Weather/Economy hurting Lake business?
 

I could not help but wonder how bad were the money #'s for Bike week with all the rain and cool weather and now with more rain in the forecast. Let’s hope the 4th week is better for the area. Also add the slow economy I would think its not good news. Don’t many Lake Businesses do a majority of their sales during Bike week/4th of July?

George

With bikers roaring in from all 50 states, Washington D.C., the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, the Panama Canal Zone and Midway Island, plus 33 different foreign countries; bike week broke all the records with a grand total of 422,781 motorcycle riding participants. Way to go Laconia.............rain........what rain......rain means nothing to Laconia Bike Week! Revenues for Bike Week venders surged,,,,,,,and it is still too early to estimate the money....as there was just too much to count.

:cheers::banana::cheers:


..psstttt......there's always next year which promises to be a blockbuster event! :)

OK, I'm in....I DOUBT IT!

400,000 motorcycle riding participants here that week. Nope.

200,000 motel rooms. Nope

I can't find the 422,781 figure on the web. I do not beleave there were almost a 1/2 million people in Laconia that week.

From LaconiaBikeWeek.net: "Bike Week 2009 came and went largely as expected, with the economy and the weather combining to keep attendance down, say organizers and city public safety officials."

Something to keep in mind for those that don't know..A Big Harley will get 40-45 MPG. Weather IS a factor when riding...IF they have to wear yellow foul weather gear.........YOU don't get to see How They Look. IMAGE is a big factor. :look:

Being a small business owner, I can say without hesitation. The Rain is killing me!

What are you smokin' FLL ? 400,000?? I doubt if we had 200,000.I've been in business in the lakes region since 1972 and this is the worst bike week ever in my view.My suppliers have accounts all over the area and they all said the same thing.Less business,smaller orders and fewer people.
We were down well over 20%

He's light headed from the push-ups :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Hey, no fair. I personally saw FLL on Weirs Blvd counting the bikers between bites of his Big Mac. If he says 400,000 than you can take that to the bank. ;)

Wll,that settles it,then.

did he say if he counted each bike only ONCE?!

No he didn't. He just multiplied a number by a larger number.:)

400,000+ bikers see like alot, many retailers were/are hoping- the summer has been a wash weather wise + add the economy to this = downturn. A few years ago I remeber seeing Weirs Blvd packed with bikes I didnt see that this year or here them that much. The first weekend I didnt see to many on Rt 93 heading north.

I have not much of anything intelligent to say about the numbers....except that the newspapers this year do not seem to be coming out with any estimated numbers. Other than in this thread, where are the quasi-intelligent, bike week estimates?

Samian's 200,000 estimate seems about right except a 400,000 plus number would be a feel good type of number, so might as well go with that.:)

Numbers Way Down
 

I have been attending Bike Week for many years and there's no doubt in my mind that the numbers are way down this year. In my estimation numbers have to be down this year by about 35% - 40%. I agree with Samiam and his 200,000 count.

Dan