Toy Run

[asp_125]

.. oh well what can you do with non-riders .. anything brightly colored is a crotch rocket and anything black and chrome is a Harley..

Fox news reported the same way.

"nearly 8000 Harleys, 3467 metrics, 438 tourers, 400 sportbikes, 50 naked standards, a dual sport or two, and a partridge in a pear tree, delivered the toys.... " :P

It's the thought that counts, I'm sure the kids didn't care.

[Bueller]

We ccomplished what we set out to do, so what if we don't get recognition for the type of bikes we did it on. Hell my own wife really doesn't know the difference nor does she give a shit (she just knows she won't ride on the back ).
It was the biggest sea of motorcycles I and most others have ever seen. I think we should just be proud to have made a positive contribution from the general 2 wheeled community.

[T-byrd]

We ccomplished what we set out to do, so what if we don't get recognition for the type of bikes we did it on. Hell my own wife really doesn't know the difference nor does she give a shit (she just knows she won't ride on the back ).
It was the biggest sea of motorcycles I and most others have ever seen. I think we should just be proud to have made a positive contribution from the general 2 wheeled community.

Well said. I know I don't do it for the recognition, I do it to get the warm fuzzies.

Tanya

[Boy Scout]

I agree that recognition is not what participating in the toy run is all about, however several media outlets (e.g., the Denver Post and Fox are two that I have seen) reported that participants represented RMHD and its associated HOG chapter and/or gave the impression that all participants were HD riders, which is simply not accurate. Had they used something generic like "motorcycling community" you probably wouldn't be reading these posts right now. Instead, both the Denver Post and Fox reported the event in such a way that people, participants in particular, could feel as though they have been excluded as participants and contributors to the cause. Not only have sportbikes received the negative publicity regarding stunting, they were unnecessarily excluded, along with all other non-HD riders, as having been participants in a positive event such as the toy run.

While I couldn't care less about receiving recognition for participating, I do become mildly irritated by stories that are done hastily and inaccurately just so they can say they covered the story. You're probably right that most people don't know the difference and couldn't care less. Even so, it seems to me that it would have been far more impressive of a story had Fox (or any other visual media outlet) included footage of the sea of bikes at Aspen Grove, the continuous rumble in the parking lot as we left, all the people along the way waving and holding up signs of appreciation, and the miles upon miles of bikes in route to TCH rather than just 10 seconds or so of looping footage at TCH. Everything that I've seen thus far was a pretty lame effort at covering the story in my book.

Here is a copy of an email I sent to Abigail this morning.

While your coverage of the Toy Run to The Children's Hospital in today's Denver Post is greatly appreciated, I would like to point out that this is not a Harley-Davidson-only event. While Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson and their associated Harley Owners Group (HOG) chapter sponsor this event each year, the event is not limited to Harley-Davidson owners/riders, nor does everyone on the ride represent Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson or their owner's group as your article stated. This event is and has been open to all motorcycle riders representing many different organizations and riding many different makes and models of motorcycles including Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Triumph, Ducati, Aprilia, Indian, and others. While recognition is not the reason non-Harley-Davidson owners participate in events such as this, I think it is important that you and others in the media recognize and accurately report that this event encompasses much more than a single manufacturer/dealership and its customers. While this may seem like a small detail to you, without the participation of thousands of others in the motorcycling community, whose participation and contribution you have specifically excluded in your article, this event would not be nearly as impressive as it is today.

[Nick_Ninja]

Well said NH

[~Barn~]

Hell yeah Nate. *Very* well written!

[Anonymous]

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