I've had a very strange invite to go to Saltzburg to participate in some design evaluations for a new bike being released by a European manufacturer in 2016. They won't say who the manufacturer is but if I take up the invite they'll pay for my flights etc!!!
Is this a piss take? I'm going to reply saying I'll go though only if they pay my expenses up front but it seems too good to be true and even though they've given vague reasons regarding why I've been invited I'm one of those suspicious people that thinks why have I been invited.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained and the evaluation day is a Friday so if it works out I'll have a couple of days over there then come home after a free mini break (thumbs)
So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
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Spike941
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Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
They'll probably get you to sign up to Time Share before they show you the bike, let alone sit on it. I must admit, sounds a little dodgy.
Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
heh, you're like me and straight away think there's a catch.minkyhead wrote:who are they..
contact number?? name sounds a bit sus to me
It's a well known design company who've done the final work on some very high profile bikes and apparently this is how they do a bit of market testing. A few people get invited over to have a look at a short list of designs and give their opinion from the point of view of riders who actually buy and ride bikes rather than sit at desks looking at them and trying to dream up something different.
It still looks suss to me but I've got full contact details and it's not as if I'm young and good looking so they're not trying to kidnap me for some kind of sex trade :laugh:
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minkyhead
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Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
id ring them andy and speak direct ..if its all above board surley they will offer some expences ..if so go for it (thumbs)
whats the wether forcast ..wheres me map
Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
Why the deep suspicion?
Who is it that has actually invited you? A design consultancy? A manufacturer? Some nutter who is more used to sending out emails saying he's found three billion dollars in a Nigerian bank account and wants you to have it?
What is it that you do as a job? If you are a painter-decorator or a deep sea fisherman, I can see that you might well be a long way down the list of people to invite. But if you are a graphic designer or a specialist in automotive control ECU functions, then that may well be different. There again, if you are you'd probably not be asking forum members their opinion, as you might have: (a) Done similar work before (b) Been in their cross-hairs as someone who can maybe help them in their enterprise.
Cost / getting them to pay? Salzburg is not Sydney, Australia or some lonely Polynesian atol. It's relatively cheap and easy to get there and there's a choice of hotels. Would the possible rewards of possibly joining the team of whoever it is that is doing whatever it is they are doing, outweigh the cost and / or possibly outweigh your current salary? There again, if I worked in an industry that was related to the job of work in hand - and was maybe sufficiently recognised as an expert in my field, as to make it worth their while inviting me in the first place - I'd maybe ask them to pay, at least my flights / base accommodation.
In short, we are lacking in any detail to form an opinion. But let's not let that stop us.
Me? I'd go. That would be particularly true if I were a painter-decorator or a deep sea fisherman, as someone would have fecked-up by inviting me in the first place. If I could screw £25 out of them for my £6 return Ryanair flight, that would be a bonus. If I subsequently found myself in the clutches of ISIS or on a TV reality show, so be it. Failing that, I'd throw the invitation in the bin and go back to debating with Mrs Miggins at no. 32 if shocking pink really was the best colour for her son's ceiling or return to wishing that I'd paid more attention to the long range shipping forecast for Rockall, instead of wasting my time on a motorcycle forum.
Who is it that has actually invited you? A design consultancy? A manufacturer? Some nutter who is more used to sending out emails saying he's found three billion dollars in a Nigerian bank account and wants you to have it?
What is it that you do as a job? If you are a painter-decorator or a deep sea fisherman, I can see that you might well be a long way down the list of people to invite. But if you are a graphic designer or a specialist in automotive control ECU functions, then that may well be different. There again, if you are you'd probably not be asking forum members their opinion, as you might have: (a) Done similar work before (b) Been in their cross-hairs as someone who can maybe help them in their enterprise.
Cost / getting them to pay? Salzburg is not Sydney, Australia or some lonely Polynesian atol. It's relatively cheap and easy to get there and there's a choice of hotels. Would the possible rewards of possibly joining the team of whoever it is that is doing whatever it is they are doing, outweigh the cost and / or possibly outweigh your current salary? There again, if I worked in an industry that was related to the job of work in hand - and was maybe sufficiently recognised as an expert in my field, as to make it worth their while inviting me in the first place - I'd maybe ask them to pay, at least my flights / base accommodation.
In short, we are lacking in any detail to form an opinion. But let's not let that stop us.
Me? I'd go. That would be particularly true if I were a painter-decorator or a deep sea fisherman, as someone would have fecked-up by inviting me in the first place. If I could screw £25 out of them for my £6 return Ryanair flight, that would be a bonus. If I subsequently found myself in the clutches of ISIS or on a TV reality show, so be it. Failing that, I'd throw the invitation in the bin and go back to debating with Mrs Miggins at no. 32 if shocking pink really was the best colour for her son's ceiling or return to wishing that I'd paid more attention to the long range shipping forecast for Rockall, instead of wasting my time on a motorcycle forum.
Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
It may be legit...
A couple of years ago I had a phone interview for a job in London...a week later I got a call on a Friday at 5pm asking m if I could be in New York for 9amm Monday morning..!!!
Bear in mind that I had never met anybody from the company and only had one phone call....before this one.
Well I turned up at the airport...tickets were waiting for me and I sent three months working in New York and then a further three months in Zurich.
Mike
A couple of years ago I had a phone interview for a job in London...a week later I got a call on a Friday at 5pm asking m if I could be in New York for 9amm Monday morning..!!!
Bear in mind that I had never met anybody from the company and only had one phone call....before this one.
Well I turned up at the airport...tickets were waiting for me and I sent three months working in New York and then a further three months in Zurich.
Mike
And the beast shall be huge and black, and the eyes thereof red with the blood of living creatures, and the whore of Babylon shall ride forth on a three-headed serpent, and throughout the lands, there'll be a great rubbing of parts
Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
it is way too late to get design evaluated for 2016 models. 2016 models would be already in production.
I would expect some design concepts for market research for future models. So you would be looking at 2017-18 model year earliest.
I would expect some design concepts for market research for future models. So you would be looking at 2017-18 model year earliest.
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Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
I've had a 'conversation' with them today via email and the response contained these lines:V_King wrote:it is way too late to get design evaluated for 2016 models. 2016 models would be already in production.
I would expect some design concepts for market research for future models. So you would be looking at 2017-18 model year earliest.
"The discussion will take place in a small group of 3-4 people. All information will remain confidential. No names will be given to the client or the public.
Due to the reason that the bike will only be released in 2016 you will have to sign a confidentiality agreement. There will be 8 people from the UK and less than 50 people worldwide who get the chance to view the bike pre-release!"
It's way past the pre-production stage and apparently I'll be able to sit on it and go brmmm brmmm but not have a ride on it. Yet (thumbs)
Obviously enough there'll be no taking photos but I'll know what it is so when it comes out I can say that it was the one I had my little bit of input into. Flight, airport transfer and the night in a hotel will be paid for in advance.
They haven't got all 8 from the UK yet so they're looking for potential targets who currently own what can be best described as a 'super naked' bike such as a Tuono RSV4, a 1290 Superduke or a K1300S so if anyone here fits the bill send me a pm and I'll put you in contact with them. Some experience of testing or road racing would move them up the list but most important is that the people they use have to be able to clearly explain and justify why they think certain things could be changed in one way or another so that they can review all feedback and make a final decision.
Can't ask fairer than that really
Re: So who's bringing out something completely different in 2016?
Update: my flight reservations have arrived and because I'm a bit of a pirate I asked if they would like to have a female rider along to give them a different slant on things and they said yes so my wife now has an invite and we're getting a night out in Salzburg free of charge
I wonder what the reaction will be if I ask where the sidecar mounts are?
I wonder what the reaction will be if I ask where the sidecar mounts are?
