Hello? Are you there?!

[KG_66]

Okay people.  I have created a poll (Thank you Admin!) and am curious.  I have been part of this forum for a while.  I too, have a desire to ride.  Where is the participation?

[vince]

You might want to add. Weekly and daily.

[naustin]

I check the forum almost daily - but don’t expect to see new posts.   There are several other FB pages for general discussion.  It seems the forum is primarily for cross posting ride organization for those non-FB folks.  And, occasionally realitively private conversations intended for members only, like this one.

There is a shortage of folks willing to plan and organize rides.  A couple people host several every year - but no one can expect them to do it every weekend...

I think a lot of members either struggle to find time to ride, or ride in 2s or 3s with people they are most comfortable with — and know generally when and where to find each other.  It’s not about excluding people - small groups have a lower profile and attract less attention.  It’s arguably safer, too.   

Most of my riding is solo - and I enjoy it that way.  A lot of that is where I’m located and my preferred timeline isn’t easy to match up with people coming from the Metro.  Although, an occasional group ride is fun. 

I’ve never hosted an organized ride - or even led during a group ride.  It’s a big responsibility to really know where you’re going and not get someone behind you in trouble if you over-cook a corner.  My fear would be offering to host and having 29 bikes show up...  Ideally, 2 or 3 people need to get together and agree in advance to host together and split up the responsibilty of keeping the ride organized, leading/running sweep, etc.  Again, I see that as a big commitment, and many thanks to those that take it on!!

[Greg]

I 2nd a lot of Naustin's points. Over the last several years the participation level here at the forum has dropped significantly. Prior to last year there were several of us that scheduled "open" forum rides. As of this year only myself and one other person has done so. Part of that decline is due to the factors Nick mentioned, as well as people retiring, having kids, losing interest, etc ...
I do depart from Nick in the sense that although I have done a lot of solo riding, I prefer riding with like-minded riders.
Given motorcycling is inherently a personalized endeavor, peoples definitions of what a "group" ride is can differ greatly. A group ride could be 20 miles there and back at posted speeds to a lunch spot, it could be 350 miles of very spirited twisties following a route sheet with stops every 70-80 miles (my favorite), or anything in between.
One of the ways this organization has dealt with that difference of opinion about group rides is for the organizer to clarify up front what type of ride they like, as well as stressing every rider is responsible for his/her own choices.
Perhaps this is more information than you needed (lol), but I hope it helps some. And feel free to organize a ride!  ?

Greg

PS. More nonsense on this topic. http://mn-msta.com/index.php/topic,1967.0.html

PSS. Find us on FB too. More activity there.

[wiemanca]

Here is an idea:  I live in Owatonna, about half ways from metro MSP and Nick.  Well, maybe closer to Nick.  Anyway, my wife rides on the back with me.  Had here own bike many years ago, Honda 350 4cyl.  after adding a header and 400cc kit, then needed heavy springs so clutch would not slip, she did not like it anymore.  Sold it and she bought a new car, followed by two sons.  Now she says she like to relax on the back and tell me where to go through the intercom.  LOL

Anyway, back to the original story, sometimes when we take a ride now, many times we take off and just head East on county roads until we reach the Mississippi River.  Then decide where we are and go towards Hwy 60 or such and come back home.  We don't just go directly East, we add lefts and rights and generally head East, never using a map or knowing exactly where we are at times or where we will end up.  Can't get lost, maybe just not know where we are, and if needed, pull out cell phone and put in a town, such as Wabasha if headed that way and they go from there.

We have done the same going West, and pick out at major highway, such as Hwy 15, then either go north or south to New Ulm and return on Hwy 14.

New Ulm is about 70 miles direct route, last time we did the county road thing, it took us over 150 miles to get there.  And it was on roads that we have never been on before.

[Mike Duluth]

I don't quite understand what has happened here, it might just be a phase or it could be most people are using face book to communicate.
I'm not a face book person and I like to keep it more private as to what this group is doing.
I also feel that some of the key players on this forum have backed out a bit. They will be hard shoes to fill and as it seems they will be missed.

[Deplorable, thank you!]

 I check more than weekly, but certainly not daily

I loathe facebook and have zero interest in it or anything to with it- I do not even look at the mn-msta facebook page once a month, likely far less....... the only reason I have a facebook page at all is for the work page and to play words with friends (scrabble)- which is getting old as too many ads and bullshit now...... And the work page likely is not really a necessity- but I do get plenty of people to follow it and view all the posts of the horrible state of crap that arrives- so apparently there is some entertainment and educational value???!!!???  But it does make sending pictures to customers easier and faster as well (for those on facebook)   anyways..
 I would rather everything was still on the forum, one location all tidy and neat- absolutely zero reason to have two locations IMO. My opninon is you simply split the views in half, you sure are not doubling them.... niether page is doing well- you have a few (very few) people post in either with any kind of routine

 When I first joined (somewhere around mid 2008 i was invited to join), I joined in on rides pretty much every weekend, then I started to lead a few sporatically, then....  After about 2 years I began to host and lead rides every weekend for a few years--- but then;
 we started to see threads about "if you can join a ride" or "we agree we disagree bullshit" as a result of the idiot crew that joined about that same time and was stealing routes to share and make claim as their own, they were posting stupid ass videos - misrepresenting the club, they would instigate fights on the forum etc........ The forum was no fun after all that shit- so I decided it was not worth my time nor effort to participate any longer

 So in short..... On rides; people became more and more douchebags about complaining and pissy pooing because they didn't get to ride how they wanted or where they wanted or there were not enough stops or too many stops-- you know- too lazy to take charge but just brazen enough to complain about it all............ then some of the idgits decided to go on crashing spree's- which is never any fun for anyone- regardless how low the damage factor is from said crash, I had numerous people complaining to me about others and always gossiping about this that and the other guy...

On the forum; same people and others got all butt hurt about being called out for their stupidity and ignorance "riding my fjr like a jackass" videos and some such bs ~ plus the northern cities group posting up dumbass videos of them riding like jackasses and giving the impression that all mn-msta rides are that way (even though most of the pople depicted in the videos only (at most) joined 1 or 2 rides ever and never actually organized or really participated in the forum at all)- then of course who can forget the then "leader" of the club jumping to all those idgits defense and banning me over making my point because he did not or would not publicly agree but did agree in private (and actually went out of his way to point out some of what others said or were doing in order to solicit a response from me- a response he knew damn well would be harsh and abrasive, but needed and on point).................. and lets certainly not forget those who were taking route sheets and sharing them with other groups and claiming it as their own work etc..... (again said leader of the day sending me notifications to solicit a response to call them out- only to banish me for doing so)

So I started doing invite only rides which were simply follow the leader and no route sheet provided and doing more and more riding solo and mostly ignoring the forum......... which is how it has been the past several years now

 Now I basically ride by myself except the rare occassion I set something up privately or actually decide to attend someone elses ride--which those public rides never thrill me anyways- too many unknown people with their own ideas of what/where/when things need to happen... and none of them willing to actually take charge and be a leader! (hell just look at the two open rides I attended this year.......... )

 I have said it numerous times, when I LEAD- you follow how I lead or you get out of my group- those are your only two options!...........  I have zero tolerance for people to be pissy pooing or throwing temper tantrums because they didn't get their way....... My thought- you want it your way- you lead and set your own rules, see who wants to follow you.
 That'll be the true measure if people like your style or not, and ironically enough- I always have tons of followers, despite my rules, abrasiveness and intolerance of ignorance and stupidity
 I go ride to enjoy myself and have fun, not to babysit a bunch of overindulgent whiny crybabies.... If others enjoy my ride too- awesome, if not- there is the door please use it!

So ;

 Why do I not participate like I once did............ Just read the post in its entirety- the "leader" at the time killed the forum for me by defending the idgits and fucktards who ironically enough are the result of the then "leader" too, by trying to recruit anyone and everyone to "grow the club"

Do I welcome a change in leadership- you bet.......... Do I think it will ever be what it once was to me, likely not

 Would I participate more in the forum if it was more active and more a members only deal (not so open to the public)....... ABSOLFUCKINGLUTELY

[Stinger]

- so apparently there is some entertainment and educational value???!!!???

Yes, I do enjoy the comments and pics posted

Bring back the yahoo group!!   

[Deplorable, thank you!]

8 people post

11 people vote


141 views............


hmmm

[sleeper404]

So 11 of us checked ~13 times?

[naustin]

Google bots crawling the forum and archiving posts for all eternity...

[GUZZI JOHN]

  I've seen the drop off over the last decade. Understandably my weekday Wisconsin rides attract few folks as most others aren't retired. Used to get 6 or 8 but the last 2 seasons dwindled from 1 to 3 to none. I've kept posting them hoping to provide a little action especially to newbies who I love introducing to the Hill Country. Still contemplating a Fall color ride but not sure. Probably try again next May.

[Elk]

Your rides are a perfect introduction to the area; not too fast and good routes.  If you can ever talk yourself into a weekend ride I bet you would get takers.