AMCA teleconference 11/7/10

[Edd]

After reading the following I am wondering why we would buy magazines that could not be sold and how much they cost us. Especially transportationing and storing them. 2000 pounds of magazines RUSMOW.

Ed




Your AMCA Board


We had a 100 minute teleconference 07 November 2010, with another 100% turnout of our Directors. President Emeritus Pete Gagan and General Counsel John Wendel were out traveling, while we had our four new Directors for 2011 listening in to get up to speed. Here are the highlights:

Honorary Membership
Dennis Craig, AMCA Director for 24 years and now President of the Antique Motorcycle Foundation, was unanimously elected an Honorary Member.

Judging
Chief Judge Steve Dawdy presented the new rules for the AMCA Honor Competition Class, as approved by the Judging Committee, and these were approved for use in 2011. A draft Judging Guidelines Handbook, giving detailed advice to judges on appropriate deductions, was also discussed. The Board encouraged completion of this document, and gave permission for its dissemination after Board approval.

Magazine Collection
The AMCA bought about one ton of surplus magazines from the British VMCC in 2006, and these are now stored at the AACA Library in Hershey. The best way to realize the value of the collection was discussed.

Web Site
New rules for participating in the AMCA forum were approved.

Antique Motorcycle Foundation
The Foundation asked for permission to approach AMCA Chapters to become financial supporters, and this was granted.

At the end of the meeting, the four retiring Board members were thanked for their service to the Club.


Best regards, Rocky Halter, President Antique Motorcycle Club of America.

[Sargehere]

I had to look it up by typing "abbreviation RUSMOW" into Google. Google credited military slang back to the War Between the States, and the Army Rangers: "aRe yoU Sh!tting Me Or What?" (but needs a question mark at the end: "RUSMOW?")

Good question! Do we have that many Brit-bike enthusiasts in the A.M.C of America ?
Interesting. And no accounting, just a report, post mortem. I guess we saved a ton of their back issues from certain destruction, or something. It probably also includes a tremendous amount of irreplaceable documentation on models and their year-to-year changes and the VIN numbering and color choice data that the Judging people are looking for. It would be a shame for it all to end in a bonfire someplace. Looked at like that, I guess it's okay by me. Just not in MY basement!

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Ed, we bought them way back in 2006, after the then AMCA Board had voted to put aside a large sum to develop a physical Club Library. I was the one who made two round trips to the VMCC headquarters building, to bring back maybe 150 boxes of mostly British magazines 1950-90. They were palletized, shipped to Scott Hall in Wichita who stored them for free, put into the then new Club trailer and towed to Davenport, then to the AACA Hershey Library in 2008 where they are being stored now. The AMCA is going the Virtual Library route; the Foundation has been created and moved from Hershey to New York; so the magazines are high and dry and our membership is not getting the use of them as planned.

[Barry Brown]

British Magazines from the 50's - 90's ! I hope they were free ! Last year I sold a large and what I think important collection of mostly AMERICAN bound magazines dating from 1902 to a very happy buyer from Germany. I am sure the AMCA knew of these years ago as I had them advertised but never heard a whisper. Photo shows just a small fraction of what was sold. The run of "Motorcycle Illustrated" New York from volume 1 # 1 1906 up was probably unique. [img][/img]

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[Barry Brown]

These are still available. 167 bound volumes of English "Motorcycling" A straight run from 1902 -1957
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[Edd]

Steve,
Now we know how they got here. You must know what the AMCA paid for them and all other costs.

[junkyarddog]

There is a For Sale area in the Forum.
Jim

[Paquette]

The great OZ speaks ( I am not talking about my friends down under)--M , for a while 6671

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Jim and all, the For Sale item for the ton of magazines is now posted separately in the AMCA News section of this Website.

[Edd]

I guess the members of the AMCA will never know what we paid for the magazines or any costs involved with transportation or storage.

This is one thing wrong with this club the board members spend money and never let anyone know what is purchased or what it costs.

[fillibuster]

Dear Ed, we bought them way back in 2006, after the then AMCA Board had voted to put aside a large sum to develop a physical Club Library. I was the one who made two round trips to the VMCC headquarters building, to bring back maybe 150 boxes of mostly British magazines 1950-90. They were palletized, shipped to Scott Hall in Wichita who stored them for free, put into the then new Club trailer and towed to Davenport, then to the AACA Hershey Library in 2008 where they are being stored now. The AMCA is going the Virtual Library route; the Foundation has been created and moved from Hershey to New York; so the magazines are high and dry and our membership is not getting the use of them as planned.

Steve, count me as one of those who support such preservationist exercises as this one. (I do agree with Edd that more $ disclosure is appropriate) I also believe that the Foundation's purpose and access need, and are worth, tons of development (said that poorly).
Let me try it some more: We're told of the benefits of the Foundation, some of the aspirations, the "virtual library", the floor display space, lists of bikes on display, etc., But frankly, I've had difficulty in realizing that the Foundation is little more than a figment of our imaginations. I believe that it is much more than that, but I simply cannot access the proof that makes me a convert.
I have to suggest that a "workshop" be offered at any meet, that would exercise access to the Foundation's benefits, including the library. I'll be at the Omaha Chapter's winter meet in February, and they had internet service last year, and I presume they would have it this year as well. I really need a techie to show me how to appreciate what is "out there". I'd be happy to share that with all my fellow chapter members, and prospective members as well.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Ed, the purchase price of the magazines is reported in the Board minutes on page 78 of the Winter 2006 AMCA magazine. Dear Phil, you need to ask Dennis Craig questions about the Foundation elsewhere on this Forum. The Virtual Library is still part of the AMCA Club.

[INLINE4NUT]

So Steve if the purchase price of the Magazines is on page 78 of the winter issue why wouldnt you just post it here ? Its my opinion that half the problem everyone is getting the run around,which has the apperance that there is monkey business going on !

[chicagohen]

I4N, my thoughts exactly.

[Barry Brown]

I spent a beautiful day at the VMCC headquarters in England in 2008. The collection of literature is overwhelming and the people who work there are fantastic. It is my impression that they get tons of literature and other things DONATED on a regular basis and definitely have a space/storage problem. It is also my impression that magazines of the description that were purchased should have been FREE to a club such as ours and I am very surprised they were not . Behind the VMCC headquarters is a dumpster or "skip" as they call them in the UK. Lots of great stuff and with the permission of the head librarian I salvaged a perfect Craven pannier rack. Room prevented taking more but it makes me wonder if this is where the magazines came from. I will ask them next time I visit.
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