**ping**Michigan GG riders

[desertgasser300]

I have to disagree that the primary responsibilty for a support rider is to sell motorcycles. The rider's "job" is to race to the best of their ability and represent their sponsors in a positive way. I agree the goal is to help sell more motorcycles/product but that "job" belongs to the dealers/distributors.

Now, having said that, I know that my son and I are partially responsible for at least 4 new Gassers being sold since we came to the brand in 2011.

I have to disagree with the above quote, unless you are amongst the worlds top riders. If you are one of the guys that the public reads about monthly, yes you are going to sell bikes. Perfect example is the statement about Cory Granffunder riding Husky's. He is a top contender and people look at the bikes these guys win on. As a local support rider you have your work cut out for you! Yes, you want to be fast, but wouldn't you want to be fast on a bike you had to buy also? Cole Kirkpatrick had this down with all the videos he made and posted for GasGas. He convinced you that he believed in the product and while he was sponsored he did!

I carried the same sponsor for over 15 yrs. not because I was the best climber, but because I built websites around the products I used, ie ropes, shoes, clothes, gear etc.....I made small clips and videos of me using the products. I pushed it, I believed in it, I got you to believe in to, I sold the product.....showcasing it in everything I did. My biggest sponsor I got was because I was the ONLY climber to actually give them a resume and a plan to push the product.

That is why I say the local support riders have alot of work to do. More than just being fast and saying good things about it with a smile on your face. Pretty sure the dealers you want to give you a bike to race are asking, "what are you going to do for me and the brand?" besides showing up and racing. Because any body can do that. And giving away a bike is a huge expense for them.

 

[jpelaston]

I have to disagree with the above quote, unless you are amongst the worlds top riders. If you are one of the guys that the public reads about monthly, yes you are going to sell bikes. Perfect example is the statement about Cory Granffunder riding Husky's. He is a top contender and people look at the bikes these guys win on. As a local support rider you have your work cut out for you! Yes, you want to be fast, but wouldn't you want to be fast on a bike you had to buy also? Cole Kirkpatrick had this down with all the videos he made and posted for GasGas. He convinced you that he believed in the product and while he was sponsored he did!

I carried the same sponsor for over 15 yrs. not because I was the best climber, but because I built websites around the products I used, ie ropes, shoes, clothes, gear etc.....I made small clips and videos of me using the products. I pushed it, I believed in it, I got you to believe in to, I sold the product.....showcasing it in everything I did. My biggest sponsor I got was because I was the ONLY climber to actually give them a resume and a plan to push the product.

That is why I say the local support riders have alot of work to do. More than just being fast and saying good things about it with a smile on your face. Pretty sure the dealers you want to give you a bike to race are asking, "what are you going to do for me and the brand?" besides showing up and racing. Because any body can do that. And giving away a bike is a huge expense for them.

Without speaking for MCNUT. I will say they go over and above in promoting the products they are using. His son Jesse is a fast district rider and an up and coming national name. He is very professional and writes well thought out and exciting race reports in which he paints his sponsors in a positive light. I can only see things getting better for Jesse and his Dad with their upbeat and positive approach to racing. They approach racing in very much the same way the Baylor's do, with family support and a genuine love for what they do.

 

[mcnut]

We do love it!

 

[LAWMAN]

Find a job you truly love and you'll never work a day in your life.

Oh, I love my job...as a job. I don't do it for free on the weekends. I have thought many times as I lined up at national enduros, having paid my $40 to try to get a trophy that cost maybe $3, that I was having way more fun than it looked like the full-time pros, who had to win to keep their incomes, were having.

 

[desertgasser300]

Don't take my disagreement personal against Mcnut. I don't know him and his son other then they race and ride Gassers. Heck I even voted for his son's sponsorship when he advertised it on here.
My statement was directed at only disagreeing with the viewpoint of his statement. That being fast and winning was more important then selling and advertising the product a rider uses. A supported rider is just another tool for the dealer, manufacturer and importer to sell and advertise product. This is for anyone who thinks just because they are an up and comer in the race world just because they are fast that that is all you need with a smile to get support. Trust me the dealers, importers and manufacturers know who sells and who doesn't.

 

[Clay]

I don't have a clue. Because the bike sucked compared to everyone else's?

But he did what you said a rider was supposed to do....win races. It wasn't enough. It did not sell motorcycles. The GOAT winning races on a brand did not sell motorcycles for that brand! Why? Because everyone knew he had the skills to win on anything.
All of the money a brand spends on racers is to promote sales. None of the brands do it for any other reason. I support a rider because I believe he can sell motorcycles for us. There may be some of you out there who don't think that is the rider's responsibility but I can tell you without a doubt that the people who are in the position to support racers believe it. I can also tell you that the quickest way for someone to get support from us is to sell bikes for dealers. When that happens, dealers call us and tell us and the rider is definitely on our radar then. Know why we haven't added any riders lately? Because I haven't had a dealer tell me that there is someone out there selling bikes for them.
Honestly I don't understand the attitude that someone deserves support because of their speed. Why? Hot dog companies don't support eaters because they can eat 10 hotdogs in a sitting. This industry started supporting racers a loooong time ago. Why? To show that their motorcycles were good enough to win races. Why did they want to show their bikes were good enough to win races. To sell motorcycles! Now days everybody makes bikes good enough to win races. So why help someone? To sell motorcycles. I'd rather help a Senior B guy who is influential and who "gets it" than the fastest guy in a series if that guy won't/can't talk to customers. Customers want to talk about set up and how well the bike works. They want to know what gearing the guy is running and what jetting he is using. They do not want the "Yeah, I'm good on a Yamazuki so you should buy that bike" attitude.
Sorry....got up on my soapbox. Jan....None of this is aimed at you or Jesse. You have a great son. I am speaking in general terms.

 

[Jakobi]

But he did what you said a rider was supposed to do....win races. It wasn't enough. It did not sell motorcycles. The GOAT winning races on a brand did not sell motorcycles for that brand! Why? Because everyone knew he had the skills to win on anything.
All of the money a brand spends on racers is to promote sales. None of the brands do it for any other reason. I support a rider because I believe he can sell motorcycles for us. There may be some of you out there who don't think that is the rider's responsibility but I can tell you without a doubt that the people who are in the position to support racers believe it. I can also tell you that the quickest way for someone to get support from us is to sell bikes for dealers. When that happens, dealers call us and tell us and the rider is definitely on our radar then. Know why we haven't added any riders lately? Because I haven't had a dealer tell me that there is someone out there selling bikes for them.
Honestly I don't understand the attitude that someone deserves support because of their speed. Why? Hot dog companies don't support eaters because they can eat 10 hotdogs in a sitting. This industry started supporting racers a loooong time ago. Why? To show that their motorcycles were good enough to win races. Why did they want to show their bikes were good enough to win races. To sell motorcycles! Now days everybody makes bikes good enough to win races. So why help someone? To sell motorcycles. I'd rather help a Senior B guy who is influential and who "gets it" than the fastest guy in a series if that guy won't/can't talk to customers. Customers want to talk about set up and how well the bike works. They want to know what gearing the guy is running and what jetting he is using. They do not want the "Yeah, I'm good on a Yamazuki so you should buy that bike" attitude.
Sorry....got up on my soapbox. Jan....None of this is aimed at you or Jesse. You have a great son. I am speaking in general terms.

Spot on and makes perfect sense in every way. Credit to Jesse though, as even if he doesn't realise it he has influenced people with some of his pictures and videos he's created which showcase the brand. As a person from another side of the world. Watching him squirt his gasser through the bush makes me want to own one, much much much more than hearing that he won a district race.

 

[mcnut]

It ain't all black & white. Unless a racer also happens to work in a dealership, it's unlikely he/she will get any credit for any sale. As a former business owner I know how hard of is to track where your sales come from. Heck, I asked every customer how they heard of my business. Most couldn't give me a definitive answer.
I am no stranger to National and International motorcycle events. There's no shortage of racers, including up & comers and pros, that are wicked fast but either lack motivation, don't know how, or do little to promote the brands they represent. Dare I say? Some I've met were real shi+heads. Yet, they still seem to get support.