You folks have totally missed the mark. Bike Week is no longer what it was during the peak of the easy money.
NH can market itself to do WAY better than Bike Week. Just because something has been done for "X" years means that's as good as you can get. We don't build cars like they did 88 years ago either
Go look at annual revenues from boating and other tourism activies versus BW. Tons of events can be held that don't create the issues BW does and spread it out over the whole summer. There will be significant resistance to changing things around but it can be done.
If anyone does not like my opinion, too bad. I am one of those "tourists" who gets to decide where to spend my money.
Business is down because of the economy but also because everyone is tired of the same junk and activities at the Weirs.
All I know is I can get reservations RIGHT NOW if I wanted too for July 4th weekend on the lake and have been able to do that for many places on Winni for a long time. Maybe the business community should take heed of what I am telling you. Lakefront development is changing the scenery if you get my drift. The Bike Week scene as it exists is a tired idea. Look around the country at other places that re-invented themselves rather than being lemmings.
You can try and use me to vent your frustrations about why the numbers are down but Bike Week is not all win-win.
Carry on
Edit: For those on the fence about alternatives to Winni, look around. There are TONS of options right in NH (and many not in the Lakes Region). May not be as big but way more friendlier to boaters.