to see the statistics. Hrdly

[INLINE4NUT]

You all are getting way to hostile!!! Please lets all be civil!!!I know this is a passion!
Ive got a few things Id like to say myself!
On many points I find myself agreeing with CO,yes WE are getting older I myself am past 55! Still young by some standards in our club! Why does the club have to always get bigger??? My Good God they only made so many old Bikes and only so many people can own them,I for one would love to have more,but cannt afford them,Ive been priced right out of the market!!! But even if I dont have one left in ten years I will still love the excitement envolved at a meet that is not filled with other than vintage American MotorCycles! If you just consider the young offspring of ours then you have nothing to worry about, the young ones will come if that is what they WANT !! If we cheapen the Club to a lower status it will in the long run wear it self out! We do not need to keep growing every year!
As for Harmony,what a shame!! I remember when it was fun to go there! Why did I stop going??? One year while there I saw the poorest display of what the Club stands for ,People stealing from vendors then taking a bat to a persons vechile when they diidnt know for sure the person in question was the culperit! Shameful indeed! I didnt join the club for this kind of behavior! I stopped going there two years later.Enough said!
Diversity,Diversity,Diversity, Hawg Wash! If I want that Ill just go to a local Harley shop !!! I want old neat stuff, most old car shows are that way and for agood reason!
My biggest gripe with all this now I guess it isnt so much about where weve been,what we cherish,its show me the MONEY!!!And this is only my rant,this train of thought will do us all in !
I love old things from a time lost in OUR COUNTRY I will continue to ride and enjoy things from that time period,even from far away places but if it becomes a hassel to go to AMCA meets Ill just ride with friends with asmile on my ugly face,I hope you all enjoy ridding also! Thank you for listening to me !

[c.o.]

I'm definitely not saying that I'm prejudiced against any motorcycle or it's riders. I do however have a preference and that happens to be early American iron. I can even appreciate some of the British machines. My trusty BSA (well not always ) has taken me many miles over the years. I've ridden it many places, (some at a considerable distance) just to see early American iron. I didn't mind parking seperately just to see what I came for. The 35 year rule already includes many machines of other flavors. I don't know why the rules should be bent just to attract more people. I personally don't want to wade through tons of newer bikes just to catch a glimpse of the early stuff. I didn't say that it should be American only but the 35 year rule seems fair enough. Although if I had it my way (and I don't obviously) it would be pre-70. My favorite bikes are pre-50's. These are just my opinions and I'm not making any challenges to those with other ideas. I just know what I like and why I joined this great club.

Hrdly, I've already seen some swapmeets turn into big disappointments. E-bay has somewhat had an effect on this, but that's already been covered in another thread. Your always going to have the people who seek change and the ones who hang on to the past with all their might. I guess I'm one of the hanger onners

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Hey INLINE4NUT...I don't think anyones getting hostile...we're just BS'ing. Winters approaching and the philosophy (BS) is beginning to fly

I don't know about the incident you mention with the bat. I'm sure it was an isolated one. I've never experienced anything but good times and some friendly ribbing between marque owners at any of the Harmony events I've attended since the early eighties.

Funny thing about this bringing in the younger newbees...If it isn't at least somewhat important, then how come we have a Youth Coordinator? (I think that's the title) Who's goal I think is to bring in and work with younger guys and gals interested in old motorcycles.

I don't think its about trying to get everyone with a bike to join, but more like letting them know we're here. That there's a Club with many talented 'Old' wrenches who like old bikes and welcomes the Newbee and inexperienced first timers (even an Old first timer) vintage bike restorer/enthusiast/motorcyclists regardless of their marque preferance. If you think we're well known amongst the general riding public, just ask a few motorcyclists next time your in a crowd of them and see how many guys say yeah.

Of course we know all this already and we talk about this and that through years of dealing with the AMCA. We're not newbees.

I was just trying to see things thru the newbees eyes. What's he thinking when he goes to a show for the first time. Does he feel like he'll fit TODAY, with his late model 'old' bike? Or will he not come back because he thinks his later year Triumph 750 or Honda 750 won't measure up to all the cool old restored Indians and Harleys. When he looks around the vending field will there be at least some showing of British and Japanese parts? Will there be other members genuinely interested in the same bikes? Will there be members they can share info with or look over his bike with a critical eye towards real knowledgeable help to point out in-correct items or paintwork?

New kid comes into the ball court and wants to play stick ball. He's never played it before...do we invite him to play or tell him to come back when he's learned how?

Your bikes only 25 years old and needs a lot of work and parts...come back when it 35 years old and restored. Meanwhile please join our club...we have a great magazine.

Point is we can't just say we're about ALL Marques in one sentence then criticise members for wanting to include those
marque when they want to bring them in on a larger scale.

Some guys don't want any briitish or japanese bikes in the club. They want to keep it American and pre 50's. They'll argue for a 35 year rule while their marque is predominately displayed on the field, but would just as soon have a firm cut-off year in sometime in the thirtie, forties or ? whatever year their bike makes the cut.

For me the AMCA is all bike marques and as big and diverse as it can grow with as many chapters and meets as we can put together and effectively run so that we can look forward to more then just one or two shows spaced out hundreds of miles apart.

Diversiity is the spice of life...holds true with women...blondes, brunnettes and redheads and the same for motorcycles.... Hrdly

[INLINE4NUT]

HD thats the kind of diversity even I understand
Semper-Fi !!!!!

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

'Semper Fi' my friend..... Hrdly USMC 73-77

[Magic]

Oh God...I started this thread and have been working to much to check it! Yes Winter is coming upon us and it's my grouchy time too! Web site links could help with younger potential intrests, we may already have that..But I don't know. So many wise words were spoken here as I read all of them. I to came here with no one showing me the way or giving me a reason about 20 yrs ago although I always knew of the Perkiomen meet in Oley as I'm close by. I'm a wrench and found that this is my way of expressing my love of Motorcycles as many of you all do. I've been at other meets on the east coast only. Anyway I'll leave on this one Semper-Fidelis 75-81 & 87-91 Reserve I never said I was the sharpest tool in the shed! LOL Keep on Riding.

[jke]

I currently own 4 Knuckleheads non of which are judgeable machines. Over the years I have very much enjoyed riding my "incorrect" machines to various AMCA meets. One of the greatest experiences that I recall is meeting and listening to such luminaries as Doc Pat and Connie Schlemmer speak of their motorcycling experiences from days long before my 1949 birthdate. First hand testimony such as theirs is being taken by the Grim Reaper at alarming but predictable rates. Encouraging Rider/owners to come and hear these priceless tales is one aspect of club membership that we should all take seriously. It seems to me that back in the mid 1980's when I joined, the mind set of most of the membership was somewhat more liberal toward individuals . After a time of some controversy the club brought about the acceptance of the Period Modified class. At that time there were some members who feared that the meets would be taken over by filthy beared animals on death machines. Suprise ! It never came close to happening. Motorcycling had it's roots sunk with the idea of providing cheap transportation for all. To look down our collective nose at the non-American marque doesn't make sense to me. Let us not allow a self destructive form of eliteism cause our great club to wither and die. Welcome all brands and vintages at the gates! Segregation doesn't work. John K. Endrizzi #2926

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

The new magazine has just this moment arrived in my mailbox....WOW...great cover shot of an Indian 'bobber' with more inside plus an absolute perfect example of a British 'Cafe Racer' with lots of great other stock and restored bikes as well....

Now that's what we're about! 'REAL' world motorcycles covering the history of all marques and the many variants in Factory Stock, Period Racing and backyard Street Modifieds & Custom machines.

From the moment the first Harley's, Indians. Excelsiors and so-on Factory motorcycles came out...they went racing and that means 'Modifying' the stock bikes and that my friends meant 'Privateer' backyard and garage mechanics like Burt Munro breaking records and that's why customs amd bobbers are as much apart of motorcycling history and our Club as any factory correct restoration will ever be. Hrdly