Ironhead IronHead Forum, What We Do Here ...

[IronMick]

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.

Originally Posted by IronMick

I am going to express my opinion here. First let me say that this is not my forum and i do not make the rules. The forum owner and administrators make the rules. IMO this forum belongs to the members. As a moderator it is my main responsibility to provide leadership, to set a good example and to assist in enforcing the rules. I am going to provide some leadership on this issue.

This is a Sportster forum, and in particular it is an IronHead forum. There is a GENERAL AREA wherein there is a forum for Other Motorcycle Discussion. Posts about other motorcycles should be made there.

We all know that there are hard core IronHead guys on this forum who will be offended by posts of "foreign" bikes, and that making such a post will be troubling. So we should not do that. Troubling behavior and controversy have been and continue to be the death of many InterNet forums. This is not a place for unregulated free speach. No!, you cannot say or do anything that you want.

This is not a forum just for socializing and general discussion, although some of that is appropriate within the IronHead context. This is a very important technical forum. The main event here is helping new guys get their old IronHead on the road and sharing knowledge and history of IronHeads. This is what we do here.

This forum is not just for us and for now. We must keep in mind the world of 10, 20, ..., whatever years from now. The top experts who are here now will most likely not be here then. We are preserving their knowledge and the history so that guys many years from now, future generations, will have access to it. This is also what we do here.

Certain threads such as those about foreign bikes water down these objectives. There is a Sportster club with which i am familiar. It was founded so that Sportster owners could ride with other Sportster owners and not be ridiculed at every stop with stupid comments like those about girl's bikes. It was wonderful to ride down the road with two or three dozen other Sportsters. Awesome! in fact.

Well it all got watered down. First a guy sold his Sportster and got a big twin. They let him stay. Then more did the same. Then other bikes were allowed to join the rides. Now even the club president rides a big twin and anyone can join. It is now a riding club with Sportster in the name. That is all OK because it was all voted on and that is what the majority of members want. Sometimes the majority is short sighted or has poor leadership.

We must all work together to ensure that such a fate does not await the IronHead forum. There is much at stake.

[Highgear]

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 .

[83XLX]

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...

[CHOPTOP37]

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.

[JBGoode]

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.

[carbineken]

+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.

[16ouncePBR]

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!!!

[ryder rick]

Originally Posted by 16ouncePBR

Here are some things that bug me:

-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

Yep, I don't read the other forums or sections because I come here to read about IronHeads.

PBR forgot about posts from twats that don't know what they are talking about and are just parroting misinformation their drunk uncle shared around the still camp fire. Or promoting some valve job in a can carp like SeaFoam, Lucas or any synthetic jiz, Octane Booster, E3plugs (or hot, cold, or staggered plugs), drag pipes, rear cylinders that run hot, carbs that are too big for an unported stock stroke small bore motor, crap "Electronic" ignitions that don't eliminate the real problem, vapor lock and ironhead valves that get tight when hot. An for Christ's sake, if the fuel in your carb is boiling, your junk is overheated! A carb spacer is not gonna fix that.....

[BrnAgn]

All good points here. Plenty of other space on this forum for other makes/models, even a car and gun section too.

[DR DICK]

Mick said
This is a very important technical forum. The main event here is helping new guys get their old IronHead on the road and sharing knowledge and history of IronHeads. This is what we do here.

This forum is not just for us and for now. We must keep in mind the world of 10, 20, ..., whatever years from now. The top experts who are here now will most likely not be here then. We are preserving their knowledge and the history so that guys many years from now, future generations, will have access to it.

bravo.