Rides / Get Togethers Section

[Tim...]

Why is it now only available to logged-in forum members?

[Deplorable, thank you!]

I like it.
The few seconds it takes to log in to view should not be something worth arguing over.

Keep the riff raff out !!

[Greg]

I like it.
The few seconds it takes to log in to view should not be something worth arguing over.

Keep the riff raff out !!

Seams reasonable to me. Just join the forum, then you can review all the goodies. All are welcome.

Now, regarding "riff raff" ...... there's already quite a few here, present company included. 

[Tim...]

Seems counter-intuitive.  To me this forum (and the previous incarnation) is all about the rides, and to close out that section to the general public would, most likely, invite less MSTA membership and participation.  What is an "open" MSTA ride now?

[Greg]

Seems counter-intuitive.  To me this forum (and the previous incarnation) is all about the rides, and to close out that section to the general public would, most likely, invite less MSTA membership and participation.  What is an "open" MSTA ride now?

I think the thought process is, "join the forum" and you can view content. That's the modus operandi for mnsbr, teamzg and twistedaddiction, isn't it?


Greg

[Ray916MN]

I made this change when I found an MSTA ride posted on another forum, by someone who is not a member of this forum. Promotion of rides has a direct impact on the number of riders who show up for rides. We do not post rides on other forums unless we have made arrangements to have enough volunteers to support the ride.

Having enough people to volunteer to lead groups is essential to ride safety and quality in my experience. At this time we do not have enough people wiling to volunteer to lead groups to support rides when they are widely promoted. Ride safety and quality is very important to us.

By limiting the promotion of rides to people who are registered forum users, we stand a better chance of being prepared for a large turnout and we are also in a better position to ensure that people who show up for rides will understand and abide by what we expect from riders on our rides.

[Mike Duluth]

Tim I don't think you want to fence with these guys.

[Tim...]

Never been to the other two forums but mnsbr is open to view (not that it matters in this case as there are no rides posted to speak of).   Thanks for the explanation Ray, was curious as to what prompted the change.  

[edit]
Can we have a "local rides" section that is forum member only?  Keep the "Rides / Get Togethers" section available to the public as it is a great showcase for MN MSTA.

[gdawgs]

these are all good points and IMHO, ok to ask, ok to answer, ok to discuss and even debate, ect. 

no one needs to get upset about anything as everyone just wants to ride with a great group. 

rock on bitches!!

[Chris]

these are all good points and IMHO, ok to ask, ok to answer, ok to discuss and even debate, ect. 

no one needs to get upset about anything as everyone just wants to ride with a great group. 

rock on bitches!!

+1

[Ray916MN]

Never been to the other two forums but mnsbr is open to view (not that it matters in this case as there are no rides posted to speak of).   Thanks for the explanation Ray, was curious as to what prompted the change. 

[edit]
Can we have a "local rides" section that is forum member only?  Keep the "Rides / Get Togethers" section available to the public as it is a great showcase for MN MSTA.

Theoretically this could be done, but in practice it would be a bitch to manage since it would have to be done manually since the MSTA provides no electronic access to member records.

Another factor is although we occasionally run local MSTA member only rides, we don't do it often enough to warrant making a separate sub forum for them. We just communicate them via email.

While the forum is supported by and run by MN-MSTA, it is ideally simply the place where mature experienced proficient riders gather online to set up and find out about local twisty rides whether they are MSTA members or not. These are the types of riders who fit well as MSTA members.

While some people who would be good fits for the group might find us via Internet search and fail to join because they can't see the Rides/Event section, this is preferable than leaving it open and getting folks that aren't good fits for the group. Not having another good addition to a group ride has never ruined a ride for me, but all too often having the wrong person/people on a ride has ruined it for me. I hope our members can help us add more of the right people to the group, instead of heavily relying on Internet search engines and cross posts to other forums. While I hope that MSTA membership grows through the forum, if we can just get a larger and larger group of mature experienced proficient people to ride with that will be good too.

[Tim...]

Although "mature experienced proficient riders" is highly subjective, I get your point Ray.  Why not educate the MN motorcycle community on good street riding for your rides (I would be willing to volunteer as I am sure some others would and have).  What separates MN MSTA from the "other" boards is the number of riders that can lead a street ride - let's get better organized and educate instead of, in my opinion, being some elitist crap.

[Ray916MN]

Although "mature experienced proficient riders" is highly subjective, I get your point Ray.  Why not educate the MN motorcycle community on good street riding for your rides (I would be willing to volunteer as I am sure some others would and have).  What separates MN MSTA from the "other" boards is the number of riders that can lead a street ride - let's get better organized and educate instead of, in my opinion, being some elitist crap.

Go for it Tim.

Personally I organize about a half dozen rides a year and lead a group on virtually every ride I'm on. It would be great to see some other folks step up.

I've personally tried to do this in the past and have not found a way to do it which does not result in inordinate amounts of crashes and avoidance of rides by members which are open to riders who expect organizers to take care of them and teach them. My net takeaway over the years has been taking relatively new riders on group rides on the twisty and challenging roads we like to ride is like taking someone fresh off the bunny slope on a triple black diamond run. Not a good idea.

Whenever I think that I should be doing this, it strikes me that the best way to do this is to become an MSF instructor. Many MSTA members are current or former MSF instructors. In the past when I've spoken to them about doing educational rides, all of these members have said pretty much the same thing, "I teach MSF classes to contribute to the motorcycling community and do MSTA rides for fun". Personally I'm not an MSF instructor but to contribute to the larger motorcycling community I serve on the Minnesota Motorcycling Safety Advisory Committee, http://www.highviz.org/MMSCHomeSecondary.asp?cid=2&mid=52&scat=6

So go for it Tim! Get something together to make a contribution to the motorcycling community at large.