Twin City Bike Show

[Cruzin]

Darryl, Brant and myself will be to Fat Nats about 9:00 on Saturday too.

Me and Brant won't be making the BBQ we have another M/C Party to attend

[CruiserConnie]

Randy and I will be at Fat Nat's for breakfast and headed to Market BBQ after the show. The TCVR (Twin Cities Victory Riders) is also going to MBBQ afterward and everyone seems to end up in the same banquet room. Fun times!

[LSGiant]

Great to see all the peeps at the show and Market BBQ. Really looking forward to Spring.

Alex found something he liked.

[Shooter]

What a great time!!!!!

Thank you again Randy and Brion for picking up my KLR!!!!

Good to see everyone at breakfast and dinner. Contrary to what some people think we DID make it to the show. We have t-shirts to prove it.

Sorry Rich and Penny for not having my phone after dinner. Can you believe I only had one drink....lol...somebody has a pic of the "one" dink.

Can't wait to see everyone at the Spring get together.

[Frump]

https://picasaweb.google.com/11179532555...ary182013#

[Breeze]

Thank you Frump for the pictures.
Looks like it was an interesting show.

[Frump]

I think the show was alright, but the one thing that is killing this show is that there aren't as many small and local vendors left in it. I would normally try and buy some pieces of gear at the show every year, but there wasn't even enough gear there this year to get a good sampling. One of the guys from Sioux City really wanted to see, touch, and buy some RAM gear, but he couldn't even find one vendor selling that stuff this year. Most of the folks I know who have gone to the show the last few year from down here didn't even venture up this year.

On the other hand, I think that various brand manufacturers are getting represented one way or another (lots of brands), but it seemed like some of them (Honda for example) didn't even bring many of their models in. I know Farklebar doesn't do the IMS shows because of cost, but he does some of other shows which don't even get to our area.

The best part of the show anymore is the breakfast, BBQ, and hanging out and seeing my Northern friends. If it weren't for the social aspects, I'm not sure I would go. I did get to see some of the new BMW's, Hondas, Indians, and yes even Harleys, but that was a treat which I could have waited to see in the shops.

[Shooter]

+1 to what Frump said....we were looking forward to looking at riding gear and there really wasn't much. No Aerostich, FirstGear, Klim, Nolan, HJC, Schuberth, and on and on. I don't understand why these companies don't all have booths? Is it to expensive?

It was great to see everyone and give Jean a chance to hangout with "the group" on a non rally weekend. I don't know what was said or done at the other end of the table at the Market BBQ but Jean is still laughing and giggling about how much fun she had. Randy is a "little squiler" and apparently she turned into a Rally Master at some point?

Is it Spring yet?

[drphill]

Oh yes, it is VERY expensive to be an exhibitor at an IMS show or any show for that matter unless its a swap meet, but even then its debatable.

From my personal experience in exhibiting with the Chicago IMS show...you can figure on paying roughly 3k (or more) to stand there for 3 days to pass out business cards, watch people & drink beer.

Most booths are 10ft x 10ft and start at about 1K. The bigger booths (usually the leather people) run 3k+ and OBTW, it is a first come first serve basis on open slots. You might end up in a high traffic area or you might end up in a side room with little traffic...sign up and take your chances.

If you want electric for computers or lights it was around $150 A DAY, and if you "need" something plugged in you have to have an electrician do it for you...for a slight phenomenal fee.

Oh, your light bulb just burned out? call an electrician and they will gladly replace it for you...and bill you for the bulb you hand them all for another slight phenomenal fee.

Need a banner hung? The sign workers will bring a lift and hang it for you...for another slight phenomenal fee.

Want to stand of nice cushy soft carpeting? The flooring people will gladly arrange it for you...for another slight phenomenal fee.

Selling stuff? keep in mind SOME shows take 10% of your total sales for the weekend. You better do good and pay up or your booth/space will be "unavailable" next year.

Your want an internet connection? Its around $100 A DAY and don't even think about trying to use your phone in there to skirt the charge...

Wanna bring in a bike to exhibit? make sure you drain ALL the gas, anti-freeze, and sometimes the oil. Fuggadabout even cranking it over or riding it into your booth 2 1/2 miles from the loading zone....sometimes the battery comes out too. It must pass inspection and get a little sticker before it can see the show floor.

Oh yeah, the show management has the right to shut you down too IF they find YOU, your booth or materials in your booth objectionable...hence the lack of scantly clad "brand ambassadors" that used to grace the booths. Also the covert drinking ($7 for a 12oz Miller Light!) and patched (1%er) organizations.

so....let's do some math.

1K for the 10x10 booth
450 for 'lectric
400 for the interwebs
240 for parking ($20/day x 4 people)
300 in "fees" for tasks you should be able to do but the work rules won't allow
300 for carpeting 'cuz standing on concrete all day is no fun.
-------------------
roughly $2600 in fees just to be in the show.

...and that's not including food, hotel (avg $100 a night), promotional materials, payroll for your booth staff, "stuff" (trinkets) to hand out, travel to and from the show (set up is Thursday night)

Finally, a client of mine (a custom painter) figured he had to book a minimum of 10 paint jobs (at roughly 1K a piece) or other work just to cover his expenses to be at the show. Anything above was "profit"...he wasn't there last year.