[ridehard95]

Its starting to rock in roll. I went up to Daytona the 14 and bike fest don't start till the 19 and they are having a party already lots of bikes just hope the keep the prices down this year DAM $3 bucks for bottle water $6 bucks for a burger. These events are great but it really s#cks when you have to get a loan to go to one.I can see the vender's making a profit but come on its getting a little crazy. When you can go to a bar 2 weeks before and pay $225 for a long neck beer and when the event starts you pay $350 to $400 bucks that just not right. But the biker world is changing at a fast paste and every one wants a pieces of the pie.I have been riding for 31 years and seen alot of changes some good and some bad put I feel I am being taken for a ride at alot of them.Hell I pack a lunch when I go now or stop at a dinner miles from the event.I can get a hole meal for what they want for a nasty old burger. I just wanted to know am I the only one who feels this way.Why rip the bikers off with the $6 dollar Burger or the $4 dollar fries with about $50 cents worth of potatoes or the $300 dollar bottle water. So give me your thoughts on the prices at all these events

[Killer-B]

That’s why I refuse to go to these ‘big events’ anymore. Its disgusting; its just about impossible for the common man that happens to be financially challenged to attend and have a good time anymore. It’s all about the dollar now, either you have plenty or you don’t.

[AZroaddust]

I don't know how young folks with kids can afford to take them to a baseball game, Disneyland, or any place like that because it's the same thing!

When our kids were little and we lived in the People's Republic of Kalifonication, we got into Disneyland for next to nothing, and you only paid for what you wanted to ride or see.

Sorry to get off track, but then again maybe I didn't. It's just a sign of the times, a.k.a. Coprorate GREED!

Gunshows are the same and maybe more people here can relate to that.

(Ohhh I just got a briliant idea for a subject for a poll, I do belive!)

[SK]

That's another reason I like staying up in Virginia City during St. Vibrations in Reno..I get my motel rooms for $60 a night versus $125+ a night (3 night minumum) down in Reno. There is a new hotel/motel in VC that was charging $199 a night, but they weren't even close to full (unlike Reno). Wonder if the owner learned a lesson and will drop his normally $89-99 a night room rates?

I won't stay in Laughlin anymore because you have to buy a 3 night minumum and the cheapest is now about $550 total. I'll ride down Friday morning and stay until mid-afternoon and then go home. The vendors are almost always the same (pretty much at any rally)..so I only go to hook up with friends.

[ironhorse]

I agree to the over price of events, I use to hang around the rodeo; the daddy of em all as I worked for the contractor, and it was fun to take the sexy chick I married there and blow my hard earned cash ( about a weeks worth) now it takes a 2nd mortgage to even park. also used to take my own beer in and that must have cut into their profits as you are now require (if you want a beer ) pay 5.50. My theory is that to many money grubbing self appointed important people. have wiggled their way into the working mans place of fun and amusement and instead of seeing the fun a group can have they see the money one can make. don't get me wrong here I myself wouldn't mind being rich, but my morles would not allow me to remove the fun from an event for the sake of extreme profit.

[CD]

I watched the Laughlin River Run go from a nice event to a gold diggers paradise. I won't even go to the run anymore as it is over crowded, ridiculously over priced, over policed and far too many posers.

Used to be that toys for tots runs were meant to help needy children. Now, in many cases it is a money maker for the sponsors. Last year it was twenty bucks a head and a toy for the pleasure of riding in a parade full of flaky wannabees that think it is a contest of who can do the most idiotic things. Too boot, they want to charge entrance to the "party". Then you go in after paying another $10.00 per head and beer is $5.00 and dogs are $2.50 lukewarm on a stale bun.

Gee, wonder why last years run ticked off so many riders here?

[Killer-B]

Last year it was twenty bucks a head and a toy for the pleasure of riding in a parade full of flaky wannabees that think it is a contest of who can do the most idiotic things. Too boot, they want to charge entrance to the "party". Then you go in after paying another $10.00 per head and beer is $5.00 and dogs are $2.50 lukewarm on a stale bun.[/

ROFLMAO, Yup, how true.
I don’t like the really big crowds anymore, I start getting weird or paranoid or something, claustrophobic I guess.

[hotroadking]

Most of the problems not the vendors, it's the city, they are slapping big increases for permits, have to cover the costs of doing the event, extra cops, blah blah blah

You just have to go where it's cheaper up at the Iron Horse, even Rossmeyer got tired of the DB City and moved his big stuff outside of Ormond Beach.

[chucktx]

i think most events are now geared to the R.U.B.S. they spend the money for the blling, bling to show off to there buddies at the bar they tow their bikes to. the citys have recognized this also, and have increased there "paper" costs to the vendors/busisness owners.

[FLHTbiker]

Well, were making plans for Sturgis next year. Going to try and stay in Spearfish. We are riding all the way and camping as we go. Found a camp ground in Spearfish called MT View, looks real clean and will try and get in there. Put in a call to them, closed for the season but their recording said they will call back. Have not been there sense 99 when we were with Bob that year. Yep, its crowded but we only spend about a day in Sturgis and the rest riding. Plan on doing some rides getting there and back. That's part of the fun of it, the ride getting there and back. Scre# the rubs, who cares were going to have fun. Bringing my own beer and don't hang in the bars.

[hdbluse]

The "rubs" did help put HD back at the top of the market, but now everyone figures that if you ride a harley you must be rich, and they all want a piece of your pie, (mine's gettin smaller every day).The events draw more riders every years so I imagine that puts a strain on the communities that host 'em. Add that to the greed factor and you can expect it to get more costly every year. Kinda makes ya wish for the good old days when most of the events were in some field with a few kegs and a pig roastin' over a pit. Of course the good ol' days might be just a product of my bad memory.

[Sleepy]

Marc, who all is going to Spearfish with you? Next year I plan on getting a couple of days there and then ride back and get married..maybe I'll see that new SE Ultra

[SkyKing]

Years ago (?), when living in Flagstaff, my wife and I went to Laughlin for a weekend. We paid $15 per night for a room at the Riverside. Turns out it was bikle week. There were a few vendors, but not like these days. What there was were thousands of bikes. Thousands of bikers. Bikes everywhere. No price gouging, other than the normal weekend increases. We didn't have bikes then, but had a pretty cool time, and it probably stoked our interest, and led to us both having bikes eventually.

By the way. We will be near Daytona during bike week there, next week, but probably won't go nearer than Deland. Will still enjoy seeing all the bikes that will be on the road.

All of you that are going...be careful, have fun, don't drink and drive.

[FLHTbiker]

Originally Posted by Sleepy

Marc, who all is going to Spearfish with you? Next year I plan on getting a couple of days there and then ride back and get married..maybe I'll see that new SE Ultra

Well for sure Pats going with me and she is going to be riding her trike. Maybe one other couple on their Harley's. It would be great to see you again. Are you going to bring the future MRS sleepy with you?

[GreyBear]

Howdy, ya know I get pretty ticked off about such. Lot's of us were staying true to HD when they had such a lousy product they ****ed near couldn't give them away...but that got you as much thanks as the high school sweetheart that puts her lover/husband through med school so he can dump her and get a trophy wife. I have seen it where the governments make it almost impossible for the small business man/woman to turn a profit. Last time I was gonna sit up at Sturgis they wanted $1600.00 deposit against your taxes..plus pemit plus space etc. After the last time I worked at Daytona after having to make a choice after getting busted the last day of Bike Week to pleading guilty to "attempt to commit a misdemeanor" and paying a total of $1476.00 in fine and court costs or asking for a trial date and them keeping the equipment I make my living with in the property room until October, (that was the first open date) I had a patch made that had the shape of the state of Florida on it with a star where Daytona is and the letters FD across it. ( If you can't figure what that meant email me private, lol.)

Wanna see the prices drop? STOP GOING and send letters to the place explaining why. Get oue and get signatures on petitions stating that as bikers we feel we are being ripped off and until it gets better kiss the tourist dollars we pour in adios. Any time you hit people in the wallet, it gets thier attention. Justfor ****zngiggles lets take ONE even for 07 and focus on it. If everyone here just got 10 names on a petition......

Ride Free.........and realize that if all out forefathers had done was bitched we would still be singing God save the queen.

[hotroadking]

FWIW you can't blame HD for the prices and the large number of people, it's not thier fault the market for the product exploded.

Go to a superbowl, a world series game, a college bowl game, NBA finals, any national event and this happens, Hotel Prices at Mardi Gras jump but hey it's not HD's Fault LOL

It's the nature of the beast, the closer you are to the event the more you pay, the better the seats the higher the price.

If you search hard enough you don't have to pay main street prices for beer, even on main street, you have to learn the system and what to buy.

been going for 10 years or more, have a good time, find my spot at the Ironhorse and drink my beer during free beer hour every afternoon

I can get a lot of beer with two mugs LOL

Ya just gotta know where to look and free concerts all over, good bands bad bands, half nekkid wimmen, whole nekkid wimmen, cool scoots, it just doesn't set me off as much, guess cause I dont' have to rent a room but hey that's the price of fame.

[CD]

What HRK said.

And, if you think the HD side of things is getting out of hand, try buying good seats at a NASCAR cup race. Gotta go to one last race at PIR before Toyota jumps in 'cause I ain't providing a penny to NASCAR after that.

[Sleepy]

Originally Posted by FLHTbiker

Well for sure Pats going with me and she is going to be riding her trike. Maybe one other couple on their Harley's. It would be great to see you again. Are you going to bring the future MRS sleepy with you?

Not sure about 2007.....She's been a couple of times. I think what's going on is that the guys are going to go to Sturgis.....kind of a stag but you never know.

[Sleepy]

Originally Posted by CD

What HRK said.

And, if you think the HD side of things is getting out of hand, try buying good seats at a NASCAR cup race. Gotta go to one last race at PIR before Toyota jumps in 'cause I ain't providing a penny to NASCAR after that.

You don't like Toyotas??

[hotroadking]

Toyota probably makes the best car in the world (mainstream) every one of the products I've had from them has exceeded the US manuf and some euro ones.

But I'd prefer a American Owned company vehilce, Toyotas are being assembled in the USA and people are employed in the USA lots of jobs in KY where I grew up from that Camry Plant, those folks thank toyota all the time.

I like Nascar, Toyota will broaden the base, give us someone to hate, problem is they'll hook up with a 5 car team in order to dominate over the others, NASCAR needs to limit the teams to two. JMO