Indian Bike Week Scam?

 

Well .. don't know.. maybe yes .. maybe no? 

I posted quite some time ago on this subject (feel free to review via this >>LINK<<).  But as the clock has ticked, it's time for an update on the subject.  So ...   more specifically, is this year's a "SCAM?"  Stick with me here...  first the definition.. then.. the facts.

What is a scam? Definition and examples:
A scam is a dishonest or fraudulent scheme that attempts to take money or something of value from people. It is a confidence trick that dishonest groups, individuals, or companies perform. The person who carries out a scam is a scammer, trickster, or swindler.
A scammer may, for example, present somebody with false information during an offer or deal. What appears to be a quick-profit scheme is, in fact, a trick. The victim of the scam, if the scammer is successful, loses his or her money. Scammers cheat their victims or marks out of their money. A mark is the person that the trickster targets.
Another term for a scammer is a conman or con artist. The words ‘con’ and ‘scam’ often have the same meaning.
BusinessDictionary.com has the following definition of scam:
“A fraudulent scheme performed by a dishonest individual, group, or company in an attempt obtain money or something else of value.”
“Scams traditionally resided in confidence tricks, where an individual would misrepresent themselves as someone with skill or authority, i.e., a doctor, lawyer, investor.”
Ever since the advent of the Internet and e-commerce, scams have become a widespread online problem. E-commerce refers to online business activities, i.e., buying and selling things on the Internet. The term ‘online’ means connected to a network, usually the Internet. In a typical scam today, the con artist approaches the victim via SMS or email. Scammers may also call their victims on the phone.
The words scam and fraud have very similar meanings. However, fraud tends to refer to more serious crimes.

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Okay ... back to the subject at hand.  I've seen the word "SCAM" thrown around loosely about it recently, and over the last few years..... if it's a scam in the harshest since... I'm going to say  ... no ....    but... is there false information here? If so, intentional?  Is there a manipulation of facts?  Not discussed below, there have been ATTACKS on other events and many people personally, all in the name of .. this event.  The 'charity'.   So with all that said ....lets look at the FACTS. You decide.

• Dates .. .15-22 August.  Yep.. that's a weeks worth of days.  Now, does that make it a 'bike week'.  Anyone that has been to BIKE WEEKs in other parts of the country .. know what a bike week is... after a few decades, they grow bigger and better .... and eventually grow to 7 or more days...  with hundreds of thousands of bikes/folks attending.  If five bikes roll in for two to seven days and the riders all sit around with a bottle of whiskey and wearing headdresses and moccasins, dancing  around the bikes they rode in . .. does that qualify as 'bike week?' ... you decide.  Is it a SCAM?  No.. maybe a farce..a joke... misleading... but not a SCAM. (pssst... yes, I threw in a lil humor there.  I ride multiple Indians...  stay calm)
  

• 3500 bikes  .. specifically INDIAN MOTORCYCLES. The event has been bragging for a year or so how 3500 will be there ..  but if a small ... tiny ...fraction of that roll in ... well... that folks .. qualifies as a SCAM or SHAM or as a minimum ... a LIE ... if one continues to state that number when they knew from the beginning and as it got closer, that it was impossible to attain.  Knowing, they wouldn't even get to 4 digits? That's assuming they even currently have.... 3 digits? SCAM?  Well, it meets my personal definition of one .. you decide if it meets yours.
  

• Location.  "Saint Croix River Valley" is the latest supposed location.  For the last several years, it was stated Washington Country Fairgrounds in MN.  Now, it was NEVER locked in officially with the fairgrounds, but was advertised.  When things went south recently, a change was made.  But the event still says MN on it.. well, MN/WI.  Why MN? Because a single sponsor might be there?  Because a destination ride might go there?  Well, why no IA too then?  The event as I type this ... still mentions FAIRGROUNDS ...says it's still in MN as well. When one registers, they are registering for STILLWATER, MN.   Does this part scream SCAM?  Well...   it's definitely false advertisement.... or maybe the editor is too stupid to update the info ..... you decide

• THREE Indian Motorcycles to be raffled off. That was promised/advertised.  Three that never existed to be raffled off.  A raffle that most likely never 'officially' existed legally, but supposedly tickets were printed and sold.   Even posted on social media that tickets had been sold with a ticket that was signed, hinted that it was by a Celeb. Now ...  quietly it's all apparently gone away with no announcements.  Latest is, supposedly a single supposed bike may be 'given away' via some angle to bypass the letter of the law ... What about those THREE?  Sounds like a ... . SCAM?   What if the latest unknown bike never shows up to be 'raffled' .. i mean .. given away ?  Well... SCAM?  Seems like a simple thing to decide; does to me .... You decide.

• "WILL SET A NEW WORLD RECORD"   .. no 'maybe'.. no 'try' ...  WILL.   That reeks of SCAM.  If it doesn't happen ....a new SCAM for the following year after using Borders and a Pandemic as excuses will be used? Why not just use the same excuse as 2018, 2019 and 2020 .. they seemed to work? Speaking of World Records...   anyone remember the infamous '1000' that never occurred?   Back in October of 2019, the 'existing record' was KRUSHED. Someone's cage got rattled and he's been blathering about it ever since .. Area Codes and all (bahahaha) ..   Anyone done the math on what it costs to bring in these guys?  I've heard $11k plus. That's the travel, room and board for the guy with the clicker and the charge for the paperwork/record keeping, whatever.  Now, if you aren't going to break a record...do you still bring him in?  If the guy isn't there  .. and it's not a requirement BTW..... but he was there in '16 and '17 ...   so then .. yes ...if he's a no-show, then I say SCAM .. to me personally. You decide.
  

• CHARITY EVENT ...   Now ... the charity in the shadows of this event filed their IRS 990s in 2014 and 2016; fact.  Actual numbers filed to a few in the know though, were questionable but that's between the charity and the IRS.  But.. what about 2015 and 2017s?   Ummm.... 2018-2020??  Again, that's between the charity and the IRS... .but apparently it's back in good graces with the IRS as of 2020, if one believes a single document that was posted on Social Media.  For those that know about past bankruptcy filings, multiple businesses closings, court issues, money owed ....   makes you wonder how that all happened and didn't all tie together .. but hey ...  that's Uncle Sam's problem.  SCAM???   Well ... like I said... apparently Uncle Sam doesn't say so, so I guess the answer is .. 'no.'   But, Uncle Sam only knows... what its been told?  Beats me......  p.s  In one of his cute private messages to me that I deleted. said the 17-20 taxes were done two months ago.. wait... two months ago?  Use some of the registration money to pay for a CPA finally?  What about 2015?   As long as the IRS doesn't list it .. and you don't show 'em publicly .. I call BS ..
  

• Registrations.  Supposedly over 500.  But, Back in 16 and 17 I saw where numbers were fudged, so until 500+ 'bikes' roll in ...   I call BS. Zero credibility with me personally, on any matter.  Remember what the '16 and '17 events were called?  Does that '500' look familiar?  Does that make it a SCAM?  Well... if there are actually 500 bikes .. not riders AND passengers ... paid registrations, then ... not necessarily a SCAM.  Wait... maybe... lets refer back to ... that 3500 number??   But, only one person knows the actual numbers and in seven weeks, we'll see if this one ... passes the SCAM test? I'm sure if 49 or 499 bikes roll in, excuses will flow and be in play ... but ...   499 or less... then I say .. it was a SCAM based on claims made via the promoter that 500 supposedly paid/registered five + weeks ago from the date I'm writing this.
  

• Celebrities:  Me personally, I've never understood the attraction of celebrities at events such as these.  Humorous part to me is most of them don't actually ride.  And they definitely don't ride Indian Motorcycles; they usually ride HDs if they ride at all.  I've been to dozens of bike rallies where celebs are paid to show up and people line up ... some pay to see them .. whatever.... I've never figured that crap out.   Celebs being at an event have never swayed me to attend or not attend. Now.. in pure hypocrisy ...  about six years ago Tommy Flanagan was at one ...  and yes... I got my pic with him.  He appeared to be lit up (reeked of booze) before noon, at an event he was paid to attend and I thought it was funnier than shit (in a good way).  Hey, he's Human!  I'd have gotten blasted if I had to put up with the shit he did that weekend? LOL.  When the line withered to zero, I walked up and got a pic and made a few jokes.   Hey .. he at least he didn't put down the bike he was riding that afternoon and he was open and chatty with many of us... I kinda' liked the guy.  The next year, Danny Trejo had a line... when everyone was 'done' I walked up for a quick pic'... He looks up and me and says "they make me look bigger in the movies huh?" ..   I got a snicker out of it.  I heard in '17 he dumped a Scout... I think he ended up in Ernie's side car that year.. or maybe that was the previous year?  Who knows...   he's just a guy that's done a shit load of B flicks and making a good living into his upper 70s ...   but hey .. line up folks!  Back to my point....   ol' Danny is supposedly coming and three others.  That makes FOUR ..... anyone do the math how much that costs to bring in all four?  My calculator comes up with 40-150k, depending what they actually signed up for vs what they advertise.  They get paid .. .their managers get paid... they get provided food and rooms.  That's $$$.     Now.. if ALL FOUR don't show.... I call .. SCAM?  But the Promoter will have new pics for his Family Album paid for .. by those that attend, clueless to what goes on behind the scenes.  Funny shit.
  

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My closing thoughts.  Until some dumb-ass up in MN went on the attack again, thought we were done.  I wasn't going to post this type of thing at all, but if anyone reading this ... knew of the dozens and dozens and dozens of messages (over fifty last month alone) I've recently gotten from the person representing it all, you'd understand why I am.......  Get the picture?  He's gone off the rails attacking me and others in our personal lives in ways I won't discuss here.   So, because of those attacks.. one has to wonder ... why?  Is he simply beating his man boobs because a few unsuspecting people are rolling into WI in four weeks and feels ... I don't' know...   something ...  and attacking anyone and everyone that historically called him out over the years?  Or .. and this is my belief.... running scared and trying to drum up 'business' via hate postings and attempting to suppress anyone and everyone that .. disagrees with him in the Indian Motorcycle Community (which is a LOT)?  I believe it's the latter based on the tone / content of messages I continue to receive.  One has to wonder how many attendees an event loses when Hate Crap is posted by the promoter... most people couldn't give a damned.  But .. they now question the integrity of an event ... as they should. For those that still are not sure, ever wonder why it's a "Private Event?"  Wonder why Indian Motorcycle 'corporate' doesn't support it?   Are you connecting the dots yet? 

 

Hey Arturo I've told you multiple times to cease and desist contact with me but you refuse.  So, I'll continue to monitor the event virtually and ... up close.  It's a Free Country and I'll ride wherever / whenever I want with my friends and others that choose to ride with me.   And if it's a SCAM (read all the examples above ... is it?) ..... I'll do a follow-up to educate the uninformed and/or ignorant, post event.

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Post Event Update:  Apparently the celebs got paid and showed up.  Few hundred bikes showed up (211?).  No Custom bike Show. No professional photographers (apparently one was invited and one also rides?  No mention of them prior but some professional quality pics from two  have popped up since). No Music (what happened to all the bands?) Barely any vendors. No Motorcycle(s) given away. No records broken.  What about all the paperwork Guinness DEMANDS after the last mess back in '17?  NONE of that was done; so the record ride was a charade all along?? Lot of newbies with no long term history with the brand or the history of this BS.  Let the next phase of the BS begin ....   Hey, just lower the lower the bar and do something like ... Most female riders on an Indian or something like that, or most sheep in a side car ....  pick whatever is easiest to achieve?  .. enjoy .. LMAO 

Update  2:  Anyone seen any new 990s as of late?  You know .. 2015? 2017? 2020? Asking for a friend

Update 3: Anyone seen the amount raised for 2021?  Amount 'given' to those in need? Amounts given to other charities, associations or First Responders? Asking for a friend

Update 4: If you promote  Guinness World Records... even use their logo.  use their name in your group title, but use a cheaper no name company most have never heard of before, is that a flag raised pointing to a SCAM?

Update 5: State of MN kicked the 'charity' to the curb.  It's done.  Gone. Surprised it even took this long.  

Update 6.  Corporate wants ZERO to do with this event.  Pretty sure not a single legit dealer will ever team up with this event due to the bad blood caused by this individual over the years.   Yet, the pot gets stirred every year as if Corporate is the 'bad guy'.  Give it a break

Well, there's one of many definitions?