If You Were Sponsored

[James_Porter]

sponsorship is a funny thing...

when i started riding for selectbikes i used to try and promote them so much... so much so i got into a bit of a dispute with tarty's adam and dave... which i regret now cause they are both awesome guys. i used to be allways saying "go to sb for this that and what ever".....im sure if you look back at my previous posts you will see some funny plugging. BUT all this was because phil helped (and still does) me out loads... when you get this much help from someone or a company you feel its just right to promote them as much as possible just to pay them back for what they have helped you out with. i mean i would have been off my bike so much through breakages and not being able to afford it if it wasnt for phil, also having this extra cash which i didnt need to spend on bikeparts meant i could travel a lot more... which is allways mint....... its just like if someone lends you money, you pay it back asap and if they ever need help you help them, same principle.

i feel that anyway... just feels the right thing to do. and lets be honest thats what they have taken the rider on to do. i often have convos with hawzie/ashton about sponsorship and what they would expect of a rider... they make some real sence as you would expect and really make you think about your approach to riding, i mean im sure i have changed my views on somethings just cause i have listened to what they have had to say and taken it on board cause it makes sence... and will hopefully make me a better rider/person.

the whole wayne thing. yes, wayne does plug koxx a lot.... but, from what I know they/fred have given him a fair bit, all he is doing is re-paying them for what they have done for him, thats fair if you ask me. you dont have to take his advice, hes not forcing it on you, hes just informing you of whats going on for those who might be interested.... thats sound if you ask me.

im NOT saying this in a big headed way or to insult people in any way... but i really think you have to be sponsored to know where im coming from with this... if you are or have had a propper deal you will know where im coming from clearly i would think.

for those who have said in this topic about wayne plugging to much or "if i was sponsored i wouldnt go on about the product on here" i think you need to sit back and think..... if you were riding for a company, who give you bikes/parts for FREE when ever you need, you just have to ring them up and say and they make riding so much easier for you... would you just take all that is given and not help by occasionally "plugging" thier products... if you wouldnt, i think thats just damn selfish....

[tomturd]

RE: the last few replies... kinda going off topic a bit. We all know you feel the need to support your sponsor which is fair enough.

But, back to the topic, is it professional to 'slag off' other products/companies in the aim to promote your own sponsor? I personally think not.

It doesnt just look bad on you, you are representing your sponsor, which makes them look bad too.

Aimed at no one inparticular btw.

[Walleee]

Yeh, keep it a healthy discussion rather then getting it closed.

[anzo]

Ideally, in my opinion. It's the responsibility of the manufacture/dealer to promote the product, which they're doing by sponsering you.

Then when you are sponsered, it is up to you to promote it VISUALLY by riding. As Waynio said about someone buying a bike because they saw CLS on it...CLS did what hes sponsored for. Hook, Line, Sinker.

Plug it when you can, but don't force.

Riders Ride, the Marketing is up sponsers.

[Waynio]

its like advice from the physio? do you take it or do you not? i have and you PAY for that kind of information.

tom, if you make half of the HALF wits look back into the thread this lad is on about there will be a few "Blushed" faces, as i said "the headset is worth more than the frame" which is a joke saying that onza frames are usually really really cheap. as that one isnt as cheap.

so back on topic see how many replies it gets.

Anzo dude wasnt having a go just using it as an example kind of thing but i have been there and done that and i have been given advise and listened to it, as long as your getting given advise off someone you trust and they prove to have given good advise you will take it again from them.

i havent given advise recently on frames or anything cos all people say is "your bound to say get a koxx get a yaabaa" blah blah blah. why advise it, when people can come and have a ride on mine????? that will more than likely sell a frame for me. my bike is a demo bike. people can get on and off it and do as they wish with it. some sponsored riders dont like that, i do, it gives people the option of "trying before your buying"

but all of buying things depends on style/trend etc etc. i wont advise something to someone who doesnt know what to buy and they dont know what there going to do with it? its pointless.

my sponsor will never look bad, i wouldnt consider koxx to be a bad brand weather good or bad publicity, look @ how many people will talk about products and such forth. dont forget any publicity is good publicity.

Waynio...........................

il await all the hot replies in the bike pictures section when i upload the pictures of my new yaabaa bow. havent had time yet, been TOO BUSY helping my sponsor out over the weekend and having a good time which is what alot of you dont get chance to do. instead you will sit on here bitching. talaaaaaaa

PS one quick thing, a lad called "wes" in NMC gave me some GREAT information about some product to make me heal quicker and due to him and his info, its much appreciated, i take advice aswell as give.

Sunday i broke (well flat spotted) my first ever koxx rim, yes it was blinking 5 days old and only 3 rides old!!! and fred just said dont worry you'll receive another next week. you give and take, if you look through some topics theres no point me posting cos alot of other people have already given good advise in the thread.

Edited May 2, 2006 by Waynio

[Tony Harrison]

I'm confused. I know Wayne had other offers for sponsorship - he chose to ride for Koxx, and enjoys doing so. Anybody who has seen him ride know's he's not some blagger who pretends. Anyone who's met him know's he's one of the soundest blokes out there, not some misleading con-artist. I don't think it's Wayne who's chewing on the sour grapes...

[anzo]

This topic needs a drastic change and soon before it gets closed. Waynio shouldn't have to justify himself to everyone on the forum and no way should people be pointing fingers.

Waynio gives sound advice (mechanically and in products) to all on the forum, the guy just PM'ed me because the thought he offended me in his reply! Theres plenty of people on this forum that are a complete waste of time, slate them, not the ones willing to fecking help people.

Rant over.

[tomturd]

i havent given advise recently on frames or anything cos all people say is "your bound to say get a koxx get a yaabaa" blah blah blah. why advise it, when people can come and have a ride on mine????? that will more than likely sell a frame for me. my bike is a demo bike. people can get on and off it and do as they wish with it. some sponsored riders dont like that, i do, it gives people the option of "trying before your buying"

Fair enough, but whats that got to do with what this topic is about? Either way, I'd say making posts like this, bearing in mind by being sponsored and therefore respresenting your sponsors, make not only you, but your sponsors too, look unprofessional. I'm sure/know other members feel the same way, cos they've told me, so no matter how you reply you cant change the past, you can only work on it in the manner you come across on the forum in the future.

LMAO!!!!! nice1 portaaaaaaaaay. Looks like an "In-House" matt black spray job too

Waynio.................

the headset is worth more than the frame!!!!

To be fair, the way this post was responded to was also pretty unprofessional, and I wouldnt expect it from one of the major trials related companies. Two sides to everything..

Snappel, fair enough, you've met wayne and I've heard from others that he's a good guy in person, which i'm sure he is. However there are many more members on here that havent met him than have, and we only have what he says on the forum to go on.

Back to the dissertation...

[Waynio]

Tom your advise has been taken note of

fair play, but if you KNEW what i knew about a frame that came from onza to a CLOSE friend to me then you would have got the joke about the paint job but hey dont worry about it.

Waynio......................

[Mark W]

fair play, but if you KNEW what i knew about a frame that came from onza to a CLOSE friend to me then you would have got the joke about the paint job

So that's going to be a 'joke' between you and someone else, which only they will get? Therefore, the other several thousands members on T-F won't know what you're talking about, and it's evident more than just Tom thought about your post in the way he described above?

[Waynio]

take it or leave it i aint argueing.

i have spoken to the people i need to speak to. if they have a problem they have a problem. i on the other hand do not. im the same waynio from 3 years ago to this day. weather i ride for koxx ashton or who ever. i will still be the same

Waynio......................

[ben_travis]

This is exactly the reason i dont big up my sponsors on the forum. As much as i would like to, as two of them pay for banners /advertising etc, i know i would get slated. I would say im of a decent standard and have been round long enough to test a fair few products.

BUT

many people take it the wrong way and think im just bigging up my sponsors, but I feel that we as sponsored riders SHOULD be able to talk freely about the products we ride. I have openly admitted the new echo rims are not that good, and that at the moment im using an onza HOG which is still an awesome rim. THen i could go on to say buy these from tartybikes.

Whats the problem with that? I would expect Porter/wheeler/ etc to say select bikes instead of tartybikes, and it doesnt bother me. There are limits though, if the rider is blatantly taking the piss on the amount they suggest where to get the parts from then its just annoying for everyone

but when someone asks what we reccomend and where they can get it from then if I say select bikes sell them surely this is a disservice to my sponsor. We as sponsored riders are out to sell ourselves and test components before everyone else risks their lives using said products.

Meh, just my opinion.

I feel that us as sponsored riders should be allowed to say where to get stuff and make posts saying how we feel products are riding AS LONG AS ITS IN MODERATION

[Walleee]

I feel that us as sponsored riders should be allowed to say where to get stuff and make posts saying how we feel products are riding AS LONG AS ITS IN MODERATION

The thing is, not everyone can moderate themselves aswell as you can, does that end up making people dislike the company someone is meant to be promoting?

[Waynio]

i think it must on here to some extent, but i seem to have noticed it makes a big difference when your at the top (and im not on about being at the top of trials!!! im on about being at the top of TRIALS FORUM!!!)

Waynio..........................

[mat hudson]

is it only me who cant make any sence of that?

[deanie-b]

is it only me who cant make any sense of that?

And yeah, i'm not sure I understood

[TrashZen]

BUT

many people take it the wrong way and think im just bigging up my sponsors, but I feel that we as sponsored riders SHOULD be able to talk freely about the products we ride. I have openly admitted the new echo rims are not that good, and that at the moment im using an onza HOG which is still an awesome rim. THen i could go on to say buy these from tartybikes.

Whats the problem with that? I would expect Porter/wheeler/ etc to say select bikes instead of tartybikes, and it doesnt bother me. There are limits though, if the rider is blatantly taking the piss on the amount they suggest where to get the parts from then its just annoying for everyone

Hey, I think there are two issues:

Weither the sponsor is a distributor or a manufacturer. If he is a manufacturer, then it doesn't really matter where you recommend to get the parts from, because at the end of the day, they are all going to be sourced from the manufacturer. If the sponsor is a distributor, then, I guess it makes sense to recommend them if they have the part in stock (it is that extra help from networking, like you tend to recommend a friend rather than a stranger)

But, personally, I only give my opinion on parts I have ridden, and more importantly, if I am asked. And again, if you are into politics and don't listen to the answer, the question is pointless. When asking about the rating of components, I like to receive fair neutral advice, that gives you that nice sensation of real choice (beyond the catalogue of one sponsor). Politics or slagging off other products won't convince me, it's just too sectarian to be helpful.

As proven over and over again, in many other sports too, your good riding, attitude or exposure is the most important factor.

[manuel]

^^^^ bang on to wayne.

wayne rides.

he rides for koxx.

he rides amazing and obviously likes their products - otherwise he would ride for someone else.

he gives information on all new kox bits n bobs.

he gives his opinion on all other stuff that comes out in the trials market - just like everyone else

example - the koxx XTP copy thingy - I was thinking the exact same thing about the headset...

Wayne is a P R O. (but ill admit it comes across strong but hey if you meet him its different)

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anyway back to the topic - if you are sponsored, you should do your best to build a good image for the company you ride for. just be helpful friendly and ride as hard as you can. end of.

Edited May 3, 2006 by manuel

[tomturd]

if you are sponsored, you should do your best to build a good image for the company you ride for. just be helpful friendly and ride as hard as you can. end of.

Seems like a good place to end it