Slow Biker Week??

dpg · 06-06-2006, 12:00 PM

Just heard on the radio here in Mass that hotel sell-outs are far and few in between for bike week. Is this true, anyone also hearing this? The radio station claimed motel bookings are at record lows going back many years. They claimed out of 20 polled in the "Laconia area" 3 or 4 said they were filled. Sounds extremely low to me, almost unbelievable.

jrc · 06-06-2006, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpg

Just heard on the radio here in Mass that hotel sell-outs are far and few in between for bike week. Is this true, anyone also hearing this? The radio station claimed motel bookings are at record lows going back many years. They claimed out of 20 polled in the "Laconia area" 3 or 4 said they were filled. Sounds extremely low to me, almost unbelievable.

Might be the weather and all the press it's been getting. Bikers don't really like the rain. A quieter bike week would be OK for me. Don't get me wrong I love bikes and think the bike week tradition should continue. I just get a little tired of the complete disregard for the exhaust noise laws. You can have a sweet sounding rumbling Harley without being a complete a&& about it.

B R · 06-06-2006, 12:34 PM

http://www.wmur.com/news/9327531/detail.html

Gatto Nero · 06-06-2006, 01:03 PM

An article in the Citizen says that weather is not a factor because people usually book in January, but I think a lot of people, some of my friends included, are weary from all the rain we had last year. We got soaked every time we left the house. I'm guessing people are keeping an eye on the weather and will decide once they get a better feel for how it will turn out before they book.

Dave R · 06-06-2006, 03:31 PM

Could be because the whole scene has become kinda lame, in my opinion. It's like 100,000 people all waiting for something interesting to happen (and going deaf). I do wish they'd enforce the noise laws...

Airwaves · 06-06-2006, 09:55 PM

The Associated Press is quoting the Manchester Union Leader as saying a survey of the 70 motels and inns listed on the Greater Laconia Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce web site, only 5 of them are sold out.

They quote the owner of the Bay Side Inn of Alton as saying this is the slowest Bike Week he's seen in 13 yars!

They speculate that some folks are deciding to rent further south away from the lake because of the traditional bump in rental rates for bike week.

Handyman · 06-06-2006, 11:26 PM

The City of Laconia is slowly, quietly killing bike week. Many of the things that have attracted the crowds in past years have been toned down or ruled illegal. The city has increased vendor fees to the point where they are driving the vendors to Gilford and Meredith because the vendor fees paid to those towns are substantially less.

Many businesses in the Weirs Beach area depend on the increased income from bike week to help carry them through the rest of the year. The summer season is very short and the off season is very long, and very quiet.

The City Manager in Laconia is in over her head and looks at motorcycle week as a source of revenue that will go on forever. The city does nothing to promote Bike Week and only attempts to regulate and tax it. The city should look at it as an opportunity to show off our community, promote it's businesses, and encourage people to vacation here, not only during Bike Week, but all year long.

In recent years the income numbers for the area merchants have declined substantially, while the city continues to handle it as business as usual. By the time the elected officials wake up, Bike Week will be a shadow of it's former self and many struggling Weirs Beach area businesses will cease to exsist.

jrc · 06-06-2006, 11:58 PM

Some of this is inevitable as the baby boomers age. If you're a hard core biker, coming up and getting trashed for a week will always have it's appeal. But weekend bikers are growing up and it takes more than cheap beer to attract them year after year. These things go through phases, as one generation outgrows it, there may be a lull before the next generation makes it their own.

JasonG · 06-07-2006, 12:58 AM

Sounds like they need to have the city get away from running Bike Week and to turn it over to someone who knows how to run events, marketing firm, etc. Even a proven business owner.

It is like Gunstock ( second hand info here ). Great Mountain, but run very poorly by city workers. Mismanaged, could be a MUCH better ski area, but with no true "boss", who is going to be motivated with no one to answer to?

My 2 cents

NonVoting Taxpayer · 06-07-2006, 07:46 AM

Could be the price of gas that's keeping them home. I know a bike doesn't use a lot of gas but most of the people coming up trailer their bikes.
The price of gas seems to be the only thing that's changed. We all know it always rains on bike week so it probably isn't the weather keeping them away.

Weirs guy · 06-07-2006, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handyman

The City of Laconia is slowly, quietly killing bike week.

I second that and move for a vote. Maybe we should run for city council? OK, I tend to agree with this position and Dave R. Every time I hit the boardwalk it feels more like a giant flee market then a bike rally. Whatevers wrong somebody had better figure it out quick before we all get fed up with sponsoring a week long yard sale.

JasonG · 06-07-2006, 08:57 PM

I know squat about bikes, but I do know if you want "success', just duplicate success. Look at other hot rallys that are bigger than Laconia for inspiration.

Airwaves · 06-07-2006, 11:15 PM

Weirs Guy wrote:

Quote:

Every time I hit the boardwalk it feels more like a giant flee market then a bike rally. Whatevers wrong somebody had better figure it out quick before we all get fed up with sponsoring a week long yard sale.

Funny you put it that way.

Last year when I was on the boardwalk during Bike Week there were what I will call "hard core" bikers walking behind me complaining that it had turned into a "family fun event"!

("hard core" means the folks that travel to these rallies all over the country, not the outlaw gangs.)

Gatto Nero · 06-08-2006, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonG

I know squat about bikes, but I do know if you want "success', just duplicate success. Look at other hot rallys that are bigger than Laconia for inspiration.

Yeah, Jello Wrestling! That'll get'em :-)

Weirs guy · 06-08-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonG

Look at other hot rallys that are bigger than Laconia for inspiration.

I know that (it seems) yearly someone from Laconia who has some level of influence on bike week is off to Sturgis or Daytona, but they still can't seem to get it right. The "family fun" atmosphere is great for bringing in large crowds for short term, but how many famlies are going to make the trip year in and year out? I think they are short changing the "hard core" guys who are repeat visitors for the sake of short term big numbers.

Anyway, enough of my whining. Maybe we could get some ideas together from others on the forum of ways to make it a better week for all? With all the diffrences of opinion we have we should be able to come up with something, like my idea: I do enjoy having 25 diffrent t-shirt vendors next door, but maybe we could have something other then vendors at the Weirs. I know funspot has activities, but I don't know how many day trippers head up there from the Weirs.

KonaChick · 06-08-2006, 01:14 PM

I think Biker Week is what it is. There are people who love The Weirs just as it is and enjoy that kind of entertainment and environment. There are also people who enjoy a more "Wolfeboro" kind of experience. If you're a Wolfeboro person nothing is going to get you to the Weirs and vice versa. You either love or hate it and there's not much you can do to bring in the crowd that just isn't interested. Just my 2 cents.

Dave R · 06-08-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KonaChick

I think Biker Week is what it is. There are people who love The Weirs just as it is and enjoy that kind of entertainment and environment. There are also people who enjoy a more "Wolfeboro" kind of experience. If you're a Wolfeboro person nothing is going to get you to the Weirs and vice versa. You either love or hate it and there's not much you can do to bring in the crowd that just isn't interested. Just my 2 cents.

I also think bike week is slowing because bike week is no longer what it once was and bikers are no longer what we once were. It used to be rowdy and rough, now it's mellow and safe. Rowdy and rough was fun when I was in my early 20s, but it's not something I enjoy now that I'm 40. I can't say I have ever been drawn to mellow and safe, what real motorcyclist can?

I predict that as long as it stays all family friendly, it'll die a slow, painful death. I won't be complaining if it does, but I certainly don't wish for it to end either.

Something that has always cracked me up about bike week was the throngs of "rugged individualists" all wearing the same black leather gear and riding the same brand bikes.

06-06-2006, 12:00 PM	#1
dpg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,618 Thanks: 157 Thanked 235 Times in 172 Posts	Slow Biker Week?? Just heard on the radio here in Mass that hotel sell-outs are far and few in between for bike week. Is this true, anyone also hearing this? The radio station claimed motel bookings are at record lows going back many years. They claimed out of 20 polled in the "Laconia area" 3 or 4 said they were filled. Sounds extremely low to me, almost unbelievable.

06-06-2006, 12:34 PM	#3
B R Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 140 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	article http://www.wmur.com/news/9327531/detail.html __________________ "You ain't gonna learn what you don't want to know"

06-06-2006, 01:03 PM	#4
Gatto Nero Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Isola Gatto Nero Posts: 697 Thanks: 162 Thanked 263 Times in 81 Posts	Biking in the rain is no fun An article in the Citizen says that weather is not a factor because people usually book in January, but I think a lot of people, some of my friends included, are weary from all the rain we had last year. We got soaked every time we left the house. I'm guessing people are keeping an eye on the weather and will decide once they get a better feel for how it will turn out before they book. __________________ La vita è buona su Isola Gatto Nero

06-06-2006, 11:26 PM	#7
Handyman Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Quiet Bike Week The City of Laconia is slowly, quietly killing bike week. Many of the things that have attracted the crowds in past years have been toned down or ruled illegal. The city has increased vendor fees to the point where they are driving the vendors to Gilford and Meredith because the vendor fees paid to those towns are substantially less. Many businesses in the Weirs Beach area depend on the increased income from bike week to help carry them through the rest of the year. The summer season is very short and the off season is very long, and very quiet. The City Manager in Laconia is in over her head and looks at motorcycle week as a source of revenue that will go on forever. The city does nothing to promote Bike Week and only attempts to regulate and tax it. The city should look at it as an opportunity to show off our community, promote it's businesses, and encourage people to vacation here, not only during Bike Week, but all year long. In recent years the income numbers for the area merchants have declined substantially, while the city continues to handle it as business as usual. By the time the elected officials wake up, Bike Week will be a shadow of it's former self and many struggling Weirs Beach area businesses will cease to exsist.

06-07-2006, 12:58 AM	#9
JasonG Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 310 Thanks: 48 Thanked 45 Times in 33 Posts	Have Someone Else Run It Sounds like they need to have the city get away from running Bike Week and to turn it over to someone who knows how to run events, marketing firm, etc. Even a proven business owner. It is like Gunstock ( second hand info here ). Great Mountain, but run very poorly by city workers. Mismanaged, could be a MUCH better ski area, but with no true "boss", who is going to be motivated with no one to answer to? My 2 cents

06-06-2006, 03:31 PM	#5
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,985 Thanks: 246 Thanked 744 Times in 444 Posts	Could be because the whole scene has become kinda lame, in my opinion. It's like 100,000 people all waiting for something interesting to happen (and going deaf). I do wish they'd enforce the noise laws...

06-06-2006, 09:55 PM	#6
Airwaves Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 1,153 Thanks: 9 Thanked 102 Times in 37 Posts	The Associated Press is quoting the Manchester Union Leader as saying a survey of the 70 motels and inns listed on the Greater Laconia Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce web site, only 5 of them are sold out. They quote the owner of the Bay Side Inn of Alton as saying this is the slowest Bike Week he's seen in 13 yars! They speculate that some folks are deciding to rent further south away from the lake because of the traditional bump in rental rates for bike week.

06-06-2006, 11:58 PM	#8
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	Some of this is inevitable as the baby boomers age. If you're a hard core biker, coming up and getting trashed for a week will always have it's appeal. But weekend bikers are growing up and it takes more than cheap beer to attract them year after year. These things go through phases, as one generation outgrows it, there may be a lull before the next generation makes it their own.

06-07-2006, 07:46 AM	#10
NonVoting Taxpayer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 24 Times in 10 Posts	What about the price of gas Could be the price of gas that's keeping them home. I know a bike doesn't use a lot of gas but most of the people coming up trailer their bikes. The price of gas seems to be the only thing that's changed. We all know it always rains on bike week so it probably isn't the weather keeping them away.

06-07-2006, 08:57 PM	#12
JasonG Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 310 Thanks: 48 Thanked 45 Times in 33 Posts	Lead By Example I know squat about bikes, but I do know if you want "success', just duplicate success. Look at other hot rallys that are bigger than Laconia for inspiration.

06-08-2006, 01:14 PM	#16
KonaChick Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 518 Thanks: 19 Thanked 62 Times in 15 Posts	I think Biker Week is what it is. There are people who love The Weirs just as it is and enjoy that kind of entertainment and environment. There are also people who enjoy a more "Wolfeboro" kind of experience. If you're a Wolfeboro person nothing is going to get you to the Weirs and vice versa. You either love or hate it and there's not much you can do to bring in the crowd that just isn't interested. Just my 2 cents.