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Vintage Triumph Register

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BobSands

Jedi Hopeful
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Didn't want to hijack Brosky's fundraising topic, so started my own. Basil, if I step on anybody's toes, feel free to delete this subject.
I just got my VTR newsletter, and was pretty shocked to find that there are only 2600 members of the Vintage Triumph Register nationwide! How come? Perceived value? Sure seems like there should be more of us.
Was it David Crosby that said "I could never belong to a club that would have ME for a member".
Just kinda curious?
Take care Bob
 
Actually, I believe that quote was originally from Groucho Marx!

I've long wondered the same thing about membership numbers in VTR (this from the perspective of -- DISCLAIMER -- charter member #113 and former President). More and more nowadays, I suspect "perceived value" is part of the situation, as local clubs and the Internet often appear to provide the vast majority of the "immediate needs" of a typical Triumph owner.

The total membership number has increased somewhat in the past several years, but it's difficult to say why or for how long. Being able to join immediately via the VTR web site and PayPal undoubtedly means more "impulse" joiners, but I don't know how long those folks remain members.

For the first time in many, many years, VTR is now able to offer a bimonthly magazine instead of a quarterly magazine for the same price. I'm very hopeful that will help keep new and old members interested.

Beyond that, I'm going to wait and see what others have to say....
 
I also belong to VTR and was before I found the BCF. I will keep my membership because I see a value to it. But I also do not have a feeling of belonging like I do here. There seems to be a large gap between having a membership and being able to become part of the group. From my first post here on BCF I have felt that I was welcome and part of a group.

I don't see that as a VTR policy, but I do see it as a inner circle member problem. Something that Blake Discher, Bob Muzio, and a few others are trying to change.

And yes, I have made attempts, including writing an article that was published in the Spring 2006 issue, "More Fun Than One Person Is Entitled To!".
 
I think things are changing in VTR as I see VTR reaching out to areas of the country such as California which has the largest membership, but little VTR activity.
Reasons vary, possibly a national organization is more remote than your local club, not only in geographical distance but in activities (especially so if the club is very active on a social/event/technical level). Vtr also doesn't require a chapter to have all of it's members be VTR members (the local Jaguar club, Jaguar Owners Club LA is part of Jaguar Clubs of North America, if you join JOCLA the dues, which is pricey, also includes the dues for JCNA so the national club has a member, willing or not). VTR wants you to be a member but also wants you to want to be a member and even get involved by contributing to the newsletter and it's forum.
From a local chapter viewpoint one of the reasons to be affiliated with VTR is the insurance available to the chapter for events.
Again, VTR is reaching out, check out the VTR/Forum area of their website, it's not as active as here but is a way for members to connect through concerns by model or region (and it will grow). This is open to all, not just VTR members. Blake Disher will be at Triumphest in Laughlin. I'll be there, heck it's October and that's where the west coast TR nuts are :smile: Both he and I have been asked to say a few word at the awards banquet and we'll be available during the event for input and questions.
Bob
 
I belong to 4 other Triumph clubs at the moment (it's been higher); and VTR is the only one that insists I be paid up to attend one of their events. So, I renew when I want to attend one of their events.

In 30 years of Triumph ownership, that's been 3 times so far ... with a possible 4th coming up in 2009. 2009 will mark something of a turning point, hopefully, since it will be the first time (AFAIK) that a VTR event has been within 1000 miles of where I live.
 
I agree word for word with Tomshobby's sentiments above. I go to this site daily, and check them once in a while, as well as a few others. The BCF group is more like home.
 
I have belonged to as many as 5 TR clubs, the TR8CCA for the expertese, I belonged to the Western PA Triumph club (for location), belonged to a DC club when I thought I was going there for a year. THE BCF is the most enjoyable place day to day. Always something to read, or see, help is usaually 2 or 3 hours away on any questions I may have.
 
The issue of 'belonging' to a club rings true but is a touchy subject. Its a pity a club like the VTR can't join up with the TRA, or what I think would be very nice - the TR Register in the UK. Doubt it will happen, but as our cars and our membership ages these kinds of clubs do dwindle.

My VTR membership just lapsed, but I will be renewing - the magazine alone is worth it, in my opinion.

Randy
 
Those other clubs really are an "inner circle thing" In my opinion especially when management,moderators,& site owners stick there nose in tooo many times.Locally here in roundtable discussion we've come to that conclusion.But theirs so many sources out their for LBC info one can pick & choose a vast source of information & help.The best help comes from personal contact with another similar car owner(s).On VTR i thing its an ego problem,but they are trying harder & have a new beautiful magazine in itself is worth the $30.00 fee.
KensWhitelightning
 
I'm a member of 3 local LBC clubs as well as VTR and 6-Pack. I find that while I look at all of the above web sites and forums, this is where I go first and last when I'm on the internet.

I was sent here by a member of VTR, so I have nothing but thanks to them. The improvements and their magazine are great and it is still a wonderful source of material and reference for Triumph owners. I'm sure that the powers to be will continue that tradition.

In my other life, outside of cars, I've been the president of a country club and the same feelings hold true there as is said about the VTR. The "click or inner circle" is a small group that isn't looking for newbies.

That is probably not true in the case of the VTR any more than any other organization. These organizations are always looking for new members, especially those who want to work and help. Sometimes the leadership or an individual in power may lose sight of that, but eventually, they fade away and things turn around.

This particular forum is successful because of many who remember that courtesy and respect are paramount to this forum and they keep that thought in all reactions to requests for help and general postings. Occasionally, there will be an individual who may feel that his off color language or attitude is appropriate, but the system is policed well and they fade quickly away as well.

I hope that both, actually all clubs, continue to thrive, but I really hope that a majority of the 8,000 members here actually feel compelled to financially support this forum as they should.

JMHO and nothing more than that.
 
Guys, let's not forget the difference between a club and a forum. This forum gives us all, and I'm on it several times a day, a great venue to communicate and share ideas in a quick and efficient way. A club, especially a national one like VTR, gives us other benefits such as affordable insurance for events, input to vendors for better quality parts, a national presence etc.
Both a club and a forum have a place in our hobby and both fulfill a need.
Bob
 
Hi Folks;

Just driving thru & just my $.02 worth:

I also am a VTR member & have been for quite some time: I`m not active there at all; Why?? I feel as though its like working for a Large Corp. where you are just a Number, Not an Individual: I simply don`t get that "Comfy, Cozy" feeling as I do here on the BCF:

Thanx to all for making us "ALL" feel Welcome & part of this Family:

Regards, Russ
 
OK.... I joined VTR again, after an 8 year absence. I think allot of my reasons now I think back is that we Wedgies have taken a back seat and are generally looked down on by the purist. It is not as bad as it was 8 years ago when the 7 and 8 were down right frowned upon and sometimes not considered a real TR. I remember calling a some what local club to join and being told it was really more for the "real" TRs up mostly up to the 250 and some 6s.
 
One of the benefits of joining a national register is information. Lots of info is available from national clubs: marque history; technical articles; info on events, and various literature that's retained and archived by the clubs.

Also, the publications provided as a result of membership in a national club are often worth the price of admission. These magazines provide excellent communication among the general membership.

National clubs also afford members a huge network of friends and enthusiasts from all over the planet. Local clubs cannot do this.

The national clubs also tend to offer insurance and other services that may not be readily available to non-members.

To me, joining a national club is key to true enjoyment of the hobby. National clubs offer the widest possible spectrum of fellowhip and knowledge, I think.

Join your marque's national club today, if you're not already a memeber. Can't lose. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif
 
A big "thank you" to all who are members and to those who have renewed or rejoined VTR. To those of you "siiting on the fence", give it a shot. Try VTR!
Mark was very succinct in his argument "for" being a member of a national organization. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Some comments talked of "cliques" and "inner circle" and I think through the VTR region chapter coordinators and the VTR/forum input is received and noted and if that condition existed (I'm only relatively recently active in VTR), it's now gone away.
The "community" that exists here is available to you at the vtr.org website in the forum area. You don't have to be a VTR member to participate and I know there are enough questions and answers for multiple forums. I, personally, visit this site, the VTR site, jag-lovers, and socalbritishmotoring, numerous times in the coure of a day.
Try it. you'll like it!
Bob
 
Bob_Muzio said:
...Some comments talked of "cliques" and "inner circle" and I think through the VTR region chapter coordinators and the VTR/forum input is received and noted and if that condition existed (I'm only relatively recently active in VTR), it's now gone away....
Click to expand...
Bob and others, speaking again from the perspective of a charter member and former President and Board member, I honestly believe that there was NEVER any deliberate attempts to "favor" any one model of Triumph (or Standard, even) over any other. The closest VTR ever came to anything like that in official policy was in the very beginning, and even that was only to limit eligible cars to those at least 10 years old. (At the time -- 1974, the Triumph Sports Owners Association still existed as the factory-sponsored "club" for Triumphs, so the newer cars were well supported there. Once US sales of Triumph cars ceased in 1981, VTR officially absorbed the TSOA and opened membership to ALL Triumphs.) Even in those earliest VTR days, though, ALL models of Triumphs were recognized, be they TRs, Spitfires, Heralds or even Southern Crosses or Super 7s!

It has been a continual struggle for VTR over the years to be such an "all models" club, and I feel that they have largely succeeded in those efforts, even going so far as to line up vehicle consultants for obscure cars such as Peerless/Warwick, Dové GTR4 and Swallow-Doretti, and even breaking out TR5 as separate from TR250.

VTR, of course, cannot control who joins. So, if lots and lots of TR6 owners join and take a somewhat active role, then it might appear to some that it has become a TR6 club. (Feel free to substitute any model of Triumph in the above sentence, of course! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif ) But I can honestly say I've never really seen the "cliques" to any degree that even MIGHT be construed as "official policy" of VTR. (Hey, as an owner of various Heralds, 10, Mayflower, Spitfire, GT6, etc., I think I'd know if they've ever been intentionally snubbed ... which they haven't!)
 
Hi Andy,

I guess I started the thought that has digressed into the word "clique" when I mentioned "inner circle". And "clique" is not at all what I meant and in fact did not mean "inner circle" in a negative way at all.

I had no thought to any model group or anything else of that nature. All I meant is that it seems difficult to get to know the "older" members and become more a part of this group.

And like I also said, I think there is a serious effort to change that.
 
tomshobby said:
Hi Andy,

I guess I started the thought that has digressed into the word "clique" when I mentioned "inner circle". And "clique" is not at all what I meant and in fact did not mean "inner circle" in a negative way at all.
Click to expand...
In rereading your comment, I see that. However, it appears to have -- I'm sure inadvertently -- been taken a bit out of context by myself and others. Sorry!

tomshobby said:
I had no thought to any model group or anything else of that nature. All I meant is that it seems difficult to get to know the "older" members and become more a part of this group.
Click to expand...
That's true in a way. And in one way, it probably will never really change. No one's fault, really; it's more the "geography" thing. Unlike, say, England, where a "national" organization might reasonably unify at a large gathering, it's virtually impossible here given the sheer size of the country. Yes, I know well some of the West Coasters who actually DRIVE to VTR National meets towards the East Coast, and vice versa. (Hey, I did drive 2550 miles round trip to Minnesota from New York and back in 2002 -- in a Herald!) But that's simply not possible for many folks. I also understand some fairly basic philosophical differences among regions. And no, this is NOT a slam at the West Coasters and Triumphest. I think any such differences should be celebrated instead of being "fought" (maybe too strong a word, but I think some of you understand what I'm getting at).

In an ideal world -- and maybe Blake & Co. or some future VTR Board will find the path to that ideal world some day -- VTR could be one of those national clubs where all members of each local Chapter would also be VTR members...at an affordable price. I think that would help a lot, but it has to be a: affordable and b: be of some real perceived value (beyond "hey, you should support a national club, buddy").

tomshobby said:
And like I also said, I think there is a serious effort to change that.
Click to expand...
Not in any way to brag, but it is something I tried to work at when I was President of VTR, and it's something that Vernon Brannon continued to work at, and I hope and believe that Blake can work with that momentum and continue to build on it. There was a lot of inertia to overcome back in the mid-1990s....
 
Hey! I just got my VTR magazine today. Very nice.

Was this a setup for me to plug the magazine??
 
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