As BadInfluence can verify, this has been a dismal year for Harley forums. I've been wondering out loud if "the old guard" has better things to do, and a younger generation--still more 'prospect' than anything else--is finding their own voice. This is always a turbulent time in any aspect of history.

But here's my point, we have a great opportunity here in this Harley forum. It seems we have a good solid cluster of guys who actually own bikes--and I know that sounds strange.

As I have often stated, I have a mod friend that believes 30% of all Harley forum members on his board are outright posers and liars. They don't own bikes or even know how to ride. Sad commentary. I find I can 'smell' the problem, and I post a lot of pictures to prove my sincerity on owning and riding what I profess.

I'll tell you why this has started to bug me. For one, I like guys with a good work ethic, guys that get up and do something positive. I just violated my own code. A few days ago I got into a pissing match with a forum mod, and came to that "quiet before the storm" period where guys decide if they want to tangle. I found I simply did not care, I just didn't want to do the work, and I failed (or refused) to parse my own comments.

I drew a three day suspension, and rather than work through it I wrote the mod, and in "flowery biker speak" kindly asked the mod with the sincere spirit of milk and honey in my prose to replace his personal drain plug. As much as Richard A. Cranium had it coming, I frankly laid down on the job because I didn't care. I was relieved to be banned.

I think I should start to build something decent--here and now. We have a forum and a chat space, let's use it.

Tourist,

I too have been banned from a shiet load of forums,lol. Mainly because I post like I speak, my opinion. And people should always remember that opinions are not gospel, not in stone, simply and only just anothers opinion and thoughts on a given subject.

My biggest bone of contention with bike forums is the squelching of opinions that vary from the crowd du jour that is established there. The theme seems to be, ban what you don't undserstand there by giving you the appearance of superiority. Those forums have the content of milk toast with constant regurgitation of such benign subjects like whats the best helmet, whats the best color, whats the best jacket. Azzless chaps versus jeans or over pants.

It seems that no matter how diplomatic a counter opinion is spoken on most of these forums it is not only not well received but the established group there makes it a point to to stomp and at times ban. Wow. I can see that happening on multi bike forums because metrics and HD will always seem to have a good natured ribbing of the differences between HD and Metric(when quite frankly its a given that who cares what a person choses to ride?). I typically find that HD riders have no issues with metric riders bashing HD's but my goodness those metric riders act like a bunch of howling cry babies when you defend yourself,lol.

For a HD forum to squelch a well written difference of opinion is a sad statement on the state of affairs in the HD world and the class of people who ride them today. HD's use to be the original freedom machine ridden by the rider who heard the beat of a different drum.

There was a HD forum that I use to participate on where the MOD stated no flaming while he flammed the poster? WOW.

The best forum I was ever on was not even a motorcycle forum. It was a historical forum and it got heated alot( the subject was controversial in as much as the who,what and where and consequently left to a persons ability to historically attempt to connect the dots). The Admin let the arguments play themselves out with no bannings or reprimands, similarly to how it would play out if 2 individuals in a bar had a moment of beg to differ. That forum prosperred hugely. I don't know if it was the popularity of the subject or the fact that moments of beg to differ were given the space to work itself out.

Either way it sure would be refreshing to see a motorcycle forum like that.

We don't live in a perfect world but that shouldn't stop us from trying.

I agree 100%. I am finding this condition so often--and the attitudes so strident--that I am beginning to wonder if those moderators are actually bikers. Not just "bikers" in the old brawler sense of the word, but I doubt if they even own bikes. It would seem that some of these guys are installed at the position for their 'skill' with computers. They seem to be on-line 24/7 and they do not know common slang.

I have many interests, not just bikes. The best forum I ever saw was a foodie forum. I joined to discuss upscale knives, but I met a wide range of people. It might be hard to imagine, but there was an entire spectrum from 'flaming' gourmands to us swarf encrusted blade-heads, all getting along quite nicely.

And just like in most bike forums, the guy that wrecked it was a control-freak moderator.

Forum participation and chat feature:
I also have been banned from my share of forums, I guess this is where we all come to...
So far this forum has been a great place mainly because we have yet to experience any of the bull-o-ney you speak of... give it time.

I think we should draw a line in the sand. You have no idea how truly tired I'm getting of posers renegade mods building little kingdoms.

If you have a differing point of view all you have to say is, "Chico, I disagree." Then write up your rebuttal.

The butt-crack in question started his tirade against BI63 by typing, "Hey, sheet head." I'm not kidding--and that's from a mod. I doubt the guy can spell 'Harley' much less summon up the courage to actually throw a leg o'er.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this doofus thinks a "rebuttal" is a cosmetic procedure to re-attach your ass should it accidentally be sawed off.

Congrats thats a badge of honor, means you probably have a well spoken opinion that others chose not to respect.

Shutting down counter opinions to the membership body or opinions that many posters lack of experience fails to enable them to wrap there heads around it seems endemic motorcycle forum wide in my experience. And of course what you don't understand just kill it.

As Tourist points out, one would have to question the general criteria for picking mods. That an just what is the consequencial off shoot of the increased popularity of Harley Davidson motorcycles over the years since the advenbt of the Evo anyways, to the motorcycle life style world at large.

To some HD riders there choice of motorcycle means something and reflects who they are as a person. To others its simply a means to an end of inexpensive transportation. Just an inanimate object. There used to be a real code amongst Harley riders. There used to be more then a superficial brotherhood among Harley riders. To deny is to ignore the fact that is the premise that HD sells there bikes and the premise of why many buy them.

Boy, you really put your finger on that problem!

I ran headlong into that 'counter opinion' this year in two forums. All I did was buy a second bike--a little Sportster 48 I used for work and short little hops around town just for fun. I did not stop riding my big bike, nor did I sell it, mothball it or in any other manner relating to denying I even owned a big twin.

However, there exists on Harley forums the idea that if you actually use this 'freedom' they all claim they have, they denigrate you for this parallel thinking. You should have seen the manner in which happy guys on little Sportsters got slammed! One forum even had a +ten page rant on "girlie bikes."

One mod kept stressing the fact that a fully loaded Electra Glide was the only bike needed for everything. I guess my real sin was pointing out that San Fran Angels modify their bikes for the unique conditions they live with. My town of Madison, Wisconsin has similar roads. That would seem on the surface to be an aptly entitled 'no-brainer.'

Like any multi-faceted issue, it would have been a great debate starter, and might have promoted comments from many guys who for decades have ridden Sportsters to Sturgis. Instead this mindset chilled debate.

Avoiding power trips seems to be the challenge du jour, that and and trying to be more open to others experience and opinions?

In the end varied experiences and opinions make the world go round. Otherwise all you have is a circle jerk with everyone taking turns being the pivot man...I don't give reach arounds.