Did anyone else notice

[Wolfhound]

Hopefully we'll carry on without bothering Yama in the future. Pulled out, promised support, & nothing ? Toast to FJR Forum !

Alex from RealTime Industries (Saddlebag stickers) didn't come because He was riding His FJR to Alaska at the time. I mentioned this to Warchild before the banquet but wasn't important enought to say to the crowd so I'm posting it here....

I too had thought Cycleport would be there as I wanted to buy some mesh pants. The website isn't very informative (pics lousy) so now I'll try to see if I can come to there place and see if I want them (If they'll let you) . . .

What else can you say but Class Act by BikeEffects ! Great service and great guy , hard to find that combo at times . . .

 

[Jaycen]

i've been on the hump lately.....do i want the remus, or the blue flames.....I was leaning to the blue flames, now reading this, I'm ordering them tomorrow!

 

[mbottoms]

I too, was very disappointed with the vendor turn out and swag available.

Last two years EOM has had 4-5 times more swag than we saw at NAFO.

I had cash money in hand to purchase myself a set of the Remus Exhaust.

As well, a member on the forum that wasn't able to attend had authorized me to purchase him a set of the exhaust also.

Guess we will spend that money somewhere else.

And by the by, I know of two vendors that made numerous attempts to work with NAFO Organizers and we were basically ignored.

One vendor was going to send $400-500 in gift certificates, when they requested info on what dollar amounts the certificates should be, they got nothin, nada, so that is what NAFO got from each of these vendors.

I bet EOM will respond differently to this same offer.

I will support RKA and BikeEffects in the future, we appreciate you guys taking the time.

I also want to thank the organizers, short of this vendor/swag issue, things went very well.

Thanks Paul

Mark

 

[gypsy]

Let's not tar all Yamaha with the same brush. I have no idea why Yamaha USA didn't show for NAFO but Yamaha Canada has signed on as a sponsor for the Canadian FJR Rally next month in Nova Scotia.

gypsy

 

[PapaUtah]

I did score the one pair of Pazzo's that Bike Effects had at the gathering! Thanks Jeff!

Yamaha sending swag would have been a nice gesture...not mandatory though as NAFO was a FJRFORUM event, not corporate. But you would think they would want to keep the current owners happy as they have a higher probability of purchasing the same brand in the future. Someone could have showed up for Friday and Saturday just to listen an take a few notes to bring back to Cypress. As Keith Jackson would say, "Whoa nelly! It's a fummmbllllllle!!!!"

 

[gasportrider]

I'm surprised that Yamaha did not support NAFO. This situation makes me believe the problem lies at some intermediate level of management rather than Yamaha Corporate. I know from personal contact that Yamaha supported D & H when they did their hospitality event at Barber Motorsports. They had 3 Yamaha reps at the tent, promoted their new synthetic oil, and handed out lots of swag to anyone who stopped by. The Alabama rep had the support of his supervisory management and couldn't have been nicer in the process of helping to set up the event.

Maybe the person(s) involved in the NAFO coordination with Yamaha needs to have a bit of diaglogue with someone higher in the management ladder at Yamaha? This lack of support definitely sounds like a screw up that should be remedied for the future. I'm confident those at Yamaha who opted out in providing support for NAFO will have something to answer for if this matter is brought to the attention of the right personnel within the company. Our group has too much enthusiasm for the Yamaha product to ignore!

 

[scubatech]

The number of bikes that turned out was impressive to me. Considering that it is only one model out of a huge line of bikes! If it were a Yamaha rally we would have had thousands.

 

[Fred W]

It has been suggested that Yamaha employees may monitor this forum. Perhaps this was the very reason that no Yamaha representatives attended NAFO.

They may have been afraid to field all the whining...

 

[mdisher]

Vendor support at BMW MOA was extremely weak as well. Probably 1/3rd the vendors as in 2006 in Vermont.

Same deal, I had cash to spend on a number of items and probably only ended up spending about $40 total, which was super-sad.

I read they expected less support simply because of the location and distance from any real population. Even so, I was shocked at how sparse the vendor area was.

I can't compare WFO6 as I wasn't there. I didn't stick around NAFO long enough to realize no vendors showed up, though I did chat with the RKA guys and chatted with them for a while on Thursday.

I honestly think the economy as a whole is having an effect. Gas on the plus side of $4 diesel even higher There were way more tents and far fewer RV's at the MOA rally too.

I can attest that at least on Friday the Remus booth was jam packed with bikes to be fitted for exhausts.

I think it's super slimey that Yamaha agreed to come, then changed their plans and didn't do anything else to support the event. That's quite sad indeed.

 

[Jackson]

I also want to add my thanks and congratulations to the NAFO organizers for a very well-run, highly worthwhile, event. I had a great time.

But, yes, I noticed that Yamaha was missing in action. At WFO last year in Park City, I talked to the lead Yamaha person there and got a commitment from her for Yamaha to supply a little swag for CFO 2007. I followed up with several e-mails, none of which were answered, and they sent nothing.

On Wednesday of last week at Sturgis I talked with Yamaha's Assistant Division Manager for National Events and again received a commitment for a little swag for CFO 2008. Today I followed up with an email to her. We'll see what, if anything, they supply. I'll be giddy if we receive a couple of caps for CFO.

 

[twowheelnut]

Hey guys - we may will never know the true reason Yamaha didn't show for our party.

Sure we do: Yamaha chose to support the Star Days Rally and not NAFO. (Linky.) Pretty simple, I think. It was all in the numbers when you get right down to it. Certainly, I can understand the truck and crew not showing, but not so much as a hat sent our way? That leaves me scratchin' the ol' bald noggin.

A special thanks to bikeeffects.com and RKA Luggage (I'm mounting my spiffy, new bag today), and to the other vendors who donated.

And thanks to you who offered the kind comments to me and the NAFO staff. Makes it all worthwhile. :good:

See y'all in 2010, somewhere in the East!

 

[Jackson]

I also want to add my thanks and congratulations to the NAFO organizers for a very well-run, highly worthwhile, event. I had a great time.
But, yes, I noticed that Yamaha was missing in action. At WFO last year in Park City, I talked to the lead Yamaha person there and got a commitment from her for Yamaha to supply a little swag for CFO 2007. I followed up with several e-mails, none of which were answered, and they sent nothing.

On Wednesday of last week at Sturgis I talked with Yamaha's Assistant Division Manager for National Events and again received a commitment for a little swag for CFO 2008. Today I followed up with an email to her. We'll see what, if anything, they supply. I'll be giddy if we receive a couple of caps for CFO.

==========================

Update, August 13, 2008:

Today I received a message from the Assistant Division Manager for National Events that I talked with last week. The message said that Yamaha shipped some items today for CFO. This will be a step toward the rehabilitation of the Yamaha name with FJR owners, and we will be extremely grateful and appreciative for anything they send.

 

[dcarver]

Hey guys - we may will never know the true reason Yamaha didn't show for our party.

Sure we do: Yamaha chose to support the Star Days Rally and not NAFO. (Linky.) Pretty simple, I think. It was all in the numbers when you get right down to it. Certainly, I can understand the truck and crew not showing, but not so much as a hat sent our way? That leaves me scratchin' the ol' bald noggin.

A special thanks to bikeeffects.com and RKA Luggage (I'm mounting my spiffy, new bag today), and to the other vendors who donated.

And thanks to you who offered the kind comments to me and the NAFO staff. Makes it all worthwhile. :good:

See y'all in 2010, somewhere in the East!

In that case screw the bastards and I'm done with Yamaha.

See you at next NAFO on my HD Ultra. :angry:

This really pisses me right off the charts.

As Fairlaner would say "What the bloody hell?"

And - THANK YOU to Jeff and RKA. I'm hoping to spring for a new digital StarCom and will look seriously at what RKA has to offer too. Support those that support you.

Wow.

May have sell my yz and buy a Honda now too.

 

[mbottoms]

Hey guys - we may will never know the true reason Yamaha didn't show for our party.

Sure we do: Yamaha chose to support the Star Days Rally and not NAFO. (Linky.) Pretty simple, I think. It was all in the numbers when you get right down to it. Certainly, I can understand the truck and crew not showing, but not so much as a hat sent our way? That leaves me scratchin' the ol' bald noggin.

A special thanks to bikeeffects.com and RKA Luggage (I'm mounting my spiffy, new bag today), and to the other vendors who donated.

And thanks to you who offered the kind comments to me and the NAFO staff. Makes it all worthwhile. :good:

See y'all in 2010, somewhere in the East!

In that case screw the bastards and I'm done with Yamaha.

See you at next NAFO on my HD Ultra. :angry:

This really pisses me right off the charts.

As Fairlaner would say "What the bloody hell?"

And - THANK YOU to Jeff and RKA. I'm hoping to spring for a new digital StarCom and will look seriously at what RKA has to offer too. Support those that support you.

Wow.

May have sell my yz and buy a Honda now too.

What????? You have a YZ at the Hondarosa.

Now, I can plan on bringing the YZF out with me on my next trip to the west coast.

I didn't think that you would let the WR or the YZF out on a track called the Hondarosa!

Sweet!

Mark

 

[otrfjr]

Here are the caveats before you read further:

1) I wasn't at NAFO--but wish I had been

2) I don't know what went down besides Yamaha not showing and not bothering to even send word that they weren't going to show

3) Yamaha does read this forum.

4) I have my own ax to grind with Yamaha the corp--particularly the little bastardly number crunchers who seem to call shots that should be left to the engineers who produce a stunningly fine motorcycle (several, in fact).

Here's my paranoid speculation: NAFO got the shaft because this forum is narking Yamaha into accountability for several defects that should be resolved. Yamaha has adamantly refused to issue technical/service bulletins on several issues when they know they should. Mama Yama didn't show any love to NAFO since it was generated by fjrforum--which, from the accountants' perspective, hasn't shown Yamaha the love since our "agitating" for accountability would cost them money.

Rabid paranoid speculation on my part, I know.

I still love my FJR & am still a loyal Yamaha enthusiast/customer. I just don't care for their business model.

 

[ponyfool]

Yamaha reads this forum

I love how people say this all the time and wonder, is there really someone at Yamaha who has a job doing nothing but reading internet forums??? More likely, there are Yamaha employees that are also owners who are members. When something of interest to the company is posted, and the employee/member sees it, it is brought to Yamaha's attention.

I mean, when was the last job posting you saw that said, "Wanted: Employee to surf internet to see if people are talking shit about us"

 

[wheatonFJR]

Yamaha reads this forum

I love how people say this all the time and wonder, is there really someone at Yamaha who has a job doing nothing but reading internet forums??? More likely, there are Yamaha employees that are also owners who are members. When something of interest to the company is posted, and the employee/member sees it, it is brought to Yamaha's attention.

I mean, when was the last job posting you saw that said, "Wanted: Employee to surf internet to see if people are talking shit about us"

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[otrfjr]

Yamaha reads this forum

I mean, when was the last job posting you saw that said, "Wanted: Employee to surf internet to see if people are talking shit about us"

Ummm, I think that's the first duty listed in a PR/Marketing person's job description.

And I don't mean to paint all PR/Marketing departments & personnel with the same brush.

 

[Silver Penguin]

I mean, when was the last job posting you saw that said, "Wanted: Employee to surf internet to see if people are talking shit about us"

Maybe the position isn't advertized as such, but you can bet that it falls into someone's job description. Recently, I chatted with a friend who has a high level sales position with an ambulance company. Her role this week? Show up to work in ultra-casual dress, then stake out a competitor's ambulance bay. Follow their rigs and see where they are getting their customers. This is not what her MBA prepared her for., but knowing the client has to be key to successful sales.

Jill

 

[ShawnKing]

Yamaha reads this forum

I love how people say this all the time and wonder, is there really someone at Yamaha who has a job doing nothing but reading internet forums???

There are *many* companies who have people who do just that. If Yamaha *didn't* have at least one person in the MC division doing it, I'd be *very* surprised.

I mean, when was the last job posting you saw that said, "Wanted: Employee to surf internet to see if people are talking shit about us"

Often - it's called "Public Relations".