Waseon

[portagepan]

First off, Waseon was great. I don't have a bike for judging, and my volunteer hours were Fri. and today, and I am not going to the banquet, so I left this afternnon. Saw an old friend and got a real good deal on parts from him. Had hundreds of dollars in my pocket to spend, but even this morning, a LOT of the vendors were already gone. Had parts I had picked out to deal a little on today, but they were already closed up, so........... Something has to be done about this. There is no excuse to be leaving Sat. morning. What about all the people who can't get there Fri? If you are vending, don't you want to sell something? If they don't want to stay, then they don't need to come, as far as I am concerned. This is the worst I have seen. WE need to get real about htis, or it will kill the meets as far as parts go. If we just want to go and have fun that is fine, but don't advertise it as a weekend swap meet. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
Mike

[Chris Haynes]

Mike,
I heard that it was raining this morning.

[portagepan]

It rained hard sometime during the night, but it was just a sprinkle here and there until I left this afternoon. Not the first time. This is Ohio, not California. So if it isn't sunny, we just close? This isn't Hollywood. We don't make our own weather. Maybe we should just all sell our bikes and stay home. I respect peoples choice on what they do, but the AMCA has to look at this, and decide if there is some way to make the meets better for us common folk, that just hope to get a chance to that part to keep our bikes on the road, or finish a resto.
Mike

[Robert Luland]

Mike, I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve slopped though the mud in the pouring rain vender by vender. This is my hobby and my love. What ever it takes to find that gem. I’ll be at Hebron next month. Rain gear and all. Rock on brother! Bob

“Any man that forsakes freedom for security deserves neither.”
1 800 NRA JOIN

1948 FL
1957FL
1960FLH
1965 XLCH
2006 FLHT
Five more in crates with good paper!
Restore for life, Restore for the next generation! O the hell with this. Just save something of what used to be America.
Beagle! Beagle!

[INLINE4NUT]

MY!MY! Now we are going to force vendors to stay??? I just dont think that will work! If you pay for a spot and decide to leave so be it! your loss! They will be else where and if that part that they had did not get bought then you have another shot at it. has the hobby become a bunch of cry babies! Go to the meet to enjoy it if you get lucky and find something you need all the better, if not well you had a good time! I am not posting this to flame any of you so have a great day and do what I did yesterday rode my MC and forgot ALL my troubles!!!!

[portagepan]

That's fine. If the vendors are just going to be there on Fri. put it on the flyers and web announcements, so people looking for parts don't bother coming Sat.
Mike

[bobdo]

I look forward to Wauseon every year, to date its the only meet I've gone to due to proximity & lack of vacation time. I had a nice ride in on Saturday until I got around Sandusky & the sky dumped. I shouldn't admit this on the internet, but It rained so hard visiblity was near helmet visor distance, I actually missed the exit by 22 miles! I've never ridden so far on an empty tank. I drafted behind a semi to get to the next exit. I still had fun. I also was very dissappointed at the venders leaving. One in particular left early Saturday & I had hundreds waiting to hand him. I left not buying anything that I could find that I needed. I give the vendors a lot of credit, they drive a long way, pay out a lot in fuel, set up, tear down, & drive home. That takes some money, time, & effort. I don't blame them if they don't want to have their parts fill up with water. Ya, it was disappointing
but I'd do it again instead of working on the house. I need to take a vacation day for Friday.
Happy trails, Bob

[portagepan]

I looked at my post on this, and I hope I don't sound bitter or anything. BUT, this has come up before, and anything that causes dissent in the club should be looked at. We are still in a sort of democracy, aren't we? I sold some parts last year, at my friends table, and made a real good sale of a seat that I almost would of given away, I disliked it so much. That was late Sat. afternoon. The person had seen it the day before, but was too busy with their own booth, so they left a message with my friends kid, who was at the table and I got back to them on Sat. They were happy, and so was I. If you have to fly in on a jet early, from Australia or somewhere to get the best parts, hhmmmmmm.............. It would seem, if we lose the fun and closeness of members to the dollar sign, there goes the ship. I personally didn't care if I got anything this year, but it sure is fun to look, and talk to people.
Mike

[Chris Haynes]

Spending a few bucks on a cover for your space seems like a good investment. Umbrellas are cheap too. I remember when it started pouring at Davenport a few years ago I went across the street to the shopping center and bought a five dollar umbrella and continued my shopping. No Hollywood magic, just common sense. Why leave and lose sales when a little preperation would save your day? :-)

[exeric]

I vend every year at Eustis and other meets (if we drive). I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that it's a lot more fun to buy than to sell. Selling is hard work. Loading/unloading, surly customers that brow-beat you on price, too much rain, too much sun and stuck at your spot waiting for some cheap _____ to get his wallet out. On the other hand, you have the miserable vendor that thinks his sportster speedometer is worth as much as a Corbin. That's the wonderful world of capitalism. I agree with Mike that the vendor is probably the biggest reason for meets, but I don't think the vendor should be restricted or required to stay a required time. I think we should just let the system work the way it has and save our angst for the individual vendor.

[portagepan]

Thanks for the input, and I respect your views. Like I said, it is time to decide what the meets are about. Fun, motorcycles, or money. Does the AMCA need to sell the vendor spots to survive financially? I'd rather pay 5 bucks to get in, and have the meet turn out as it was advertised. If the vendors won't, or can't be there on Sat. then just put it on the flyers. And if it is too much work to vend, then I don't know what to say. I know a little after being involved in non profits for 22 years: #1 there are no non profits #2 Anytime fundraising becomes a priority you are screwed. I appreciate what all the people do in the AMCA, but whan organizations get as big as ours has, members have to stay vigilante.
Mike

[Paps]

Hey Mike...I got wet several times too. Looked for ya but didn't see ya. I didn't get much parts shopping done but I did come away ahead in that department. I stayed until noon Sunday. I enjoyed the races !!! WOW !!! Can't wait until next year ! Saw one vendors tables, and yes, they had a canopy, all of their parts traus were full to the top with water. Small parts too. I pitty them with all of the needed speed drying they had to go through, in order to prevent damage to the parts. I too am bummed when the vendors split early Saturday. That is their right though. Some pricing was absurb but most pricing was reasonable. I enjoyed myself but as with others, I do have some issues. My biggest issue is a simple one. I do not like how the Wauseon meet spot numbering is done. I was to find and get togehter with friends there but since the spot are marker on the grass, etc., the rains immeadiately washed away the numerals. I missed Tom and Lori Faber because of this. I wanted so much to spend time with those two dinamite people. I roll around in a wheelchair at large meets. I have to. It takes time to get anywhere. Wears ya out too !! I wish the spots were numbered on stakes. Stakes are reuasable. Anyhow, that is my biggest complaint.

Johnny.....It was great to see you again. Missed you at the large crowd during the races though. Was not able to hit your spot a second time. Josh got tied up too. He ended up buying a Triumph Chopper. Toys Toys Tots for Tots. LOL.

I know many vendors are stretching the bucks due to costs of fuel but I still wish they could stay longer. Paps

[LJH]

wauseon

I have vended at Wauseon, for about 9 years, before that, I was only buying.
Every collector needs to try vending a few times. It is a great reality check,
It will let you know, where you, "rank" as far as, what percentage of people, will
pay more, or less than you will for an item.
I think if they didnt let the vendors in until friday am, then more would stay
longer on saturday. two full days is about all, I can take.
Also, just my observations; 90% of my sales are on thurs-fri. Very seldom
is saturday a good day for selling. thanks

[RSmith]

Thanks

We just wanted to add our thanks to the
AMCA Crew at Wauseon who did all the work.

From the Judges, to Denise and her helpers,
they made our visit well worthwhile.

We stayed through Sunday, for the
judging session and we apprecate all the work
that goes into pulling off an event like this.

Thanks again everybody,

Roger Smith
Clarkston, Michigan

1966 Suzuki X-6 -
Winners Circle Preservation Award winner

[BNSONS]

Wauseon

I’ve been vending at Wauseon for ten years and I appreciate every hard-earned dollar a customer spends with me. But, if I’m going to take time away from my family, go digging around in old barns for parts on 80 degree days (sweating like a pig) then I owe it to my family and myself to make as much money as I can for them. I get to the meet early on Thursday just so I can park my trailer. I don’t dare dig my parts out right away because people will start walking into the trailer and want to talk deals before my truck engine even cools down. I sold 2 parts late Thursday evening and sold all day on Friday then packed up Friday night. I was done selling for the weekend. I spent an enjoyable Saturday with my son eating ice cream and sight-seeing. We pulled out of the fairgrounds by 3 p.m. after saying good bye to close friends.
Now as far as people wanting to impose rules on vendors as far as what we should or shouldn’t do then I think vendors should have a code of conduct for customers…So, crack open a beer and hear me out….
1) I’m not the one that decided such-n-such a bike is worth 50, 60 or 70 thousand dollars. So don’t expect to buy a part for nothing. I believe if we can talk about the price I can close the deal. 2) Don’t tell me what you’re going to give me for my part before you even ask the price. 3) When I give you a price and you think it’s too high, please, don’t drop the part back on the table and devalue the condition for the next paying customer. 4) Don’t tell me your dad or uncle had a bike just like this and that’s why you deserve a better price. 5) Please don’t send you wife, kid, or ugly girlfriend up to try to get a better price because that doesn’t work. 6) I don’t appreciate you trying to scam my teenage son out of a part while I’m off to the head. 7) Don’t try to use Saturday as a tactical advantage on the vendors as we’re packing up our stuff and look at us like we’re some poor slobs desperate for your money because by that time the party’s over. ….Bottom line, I don’t want to die holding onto this stuff but certain parts demand a certain price range. I actually have to tell some people to put the part down and step away from the table, because all you’re doing is embarrassing yourself. For others I tell them I’m asking a fair price, pay what I’m asking and at the end of the day you’ll feel good about yourself....you’ll feel like a man.... because cheap doesn’t look good on anybody. To all those wanting to impose rules on vendors, I think we need to just let it go. To all my friends, I can hardly wait to see you in Davenport.
Dave