>I find a lot of similarities between TenTec loyalists and BMW Motorcycle
>loyalists. It's difficult to ignore someone advising to buy another brand
>when there are so many reasons to try the TenTec (or the BMW)...at least
>once. I personally have heard many more stories of a lack of support with
>the other brands than with these two brands. BMW is still making parts for
>bikes over 50 years old. TenTec is still trading in and supplying parts
>for decades old rigs. There are lots of great people in the other
>companies, but it's hard not to be passionate about passionate caring
>companies. BTW, I think anybody who could learn to work on their own gear
>before could work with SMT. Chuck, KE9UW
Boy, did this hit home. I have not operated my Omni VI much this summer--I was
too busy putting my 31-year-old BMW R75/5 back on the road. Of course, the
dealer has batteries, filters, bolts, nuts, rubber parts, gaskets, even
replacement
fenders. Ten-Tec and BMW (motorcycles) are similar in important ways:
* they both make products that are among the best at what they do, but they
rely
on proven rather than latest-fad technology;
* the user populations of both products include a large number of people who
try
maintenance and repair on their own rather than bringing the product to the
shop;
* you will hardly find two instances of either product that look exactly
alike after a
few years, because there are so many custom add-ons or modifications;
* both have very large, very active, internet discussion groups, which also
account for a substantial amount of the circulation of used
radios/motorcycles;
* people in both user groups are often very proud of the fact that they own
not
one, but three or more radios/motorcycles by these makers;
* members of these groups who own other manufacturers' products often
apologize when they mention them;
* users in both groups are seen by others as fanatic (this is not true, the
fact is
that people who own other products are all crazy);
* both companies have put out products with failings that came to light after
the
product was in use, and both companies made modifications to fix those
problems;
* both make products that have useful lifetimes greater than forty years.
Now if I can ever stabilize the LO in my R75/5 I'll be able to focus on the
clunky
gearbox in my Omni VI.
Jan, KX2A
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