new forum?

[Jerry Doe]

This is a poll and I need help deciding if it is a good idea to make a new forum in the "Other" area where businesses can post what they are up to and freely post what they like. A good example would be "Born Again Bikes" projects. There would be a basic disclaimer. Please vote and help me decide. Your votes are annonymous. Comments are also welcome on this post so long as they are friendly. Please vote YES/NO

[grandpaul]

While I voted "yes" so that I won't be a distraction as a for-profit person, I rather like the idea of a dedicated section just for overhaul, refurbishing & restoration project threads for ALL members.

[ChuckW]

It makes no differance to me. I do enjoy the information from "Born again Bikes" and I thought it was fine where it was.

[pelican]

yeah, that's how I feel.... No need to move it. It's fine where it is... but if it comes down to not being allowed to stay then definitely throw it in another forum.

[Jerry Doe]

I have not moved it yet. This Poll will decide. My pref is to move it .... That way it is easier to find the project posts.

[grandpaul]

Am I the only forum member that's doing projects that is in the business? Just curious.

I've been doing all my projects online since 2001, and only in business for 4 years now.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for wrenching on old bikes.

[ML]

NO
completely unnecessary. There is a diminishing world of increasingly older people who know about Commandos and enjoy riding them. If anyone can make a quid out of it good on them. I like to hear what they have done, can do and got for sale. If it helps me keep my Commando and me on the road until they carry me out in a box, I'm all for it.

Mick

[swooshdave]

I'd rather have a poll to get rid of trolls.

[ludwig]

Allow me to tell a story :
A friend of mine , a housepainter with meagre means , had an old car .
One day , he showed up with his car freshly painted in a beautifull two tone .
How did he do it ? ..: with a brush and some left over household paint ( exterior quality ) .
I laughed , and congratulated him for his ingenuity .
Just think of it : no dismantling or masking , no special tools , no toxic waste , no overspray ..
Only a little prep , a brush and a few dollars worth of paint . Simply brilliant !
And it even looked pretty good … from a distance .
Now , if he where a professonal car restorer , my reaction would have been totally different .
I probably would have scorned him for so much amateurism .
The point I want to make is that hobbywork and professional work are two completely different things .
Most people who work on old bikes are hobbyists .
Not all have the means , the skill or the equipment to do top notch work , so we tend to refrain from critisism , but rather congratulate them for what they have achieved within their possibilities .
Basketcase71 is a perfect example .
Whe all know that , unless you have a reputation like CNW , it is impossible to make money on restaurations without making some shortcuts .
It is easy to spend over a 1000$ on cylinder head work alone .
But still ,from a professional , one can and should expect professionalism and competence , even on projects that are initially not intended for resale , because after a certain time , they invariably are always put up for sale , if it where only to make room for new projects .
A professional should be prepared for , and even welcome , far more critisism about his work .
(For ex: Opening up an unknown gearbox and NOT checking the layshaft bearing ?? )
So , I think it could be a good thing to have a dedicated forum , or at least some kind of warning so that casual readers know who they are dealing with .
It would allow for a more open , more frank , but always constructive discussion without fear to hurt someones feelings .

[swooshdave]

It would allow for a more open , more frank , but always constructive discussion without fear to hurt someones feelings .

Two things:

That bullshit from sns was anything but constructive.

If a vendor wants to put his handiwork out here for everyone to see (and criticize) I think that's up to him. If it hurts his business, that's his problem.

Ok, three things, can we get the guy who paints tanks to break off his CAPS LOCK KEY and throw it into the nearest ocean?

[L.A.B.]

I need help deciding if it is a good idea to make a new forum in the "Other" area where businesses can post what they are up to and freely post what they like. A good example would be "Born Again Bikes" projects. There would be a basic disclaimer.

Would it be easier if those of our members who supply parts or offer services could be asked to declare themselves? Either when registering (as a new member, and existing members could inform you) they would then be identified as having a professional interest, and could be given a "professional" or "trader" title?

If so, would it be possible for the disclaimer to be added to the original user agreement?

[sns]

It would allow for a more open , more frank , but always constructive discussion without fear to hurt someones feelings .

That bullshit from sns was anything but constructive.

Hey Swoosh it was constructive enough to get this thread going and is a hell of a lot more constructive than what you write above. Be careful or may may unwittingly vote yourself into oblivion

[Coco]

Other forums I'm on have a seprate vendor page and I don't see why it won't work here. if a member is looking for a product or service they can go to the vendor page and try to do some business with one of our own first. I think it would be a good thing.

I don't think we should relegate their posts or build threads to a seprate vendor's forum, just their services and offerings.

[swooshdave]

It would allow for a more open , more frank , but always constructive discussion without fear to hurt someones feelings .

That bullshit from sns was anything but constructive.

Hey Swoosh it was constructive enough to get this thread going and is a hell of a lot more constructive than what you write above. Be careful or may may unwittingly vote yourself into oblivion

I'm talking about the crap of yours that got deleted.

[L.A.B.]

Gentlemen...

This really isn't the place to be trading personal insults with one another.

It's not helpful and it's certainly not constructive.

Any further posts which contain such remarks will be deleted.