Forum survivability

Message

BikerGran · #16 Post by **BikerGran** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 12:31 pm

Yup there's nothing quite like a forum!

MartDude · #17 Post by **MartDude** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 6:35 pm

Willopotomas wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:
A BMW section to the forum would indeed bring another dimension to the place. The bar would certainly fill out a bit more.
Or, to save on sub-forums, a shaft-drive section, BMW & Guzzi together?

#18 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 7:14 pm

Dusty wrote:Thank you for the reassurances and the (reluctant? ) acceptance of a BMW rider who occasionally chimes in!
DRider's point is well made. However, our experience was that despite having a significant number of enthusiastic, contributing members and a friendly, humorous tone similar to this site, the forum disappeared overnight thanks to the evaporation of one individual's interest.

Thanks also for the suggestion of a K bike section here but the new site is now under construction, http://eurokclub.bike/ If any other K bike masochist wants to get involved in the interim Facebook group, here it is:https://www.facebook.com/groups/6285171 ... 3/?fref=nf
It may be a sign of age and the fact that my wife calls me a Grumpy Old Git, but I can't wait to get rid of this and onto a good, old-fashioned website forum!

No reluctance at all, old bean. But I fully understand your aversion to FB. When discussing bikes, you need a proper forum. Let us know when the new K site is up and I'll pop over and have a nose around...

Aladinsaneuk · #19 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 7:59 pm

Glad you are getting sorted - dusty if you need an interim forum drop me a pm with your phone number

We can set up your own sub forum with your own mods etc

Offer is there if needed

fatboy · #20 Post by **fatboy** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 8:02 pm

MartDude wrote:
Willopotomas wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:
A BMW section to the forum would indeed bring another dimension to the place. The bar would certainly fill out a bit more.
Or, to save on sub-forums, a shaft-drive section, BMW & Guzzi together?
I think that is a good idea Mart, you shafty owners can get together and take the piss out of us adjusting our chains

BikerGran · #21 Post by **BikerGran** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 8:25 pm

Ooh that would be for me too!

We could discuss age-old questions like "Can you countersteer on a shaftie" - haven't seen that one for YEARS!

Dusty · #22 Post by **Dusty** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:11 pm

Thanks for the offer, Pete; very kind of you. However, one of the more active members on the old forum has kicked off the new forum site (link above) and appointed administrators. It should be up and running in the next week or two.

I'm pretty sure you can counter-steer a shaftie, BG. The K is so damned long and stable, it's the only way to get it to turn!

BikerGran · #23 Post by **BikerGran** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:58 pm

You'd be surprised how manmy people will argue that you can't - probably people who've never ridden a shaftie.

D-Rider · #24 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:53 am

You can countersteer any 2 wheeler. In fact you have to countersteer every 2 wheeler if you ever want to turn a corner. We all do it naturally - it's how you destabilise to lean in the opposite direction to your bar input.
For most of us its just a subtle subconscious input to initiate a turn.

Those that make a big deal of the countersteering tend not to recognise this normal action and only recognise the conscious larger inputs that only do the same thing but a bit more dramatically.

It's all the same thing.

Now don't get me started on the sheer bollox of "weighting the pegs".
You even hear respected racers talking about this rubbish.

BikerGran · #25 Post by **BikerGran** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 1:16 pm

Well in that case I won't get into that one either - cos......... well.... ;)

MartDude · #26 Post by **MartDude** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:27 pm

BikerGran wrote:Ooh that would be for me too!

We could discuss age-old questions like "Can you countersteer on a shaftie" - haven't seen that one for YEARS!

Dusty · #27 Post by **Dusty** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 6:55 pm

Indeed, Andy. I've had some interesting conversations with experienced riders who claim that counter-steering is a modern thing and they've never tried it!

lazarus · #28 Post by **lazarus** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:57 pm

Some interesting issues raised about the forum - cant resist the temptation to put in my pennyworth ( or is it penneth?). Not that many of you will remeber real pennies.

Anyway, I am another BMW rider. I currently have a 1200GS, my third with the first one bought before Charlie and Ewan. So I also look at the UKGSER forum which gets far more posts than Ridersite but as someone has already mentioned is full of aggression and conflict. As well as moans about BMW quality. So its not really that pleasant a place to go for a chat and thats an important part of the attraction of a forum. For me it is anyway.

My main hobby in retirement is sailing - SWMBO would call it an obsession rather than a hobby. Be that as it may, the forums I frequent for sailing are http://www.ybw.com/forums/index.php Just look at the numbers of posts and views , yet there cannot be more boats than bikes in the UK. Notice also that they arent split by type or make of boat as people are suggesting for RS. Thats an attraction too - I might have a BMW bike but I want to chat to owners of Guzzi and Triumph. Indeed all other makes. My interest is biking not BMW.

So following up this logic, what I would be looking for in a bike forum, is a friendly one ( tick RS) populated by adults not aggressive testosterone fuelled 20 year olds, with a broad interest in bikes not makes. Maybe focussed on use ie touring board and commuting board and racing etc. Maybe like the sailing forums with a Lounge ( you cant see that in the list of sailing forums as its members only) where issues like politics, religion and music etc are discussed in a friendly way ( most of the time)

I remember RS from the very early days when it certainly didnt have an Aprilia flavour. But now, friendly as it is, the level of traffic and therefore of interest is low. Sometimes there are days between posts. Quite how you get it to a higher level I do not know but I cannot see that BMW K series is the answer.

#29 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:10 pm

It's very difficult to find that balance. Too many posters and there is almost always a few trolls whose only delight is to stir up trouble. Too few and you can watch the tumbleweed blow through...

I think that RS has a good balance; yes, I'd like to see a bit more activity, but not at the expense of the civility and tolerance I see on here. As long as the forum is able to pay its way and has a core of regular posters, it can survive.

I've tried dropping hints on other forums I frequent (the Bikers Oracle VFR one being the main one I also regularly log onto) that RS isn't just for Aprilias and particularly Falcos, but once a forum gets pigeon-holed into a particular niche it's hard to shake that view.

Wally · #30 Post by **Wally** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:04 am

I also frequent the XS1100UK Forum http://xs1100.com/forum/index.php and they have been discussing the survivability of their forum as you have here.

I think Lazarus makes some good points but the main thing is not loosing any of the invaluable information that has been built up over many years either here or there.

I must admit I don't fully understand all the problems of running / hosting a forum or how much it costs, would there be any benefit to add another group to this site or would that just add another cost to provide this?

Wally