IronHead Forum, What We Do Here ...
 

I made the following post a few days ago in a thread that i considered inappropriate. There was not a lot of response to my post, just one PM and one reference in the thread.

There has been a growing number of off-topic threads of late and a few complaints about them. I do not see it as a big problem right now but, like on many other internet forums, these things can quickly grow and get out of hand.

That particular thread was about a non-Sportster, a non-IronHead actually, being discussed here in the IronHead forum. It is my opinion that that should not be allowed as it is the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

But the real problem is about more than that. So i am soliciting comments on the problem as you may [or may not] see it, and on my post.

Say what you think here, or send a PM if you wish to make private comments, but please read the following and let us know what you think.

Mick ;
I agree that this section should be as the title implies for and about Ironhead Sportsters . I was thrilled to find this site . A chance to learn a bit more , hopefully share a bit of what I've learned . I wish I could have had access to this in 1978 , would have been a great help. There are sites o plenty for big twins , airboats and gardening , I don't come here for that .

I agree with you, Mick. There are plenty of other areas within this site to talk other Harleys, other brands, and just general nonsense if you like. An occasional reference to a different type or make of bike is fine as long as it's in context or to make a point, but it gets frustrating when you're looking for info and have to wade through pages of nonsense to find anything useful. Some other sites I frequent are bad about that, and as we all know, Ironheads are serious business...:D

Im not here to hear about your dog, t.v.shows, problems at work , or hondas. please start a face book acount if you want to advertise your whole life, surely somebody will give you a hug. Let's hear about relevant things.

Yes! When I step into this section, I only want to hear about ironheads. This site has plenty other off topic thread spaces.

I do however understand how people who own Ironheads like to share their stuff with us Ironheaders, but unless they're ironheads, I found the general consensus doesn't want to see it.

+1 Mick!
The occasional reference to another motorcycle does not bother me but I do come here to learn and hear about Ironhead Sportsters. I own a couple of "foreign" bikes and visit forums that are specific to them. So far this is the most civil forum have been a member of.

Well Mick you have a tough job as MOD and making these type of decisions difficult, to say the least. But it shows you are the right man for the job and I appreciate that and applaud you.

This is a great forum and hope it stays that way. Sadly some people, if not most, need rules to live by. No matter what our wanna-be outlaw caricatures say.

I am guilty of improper posts (67CH for sale) and definitely OT responses or injecting humor in a heated technical discussion (handlebars) but I know that the MODS can delete my post, closed my thread, or potentially ban me from the forum when I step out of line. I am just visitor here and never expect something for nothing.

Here are some things that bug me, but are not deal breakers:

-Reposted cut and paste CL and eBay ads. "Check out this bike..."
-Non Ironhead bikes in the Ironhead forum (Monte03's new Honda Rebel...)
-Members expecting instant help and to get tons of response. This is not paid tech support.
-Threads that die with no resolution posted when members have provided the answers and the bike is now running or sold.
-Parts ID posts to later be sold on eBay
-What is this worth posts to later be sold on eBay
-OT posts like: winter boredom, concerts, jokes, religion, politics
-Posts for redundant or easily searchable topics.
-blah blah blah

Not that I care too much about anything, let alone the above topics but it adds a layer of smog that can be hard to see thru.

I find Mick's description of the Sportster riding club funny. We struggle with the same in the GBB. While it is supposed to be a couple of guys getting together for breakfast on 57-85 XL's you end up with all kinds of requests: my dad wants to come on his XL50 (no kidding), my pal wants to come on his Triumph (just like a Sportster), my pal wants to come on his Knuckle (is old and a HD), former IH owners wanting to relive their youth (now BMW rider), guy with a IH project not running (got a Rebel for now), etc. It is not a snobbish thing, but it does start to get watered down.

I suggest we stay on topic, help each other, enjoy the ride, and when we look back in a bunch years we will continue to be proud of what we all contributed to. Or logoff and walk away.

Viva la Mick!!!

Mick,
I will be the second to jump in here since it seems it was my posting of a pic that started this. First off I will apologize for posting a pic of another brand of motorcycle on this forum, as it now seems its a strict Ironhead only forum. I wont make that mistake again and only post topics related to Ironheads to respect the sublect and premise of this forum.
What I wont apologize for is wanting to share a pic of a motorcycle that I may purchase for my wife with the people on this forum because I considered them, if nothing else, internet friends. I stay on this forum 99% of the time because I havent had a need to visit other ones that discuss other motorcycles or projects, so my relationship is with the Ironhead junkies on this forum, hence my wanting to share with everyone the "new to me" motorcycle I had gotten.
Now I will go back to strictly Ironhead sublect matter...

Mick,
As you can see by my post count, I don't post much. But I do check this board daily and try to improve my knowledge of my machine. You do a great job and I thank you for your efforts. I too have seen forums and riding groups get away from their roots.

I don't think it would offend anybody if you just moved an off topic thread to the General forum if you have that ability. Anybody interested in following that thread can continue to follow it in the other forum. Heck, we may even end up getting to know the other members on this site that spend most of their time on the evo forums.

After much thought and deliberation (1 doughnut. 30 seconds?) I have to agree with Mick on this. As much as I understand the feeling of relating to kindred spirits (same type of dudes as you) in this forum and wanting to share something non-ironhead related with them because I know they will just get it, it will just water down the main reason we come here which is ironheads. Example: Last week I was on my way to pick up a complete, together '86 883 for $800. I was so excited I wanted to take some pics and post them here cuz I like these dudes and I knew they would think it was cool. At the last minute I stopped myself and figured I would just be taking up space in the ironhead forum with my evo post and i don't know any of the evo guys so i never ended up posting about it anywhere.

Point is I come here for IRONHEADS and I assume everyone else does also. I tried lurking in some other sections but the way they talk about "Paying their taxes" on their bike and fawning and obsessing over the female members here (ASOTV) makes me want to vomit. I know when I come to the ironhead section I'm getting honest questions and answers regarding ironheads. I like that it is a technical forum with a social aspect. NOT a social forum wth a technical aspect.

Just my 2 cents.