Your AMCA Board

[bikerdds]

Lonnie, thanks for your input from someone who has at least addressed the board. I also have been involved with organizations, all of which publish treasurer's reports with regularity and with open meetings. However, the real clue of if the board "gets it" is when things loosen up and the membership is freely included and has direct representation with full financial disclosure. Pete, thanks for the blurb on the Foundation, but until a full financial disclosure is posted by both the club and the Foundation there will be all kinds of suspicion by club members, mainly because the whole thing took place in a hurry with no warning or club member involvement. You say we are losing money[or previously lost money when you were elected]. Show us the figures. We have the right to see the full financial disclosure of both boards.
There still are many members who objected to the Torque Four purchase because again no figures have surfaced, plus the concern of whether the club [or Foundation] has any business owning motorcycles. Many of us are aware of the uniqueness and historical nature of the Torque Four and believe it should be preserved. There has been no real information published on the details of how the bike was acquired from the Patt family after Doc passed. The members are just asking for openess and transparency from our boards. At this moment, it doesn't exist. As one having been on both boards, please give us your insight on why we operate the way we do.

[Chris Haynes]

The Antique Motorcycle Foundation is in the process of moving its museum from Hershey to its own 15000 sq. ft. facility in Newburg NY, right in the center of our club's greatest concentration of members.

How about locating in near the center of the country so it could be more accessable to everyone?

[LouieMCman]

Since the board seems to be soliciting member comments, here's mine.

Topic #1
The topic of member representation has came up a number of times on this forum since it's conception, but I feel the topic has always disregarded. And I think that is the main topic here, no member has a say on issues, the national board members, who are not elected in any way (topic #2), controls our 11,000 member club. Period. That's the way the club was set up in the beginning and I think worked fine then, but now maybe it's time for a change. I personally attended a presidents meeting years ago with a couple national board members and the topic of chapter presidents having a vote on certain issues was mentioned and the response was and I quote "hell no, that will never happen". Of course interestingly enough the conversation never made the minutes of the meeting.
As I stated on another thread, the chapters are getting a lot more info than the average members but that's not the point. I think most members, including myself, don't want to attend board meetings. we just want some say in club matters. I understand there are matters for the national boards to handle, but some can be addressed by the chapters.

Topic #2
National board members elected. This is the tough one for two reasons, first the board members don't want it and second the club was not set up to do so.
Why not make up districts and have a board member from each district elected by the chapters in the district? Sounds down right American don't it! Of course it would take a rewrite of the club constitution and by laws which will probably "never happen".

Louie Hale #3449
Dixie Chapter Pres.

[TJK]

Sounds like a bunch of Democrats are running this show, sit down, shut up and send us your money..

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, OK I hear financials, openness, the Club/Foundation division in there at least, so I'll try to split up the topics rather than write one monster reply. I probably need to say you're getting my personal views rather than the official Board position when I start wandering off published briefs. The financials is a good place to start because I can recycle some of the President's brief to Chapter Presidents and Newsletter Editors following the recent Eustis Board:

"FINANCIALS. Raymond Dhue, our Treasurer, presented the 2009 actuals and the likely result for 2010. With our support of the AMCA Foundation, and other activities, we spent more than we received in both 2008 and 2009, and 2010 looks like being another challenging year. Ray will write a magazine article showing where the money came from and went to, but you will not be surprised that our main income is membership dues and our main expense the magazine. In discussion, the Board asked for a 2010 budget and Ray will put this together effective 1.1.10. We realise we cannot ask for a dues increase this year, so your Board started with some serious belt tightening of its own. We voted that Directors are reimbursed only for their actual cost of gas driving to Board Meetings (rather than the Government mileage rate); that the President Emeritus will no longer be reimbursed for attending Board Meetings; that the Virtual Library project will make greater use of volunteer labor; that we reduce the attendance of both Chief and Deputy Judges at National Meets; and that we rebid the magazine printing contract."

Raymond is working hard to get the financial results out in the next magazine, and I'm guessing we'll see something like 'The Bucks Stop Here' that I've found in the Winter 2005 and 2006 magazines. This showed 20-30 line items under revenues and expenses, with a net surplus or loss figure.

Note that the Board has asked for a budget this year, after 50+ years managing without one. This was an item I and a number of other Board members asked for as a way of demonstrating increased professionalism in Club operations. More later.

[bikerdds]

Steve, your comments echo exactly what the problem is. They have done it for 50+ years and felt there was no need [or cared] to do any different. In this day and age, it doesn't make it right! Just like the comments from Lou McCann when he witnessed someone saying "hell no, it will never happen" about input even from chapter presidents [much less rank and file club members], I would not hedge my bets on this for the future. It is a matter of time before this issue comes to the forefront and members demand the right for direct representation. That attitude of it will never change is as unprofessional as it gets, which I hope you can help change. Opening the board is also how new ideas are infused much quicker. I'm sure in all your years in the oil business you never saw a large company operate without a budget which was made public and audited as well. To for the first time ever have a budget is just mind blowing.

[Pete Gagan]

Hi Rob:
Indeed it is at Ted's. The Doerings, Ted and Jerry are both members of our foundation board. They have generously become our major patrons. We now have much more space than we had at Hershey, thanks to them. Also, we are now able to function without being a further financial burden on the club, but of great benifit to the AMCA membership.
Pete

[rwm]

now i see why the rule change in judging race bikes.ted will be repoping them faster then they ran

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks for the nice words.

Now on to BACKGROUND. I said elsewhere I'm a member of four old bike clubs but the AMCA is the one I feel passionate about. The others are as follows. The VMCC is the largest old bike club, with over 16,000 members, about 90% from the UK. It has 80+ Chapters covering the whole country, and club activities essentially every day. It is run by a full time paid Chief Executive out of a brick building in the middle of the country, with seven full time employees. At current exchange rates their dues are $41. They have a 25 year vintage definition, a monthly magazine, a fine physical library, most of the build records of UK manufactured bikes, about 100 marque specialists, and about 20 people attending Board meetings. Board members are elected by the membership, at some cost in mailing and overheads. The President serves a one-year term, plus one as President-elect and one as Past President. A Chairman runs the Board meetings. It's an excellent club, but doesn't quite cut it if you're into American bikes. I note that the UK has about eight times the old-bike club member density of the USA, or else that the AMCA should have 80,000 members. The VMCC was almost split by a Board level dispute about 10 years ago, but recovered well.

The Harley-Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain has about 3500 members who do not wear chaps and who ride somewhat older bikes than HOG members. Dues are about $38. They enjoy drinking beer and telling lies while listening to loud music. The membership took a hit a few years back when the Board decided you had to own a Harley and send in your bike title to prove it. Their bi-monthly magazine had some long running feuds played out in the letters column until the Board stepped in.

The Old Timers Club in Den Haag, Netherlands, has about 150 members, and their claim to fame is a great annual rally of pre-1966 American bikes on the second weekend of August. We camp out, drink beer, swap stories and listen to bands. Great fellowship! They seem to rotate their President each year, and I have no idea how the Club is managed. Dues are about $47 and a monthly magazine is produced.

Have you got the impression yet that us cranky old bike riders have trouble pulling together in clubs, and that the AMCA dues are a bargain? For completeness the AMCA has 10,000 members, no full time employees, and is run by an 11 member Board (down from 15) with no fixed premises. We have 54 Chapters which do not cover the country. Directors are elected by the Board for three year terms, with the officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) elected likewise for one year terms. We have a fine quarterly magazine and a growing virtual library. AMCA judging, while a minority interest, is a key technical strength of the club. We use a 35 year old definition of 'antique'. The Club is 95% US members and domestic dues are $30. About one third of the membership belongs to Chapters, and about one third of the membership are registered on this bulletin board. So we still have many members happy to enjoy the magazine and let us get on with it. So where should we go from here?

[AFJ]

Thanks for the nice words.

Now on to BACKGROUND. I said elsewhere I'm a member of four old bike clubs but the AMCA is the one I feel passionate about. The others are as follows. The VMCC is the largest old bike club, with over 16,000 members, about 90% from the UK. It has 80+ Chapters covering the whole country, and club activities essentially every day. It is run by a full time paid Chief Executive out of a brick building in the middle of the country, with seven full time employees. At current exchange rates their dues are $41. They have a 25 year vintage definition, a monthly magazine, a fine physical library, most of the build records of UK manufactured bikes, about 100 marque specialists, and about 20 people attending Board meetings. Board members are elected by the membership, at some cost in mailing and overheads. The President serves a one-year term, plus one as President-elect and one as Past President. A Chairman runs the Board meetings. It's an excellent club, but doesn't quite cut it if you're into American bikes. I note that the UK has about eight times the old-bike club member density of the USA, or else that the AMCA should have 80,000 members. The VMCC was almost split by a Board level dispute about 10 years ago, but recovered well.

The Harley-Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain has about 3500 members who do not wear chaps and who ride somewhat older bikes than HOG members. Dues are about $38. They enjoy drinking beer and telling lies while listening to loud music. The membership took a hit a few years back when the Board decided you had to own a Harley and send in your bike title to prove it. Their bi-monthly magazine had some long running feuds played out in the letters column until the Board stepped in.

The Old Timers Club in Den Haag, Netherlands, has about 150 members, and their claim to fame is a great annual rally of pre-1966 American bikes on the second weekend of August. We camp out, drink beer, swap stories and listen to bands. Great fellowship! They seem to rotate their President each year, and I have no idea how the Club is managed. Dues are about $47 and a monthly magazine is produced.

Have you got the impression yet that us cranky old bike riders have trouble pulling together in clubs, and that the AMCA dues are a bargain? For completeness the AMCA has 10,000 members, no full time employees, and is run by an 11 member Board (down from 15) with no fixed premises. We have 54 Chapters which do not cover the country. Directors are elected by the Board for three year terms, with the officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) elected likewise for one year terms. We have a fine quarterly magazine and a growing virtual library. AMCA judging, while a minority interest, is a key technical strength of the club. We use a 35 year old definition of 'antique'. The Club is 95% US members and domestic dues are $30. About one third of the membership belongs to Chapters, and about one third of the membership are registered on this bulletin board. So we still have many members happy to enjoy the magazine and let us get on with it. So where should we go from here?

Some clarification of how the VMCC (Vintage Motor Cycle Club of Great Britain) operates in relation to its members should be made as Mr. Slocombe did not mention some important points.

The VMCC holds an annual general meeting in April each year (this year it is Sunday, April 11th) which all members are welcome to attend, speak to matters raised and vote. The March, 2010 issue of the monthly VMCC magazine prints a 12 page Agenda for the meeting, which includes proposed resolutions, a report on attendance at the six management committee meetings by the 22 people who form the committee, CEO's report, Chairman's report, Financial controller's report on the accounts, Director's report, Auditor's report,and the VMCC Balance sheet, income and expenditure account sheet, other activities account sheet, fixed assets schedule and other financial statement notes giving the amounts of salaries paid, costs of operating the archives, libraries, various events and such. It gives a pretty good outline of the VMCC's financial state, as far as I can tell.

Members of the VMCC also vote on their regional and area representatives, and on resolutions which affect the articles of incorporation if they have been passed by the Annual meeting. This vote is by secret postal ballot, counted by an independent non-VMCC organization.

Membership fees for pensioners are at a reduced rate from regular membership fees.

The 16,117 members (as of March 2010) can be members of 75 different territorial sections in Britain if they wish. These sections usually hold monthly meetings but also hold sections or intersection runs. The VMCC also holds rallies and runs. The january 2010 VMCC calendar listed 421 VMCC runs, rallies, trials, training days and such active riding events from Jan. 1 to June 30th, 2010 - not including the monthly social meetings.

There are also 5 special non-territorial sections, Road Racing, Cyclemotor, Flat Tank, Grass-track and Speedway and Touring. who hold events for their particular sorts of motorcycles.

The VMCC has a Marque Specialists group of volunteers who have offered to help owners of various makes and models of old motorcycles with technical advice and help. Currently help can be provided on 143 makes of British motorcycles, 6 makes of American motorcycles and 56 makes of other European, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and other motorcycles. The VMCC also provides a transfer (decal) service for a large number of motorcycle makes.

The VMCC has a large register of historic registration and serial number data of member's motorcycles.

Some years ago the VMCC extended an invitation to old bike clubs in other parts of the world to "affiliate" with the VMCC. Currently, 53 clubs in about 29 countries are affiliated. This affiliation, as I understand it allows members of those affiliated clubs, through those clubs, to have access to their extensive library research services and the Marque Specialist services on the same basis as VMCC members.

Anyone interested in the VMCC as an example of how an antique/vintage motorcycle club can operate in a democratic and member-service proactive fashion can see further information on the VMCC web site at http://www.vmcc.net

AFJ
AMCA #674