Effective regional leadership is a key to AHRMA's future. OMRRA in Oregon have a successful program with the Honda 160 roadrace class that have starting grids with 30+ bikes. That's HUGE- there's many AHRMA grids at Daytona that are 1/3 that size. We need to capitalize on obvious regional successes such as these and make them our own. We are *the* national vintage racing club, and we shouldn't allow ourselves to be eclipsed by regional clubs because they are lean and efficient and we are bloated and lethargic. If people want to race Honda 160's, then AHRMA should give them a national platform to race them! We need to more effectively respond to the market!
Regarding a national Offroad Director, I think there's enough expanse between roadrace and offroad racing that the situation simply DEMANDS an offroad director.
I really want to speak to how to increase our membership quantity and quality. We all know that the money in vintage racing flows in one direction only - OUT OF OUR WALLETS! Unlike most modern club racing organizations, there's no prize money or even contingencies (this needs to change, too!) to offset the costs of racing. Racing is a labor of love. Since we can't pay for love, we need to inspire others to be spectators, racers, boosters and sponsors! Promotion is the key to this! When young riders see a brotherhood of riders who help each other, conduct races in a sportsmanlike manner, and get national press attention, all while riding cool old bikes, they will want to be a part of it. We very simply need the uninitiated to realize how cool AHRMA is and induce them to want to get involved. How do we draw people in? PROMOTION!
AHRMA needs much more effective promotion. If there is one area that I would earmark for increased budget in the future, it would be for vastly increased media relations and promotions. I will talk to Matt Benson about this soon, but perhaps a single staff position could be created for a media relations guru. A single hard working staffer could make AHRMA shine in the national press, at the retail motorcycle level, on television (Speed Channel!), etc! This person would execute timely pre and post race press releases to national and local press, draw in local sponsors at each race event, and help local race promoters produce better, bigger events. Increased sponsorship revenue could even allow this position to pay for itself! The national motorcycle press should get timely press releases before every race weekend that highlight class leaders, spotlight classic racing machines, discuss rivalries, promote sponsors, and, in general, talk up the races. Why do people get so excited by NASCAR? Well, among other things…because it's so effectively promoted! Promote promote promote! Then capitalize on the press that results from that promotion and get local motorcycle dealers involved! Especially get AHRMA- or racing-friendly MC dealers involved! Sell businesses advertising space at the track- trackside banners, print ads in programs, website ads, ad space on event t-shirts, etc! Pursue sponsorship dollars from dealers. Use local dealers as promotional centers. Have dealers pass out flyers, talk the races up to their customers, and get spectators (and perhaps more racers!) out to the track! Right now, AHRMA has AMA Grand national champions Gary Nixon and Jay Springsteen racing with us! We need to better capitalize on their presence!! The bike consumers with all the disposable income (over 45 years old) not only remember , but *idolize* these guys. The Sandia event had a GREAT tie in with Chick's Harley Davidson that got Harley fans to the track to see these guys race. Then AHRMA drew spectators and consumers to the dealer's showroom with a dealer- sponsored Barbeque event. AHRMA needs a vigilant person with some business sense to organize, manage and promote, and that's what I intend to do!
I live in Los Angeles and I have rubbed noses with tons of people who love vintage bikes and who can help our organization. Look, I'm nobody. I'm not famous. I'm not a big shot. I'm just a dork who likes to race my Guzzis and Ducatis. Even so, In the past month, I have had personal contact with: Jay Leno, Craig Vetter, Tony Foale, Charles Everitt, Tim Carrithers, Brian Catterson, and Mitch Boehm from Motorcyclist, a Hollywood writer for a new motorcycle reality show, and a few others. I would LOVE to pitch AHRMA involvement to these guys. Imagine how many sponsors would jump at the chance to involve their business with someone like Leno. Imagine how many young people would be inspired to race vintage stuff if they recognized someone famous who was involved with the sport. A RISING TIDE OF MEMBERSHIP AND PROMOTION LIFTS ALL OF OUR BOATS!
Woof. Sorry for the length of this response. This stuff is important, though, if AHRMA is going to continue to be an effective national club. What I offer as a trustee are well-honed promotional skills and a vision for future success of the organization.
Ed Milich
ed@guzzitech.com