vmbc web site

[Ricks]

My feeling is nothing is going to change until the leadership changes. I think Darren works hard for the VMBC, but that technology just isn't his thing.

[bjm]

I think the only thing that would change that leadership is if everything but cushmans were eliminated. its really ashame, after all, it is the VINTAGE MOTOR BIKE CLUB

[Driver]

SMF and phpBB forum software (which SMF is based off of) are standard packages that most ISP/Web Hosting Companies can do. In fact the majority have the installers right in the Admin Login Section. It's a cakewalk if you want it, I know I used to work for one of those hosting companies..

[Ricks]

Welcome back Driver, we haven't heard from you in a long time!  Did you ever get a bike?

[Driver]

Not yet. At this point, with the economy in mind, I've been concentrating on the mortgage and getting that paid off before I go after those "toys" that tug at my heartstrings. I won't go into debt for pretty much anything anymore. The house 4 yrs ago was a exception and with luck will be free and clear in a little over a year. I still from time to time look at the used ads to see if something comes up nearby to look at as I cruise by here. 3 ice days in Austin and I'm catching up on my web cruising.

[pd]

Just checked the VMBC site and rec'd : HTTP Error 503. The service is unavailable.

For how long

Pete .

[Ricks]

Just checked the VMBC site and rec'd : HTTP Error 503. The service is unavailable.

For how long

Pete .

Does it really matter?  LOL

What is even funnier is their old site has current info for the 2014 show on it.

http://www.vintagemotorbike.org/

[pd]

I guess not , Rick .
Dead is as dead does .

Pete .

[Doodle Bugger]

April 21st and their "new website" is still dead. That's 48 days after the initial posting here mentioning that the site was down. In this day and age most website outages are able to be corrected in a matter of minutes or hours, not weeks and months. Unbelievable.

Yep, the old one is still up and does, indeed, have the 2014 info posted. But it's REALLY hard to read...for me it's yellow text on their yellow and white logo background.

They either haven't paid their hosting bill or they've had a massive server failure (or both?). I wonder if any of the VMBC administration even knows about the outage, let alone cares. I suppose that really means that only Darren might know as he was the only one ever on it from the administrative side, but he isn't really a technology guy so who knows what he's doing about it.

Honestly, I wonder if the club as a whole is going to slowly dwindle away. I really question if there are enough "younger" folks that are dedicated enough to the hobby to replace all of the old timers and have the interest and desire to host the annual meet, issue a quarterly magazine, and maintain a website. Maybe this is the first nail in the coffin?     

[pd]

That site has been up a couple times in the aforementioned 48 days . But I could not log in . I saw that one new post was made since about Jan . 15 by a new member .

[Ricks]

I think the club should just give up on the magazine.  Seems to me, a lot of expense and effort, for not much more than pictures from Portland.  I think they should focus their efforts on the website, as this is a much better way to get the word out.  I am sure there are still a few people left in this country without internet, but the vast majority are connected.  It is time to move into the 2000's as a club, and leave behind the 1960's mentality!  LOL  Look what we have accomplished HERE in 3 years; the VMBC hasn't done similar helping get info out to the motorbike community in 30 years.

[Doodle Bugger]

I think the club should just give up on the magazine.  Seems to me, a lot of expense and effort, for not much more than pictures from Portland. 

I agree about the magazine content.

They have a President and Vice President's message that always seem to say the same thing, at the same time each year; the rest of the magazine content is mostly either about going to Portland, rules/safety/camping issues for Portland, or photos from Portland. Rarely is there anything else to see. Yes, a lot of effort and expense for a glossy photo album filled with only a handful of "on-topic" photos. Too many photos of random (and unidentified) groups of people sitting around, kids on bicycles...you get the idea. When asked about making changes, the response came (on their forum) that the "editor" (not to be confused with the publisher) was set in his ways and not open to any criticism at all. 

The main appeal of the magazine (to me anyway) was always the classified section. At one time the classifieds in the back of the magazine were consistently about 6 pages, and occasionally even more than that. Now they seem lucky to pull off 2 1/2 pages.

Without changes, I really do think that club will have tremendous issues going forward. A good website would definitely be a tremendous step in the right direction. I was not aware that it had been up since the outage was initially reported...I hadn't attempted to visit since then until today and discovered that it is (still??) down.

[Mike Sal]

I enjoy receiving magazines rather than looking & reading newsletters on line, but I'm old school.  It was very dissappointing when I purchased about 10 years worth of back issues only to discover they were nearly all identical.....
Mike Sal

[Ricks]

I enjoy receiving magazines rather than looking & reading newsletters on line, but I'm old school.  It was very dissappointing when I purchased about 10 years worth of back issues only to discover they were nearly all identical.....
Mike Sal

Hence my suggestion to can it and go online only.

I think the club should be about getting info out on the scooters, and have people contribute knowledge that can help the next person get their scooter running.

[Sonrisers]

Technology is scary to the older generation. I deal with it every day in the job I have. I work for a cable co, and I am always adding equip that the older folks are just terrified of. When they will actually take the time to listen to me explain it, they find out it isn't so bad. But 90% of the time they won't even listen and never do get it. My father in law was the same way about computers til his brother in law bought them one. He is into old tractors, now you can't get off of it. This will be TOUGH to change, but it would be a change for the better if we could just get the ball rolling. I think we need to get after Wayne also, how many more parts would he sell if he was connected???