Understand that most rallies are businesses at the core.  A rally is usually planned to make money ... whether to support your motorcycle club or to line your pockets, like Bill Dutcher.  Don't get me wrong, I like Americade and think Bill does a great job.  But don't mistake this for a non-profit activity; this is a business.

So then, what's wrong with Klingons? Nothing.  If they're effectively putting you out of business, it's because you're not offering anything differentiated.  Your rally hawks pretty much the same wares as any other 2-bit rally. You're not offering any other kind of service that gives a rally-goer a reason to fork out whatever the registration charge is.  In fact, the Klingons are doing you a favor by forcing you to go do something more worthwhile with your time.

This is not the case with Americade.  Americade is differentiated in many ways: a vendor area that is immeasurably better than anything outside; guided and unguided tours that offer good food and good camaraderie; multiple dinners, lunches, and coffee sessions with people that are famous within our subculture like ... hmmm, Fred Rau; great seminars; contests; and let's not forget THE DEMOS!

Are there people that come to Americade and don't register?  Of course!  They don't find any value in any of the above things.  Most of them come because they go wherever there are a lot of people with loud motorcycles (these are the same guys that go to Laconia, Sturgis, etc.).  But riders that enjoy Americade's many varied and interesting activities will continue to register and grow in number.  Why?  Because Americade provides a service that is difficult to duplicate and people will always pay for that.  I can point to the Hoot and other events and say similar things.  It's why they are successful and will continue to be so.

Nick in NYC
'06 FJR
SCRC NYC
New York City
http://www.sebrell.com/motorcycle/

I attend Americade maybe every 3 years or so. I attend Laconia every other year...or so.  Never been to Sturgis. Been to Daytona once.

The "official" vending area by the beach....there is a "fee" (8 or 10 bucks, I think) to just GET IN....to maybe buy something. IF....what you want to buy costs a couple hundred bucks. Not everything, of course, but...where are the little guys with the neat little stuff? The oddball and interesting gizmos that USED to be at the beach?  They're not there. Where are they? At the OTHER "official" vending area on the main drag....where the 3 times I tried to get in....the parking lot was blocked off "LOT FULL"....tried to take the bus ("free", BTW) from the beach and back to the beach...but waay to many bodies on too few vehicles....I was not willing to wait on line....for a "free" bus. OK...my choice.

We DID find...what we were after....at the "unoffical" vending area..south of the town. First, no admission fee. Second, enough parking...no problem. The item wife and I were looking for was 20 bucks cheaper (we noticed no difference in quality)...and they HAD the little gizmos and "stuff" we were interested in.

As I wrote this forum in early June, Americade seems to be taking a natural evolution process....after a few years, (metaphor) the guys in tents having a good time are left behind...and the guys who spend time & big $ in the hotels....5 nite minimum @ $200/nite (minimum) are favored...having a good time relative to the money they spend. Guess things go that way.

Laconia: there last year. Yep...it's more crowded than ever before. But we must have hit it right....minimum traffic stop and go...got into town proper, parked the bikes (10 bucks all day...parking on the street has been substantially reduced) and walked into and thru the vending area(s). No admission. All kinds of stuff...right there. And, IMO, Laconia (New Hampshire) has better and more great roads to ride. 

Will I return to Americade? Sure. Anytime the wife wants to. Next year...back to Laconia.

The one thing both these rallies have in common: rain. Ahhhhh...can't have it all......