Triumphrat

cafetbird · 03-31-2008

Great post, Dave - and I would have to say you are the best exception to the rule on dealer-run packs that I know of. RATs speak very highly of you, as does Triumph.

Roughcut, you are right on too - building a pack takes time. Very rarely do you just hang a RAT banner out, and 20 people show up for a ride. More often, a Pack is started, and it takes 2 or 3 YEARS to really get going strong. All the energy that goes into making that happen will burn normal people out.

A good RAT leader requires three things:
1. Positive Energy
2. Contagious Enthusiasm
3. Moral support from riders/dealers

ffour, four things -
4. An almost fanatical devotion to the brand ;-)

Thump Bonnie! · 04-01-2008

Geetings All!
I guess I hit a nerve with my post! I have been in sales/ marketing for 25+ years. In marketing you always know you have hit the "Sweet Spot" when you get significant positive or negative responses, you have flushed out what people are thinking. The information given, positive or negative, identifies the problems and exposes solutions. Seems like most are dissapointed with the RAT way of doing things, so am I! Volunteering to help is a great solution, I have. Probably the best "Vent" that has come up is to volunteer. Everyone needs to do it! Again, get off your arse's and do it!
One note about brand loyalty: Guess why many of us bought new Triumphs? We have had them before and loved them. (Brand loyalty). Folks who have their first Triumph probably see them as an icon, or in the case of the triples, flat out killer fast! Yes, no one wants to over pay for anything. I have bought accesories from my dealer and other outfits. Who works on my besides me? My dealer!
Live free, ride and have as much fun as possible. Peace!

whoa · 04-01-2008

Dave, I appreciate your reply. Its refreshing to hear your frank input on the matter. My preference is a symbiotic relationship between "end user" RATs and a Triumph dealer. I thing Triumph should support the dealer to this end, but not much more.

RAT strikes me as more product branding for the manufacturer than customer loyalty for the shop. Triumph's marketing may be focussed on the fluid demographic rather than the loyal Triumph owner. Grab market share from high turnover buyers could mean more than developing loyal customers which could explain why Triumph has cooled their energy with RAT.

All that is beyond my interest. I don't care about Triumph's marketing direction, other than to wish them well. My next bike will certainly be Triumph and I want it to be a great product.

I'm interested in our local RAT. Having fun and enjoying my fetish with other Triumph loyalists. A strong dealer feeds the group by bringing insight and energy. The dealer can talk Triumph, different models, shop technician may come out. But the dealer doesn't get a captured purchasing block. We aren't whores (or Johns), but we may do performance tuning ourselves, or source the local "performance" shops over a dealer. Online shops like New Bonneville or British Customs may share in our discretionary purchases, as may other Triumph dealers if they are within striking distance. But we aren't shopping the cheapest price at the moment.

I'm a RAT because I've identified with the brand, Triumph's history, and unique British style. I think a dealer should invest in the pack as should Triumph. But the pack is ultimately responsible for making it go.

I've asked my dealer to mail postcards, host a meeting, provide some swag or front some T-Shirts to sell in the shop. They are open to this and it's not a big risk on their part. The bulk of work has to come from the pack for the reasons you mentioned. Our pack has to pony up three or four folks to organize and communicate activities. The pack doesn't have to be huge. We've had rides with 50, but more with 5-10 riders. It doesn't need to be grand, but does need to be consistent.

Triumph can help the dealer support RAT with swag, propaganda (e.g. Euro Tack Day, Demo Truck etc), web/email portals and similar types of products/services. A distinction between roles is having dealers and RAT Packs hosting RAIDs rather than Triumph, but Triumph issuing Torque covering articles of interest to current owners.

Thanks again for your response Dave, its given me some things to think over here in Austin.

hawkster · 04-03-2008

I've been running the Bluegrass (KY) RAT Pack for 9 years. It takes a lot of patience when the brand does not have 1000's of bikes on the road in your area. Different in CA from what I understand. All I get from the dealer is nice words and a discount on parts. No support. So the loyal do it on their own.

And you really can't judge a pack on one ride. In my area we have a lot of older riders that prefer to ride alone or would rather meet, eat, and talk about bikes. That's ok sometimes. The other contingent likes curvy roads. Some fewer others like weekend or longer rides. A good pack leader tries to have some of everything to draw a little larger crowd or following.

My advice is to take part and volunteer to help the pack leader in your area. Unless he's a dealer employee that only cares about sales. Help organize and plan. Helping build friendships between riders is a good way to start.

drharveys · 04-03-2008

This discussion has confirmed my decision to remain in my local BMW club, as well as the BMW MOA. Both are pretty friendly to those who are "between BMW's", and the rallies are super!

cafetbird · 04-05-2008

I guess it just depends on where you live, Doc. On our RAT rides these days, half the bikes are BMWs! I have found MOA groups to be very different depending on where you go. Some can be pretty stuffy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drharveys

This discussion has confirmed my decision to remain in my local BMW club, as well as the BMW MOA. Both are pretty friendly to those who are "between BMW's", and the rallies are super!

hawkster · 04-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cafetbird

I guess it just depends on where you live, Doc. On our RAT rides these days, half the bikes are BMWs! I have found MOA groups to be very different depending on where you go. Some can be pretty stuffy.

Scot, we have the same thing here. I have several BMW riders, a few Ducati, and Triumph of course. We basically are Eurotrash at this time. My guys say they like bikes a little different than four cylinder Japanese bikes, er, they say more character. And so do I.

LMandrake · 04-22-2008

Our pack, The Jersey DevilRATS, does it own thing. Like Triumph says, Go your OWN way. We meet and pick rides usually all year long, some of our member ride the Polar Bears Runs. We have active member from all over New Jersey; some who are closer to other packs . We meet on our runs at the dealership then go to a location to join up with other riders down south.

Talk to other packs and get some ideas, ask questions.

Get involved. Its your Pack.

cafetbird · 04-26-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMandrake

Our pack, The Jersey DevilRATS, does it own thing.

Get involved. Its your Pack.

Most of them do these days, Mandrake...

drharveys · 04-30-2008

Looks like we've got three Triumphs plus one prospective in our BMW club, the Gateway Riders.

Maybe we'll organize as the GITs -- Gateway Independent Triumphs!