Forum Changes Explained!

[Makotosun]

One more helpful site navigation bit is when you go to a thread with unread posts, currently the site directs you to the first post in the thread, even if there are hundreds of replies.

Up at the top right of the thread, you will see a link called “first unread post”which will teleport you directly to . . .

The first post since you looked at the thread last! (Note this link will NOT exist if you have no posts you have not read in the thread!

AC56AA04-20F7-4C56-8CDF-B7721C9CAED5.jpeg (27.51 KiB) Viewed 5980 times

The last little useful Fitbit, is this template will have a bright yellow icon if you have not yet read that thread as shown below.

Hopefully those little insights will help folks navigate easier. Assuming those things change aafter we update and migrate, I will re-post a corrected tutorial.

[matt glascock]

Terrific Gary! Thanks again!!

[viclioce]

I, for one, would love to be able to see the sale of parts between members. This is the ONLY forum in which I participate which does not allow a For Sale/Parts Needed Section.

There are those of us who acquire parts as part of a buy, extras, which we hold for awhile to see if we need them and then what? What about those who need parts and have a hard time finding them? Not everyone is great at searching eBay, and even if you are, you don’t always get lucky.

One of the things we do in the Suzuki forum is having easy to understand rules for buying & selling. Some of these include when you offer something For Sale, you must include a price. No “make offer” selling. First to respond gets first crack. You have 24 hours after saying you’re interested to say SOLD or I’ll Pass. Then next in line gets a crack at it. You must also say if price includes shipping or if shipping is extra. And all transactions & correspondence must take place in the Gor Sale Thread Do that everything can be tracked to make sure the selling/buying rules are followed.

I think having an easy to access For Sale/Parts Needed Section would make it easier for us to share parts with one another. And, sometimes it’s nice to be able to sell one part to help pay for another needed one too!

Maybe a condition could be set forth like you MUST have a current Hodaka Club membership to buy and sell parts? Might increase the membership more?

I know people will chime in and say “But Strictly Hodaka, and Paul....reason inserted here. But Paul passed the torch on the website and the Club should be able to make these decisions. And we are talking about used parts here, not exactly the mainstay of snyvof the suppliers’ (except Bruce) business.

On other forums we also take pride in the “pay it forward” technique of passing a part along to someone in need for postage alone or even postage free. It’s a great feeling to know you helped someone who really needed it.

Again my comments aren’t to disrespect anyone or serve one over another. Just a way for the “Club” to become more productive and useful for the membership. Victor

[taber hodaka]

I think if you go to this, forget the 24 hours to make up your mind. I think it should be an agreement between the buyer and the seller. No buying or selling rules equals no need to police this. Just my thoughts. And whatever is done in this area should be in align with Paul's thoughts ---------Clarence

[Makotosun]

Keep the suggestions coming. We will consider all recommendations.

[Bill2001]

I tend to side with Victor on the sale of parts. And there need to be guidelines so it won't become a circus. Hodaka Club member and no dealers. "Dealer" being someone who buys and sells parts on a too-regular basis. Even to the point of buying, then selling, the same part. And parts buying for projects should be given priority.

And so on...

[taber hodaka]

I see a policeman a judge and a jury. Keep it simple. Clarence

[viclioce]

Clarence. The few guidelines I’ve stated have effectively been in place on our Suzuki forum for over 18 years. It keeps things simple, and mostly the members will remind folks of a rule missed, politely, if something is forgotten. It works and people are happy about it. This keeps bidding wears off the forum & after all, its not supposed to be another eBay, but a place to maybe help another member out and keep people from feeling like they got “sniped” at the last second.

Bill, I agree. On the other forums, we have a vendor section where “approved” vendors can offer sales & special discounts to just the folks who visit the forum regularly. They done compete with member sellers or buyers. They have as mimics respect for the pay it forward attitude as do the members. Victor

[taber hodaka]

It is good that we can share different opinions. ----------Clarence

[Bruce Young]

Hello, Hodaka World, new and old, change is good ! sometimes hard to understand the whys, but change to this forum needed to be done. The Hodaka Club is trying to bring everything into the present world, and the Forum will be the first area of change we will really see benefits, but it will take time, when it comes of something like the changes we are seeing, it is just not a push of a button and pop! everything will work for everyone. Gary, Dale, and Roger have had many phone calls back and forth, and even a couple of meetings. They are doing their best to make our forum the best, one can get. Please be patient, but keep the suggestions coming, they will all be considered, I am sure. They will weigh each one and try and give us all what we want. Please again, keep suggestions coming, this is our chance to make this forum exciting and productive. To become a leader in the Vintage world of forums Keep up the good work guys and press on, please we in the Hodaka World lets give them a chance to make a moves that make the finished product, the best package possible for us all. Thank you for your time and understanding. Bruce Young

[Makotosun]

Thanks, Bruce!

We have some big plans, but site design and integration take some time. We don’t want to screw anything up, and we don’t want to do it twice!

The overall goal is to merge the forum more elegantly into the Xlub site, but keep the forum available for the public as well. Possibly have some forum sections as Club members only. In order to do that correctly, the look and feel will likely need to change a bit.

We also intend to merge the HodakaDays site into the club site, and possibly even integrate a properly working Hodaka Classified feature. We’ll see.

It will be a one stop shop for all things Hodaka.

[Bill2001]

Thanks! (or is that 'tanks' ?)

[taber hodaka]

Depends on which part of Minnesota you are frum. Just joking! --Clarence

[Bill2001]

Lake Wobegone.

[RichardMott]

Thought I would test the forum with a photo of what I have been up to. My garage was a total disaster for many years. No room to work without removing all my bikes. Since retiring I have been spending a lot of time throwing stuff away and reorganizing things. (Hodaka stuff) Here is what it looked like not too long ago when I was about 90% finished. It is near 100% now. Note the love note my wife painted on the door 20 years ago. I will never paint over that. Still have 2 bikes on the porch and one in Oil City with Mike Perrett.

Mott's Garage

[thrownchain]

Mark's swapmeet ( the vmx board) requires you to create an account to post and respond to ads. They also hold the right to ban you if you don't live up to your end of the bargain, like ripping people off. But you can look all you want without logging in. So like ebay you can look all you want, but to participate you have to join up. Paul had his reasons not to advertise parts, he's in the business to sell parts new and used, so the ads would effect his lively hood. The club doesn't have that restriction, they're out there to keep the brand going, so hopefully some level can be reached.

[Makotosun]

Thanks for the feedback! We are actually in the process of constructing a completely new club website which will include this discussion forum! Some really exciting stuff, but I anticipate s few weeks before we preview things.

We don't want to do any changes other than what we've done already to make the site more usable.

The whole marketplace discussion will be a board decision, as the web team will implement their directives. The overall site plan, which is mostly hatched in my mind should get a review by the board in a week or so.

The technical updates we are working on take time as we all have day jobs and none of those jobs = web programmer

Please keep suggestions coming about the forum as well as any other features you'd like to see on the site!

Gary

[thrownchain]

How about a show us your bike area? For the guys who want to share their bikes, or riding areas?

[thrownchain]

And a tech and how to column. With pics and possibly video. And a list of suppliers and repair people maybe listed by what area of the country they are in.

[Makotosun]

Good ideas! Project builds is definitely a section planned.

Tech articles is good too. Hopefully we will get members to contribute content - we try to do that when publishing the Resonator, and it's like pulling teeth to get submissions!

We may have an easy way for members to submit as well.

Thank you!

[matt glascock]

Hi Gary. Just spit balling here. A recent thread titled "organization" sought advice regarding methods of keeping track of disassembly/assembly procedures. I suggested photographing each step in the disassembly process which, of course, is not a novel idea but very helpful during reassembly nonetheless. How difficult would it be to establish a section for members to post similar photo documentation covering common operations such as clutch rebuilding and control shaft spring/ ball receiver replacement. What I'm describing may be an insane amount of work - I really don't know. It would be a nifty and helpful section on our forum.

[Makotosun]

Very easy! In fact part of the plan is a “How To” tech section.

In addition, I got the green light for the new club website/forum site so that project will be moving forward as quickly as I can put it together. Everything here WILL be migrated and saved.

I also envision a technical article section on that site.

[matt glascock]

That's great, Gary. This really will be the premier forum in all the vintage bike world. Great and much appreciated work!!

[Makotosun]

That's great, Gary. This really will be the premier forum in all the vintage bike world. Great and much appreciated work!!

Actually the PREMIER forum is my Yamaha Enduro forum

[matt glascock]

I'll have to check it out. A lot of vintage bike information applies across brands.