Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Events > Motorcycle Events around the world
Motorcycle Events around the world Events of interest to travellers - please put the location country in the subject!
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #16  
Old 3 Jan 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 16
Not a problem Martyn and I understand where you're coming from so I'm not taking it the wrong way.

Basically we are doing 2 things in 1 - touring the UK and trying to raise cash for charity. We do something for CR every year in one way or another and this seemed like an excellent opportunity to do 2 things that we enjoy. If we get accommodation then that's great - if not then the tent will be coming out and we'll still do the trip.

Thanks for your input - it's been appreciated

Phil
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Matt Cartney's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland
Posts: 1,350
Quote:
Originally Posted by wonkydonkey View Post
Had you read my post above I have already said that I will be removing the knockbacks section.

There's no need to be offensive yourself with your bad language, I can swear with the best but feel that this is not the place to do it.

...

I'm not about to get into a slanging match with anyone, only to say that it's not big and it's not clever

.
1: Good.

2: Yawn. Is the sun shining up there on your high horse?

3: Hmm, so listing a company for the heinous crime of not givng you free stuff and insinuating they are mean and uncharitable is'nt slanging?

Good luck with your trip all the same. I don't wish you to think I'm against your whole enterprise, just felt you'd misjudged the charity knock backs page, which you've admitted. I confess I didn't see that you'd already said you'd be removing it. Hope you have fun and raise lots of money for charity.

Matt
__________________
http://adventure-writing.blogspot.com

http://scotlandnepal.blogspot.com/

*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 16
Hi Matt

The sun isn't shining but it's bloody cold and lonely

I wasn't saying they were mean, just saying in their own words "Our central marketing department focus solely on national
advertising as the main aim is to drive the awareness of the
Premier Travel Inn brand on a much larger scale eg via national
newspapers or websites"

Basically, unless you are national news then they don't want to know.

Thank you for your good wishes and please think about us in the wilds of Scotland when we're up your way sometime in July We'll actually be stopping over in Edinburgh on the way back down as we have some friends who live near the centre, near the Botonical Gardens

Cheers matey

Phil
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Posts: 249
Yeh i've always thought this. Aslong as you somehow associate yourself with a charity and claim on your high horse to be doing something worthwhile, then you are just getting someone else to pay for your holidays under the banner of charity.

Fair enough getting sponsorship if you are doing something different...or you are writing a book or you are just bear faced cheeky/pressy. But the charity thing has always made me wonder a little bit.
__________________
Thanks
Joe
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 4 Jan 2008
mattcbf600's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, England
Posts: 706
I'm nothing to do with Long Way Round UK, but I am doing Journey To Russia in September with 2 of my mates - we're raising money for Everyman.

We thought long and hard about the charity thing. We were going to Russia, we were doing it anyway, in fact most of the planning was done and we started telling people we were off on our trip - at which point some people asked us - 'great... who you doing it for?'

Well no-one was our initial reply, and then we thought, well if people really want to use us as an excuse to give to charity we should make it easy for them - so we set up the justgiving page (Justgiving - Journey To Russia - as you asked so nicely) and as you can see we've had some donations - not a huge amount but more than would have gone in to Everyman if we'd not.

We could of course just turn around and go - 'well let's not go on the trip let's just donate our budget to Everyman'. Or we could say 'we're off to Russia, if you want to use us as an excuse to give to charity, great, go over here.'

I know which one I'd go for!
__________________
------------------
http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
MSN: matthew@matthewcashmore.com
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 4,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattcbf600 View Post
I'm nothing to do with Long Way Round UK, but I am doing Journey To Russia in September with 2 of my mates - we're raising money for Everyman.

We thought long and hard about the charity thing. We were going to Russia, we were doing it anyway, in fact most of the planning was done and we started telling people we were off on our trip - at which point some people asked us - 'great... who you doing it for?'

Well no-one was our initial reply, and then we thought, well if people really want to use us as an excuse to give to charity we should make it easy for them - so we set up the justgiving page (Justgiving - Journey To Russia - as you asked so nicely) and as you can see we've had some donations - not a huge amount but more than would have gone in to Everyman if we'd not.

We could of course just turn around and go - 'well let's not go on the trip let's just donate our budget to Everyman'. Or we could say 'we're off to Russia, if you want to use us as an excuse to give to charity, great, go over here.'

I know which one I'd go for!
You have touched a chord here with me Matt.

One guy I know was "over the moon" when I put some money into his justgiving pot - apparently about 2-3 times more than he expected.

Another guy I know has never spoken to me or emailed me since I did not respond to his very obvious email asking for a contribution to his justgiving pot and his jaunt around in the desert - hard work no doubt, but.........

The moral I have learnt is that you find out who your friends are when you get involved with justgiving!!
__________________
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Alexlebrit's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 920
I'll jump on your bandwagon too if there's room.

Yup, I'm doing the old charity fund-rasing thing too, and I'll admit it, I'm going to try and blag free stuff from people. I have no problem with it at all, because I know I'll only get it if they think they're getting something in return, and that will be the time and effort I put in to publicising the event and their product and service. The fact of the matter is, they're not giving you anything, they're bartering, and if you publicise well then they're actually getting something on the cheap, that's why companies give.

In the past I've organise charity events and people have said to me "what's the point, why not just give to charity directly?" at which point I usually dig out the collecting tin and say "OK, cough up".

Example of why there's nothing wrong with having fun and raising money. On Tower to Tower rally, 25 teams of people went begging for sponsors plugging the charity and plastering their cars with companies names, people came up to our bunch of Minis in Paris and asked what we were up to, when we explained out came their wallets, even chequebooks. and then the participants went rattling collecting tins round the car-park at Le Havre waiting for the boat back, loads of people dug in their pockets and threw in their unspent Euros, total result nearly £30,000 which probably wouldn't have gone to charity otherwise, because there wouldn't have been the people collecting.
__________________
Happiness has 125 cc
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 4 Jan 2008
mattcbf600's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, England
Posts: 706
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
You have touched a chord here with me Matt.

One guy I know was "over the moon" when I put some money into his justgiving pot - apparently about 2-3 times more than he expected.

Another guy I know has never spoken to me or emailed me since I did not respond to his very obvious email asking for a contribution to his justgiving pot and his jaunt around in the desert - hard work no doubt, but.........

The moral I have learnt is that you find out who your friends are when you get involved with justgiving!!
Yes I know exactly what you mean - it's a very personal direct way of giving and really allows you to say what you're giving where. I suppose that will play well to some peoples vanity - but as an organiser you HAVE to just treat it as a collecting tin and nothing more - it's nice to see who's donated but it's just a collecting tin.

What I do like about JustGiving though is the ease and more importantly the fact that they make the gift aid thing so damn easy.
__________________
------------------
http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
MSN: matthew@matthewcashmore.com
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 16
The same thing that happened to Mattcbf600 happened to us.

We explained that we were going to ride around the UK and when we were telling some friends the idea came up about us supporting Cancer Research. It went something along the lines of "well, you donate every year so why not tie the 2 together and raise more" so we did.

Getting the free stuff doesn't bother me - I'm hard faced enough to ask but in return I know that the companies sponsoring us expect a certain amount of publicity whether that's via press release, flyers, interviews with shameless plugs or whatever. At the end of the day I'm happy to be a media whore for them as long as they do their part.

As it is Breville UK are allowing us to use their resources and I will happily promote them to the hilt.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Alexlebrit's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 920
A thought.

I notice the site has a blog... now cos I'm a nosey bar-steward I love reading about people's trials and tribulations even before they've started travelling. So why not blog about your preparations a bit more? A regular blog with regular readers shows companies that you've got a base for them to publicise to. And in a blog I think having a grumble about something is allowed (vis: knockbacks).

PS as it's Breville I guess you get as many toasted sandwiches as you can eat?
__________________
Happiness has 125 cc

Last edited by Alexlebrit; 4 Jan 2008 at 16:20.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Southampton
Posts: 671
Our Opinion

Well, firstly let me explan what we are doing. Driving to Australia from UK in a Land Rover. Not unusual on this site but unusual to me and certainly unusual to my friends. We are raising money for charity, and we will except some freebies (haven't asked for any yet, not sure we are going to or not). But here is where the big difference is for us, we are not sayng the trip is why people should sponsor us, because we want it do this. What we are doing is stuff we wouldn't normally do to raise money. Hence in April of last year I ran the London Marathon. Easy for some people but not for a 20st smoker (now ex) with a buggered body. 6 month of training later and I completed it in 5.5 hours. Ouch! And raised £3000+ in the process.

But also, to encourage people to sponsor me I offered to match every £1 donated with 50p from my own pocket (up to a total donaton from us of £500). This way I felt we were matching other peoples cash with my commitment and cash.

Next up I think have to go bigger, and will cycle from John O'Groats to Land's End, which will take 9 months to get ready for and two weeks to cycle.

Now I'm not saying any way is right or wrong, but I do get damn angry when ALL charity fundraising is written off as trying to get someone to pay for your holiday. My 'holiday' is 100% funded by myself and will have taken 4 years of savng to get. Brilliant! At the same time I am both trying to improve my health and raise money Even better! But I want to also be able to say is I enjoyed the marathon and I wll enjoy the cycle, without someone looking down on the charitable part of it as a means to an end purely for selfsh reasons.

Sorry rant over and back to finishng off the Chrstmas booze and food

Happy new year to all including those from Long Way Round Uk ...... Good luck
__________________
Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 16
Thanks for the good luck message Ollie and thanks to Alex for the tips about the blog.

Once again we find ourselves in similar territory regarding things we wouldn't normally do.

I've ridden bikes for years on and off but due to an error at DVLA I had to resit my test and after getting divorced in 2006 I've met someone who likes bikes. We both decided that we'd do our test and do a ride of some description. Once we got chatting with friends the idea just snowballed.

So we are where we're at - organising a trip that we wouldn't normally undertake but now intend to use it to try to raise a lot of money for a worthy cause - not because we're after a free jolly holly.

BTW - One thing I've forgot to mention is that if anyone wants to ride parts of the route with us then please get in touch. I'd also like to try and organise a ride out from the start and possibly back home

Last edited by wonkydonkey; 4 Jan 2008 at 17:15.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: California
Posts: 866
Scratching each others backs...

Hi wonkydonkey - I think Alexlebrit touches on the fundament point (regarding sponsorship) above: essentially that they will want something (and positive!) for their association and support of your endeavour, and for a commercial company, that basically means brand publicity/product placement in the press/media.

Have you approached any of the motorcycle publications with details of your proposal? While the sportsbike mags may seem disinterested (unless you have a particularly strong pitch), you might find MCN or the monthly MCM newspaper style magazines would get on board and offer an interview and/or feature on your return at the very least? Perhaps you could even write the piece yourself? Likewise local (regional) television and radio news stations also like to feature 'what's going on in our region' type stories - worth a punt trying to arrange an interview with them when you are passing though...

Of course editors are notoriously hard to pin down for an actual commission or guarentee of anything being published - but if you can get their support, then at least you would then have a solid lever to use when approaching any potential sponsors?

Just a thought...

JennyMo xxx
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: worcestershire,uk
Posts: 150
press/media

following on from JennyMo, i work in the media and I can promise you, we are all inherently lazy b*st*rds

if someone fronts up at a newspaper/magazine with decent words and (very importantly) decent pictures that are both targeted towards the right audience for the publication, then you are doing our work for us and it stands a reasonable chance of going in - the same is true of radio, although they aren't that big on pictures

this is particularly true if you don't want payment (although I have to say this seriously annoys us pros who do want payment for our work !!)

however, if you do some decent pre event publicity, and get stuff published, or regional airtime, at least when you go to companies asking for support then they can see you mean business and they might get a result.

getting publicity isn't as difficult as you might thing - publications and many media outlets are down to the bare bones on full time staff and they can't come up with bright ideas every bloody day

give someone a good reason to publicise you, your event and your commercial supporters and then you might get better results

cheers

dick
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 4 Jan 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Lancashire, UK
Posts: 16
JennyMo and Dick - can't thank you enough.

We're putting together a press pack so that we can send it to the locals and I'll get in touch with MCN and MCM.

We'll also get some glossy pics in there too.

If you (or anyone else) have any tips the by all means PM or email me via the website or just leave a message here.

Any help is most welcome.

Regards

Phil
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Long Way Round Scooter Style richtea Which Bike? 9 2 Jun 2006 12:25
BMW GS to go round the world: A Myth? Breaking down? vincent danna Which Bike? 11 11 Jun 2005 17:21
Cardiff to Rome - a long weekend. McGowan Travellers Seeking Travellers 3 8 Feb 2005 02:43
Long Way Round NorCal Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else 1 29 Oct 2004 22:52
XR650R: Is it a worthy long distancer? Jason Smolka Honda Tech 2 28 Jan 2003 07:58

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:12.