SPEED

Sportbikes West, what is your take on this site?


My goal is to have a sportbike oriented site that is clean, friendly, fun, easy to navigate, fast loading, and full of good content that we can all get something positive out of. It's been brought to my attention that some people do not come here to "Read links to Roadracing World articles" and things of that nature but they would rather just have a place to goof off with friends.

I have spent a whole lot of time trying to maintain the balance between keeping a clean family friendly site and letting users have as much freedom as possible. The problem is that everybody wants to have it their way, but give little respect to others POV.

As far as I'm concerned there are plenty of other sites on the World Wide Web that people can go to if they feel the need for sex, graphic violence, foul language, and immaturity.

As long as this site is around the main focus will always be on the love of motorcycles from new riders to MotoGP racing.

I have stopped being involved in a few other sites because I didn't feel like I was getting much out of it and for various other reasons, I wonder if I was putting in as much as I was trying to take out?

If you have never run a site like this before, you may be amazed at the amount of time and energy it takes just to keep it going. There are fees to be paid such as domain names, server hosting, software licensing, and any promotional items that are used. There are spammers to keep a vigilant eye on, hackers that get a kick out of wrecking all that has been put together by someone else's hard work, and users to moderate. Admin's get lot's of PM's asking for help on things such as finding a picture they loaded at one time but now want it deleted because they don't want their girlfriend to see it if she should happen upon the site. Babysitting users can take up loads of time. Then there's always trying to keep good content posted up so people can learn and grow. There are people that think it's OK to advertise their business & products without obtaining permission from the owner first. Some people just come here when their favorite site is down and believe it's my responsibility to allow them to make sure people know how to get back on the other site by posting up a special link. Sometimes people get mad at the Admin and go around talking smack about them & the site in which they have been provided for free because they don't like certain things. One user thought I should let him have all kinds of links in his signature so he could get paid when people clicked it. When I decided not to allow him to do it, I became a prick all of the sudden and the user stopped posting, then went around talking smack about me & the site. I could go on and on, but I trust you all get what I'm saying. It's nice to just be a regular user when I go to other sites.

Anyway, I am really interested to see how many users here actually see this site as more than just another place to hang out and act stupid. If Sportbikes West isn't worth the time and effort then it may be time to turn out the lights.

PS: Before you give your answer to my question, please take a long hard look and see if you contribute good content or just come so you can screw around and feel the need to bitch & moan about the way it's run.

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Disco

Speed, I understand how much work in can be do maintain a site like this. I am a member of various other forums and I know exactly what you mean about the immature content and abuse of policy that people try to get away with. There are some forums that I simply stopped visiting because the admins let it happen or were simply too innatentive.

I haven't been a member here very long, but so far I've had a very good impression about this site. It seems like people are here to talk about the love of sportbikes and to contribute a positive influence in the community. I believe that is what a forum should be about.

I think its necessary to be a d*ck sometimes in order to maintian the integrity and objective of a forum. I applaude you for your efforts and your desire to make this an outstanding forum. Keep it up!

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lovinmyf4i

To me it's important to have a blend of content on SBW. While I enjoy informative motorcycle specific threads, it's the humor that gives this site and it's members character. You may think it's just goofing around and whoring up your site, but stuff like that builds bonds between members, and it should not be filtered out.

You are totally misinterpreting my comment about stuff like the Road Racing World articles. While it's important to have informative articles, you can't immediately discount the other threads. I don't think the forum should be just "a place to goof off with friends" but it definitely also should not be just a place to read & post serious topics about only motorcycle specific news & technical details.

There are TONS of motorcycle specific forums on the internet, what makes this one unique and appealing to our memebers is the group of people that makes up the forum. The forum is just software, but it's the mix of different personalities that makes the board come alive.

If you think we don't appreciate the time, effort and money you've invested in making SBW what it is today then you're mistaken. Not everyone may realize just what it takes, but I don't think anyone takes your roll & effort for granted.

One critique that I have is that you should be more open to constructive critisism. It's been my observation that boards run better when run by a commitee or group of moderators rather than a dictator-like Admin. When someone (especially one of your Mods) has an opinion contrary to your own, maybe consider it or bring it up with all of the mods rather than just banning them for disagreeing with you... (cough, cough)

Anyway, in short... I come to SBW for local activities (rides, gatherings, bike nights, etc), discussion about motorcycle related topics, to share good deals I or other members have come across, as well as to have a good time and joke around with the awesome group of friends we have here on SBW. SBW has a lot to offer everyone I think.

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Iceman

I am a moderator on a large sportbike site and a member of several other forums.

I will say this about my brief stay on SBW...everyone here is chill and gets along. I have yet to see one troll come through and haven't seen an internet brawl yet.

Who is on this site and what you have started here is going in a great direction.

I completely agree with Chip that the bonds that are formed on sites are whats most important to me. I dont read articles because I dont have time. If I do read them...it's because I'm sitting in the doctors office or DMV reading Sportrider or some other publication. I can read those anywhere...but all the locals are on your site...so I am on your site.

Just my .02 cents...*shrug*

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SPACEBOY

It's the family atmosphere that sets SBW apart from the other sites. We have a great group of people here that I think feel like a family to each other. These bonds are what create a great site that people want to be apart of. The blend of motorcycle media and normal interaction among friends is what is key here.
As what was pointed out already, sites run better when problems that arise are discussed between the admins and mods before actions are taken. Granted there are not too many problems that pop up here but for the ones that do they need to be discussed and we need a system of checks and balances.
The reason I enjoy this site is because it is our local group of riders. I have met a lot of great people here and would like SBW to continue on its present course. It is great to see the site growing each and every day and your efforts do not go unnoticed Mike. We are nurturing a great community of riders and friends here. This is what makes this board so great and stand out.

firehawk

Great posts Brendan and Chip....well put.

Only been here for a few weeks, but I'll do my best....

I came here after meeting many of the members at MVBN. Everyone was easy going there, so I figured everyone would be easygoing here, as well. For the most part, that's been true. However, there's always going to be that one thing that sets real life apart from "cyber" life...you can't interpret how a person feels by reading a post or thread. Many cyber battles happen purely because someone gets bent out of shape by someone that *seems* serious...but isn't. In order to keep those head bumping sessions from happening, there has to be an atmosphere of humor and fun on the board. That atmosphere is created and shaped by the moderators, and how much room they give people to move. If people feel restricted, they will leave. If they feel pushed around and talked down to, they will leave. It's no skin off my back to walk away from a board that I'm not having fun on. This is just the internet, and there's other places to go. A forum will *ONLY* survive with a good base of members....members MAKE the forum.

I love humor, jokes, whoring and fun just as much as everyone else. I don't like those things being talked about as being 'unacceptable' or 'not tolerated'. But, if those are the rules of the board, those are the rules. People can either choose to stay or choose to go.

Rules here have been much more restrictive than rules at other boards, but anytime I cross a line and a moderator/admin checks me, he's also been open to communication. I state my case, and we discuss it. Other places I've been, it's been a knee-jerk reaction to BAN anytime a member crosses a mod, no explanation allowed. Not the case here.

Bottom line...there's still plenty of members posting here everyday, so the rules aren't TOO restrictive. There's a warm group feeling, but that's because most everyone here knows each other and the group is still small. As the member base gets bigger, it will become more and more difficult to enjoy a small group feeling. Just look at SoCal-Sportbikes....Speed, if you tried on your own to clean up the spelling, grammar, whoring and useless threads on there, you'd go insane. Absolutely impossible.

Also remember other members may not share the same view as the Mods/Admins of what is useless.

I like being corrected about as much as anyone else on here....tends to ruffle feathers. As much as I need to remember this isn't *MY* board, and I'm subject to the rules put in place by the Admin, I also want to come here and have fun, without the fear of being routinely checked. If I wanted that, I'd move back in with my parents. It's just a balance between following the rules and trying to have fun.

As the site gets more popular, and you gain more members, there will come a point where it's going to become impossible for you to keep up with correcting *ALL* the posts. There's got to be a line where you're willing to accept a little bit of slop just to keep your sanity in check. If you didn't spend so much time correcting posts, just think about how much extra time you'd have to just enjoy the place and enjoy what people have to say.

I really like being here, and the people have been awesome so far. You all know how much I enjoyed the ride a few weeks ago...great to finally find a group to ride with where I feel no pressure and no worries about who's around me.

It's a great site, and it's only going to get better.

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Gwyneth

These have been some very wonderful, insightful posts. Point blank, this is the ONLY site I visit. I don't have time to visit others and I LOVE chatting, meeting, riding with the folks on this site. Plus, sometimes I'm loyal to a fault. I think any issues, misunderstandings, disagreements, etc. can be discussed and resolved without going to extremes. I agree in part with Speed about the need for folks to make an honest effort to type with minimal errors, spellings, etc., however I also believe not everyone has the ability to spell, write, punctuate, etc. properly. There are highly educated folks out there that need others to edit their work for them because that's not their area of expertise. I believe my role as a mod is not only to make sure folks "stay in line," SPAM, etc., but to encourage and promote communication on the site. Got time to fix a spelling error? Have at it. Just don't change the content. I think we all can agree that we want this site to grow!

SPACEBOY

Well put Mark and Gwyn.

GSXR600Chick

I think most of us agree that it is the members of a site that make the community one that we want to be a part of. We are fortunate to have a wide array of knowledgeable members on this board who are willing to take the time to share what they know. We are also fortunate to have members who want to learn, and who share their learning experience(s) with us. With that said, I have a few things that have come to mind reading the posts prior to this and having a few discussions with others regarding SBW:

I have been a part of Speed's vision since before SBW was officially founded. To see what Mike has done with his vision for a sport bike website over the past few years has been a joy, and I am proud to be a part of his forum, and blessed that he has permitted me to share in his success.

I understand what those of you are saying about needing checks and balances, or working as a committee, per se, however I think this may be slightly misguided. People seem to forget that SBW began with, and continues to be, Mike's vision and dream that he wants to share with the public. To be a member of this forum is a privilege, not a natural born right. The day an individual loses respect for Mike, the Moderators, the Members, or the Forum in general, is the day it would advised that he /she refrain from visiting the site. Mike has brought on Moderators in the hopes of having not only help with running the board, but input from people intimately involved in the maintenance of the Forum, on the many different issues that arise. In my experience, Mike has been quite open minded, willing to hear ideas that conflict with his own, and willing to take into consideration anything that is suggested to him. What he does not tolerate is disrespect, nor should he.

Like it or not, let’s face reality here. SBW is “Mike’s House”. When you enter Mike’s House, he expects you to respect him, his wife, his children, and his friends. If you don’t like it, that is acceptable, and you are welcome to leave at any time. Feel free to consider Mike a “Forum Nazi”, a “Control Freak”, or just a plain jerk as the door hits you in the butt on your way out. The bottom line here is that his forum is constantly growing, and has proven to be more successful as each month goes by. Obviously he is doing something right, and if it isn’t broken it doesn’t need to be fixed.

This website is SportBikes West. It is a place to come to discuss things motorcycle related. However, there are areas of the forum Mike designed specifically for non-sport bike related issues. We have Brendan's Pub, the Viper Room, and even a specific thread devoted to Post Whoring. If you take the time to read through the Post Whore Thread, you will see that Mike is one of the first people that encourages goofing around and having fun. He has constructed the site to encourage fun and goofing off for the members, with the correct idea in mind that there is a specific place and time for everything. Let's just keep the content where it belongs. It's that simple.

For all moderators of SBW, please take a moment to reflect on Speed's vision for this website. If you need clarification on what his vision is, please call or PM him. If you do not agree with his vision, that is completely ok, however it is asked that you request to remove your Moderator status. As Moderators, we are here to support Mike in his endeavors, even when and if we disagree with him. It is definitely ok to disagree with him, and he encourages you to voice your opposing views. We simply ask that when disagreeing with something, it be handled with respect. If your opposing opinion or disagreement is so important to you, pick up the phone and call him to discuss what’s on your mind. He’ll take your call, and spend as much time as necessary to resolve the situation.

As for disagreements between Admin, Moderators, Members, etc., let's keep this all behind closed doors. It's not appropriate to be airing our dirty laundry out in the public for all to view. Let's all act like adults here, and work things out either in the Admin area of the board (Trailer Trash), via PM's, or via phone. Disputes between people do not need to be read by the general public. We should all act with mutual respect, and treat people the way we want to be treated.

For all members and moderators of SBW, if you have any comments or suggestions about the board, what you would like to see added or removed, please share your views! The more specific you can be the better. After all, we want you to want to be on this forum. We want you to enjoy your membership. We want to be a part of your love for sport bikes, and we want you to be a part of ours.

(If anyone wants any clarification on anything I have said above, please PM, email, or call me. Since this is done via typing things can easily be misunderstood.)

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gavilan

I like this place and I had no idea what it is to manage something like this. From what you say, I can imagine it's pretty demanding. I think you're doing a great job and since you're the one keeping this site up, you're driving!

I am a member of only one other motorcycle forum and I don't post much there. It's a national forum with people from all over. You can 'meet' people on the board but I think it's cool that you can make friends on the site and go riding with them. I like the people here. From riding and hanging out, you get to know them more and that's nice. Motorcycles brought us together to the site in the first place and from then on you can make solid friendships (or not )

I like being able to read about motorcycle stuff, of course, and I like being able to read about goofy stuff too. I think it's fun. I don't think that amounts to thinking this is a place to "hang out and act stupid", but it is a place to hang out, chat with friends, talk about bikes and talk about life.

Overall... my opinion: SBW rocks!
Thanks, Mike!