Hurricanes, Power & Charities

360Bikers has stepped up to the plate to participate with local dealerships and custom builders at local events to generate funds for charities. This time of year typically produces many biker functions that support charities, but this year is a bit special with three major hurricanes bringing destruction to the United States in the past two months. As a South Florida-based company, we are now interested in supporting our local efforts after Wilma took a toll on Collier, Lee, Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie Counties. We have sent out email to local dealers to provide our services to bikers and make it a great situation for everyone. At any charity event this year 360Bikers will take our Silver Package (high-resolution interactive 360-degree CD, lowered resolution web, and 8x10 photo) that lists for $99 and is currently on sale for only $59.95 and reduce it to $49.95. This is a great deal for bikers and adds a great feature to the dealer's event. In addition to this great offer we will donate 20% of the price to the dealers charity of choice. Now, the kids win, too.

• Charities & kids win (20% dontated)
• Dealers win (added premium feature for event)
• Bikers win (discounted package price for charity event)
• 360Bikers win (we get to help our community through charitable events)

Now, let's see if any of our local dealerships can step up to the plate. We'd like to act fast as the destruction to homes and lives in our communities has been widespread. It's time to act to provide the help many people need.

Las Vegas Bikefest 2005

Las Vegas Bikefest 2005
Originally uploaded by Stelis.

This photo of a great looking bike is from Stelis, a flickr member. It was taken at the Las Vegas Bikefest, a show we'll have to try to make next year.

Fathers and Time

It's really hard to put a clear image on the relationship of fathers over time. I would not say that my father and I had a close relationship, but we weren't distant either. We were at odds on some things through life, but no matter how I look at it, blood is blood. When he died late last week it was just another item in a series of poorly timed events bent on creating obstacles in my plans for life. But while I traveled thousands of miles by airplane and car I had over a half century to contemplate, plus the time before me. There's a lot. It surprises me most how something anticipated (he had terminal cancer) can still drain the energy from me. Perhaps part of it was the doctors giving him 4 weeks to 6 months. He got only one of the weeks. Even though we knew he was dying, we had no idea how little time we had. It was very little. My mother is the epitome of strength. She has had her moments, but overall remains strong and moves forward with life. You begin to realize that as you age with someone you have discussions about the inevitable. You prepare: financially, mentally, emotionally. I am impressed. If you are reading this I just ask you do two things. If your father is still alive, do something with him. Make memories. If you have children, do something with them. Make memories. Do something fun, something significant at least once a month. Communicate. Make memories. After they leave... after we leave... memories are the most valuable, enduring things there can be. Make many. In all, my personal financial impact of my father's passing was thousands as I watched an event I had waited a year for my business to launch under go by without my participation. But something you will learn is that the impact of such a loss supercedes anything related to financial. My children will not get another chance to talk with that grandfather. Perhaps they will take the time to make memories... to talk about "things" with their grandmother and surviving grandparents on their mother's side. The memories. You don't get a second chance. Make memories.

What sucks more?

It's tough to decide sometimes what sucks more? Is it too much crap or not enough shovel? I guess history will let me know someday. The past 20 days have been filled with disappointments, frustrations, and stress. With three important things in my life, things continue to go wrong at every step of the way. The three things would be my family, my "day job", and my business. Everything effects everything. The day job has been filled wit bureaucratic obstacles that defy logic while preventing success that would come using obvious resources. Everyday has a new twist to screw up everything else. I used to enjoy my accomplishments. Now, I feel nothing but frustrations of failures that could easily be prevented. Family counts above all else, but the frustrations and disappointments of living over a thousand miles away have pounded on us these past few weeks. A series of misinformations and my wife, my kids, and I missed the last opportunity to see my father alive. Screw ups continued right through to the funeral. It's like nothing works right this month. Finally, the business. Between the day job frustions and the death of my father the business struggles daily. Anytime I miss an opportunity, it costs. Anytime I make an opportunity, something rears it's ugly head to knock me down. Making back from Pennsylvania just in time to go to Daytona for a 4 day show is tough enough. I'm not sure how good it will be, but it will get done. But why would some one throw the strongest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history at me on the same weekend? Is it that there isn't enough going wrong already? I keep thinking I'll survive. I keep hearing, "What doesn't kill me will make me stronger." I keep realizing this stuff is killing me! I don't ask what else can go wrong. I see too many opportunities for answers. I just keep pushing, keep trying, keep banging my head until I succeed or die trying. But lately, I haven't seen a sign for the road to success. I haven't been on the road to happiness.

Countdown to BiketoberFest

Biketoberfest is one week away and things couldn't get much more hectic. Fortunately, they all seem to be coming together. Our checklist is nearly complete including the mobile studio, our rotator, banners, technology, and transportation. The final few loose ends seem to be falling into place on schedule and items we need are arriving everyday. Feedback from people around the country and locally has been positive, but with the same perspective we have maintained: no matter how good the idea is it doesn't mean people will buy into it. We're hoping they do. The four day weekend will be the first serious evaluation of our system, services, and products. It is where we will establish whether we move forward in a big way, move forward with caution and corrections, or just stop and count our losses. Success is measured in both the number of ads and our gross for the weekend. the key variable is the photos we can do that do not include the 360-degree motorcycle view. The minimum standard for cautious success is 90 ads or $4,000. Achieving that will allow us to proceed with changes needed to improve. Less than that leans proportiionately towards closing it all down early. Likewise, there is room for great success. The minimum only requires us to average about 2 ads per hour. By averaging 4 ads per hour we achieve success. At 6 ads per hour we consider the trip extremely successful. By making it to 8 per hour we will be busy enough to ask why we'd do anything else. 10 per hour and we won't have to ask why anymore. We'll be booking every show we can find and opening offices around the country. We are psyched for this trip. Everything looks like a winner. In just a little over 7 days the test begins.

New Studio Near Completion

P1010035 Originally uploaded by 360bikers.

This is just a quick and dirty shot taken in the new 360Bikers studio. The rotator stand will hold a 1000 lb. bike and rotate it to precise 22.5 degree intervals for taking photos used for the high resolution interactive 360-degree CDs and web displays. A diamond plate version will be released soon with many more options to follow. You can view this at www.360bikers.com/360/9.