VMOA - Why?

[Jayhawk]

This may piss some people off, but will someone tell me why I spent money on joining the VMOA?

Their board is dead, the mag is OK, I guess...I've seen one issue. But no rides? No meetings? Bike nights? No one has communicated with me at all.

Has it always been this way, or has it just died of late?

I joined not really expecting anything, and I don't even still have a VMax. Joined as more of a donation, than anything. It just sort of seems bizarre, to me.

 

[vmaxinID]

This may piss some people off, but will someone tell me why I spent money on joining the VMOA?

Their board is dead, the mag is OK, I guess...I've seen one issue. But no rides? No meetings? Bike nights? No one has communicated with me at all.

Has it always been this way, or has it just died of late?

You've been VMOANED :bang head:

 

[maleko89]

Jayhawk, Michael Hansen in La Porte, TX is your regional director. I would ask him what events are going on? He or I can always find members near you and help you organize something? There aren't any chapter leaders and IMHO they do the most to organize local events. Interested? It's really easy...just follow Vmaxes if you see one and tell them about the club, organize events near you, etc.

 

[Jayhawk]

m, I read the Regional News for this region, and I see one event in November? That's it? And, the info is written for those that have attended every year. Nothing there would give a new member any incentive to go....that I can tell. And, the event is three months away.

Just seems sort of sad really, when you look at this site and it's technical info, starvmax.com for its work on digging up info on the new VMax. Both of those activities, in addition to working to gather Maxxers often, seem as if they would be the heart and soul activities of an owner's association.

 

[davidon]

IMO it's not what it used to be. Used to have good tech articles but these days it just seems like ride reports. I still think they should end the mag and use the money for a tool library. Look at the Paris VMAX site, much better organized , much more frequenly updated, etc. In terms of rides..yes the local rep should be organizing that. We had a very active rep but after Phil and Sterlings' accidents he got spooked and quit riding so we now have no organized rides here.

 

[Jayhawk]

We had a very active rep but after Phil and Sterlings' accidents he got spooked and quit riding so we now have no organized rides here.

Davidon, what part of the world are you in?

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Going to throw my $.02 into the hat here.

When I first joined the VMOA a few years ago I too wondered the same things. After about a month of wondering and waiting for someone to contact me I contacted another member who was local to me. We organized a day ride just to get out. After spending the day on the bikes we got to talking about organizing a ride for Ontario members. That first ride, 4 years ago, had 16 Vmax's in attendance. Since then we have grown to >60 members in our province, 2 Chapter's now, 6 organized events annually, and multiple get togethers amongst the members. What I have found is that if nobody makes the effort to get things going, nobody does anything. We had members who lived within 10 minutes driving time of eachother that didn't know about eachother until they got together at one of our meets. As with any club, you get out of it what you put into it. I work very hard to keep in contact with each and every member in my chapter, I even have been known to drop everything and ride a couple of hours on a given night to help a fellow member out when his bike is broke. This has had the effect of keeping my chapter vibrant and growing. There are members here who are in my chapter that will tell you how successful we are.

My advice would be to contact your Regional Director and get a list of members in your area. Set up a meet and go from there. We are always looking for people to be Chapter Leaders and if you want more out of the VMOA I suggest you give it a shot and start the ball rolling in your area.


(jumps off of soap box)

 

[davidon]

I'm in MD (Wash DC area).

Jim

I think Canadians are more committed to riding. I know we had about a dozen or so members in the area but only about 4 would ususally show up for organized rides and from what i was told it was like pulling teeth trying to get them to even respond one way or another

 

[Jayhawk]

Jim, thanks for the reply. I hear what you're saying, and you're right, it does indeed appear that you'll get out of the VMOA what you put into it.

Sounds like your region has things well in hand. With regard to organized events, perhaps it's just a regional thing, and I'm a member in a region that doesn't have much happening. But, that's kind of surprising since I live in a region that encompasses several huge metropolitan areas.

I'll drop my regional director a note and see if I can get a list of members in my area, and at least try and get a monthly bike night together, or something. It just seems odd to collect dues from the rank and file, and then expect them to, on their own, organize events in the area. I'm sure the guys will love a B-King owner getting VMaxers together. :biglaugh:

 

[Thevmaxrider]

I'm in MD (Wash DC area).

Jim

I think Canadians are more committed to riding. I know we had about a dozen or so members in the area but only about 4 would ususally show up for organized rides and from what i was told it was like pulling teeth trying to get them to even respond one way or another

That may or may not be true. In the beginning we too had some issues getting folks out, but once word got out to the other members folks started showing up. For a local get together there may only be 5 or 6 bikes, but for our scheduled rides we avg ~20 Max's + others unless the weather sucks. I would like to think that the work that I put into the club is what makes these rides happen and what helps make them fun for everyone who shows up. If we stopped working on our rides and made no effort I believe that we would have a situation where folks just stopped getting together at all. Of course we could just be hard core too LOL.

 

[texmax]

I have my members list from last year & it looks like around 11 people with contact info, 22 members total. The only thing I've been able to find for VMOA rides is in Austin. If i had the time & a decent seat that might be possible, but there aint squat here in DFW for VMAX riders, or if there is I haven't heard about it from the VMOA. Jayhawk, PM me & lets see if we can get something going local for the Maxers & a B-Kinger.

Randall

 

[KJShover]

What I did/still doing is rounding up local Vmax owners for rides and membership.

Alaska dosn't have a regional director, he's in Canada. I have already contacted another cat who actually lives one street over from me. He and I are going to round up at least 3 others that we know of and get a small ride happening.

As for the magazine, it is what you make it. I've been working on a seriese of articles about my state, it's history and things to look for while touring through it. I've sent in many pictures to show some of the sites up here.

I heard this month's issue has some great tech info in it. I can't wait to get it in the mail.

 

[vmaxinID]

Um,

I live in South East Idaho, my Regional is in SEATTLE!

WTF I should stop by after work and say hi......

it's only 739 miles= 11 hours.

 

[texmax]

Is that all? Hell, I'll come up tomorrow:biglaugh:

 

[82ndCowboy]

I agree with Jim.
You get out of the VMOA what you put into it.
The thing I noticed from hanging out with a couple of other Riding groups is this.
A majority of VMax owners are of the older generation. They have a lot of other responsibilities to attend to in life. Unlike the younger sport crowd they are less likely to jump on their VMaxes and go riding for the day without a couple of weeks notice. Quite simply, work, wives, children and other hobbies get in the way. And unlike a lot of Harley riders their hobbies aren't solely motorcycle related.
I also noticed there isn't as many VMaxes per square mile as there are Harleys and Rockets. So if your trying to get VMaxers together, it takes more coordination and travel time.
But for those few that make gathering with fellow VMax owners a higher priority, they allot more time to gather with said fellow Vmaxers. Therefore they meet more often.
Most of the guys in the VMOA are good people. But sadly they only have time to make the big annual events.

I personally would love a monthly or Bi-weekly or even weekly get together of fellow VMaxers. But here in Florida we are pretty spread out and except for two or three, it's an hour or more ride to meet.
I've found that the sport bike crowd are a bit young for me and are more into stunting and radical riding for my taste. And the Harley crowd is more into drinking While riding than I am.
So I settle for the annual VMOA events and go riding on my own most of the time.
And from time to time the VMOA membership has it's benefits. Besides meeting some great people and getting discounts here and there. They throw in a lil surprise, like a 2009 VMax DVD in the VBoost.

The VMOA is what it is. Love it or leave it, it's your choice!
I happen to like it myself, but I'm always partial to groups that have a similar interest as I do.

 

[vmaxride06]

I agree with Jim.
You get out of the VMOA what you put into it.
The thing I noticed from hanging out with a couple of other Riding groups is this.
A majority of VMax owners are of the older generation. They have a lot of other responsibilities to attend to in life. Unlike the younger sport crowd they are less likely to jump on their VMaxes and go riding for the day without a couple of weeks notice. Quite simply, work, wives, children and other hobbies get in the way. And unlike a lot of Harley riders their hobbies aren't solely motorcycle related.
I also noticed there isn't as many VMaxes per square mile as there are Harleys and Rockets. So if your trying to get VMaxers together, it takes more coordination and travel time.
But for those few that make gathering with fellow VMax owners a higher priority, they allot more time to gather with said fellow Vmaxers. Therefore they meet more often.
Most of the guys in the VMOA are good people. But sadly they only have time to make the big annual events.

I personally would love a monthly or Bi-weekly or even weekly get together of fellow VMaxers. But here in Florida we are pretty spread out and except for two or three, it's an hour or more ride to meet.
I've found that the sport bike crowd are a bit young for me and are more into stunting and radical riding for my taste. And the Harley crowd is more into drinking While riding than I am.
So I settle for the annual VMOA events and go riding on my own most of the time.
And from time to time the VMOA membership has it's benefits. Besides meeting some great people and getting discounts here and there. They throw in a lil surprise, like a 2009 VMax DVD in the VBoost.

The VMOA is what it is. Love it or leave it, it's your choice!
I happen to like it myself, but I'm always partial to groups that have a similar interest as I do.

Well Said Cowboy. Was shaking my head at every line I was reading in agreement.

 

[4gasem]

Yeah the VMOA COULD be SO MUCH MORE if it wanted to be though.

It's lost its luster IMO.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Yeah the VMOA COULD be SO MUCH MORE if it wanted to be though.

It's lost its luster IMO.

That may be true, I have only been a member for just over 3 years so I am not qualified to answer to that, but it is getting better bit by bit. I think that as more new members get involved and the old school sees others willing to take the reigns and work they will re-engage with the club it will get better. There will always be room for improvement that is for sure. The trick is getting the general membership to get the ball rolling.

 

[Jayhawk]

The trick is getting the general membership to get the ball rolling.

It appears the VMOA leadership sees that the 'secret' to resurgence of the organization will be from some sort of a bottom-up effort.

It also appears that the rank and file membership sees any resurgence as a top-down effort.

Result: *crickets*

 

[max_caper]

I would like to think that the work that I put into the club is what makes these rides happen and what helps make them fun for everyone who shows up. If we stopped working on our rides and made no effort I believe that we would have a situation where folks just stopped getting together at all.

The rides in Ontario have been growing in popularity and in strength of numbers too. This success has been a testimony to the efforts of organizers and riders in our area like Jim, Brad, Dave, Dale.

Some Ontario rides get advertised and have follow-up reports submitted to VBoost and there may be some monetary considerations from the VMOA for sanctioned rides. Would we stop riding together if VMOA folded tomorrow? No.

The VMOA served us well by helping VMax owners discover other VMax owners in his/her areas. Now, it's all about the folks in your area. If you have motivated riders who like to get together with others to ride and hang out and have fun, you'll have a great time even if the name of your "club" is different.

Blaine Williams
Oshawa, Ontario