affiliation

[GOLDSTAR]

wouldn't bother me to much but was there some discussion by the club and VMCC in relation to perhaps coming under their wing, or have I missed some earlier talks etc? kind regards

[Janet]

There was a meeting instigated by our club of chairmen/women of various classic motorcycle clubs including the VMCC. This was for fact finding between clubs, using one example, were they all having difficulty getting new, younger members? Did they have a committee (by whatever name) of volunteer members to carry out the work that was needed to keep their club running or did they have paid professionals?

Where services were bought it, such as magazine production or insurance, could there be an advantage in some circumstances if the clubs co-operated in negotiating a price with businesses on the basis that they would get one customer club for £x but, on the same terms and conditions, would get two customers with each paying £x-y for separate magazines/policies. It's a bit like where some companies provide a cheaper price to individuals who are members of a club. Each has his own policy. If club costs could be cut for multiple orders, it would make our clubs more viable if membership drops and/or costs rise.

You could say that we already co-operate with the Vincent Owners Club by renting part of our premises to them.

Although the VMCC is the largest UK club and has benefits because of it, ie greater membership means greater income so more able to pay professionals, no-one wanted to go down the route of amalgamating under the VMCC banner because there would be the risk of the tiny clubs being swallowed up and losing their own identity.

No agreements have been made other than the clubs' chairmen felt having the discussion was a useful introduction and would be willing to attend another in the future.

[GOLDSTAR]

thank you Janet, I have read both the suggestion April VMCC meeting and the fact nothing would be happening July meeting VMCC, however at the July meeting 'tis quite complimentary the reasons given and maybe the discussion should be aired on this medium, I cannot see it being contentious I,m sure we all want for the betterment, if possible, of the club even though as I often state I believe this is probably one of the most informative clubs to which I belong, I also say that being frugal with facts and information from the committee of the VMCC is causing considerable ire among the membership kind regards .

[Stuoyb]

The meeting of Club Chairmen was originally proposed as an informal get-together due to common problems being experienced by marque clubs:-
- Lack of new volunteers coming forward to fill club posts
- Ageing membership
- Rising costs
- Difficulty in sourcing parts

Discussions were about forming a "co-operative" to bulk buy services such as magazine printing, website hosting, accountancy services, club insurances, forming a suppliers register and so on .........

Whilst there was a general agreement on these issues some clubs claimed they had no problem at present (????) and others were concerned that they might no longer be in control.
The VMCC then threw into the discussion the model used in the USA whereby the AMCA (Antique Motorcycle Club of America) had become an "umbrella" organisation with marque clubs becoming "sections".
This suggestion was universally dismissed at the present time as it was seen as giving autonomy to what is already the largest club who would the effectively be budget and service controllers. However, if marque clubs decline, then this sort of operation might have to be considered but it is not something for the short or medium term. Our own club has a steady membership and finances - all it lacks is a few volunteers to keep the wheels turning!

Whilst smaller clubs remain viable no one at the discussion could see any merit in going down that route at the present time. It was agreed however that there would be annual get-togethers to monitor developments and share ideas

In my opinion (and others at the meeting), VMCC is embarking on an expansion plan with new premises and additional services being considered and were simply looking at an alternative way of funding/sustaining their growth.

[SPRIDDLER]

In the March VMCC mag the Chairman quoted the average age of their 15,152 members as 68. I'd guess that ours is around 65, maybe a few years less.
It would be a sad loss if our Forums, Jampot and Alternative rallies and section events lost their identity by merging with one 'all-makes' club, but unless volunteers come forward it seems inevitable.
The terrific Stow-on-the Wold Jampot was run by help from other sections and I understand that next year's will be similarly supported. Likewise national events where more local sections could take a leading role in setting up a show in their area rather than relying upon one or two appointed H.O. committee volunteers. Sussex section has two new members under 40 who are very keen and ride their AMC bikes regularly but understandably they can't get time off on a Thursday or Friday to help with transporting show equipment or setting up. I cannot see how amalgamating at any level would change the status quo except for easing matters of obligatory administration, insurance cover for events, running the spares service, magazine publishing or savings on premises costs. Hmm, upon thinking more deeply about it, those would be quite significant benefits............but I wonder if it would result in a greater benefit to the financial recovery of the VMCC rather than for our vibrant and financially stable AMOC?
The major and medium term threat to our future would seem to be a lack of volunteers.............

[Stuoyb]

The major and medium term threat to our future would seem to be a lack of volunteers.............

Absolutely right Spriddler.

With Ron Walker stepping down as Secretary at the August AGM and no volunteer coming forward, the club is technically operating illegally!

PS - October OBM has just dropped through the letterbox - page 3 states that VMCC will not now complete purchase of new premises due to "serious controversy within the VMCC"

[Rob Harknett]

Club's joining forces is nothing new. For example. In 1993 the Exeter MC marshalled our runs at Oakhampton Jampot rally. This was very successful. Even the very worried police came and thanked us for the way we ran our event, police also having new age travellers blocking the A38. The marshals also helping to control the flow of Bank holiday traffic. Other clubs have also run events together. Each having there members taking part, signing in on separate papers to satisfy insurance. As mentioned, renting out part of Kettering to the Vincent club helps pay our rates etc. I do not think we have yet arrived at the time when we need to join forces. The likes of which did happen to trade unions in order to survive.

[SPRIDDLER]

We can do little about the aging membership (for many reasons few youngsters are interested in or can afford classic bikes).

On the question of potential benefits from cooperation with spares sourcing then amalgamating with the VMCC won't increase the volume of AMC tank knee pads, 650 cranks, or front wheel bearing assemblies. It would be fine for generic items like nuts, bolts, washers, gasket goo, chains, brake linings, dynamos, mags and carb parts but we don't have a problem obtaining those. I see the main loss would be the magazine, spares service and our own website.

Several VMCC mags (which are passed on to me by a VMCC member) have had articles saying that they must increase the membership since their income/profit from the retail operation is poor and too much of their income is dependant upon commission (from advertisers etc.) which is risky and unpredictable making the current level of income obtained just from subscriptions insufficient to keep them solvent.

[vincentvv]

I am trying to do my part as a youngster, knowing that I am one of the few the pressure is high to help the club. Starting with the first Belgian rally next week and maybe in the future an international? Who knows.... But still, if there are no youngsters who can afford nor have the interest in such a hobby as this then we all know what is coming for us.... As long the motorcycles/driving license/insurance etc are getting more expensive there will be no change in average age I guess.

[G15 Roy]

Would it not have been a better option to talk to all the small fish first and then become the shark, rather than talk to the shark first and all be eaten alive.

AOB 10

Chairman: I have approached by another club who wants to work with us or perhaps amalgamate with us. They have asked to arrange a Chairman's only meeting, which I have agreed to in July, and they are looking at whether we could act as an umbrella company. They have currently got 3,500 members and worth about half a million pound and they are going to get all the little clubs together to see if in any way we can help them.

Jim: This is a subject that Titch and I used to have monumental discussions about this Club embracing all the other clubs.

Chairman: This is not an approach I made, it is an approach that has been made to me. This club has got records that we have not got, suppliers that we have not got. It is a one make club.

Jim: The Ariel Owners Club is in a similar situation and I have been chastising them for ages to get their act together and get involved with us.

01:51:32?: If these one make clubs are going to come to you there is the largest possibility that most of their members are members of this Club so you are not going to get an additional 3,500 member you might get an additional 500 members and surely a club that is going to come to you is on the verge of collapse.

Chairman: They are not on the verge of collapse, their concern is that they have got an increasing lack of volunteers and they are saying ‘why should we be all doing a lot of the same things'. They talked about back office systems like club rules, accountancy, admin, data. So as a larger organisation they remain in their own club with their own identity and talking about sharing back office. My concern is that they would get everything from the VMCC on a cheaper basis.

PM: I think they need to affiliate to the Club, be part of the Club and they wouldn't have their own magazine they would have say half a dozen pages in our magazine which would swell our magazine. That is a way of putting it forward.

Chairman: I haven't got a proposal to put to you yet. A lot of these smaller clubs are running on volunteers and there is a price differential because they have not got an office and they are not paying staff. I don't know how the two marry. The meeting is Chairman only, they want confidentiality. Believe it or not a lot of this was triggered at Stafford, a lot of them were really moaning together at Stafford about having lack of volunteers, lack of people to bring bikes in. The whole volunteer network is collapsing.

JDI have heard this over the last few days that two big shows down our way have cancelled now.

Chairman: So the comment to me was ‘we might all be prepared to chip in to have one professional office running a lot of the back office stuff. We are viewed as that professional office. End