The benchmark for BMWMOA annual rally attendence is 10,000. To achieve that number requires a rally near population centers, moderate weather, decent camping and riding in the area, and a reasonable value for the riders dollars. BMWMOA got it right on the first one with something like thirty million people within a days ride of the rally site, the weather cooperated, but the metro area traffic didn’t help. But BMWMOA did themselves in with the $80 nonmember admission fee- They could have cut that in half, garnered the same revenue, and made a lot of new friends in the process. Better yet, give free admission for the whole rally with a new membership, then on saturday let anybody in for a modest fee, say $10 or so. With the fixed costs of the rally pretty much the same whether 5,000 or 20,000 riders attend, why not bring in some more riders and revenue?

But then they wouldn’t be so “exclusive” a club…