A Tale of Three Forums

[Crusty]

A Tale of Three Forums


I tend to hang out on three motorcycle specific Internet forums at the present time.  There have been other forums in the past, but I drifted away. Sometime in the future I might drift back, but right now there are three that I favor.

The one that I’ve been on longest is Bad Weather Bikers. It’s a Buell and EBR enthusiasts’ forum, and over the years, I’ve met a number of the members in person, and most I consider as friends. Almost all of the folks there are pretty decent people. After Hardley – Ableson killed Buell motorcycles, the membership slowly dropped, and now there are a lot of political threads, but I still have friends there, and motorcycles are still discussed between rants about Republicats and Democrans and how they’re ruining the Country.

Next is Wild Goose Chase. It’s a Moto Guzzi lovers forum. I started posting there when my ex got her Breva 750. After she sold it, I faded away until I got my Norge 1200; then I got into it a good bit more. Political discussions are explicitly forbidden, and a thread will be deleted if it gets too political. It’s also very Family friendly. Crude language and topics are not allowed. There are a lot of really good people there, and the members that I’ve met at the rallies I’ve attended were all really decent folks.

The third is the Moto Campers forum. It’s a small forum that isn’t Marque specific; it’s aimed toward folks who love to use their motorcycles for travel and camping. I haven’t been on there long, but I’ve received a lot of really good suggestions about my upcoming trip this summer and help in choosing which gear to use. Most of the folks there are into very large touring bikes like Gold Wings and Electra Glides, and it seems like the majority pull trailers. So far, there are none who I wouldn’t enjoy meeting while on the road. It’s even more Family oriented than Wild Guzzi, and rude behavior is not allowed.
It’s a decent forum populated by decent people.

One of the things that I find Interesting is the different personality types that gravitate toward each forum. The folks on Badweb are very different from the folks on WildGuzzi.
For example; in 2010 I attended the Buell Homecoming. As a little “enhancement”, I had made up key fobs that had Buell Homecoming 2010 debossed on the straps as give aways. They were a big hit and people loved them. The following year, I made up similar key fobs that said MGNOC  Elkader 2011, and they went over like a skunk at a church picnic.

Last night, I decided to cook a real “Comfort Food” meal for myself (Cheeseburger, fried onions and roasted potatoes) and I put a short post about it on all three forums.  Here’s what I posted:

I'm sitting here eating a cheeseburger that was fried in butter on a Martin's Potato Bread roll with a nice layer of Sauteed Onions (also fried in butter) and a reasonable amount of Heinz 57 Ketchup.
As a side, I'm  having oven roasted Yukon Gold potatoes seasoned with salt, black pepper, oregano and garlic powder. It doesn't get much better than this.

Just thought I'd make y'all jealous.

The responses are interesting. The folks at Wild Guzzi took the bit and ran with it. People posted pictures of meals and described what they were having, threw a couple of joke comments in the mix, and generally had fun with it. (Pork & beans, sardines and Limburger? Just don’t camp near me!) There were 28 replies as of this morning. The people on Badweb posted what they had to eat, but there was almost no enthusiasm shown. There were 7 responses. I guess the people on Moto Campers don’t enjoy food that much. I got one response (although, that one response sure sounded like a really good meal!).

Then again, I wonder how much membership size has to do with both the number of responses and the enthusiasm expressed. If there aren’t a lot of forum members, there won’t be a lot of responses, ya know?

It will be very interesting this summer when I post about my ramblings on each of the forums. I wonder what kind of responses I’ll get.

[Triple Jim]

Interesting Crusty, and you're right.  The Kawasaki triples forum I hang out on has a long running thread called "What's Your Latest Purchase".  When someone buys something interesting, he posts photos and other information about the item(s).  I has been a lot of fun for years.  I started a similar thread on a home beer making forum and it went about five posts and died.  I'm pretty sure that as you said, the number of forum members is important.

How do you think a "What's Your Latest Purchase" would work here?

[Murray]

How do you think a "What's Your Latest Purchase" would work here?

Something about Guzzi owners and actually spending money seems to fit in here.

[drw916]

I just bought all new ski equipment.  Now I'm looking for some stronger quads to go with them.

[Triple Jim]

I just bought all new ski equipment.  Now I'm looking for some stronger quads to go with them.

Post a photo and start the thread!   :)

[fotoguzzi]

If you get tired of us you can go hang out at the Hammock forum..

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/forum.php

[oldbike54]

 Crusty , let's be honest . What this really says is that Guzzi riders like to eat  :food

  Dusty

[Guzzistajohn]

Skunk at a picnic? I still have my ELKADER fob on the cx100 Thanks! Didn't know where it came from😄

[Vagrant]

I just finished my morning blueberry muffin and now you have me starving again!

[Hahnda]

I still have my Elkader 2011 key fob as well. Its on my Quota.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I didn't see the fob, or I'd have one, too.  ;D

[Penderic]

Well of course, Crusty!

Where else are you going to find so many wise gentlefolk with many years of experiences and refined tastes?

And all in one place too! Here! ;D

[Two Checks]

CATSUP (ketchup) on a hamburger?

BLASPHEMY!

[Penderic]

And all coffee must be stirred clockwise only!  :BEER:

[trippah]

Counterclockwise, or its grounds for banishment. ;D

[dilligaf]

And all coffee must be stirred clockwise only!  :BEER:

North of the Equator only. Has something to do with the direction the Earth rotates.  :BEER:
Matt

[nunzio]

I'm also a member of Motocampers...super people.... very helpful.

I have a "Smitty" trailer that I'm currently rebuilding for my trip East.


Crusty, I'll be coming to the Nationals in N.H. on my Eldo pulling my "Smitty" trailer... I hope to meet you there....Alan

[Ronkom]

Interesting post. A note for the healthy eaters on Heinz ketchup. The standard product is made with HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup). They also market a version made with good old fashioned sugar. The labels are similar except the words "Simply Heinz" printed in script in the center of the non HFCS product.
ronkom 

[malik]

+1 on the hammock forum. It's amazing how much there is to just hanging about.

And burgers! There are dedicated enthusiasts on Squadra Guzzista. Quite likely to get a couple of bites on the topic there.

Mal

[segesta]

Interesting post. A note for the healthy eaters on Heinz ketchup. The standard product is made with HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup). They also market a version made with good old fashioned sugar. The labels are similar except the words "Simply Heinz" printed in script in the center of the non HFCS product.
ronkom 

If you're consuming enough ketchup to make a difference in your weight, you've got bigger problems than HFSC vs cane sugar.

In any case, all sugar is poison. I like a big slice of Costco chocolate cake as much as the next guy, but if sugar was invented today, there's no way it would be permitted. It's a killer.

[lucydad]

Crusty,

Love your observations.  I can second that many forums have distinct personalities.  Some friendly, some snarky, some morph with time.

Wildgoose is stellar in my opinion.  Always something interesting here, and my age hits the demographics. 

I guess I could post some photos of food we ate in NYC, but that would be cruel and unusual punishment.

[rboe]

Well of course, Crusty!

Where else are you going to find so many wise gentlefolk with many years of experiences and refined tastes?

And all in one place too! Here! ;D

Oh crap, I had no idea I missed that part of the show so much. Thanks.  :bow

[Penderic]

You're welcome!  :D

[Lannis]

You're welcome!  :D

You must be the Internet photo-archivist for the Library of Congress or something ... never seen someone with so many applicable photos in their pocket for any occasion ... !

Lannis

[Penderic]

Thanks again!

Well, I am kind of slow typing, enough so that I find it much faster to find a pic that somewhat communicates the idea (or not!) Words are so different to different people (age/culture/etc) that someone has to take offense now a days it seems!  :-X Pictures reduce that .... I hope.

I do have a lot of pics in dozens of folders that I have saved over the years, and I have lost a lot too. Often I remember a pic but not the location - the longer searches turn into a memory matching game. And a different pic will stand out  n passing - probably from recently reading a post or thread right here on Wildguzzi.

Waiting for a chance to use this one!  ;) Maybe for the "Hows your day turn out?" thread.