How To Know If It's Time To Move On? Hayabusa.org
- Thread starter captain
- Start date
This is why you are the Captain and always will be .
I want to be clear I'm not implying Cap is a quitter. What he and the admins have done for all these years is amazing and way above and beyond what most would do. Cap has made it pretty clear all we need to do is post. I think he doesn't want the org to become an impersonal, well financed business proposition. He wants it to be a community of people who enjoy interacting with each other. This is not about an online service/mod manual, its about a community.
Hayabusa Wannabe
Registered
Are you open to preserving a lesser version, say as text?
For the purpose of preserving the forum knowledge: Perhaps the function to export posts can be scripted via php to rebuild the thread pages in html.
A web browser could be scripted to print the pages of the entire site to PDF.
You could visit the local university's web programming department and offer archiving the forum as a student project. There is potentially a free solution, a win-win, and I suspect that they could preserve the entire site as interactive.
Mine started at 3 & 5, and both still ride, though my youngest, now 15, he's the one that LOVES it. He wants his motorcycle license one day.
ali123
Banned
IT CAN BE BOTH..... but this isn't only a forum... there is 20 years of info here... that's the draw... HOW CAN HE CAPITALIZE? that's the clear way forward if posts don't pick up.... I WANT a hayabusa.org COAT... id pay 150 bucks for it... anyone else? all us in the cold spend that much on a decent coat anyway............
I'm really thrilled to read this! As I said earlier, I'm part of the problem, not here enough, but when I am, I didn't notice that kind of chemistry. It wasn't fair to assume it wasn't still going on; it's just not in the same forms, not from large groups/ rides, etc. These connections will stay, that's for certain. They are invaluable.
We've had random chance friendships just because we were wearing an oRg t-shirt, turned in to a convo, then plans to meet up, ride, new friendships made.
Can't put a dollar to that...
ali123
Banned
yes u can... its the defeceit that the site is running
I think what you are doing right now is why he doesn't want this to be a pay site. He wants community over everything, you want the information over anything. Not saying which is right (I don't really know) but Cap got the idea to start this site and he put 18 years into building a community. If that's his passion, that's his passion.
ali123
Banned
it still can be..... but its gotta make money... or at least not cost him money.... the guy sold his busa.... at the very least we gotta get this guy riding again.... maybe sell something... I know I'm freezing now... and I need a coat.... u? maybe sell some merchandise... coats/hats..... I spend a good amount on this stuff and I don't have a hayabusa coat..... u? I started a thread... cold climate brothers... need coats? he knows the right people to make apparel... show some demand for it and we are golden.... good coats are over a hundred bucks.......
TallTom
Registered
The saying....until you walk a mile in someones shoes....applies here. Cap and only Cap knows what it takes to run this place. As he pointed out, the behind the scenes list of everyday issues that are constantly being worked. This is his site, only he can determine his personal commitment to this commitment. I do hope that he considers some of the offers some of the members have given him to take this over. Kind of how he viewed selling his bike, he has to feel right about who is taking over the site and the vision they have for it. I liken it to raising a child even though I happily have none. He conceived it, raised it, and now its time for it to leave the house. Not an easy time for a dad.....:-)
As for me, this site has been and always will be a primary source for things Busa for the bike I own and love. And yes I come here less as there is less to talk about on this now long in the tooth bike. Nothing new to talk about unfortunately.
Aside from this, I then secondarily see that this is a vast community of varied backgrounds. Like any community, you won't like everyone in it. But it did become impressive that you learn what different people do besides ride this machine. I find myself coming here for expertise on most things before I go anywhere else seeking. I for instance need some software written. I'd rather come here looking for a software guy than shop for it in other markets first. I have NO DESIRE to have to learn it to do it myself.
For me personally, there is the matter of time management. I don't type fast as it is. To dedicate the time it takes to post here takes away from too many other things that to be honest are more important to me. Not trying to be disrespectful in saying that, its just a fact for me. An hour here is a hard fought hour of time that I take from something else. I haven't ridden my Busa at all this season. Only rode it about 800 miles last year. Pains me to admit that. But sometimes that what life does to us. I sold one Busa and the other one may soon follow. As much as I love this bike, it is again about priorities sometimes.
And I don't do any social media so they don't win out on time over here. I'll stay here before going to any other new platform. But I admit FB and the rest has changed things dramatically.
If this site has run its course, I'll miss it, but do understand the facts of things.
As for me, this site has been and always will be a primary source for things Busa for the bike I own and love. And yes I come here less as there is less to talk about on this now long in the tooth bike. Nothing new to talk about unfortunately.
Aside from this, I then secondarily see that this is a vast community of varied backgrounds. Like any community, you won't like everyone in it. But it did become impressive that you learn what different people do besides ride this machine. I find myself coming here for expertise on most things before I go anywhere else seeking. I for instance need some software written. I'd rather come here looking for a software guy than shop for it in other markets first. I have NO DESIRE to have to learn it to do it myself.
For me personally, there is the matter of time management. I don't type fast as it is. To dedicate the time it takes to post here takes away from too many other things that to be honest are more important to me. Not trying to be disrespectful in saying that, its just a fact for me. An hour here is a hard fought hour of time that I take from something else. I haven't ridden my Busa at all this season. Only rode it about 800 miles last year. Pains me to admit that. But sometimes that what life does to us. I sold one Busa and the other one may soon follow. As much as I love this bike, it is again about priorities sometimes.
And I don't do any social media so they don't win out on time over here. I'll stay here before going to any other new platform. But I admit FB and the rest has changed things dramatically.
If this site has run its course, I'll miss it, but do understand the facts of things.
A lot of people LOVE this place. A lot of your thoughtful ideas have been discussed, for years, some even tried.
THE bottom line for any website is traffic, especially when you have sponsors. If we don't have the traffic, participation, relationship building and ongoing activity, traffic stops.
Ali123, We don't know each other - so I apologize if what I am about to say hits you the wrong way. I am not sure if you know of the history of this site. In the past, for fund generation there have been:
Raffles
Donations to the site
Donations to other members
Selling shits (long sleeve, short sleeve, tank tops, hoodies)
Selling wood products (plaques, motivational blocks, treasure boxes, etc.)
ICE Tags and wallet cards
Auctions
Classifieds for all things motorcycle related
Group buys
The problem with what you keep suggesting is this - it put's the background and logistics back on cAp. He has been doing this for a looong time. I joined in 2003 and was absolutely overwhelmed by the connections that held this place together all based around our love of the Busa.
One problem as was mentioned, is that many of the members here have moved on from the Busa or even from motorcycling in general. I hardly ride anymore, except for those amazing times when I am with my family and friends from the oRg - but even then, the oRg is not the focus, the people are. I am very fortunate to know people who have several bikes in their stable. When I am with them, it is sad sometimes how rarely the Busas get ridden. Too many advancements, too many improvements from the other makers. So, people talk less and less about Busas here and more abut general Book of Face kind of stuff. Then , well, why not just go to the Book of Face?
I spend a lot of time away from home... I bought my first Busa while I was in Japan. I bought my second Busa while I was in the Middle East. The Book of Face is a better opportunity for me to stay connected to my family and friends who are not motorcycle fanatics - and I was even off of that for the last two years.
Factor in on top of all of that the behind the scenes stuff that cAp is mentioning. The complaints, the criticism, the backlash for what amounts to cAp sticking to his principles.
He has provided a home for us for a long time, he has done some amazing things to keep the doors open... but I suspect that he is tired. In my mind cAp has been something of a Doorman. He held the door open for a lot of people for a long time. Some said thank you, some didn't - but he held the door open. As technology has changed, now he doesn't need to spend his time holding the door, it is revolving now - with traffic driving it. Why would he go back to holding it open if the traffic can't turn the revolving door?
cAp has told us that we can keep the site open if we drive the traffic through participation; traffic drives hits, hits drive sponsors and vendors, etc. If we want the site to stay open, in my opinion, we need to figure out a way to keep it open without pushing the grunt work back onto cAp.
Just my .02...
TallTom
Registered
I know NOT VERY MUCH about what makes a website run. If its a matter of post counts then thats a pretty simple concept. But I thought I understood at one time that the more traffic you have the more band with it takes up and the more it cost.
So post about anything is better than posting about Busas?
So post about anything is better than posting about Busas?
Thanks Shawn, for saying this. I think you've described this perfectly. I'm sure to "newer" members, it all looks like just giving up, but this has truly been a labor of love since day one, for cap, for all that have helped along the way, for every member.
Wow... thanks for this. It means more to me than you know.
The concept that worked for so long was having very active membership, discussing lots of topics, but we were all here because of the love of the Busa.
Various other topics helped to learn about one another, then suddenly many ended up at a meet-and-greet, put names to faces, shared a meal or two, rode together, bonds solidified that are unbroken to this day.
It was never about money, never about being a business, and if I'm out of line cap, smack me. It was about community. Community helped bring traffic, traffic supported sponsors to offset cost of running the site. Without new life from Suzuki, and if there's no community, well, that's where we are......
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