The Hodaka Club Forum

Put new mirrors on the Ace today. Ordered them from WPS catalogue. Only $9.50 each, and they're reversible so you can mount on either side, and you can get them with either an 8mm or 10mm thread to ft either the older or newer perch sizes! Just passing it along! ; D Victor

Victor,
While I enjoy reading your posts I feel I should point out that this Forum is hosted by Strictly Hodaka. Speaking only for myself I would suggest that it is in poor taste to promote items for sale from sources that are in direct competition with the items that Strictly Hodaka offers. I know that sometimes in our zest and passion for old motorcycles we sometimes forget the considerable investment made by Paul and others to source or reproduce parts to help us in the pursuit of our passion. I really enjoy reading your posts about your adventures restoring these great old bikes. Keep up the good work and keep posting please, but I would ask that you respectfully consider the fact that Strictly Hodaka is our host in these discussions.

I wasn't aware that Paul offered mirrors like these. I remember seeing something about asking people to get in on the possibility of a custom order of mirrors, but never saw the outcome. If it "encroaches" on Paul, I appologise.

I'm also used to posting on a "Public Forum," which I was to understand this is. A public forum allows open discussion. The only forums which do not allow open discussion is a private forum, which has a paid membership requirement & published rules of allowed discussion. I know I have said some things in the past for which I have gotten the same kind of response. My comments are in no way to "Slight" Paul or his business. And it's not like I have his inventory memorized. Just thought I was passing on good useful information.

We have a public forum on Delphi, for those of us who own Suzuki VL1500 motorcycles. We also have vendors who post regularly on our forum, and many times are forum members. We support them and always post recommendations for them if someone posts a need for an item or part for their VL1500. But no one perceives talking about a good deal from a particular resource as a slight or problem for our member vendors.

And unless Paul decides this isn't a public forum and is going to provide membership fees and rules for membership Do's & Don'ts, I don't see how discussing something like this would be an issue. Just my 2 cents. If you feel differently, you're entitled to that opinion. I have yet to see published rules which ban any particular type of discussion. If I am wrong, please point me to them. I do not see why people other than Paul seem to think this in some way does direct or indirect harm to his business. It's like saying Paul sells bolts, so you can't talk about obtaining bolts anywhere else. Or Paul sells Hodaka original Ace 100 wire junction covers, remanufactured to original Hodaka specs. So don't say you got one on eBay. There are times when Paul is the only vendor available and I have purchased needed parts from him. But why do some people think talking about items which he may not offer regularly, or you can't find on his site for whatever reason, even if it is available is so touchy a subject that people feel the need to enforce a topic on a public forum?

I remember very early on posting that I had purchased a used kickstart lever on eBay and it was the wrong one when I recieved it. I offered it for sale here, not knowing that you were not allowed to post items for sale here because it conflicted with Paul's business which hosted the site. The post was deleted. THAT I understood completely, even if I wasn't advised as to why. But to talk about, not offer for sale, something which you bought? I don't see that as a violation of a public forum. And I don't think talking about buying something somewhere else is going to convince anyone already on this forum to buy something somewhere else if hey honestly feel they have an owed loyalty to Strictly Hodaka.

And, for what it's worth, I ALWAYS recommend both Strictly Hodaka and Hodaka-Parts to people who ask about where to get stuff for Hodakas on forums such as the Facebook Hodaka Club page and the Facebook Vintage Motorcycles page when asked about where to get Hodaka parts. I see the as being a BIG supporter of our forum vendor host. ; D Victor

Manners is as manners does.

Ed

Kinda like showing up to your girlfriend's parent's house for Thanksgiving dinner with a bucket of KFC and half a 40? Those manners?

To Ed and Matt, I pose this question. There was a discussion by I believe it was Max, about getting some great number plate hardware at Ace Hardware. SH sells number plate hardware. I didn't see anyone insult Max for his discussion about parts he could have bought from Paul and did not, and still chose to talk about it. No one said Max had "bad manners."

I also recall quite a lengthy discussion about Rustoleum red paints of various types, used by Max and other people who posted their pictures and stated the names of the paints. In fact it was my question about where to get Hodaka Red paint. Though I've come to discover that SH sells Hodaka Red paint, no one mentioned it, posted the names of the brands they used and photos of what it looked like. And no one said these folks had "bad manners.", or chastised them for not supporting SH and buying their red paint. No one insulted them.

So my question is, why is this kind of treatment so seemingly selective? No one can say it's not, in my opinion, unless this type of treatment is done wholeheartedly with EVERYONE! I don't want to nag about it, but if people are going to be selective in their treatment of other members, whether it's based on who they are, or whether it's someone you know first hand personally, then it is even poorer manners than you seem to be claiming I have. That's not right. And that's the truth, whether folks choose to believe it or not.

I think it would behoove some people to treat everyone the same, and if you have issues, even if it's because it's your personal opinion, you can think about why it may turn others off and away from the forum rather than appearing to be truly helpful and having a true desire to help others with similar interests.

No apologies are necessary and I won't hold a grudge. Just a request to think about what's been discussed. ; D Victor

You are absolutely right. I hate it when double standards are applied and here I am doing it myself. I do apologize. I'll be the first to admit that I source a lot of fluids, nuts and bolts, filters and other odds and ends locally, if for no other reason than convenience, even though similar items are available on SH. I don't mention these things on this site because I also know that its very existence is a labor of love, and I'm sure at considerable expense that Paul incurs, to provides this forum for all of us to enjoy and learn from free of charge. I get my Hodaka-specific parts from him because I know that he reinvests a lot into product development and improvement and availability. If I need a new tube, I need it now and pick it up on my way home from work from the bike shop where I get parts for my modern race bike. Everything else I get here. Sorry about my smart ass comment.

Thank you Matt. I really appreciate it!

I didn't see mirrors like I posted about on the SH site. I figured other folks had the same problem. Figuring it would help out was the only reason I put who it was ordered from, I case someone else faced the same dilemma. People can sure get emotional about things they believe in, but also need to take a deep breath and think before they reply. It's not like I was being malicious. Just informing. ; D Victors

I have been busy with a lot of things as usual and just caught this thread over the weekend.
Victor is 100% correct that he found a great deal on mirrors and should share that with the forum. Victor and I have had private exchanges also that I shared my displeasure with what was said and he also shared his feelings.That is what this forum is for.....
We do not have to agree as long as things are polite and respectful. My ideas of respect might differ than that of others such as if you "respect" me I will "respect" you- simple and easy.

Strictly Hodaka started as a way to make products that Hodaka's were in need of back in the late 80's and early 90's. It was never meant to be a business it was a hobby gone mad but this hobby enabled me to be friends with Harry, Ed, Chuck, Marv, Jim etc... These guys trusted in me to do the right thing and tell the story. The items that they entrusted to me and also their friendships showed a mutual respect that cannot be spoken it can only be felt. It is not about motorcycle parts or even money it is about the lives and the times of the folks that helped make the Hodaka motorcycle and those of us who have such great memories of riding them when we were younger. That same feel and vibe is so much alive at each Hodaka Days event annually.

Strictly Hodaka was never meant to be a business in the sense it generated money for the family. It was designed and meant to turn extra parts I had from buying dealers inventories to support my personal needs into the funds needed to start making the specific parts needed to keep the bikes going.
There came a time when buying an inventory was not bringing to us the rarer parts that we had to have. Then having Harry and Ed as the advisers and consultants and friends to what I wished to make made this not only gratifying but fun!! I made parts in the past we needed but I did not look at what the long term sales might generate. Damn it we needed it and we needed it now

Speaking recently with my dear friend Jamie McAdams about a project he was working on for a product we all need brought me to a crossroads.
I could have this part designed, tooled up and produced fairly easily. This would have been at a cost to me of around $8,000.00 for the design and tooling and about $ 1.50 for the unit price and I only needed to make 2000 units. Jamie being an extremely talented machinist with his own shop could make the same part in quantities more realistic of 100 units but the downside is that this same part will have to sell for almost $90.00.
I told Jamie to please move forward because there is just not the support for me to invest what I needed to (tooling and units) to make this part.

My time and energies during the week have shifted the past few months from Hodaka to the new Preston Petty line so what I am going to write is NOT directed towards Strictly Hodaka but rather the other mechanics and suppliers who invest their time and money to keep the brand alive. SH will make limited new parts in the future these parts will be only things that we are sure we will not loose funds on or tie up huge amounts of $$ for years and years.

If the suppliers such as Bruce Young and Bill Cook/Dan Jennings are not supported then they cannot reinvest in making the needed parts to keep your bikes alive now and well into the future. They will not be able to support the mechanics such as Hodaka Dave, Danny Cooke, Greg Watkins, Ron Liddle etc.. These guys are not going to keep doing this if they are always looking over their shoulders for parts and hoping that things will turn around. Everything costs something if it be time and energy or it is money. Sure this forum is an open forum and it is free but it costs me several thousand dollars each year to keep it going.

What is truly great about this country is that we all have choices and we all do not have to agree. Dang I do not want my friends to agree with me. I always try to challenge my good dear friends for differing views than mine so I can see both sides of the issue.

My mind is made up and I am pulling back but not totally away from the Hodaka thing. So what I am writing is for those who are still doing this day in and day out. Unless you own your own business and have to make the hard decisions you may or may not get this.
I for one do not want to be forced to goop up my airboot with silicone because it is cracked and I cannot source another one anyplace. I would hope that there is the Bruce Young's or Bill Cook's that take the time and spend the funds to make these needed parts to keep my bikes running.
There is not one single part for Hodaka's that we cannot make not one. But the question comes into play at what cost??
I have already stopped making parts such as the Road Toad and Super Combat fenders. There are other parts that at one time we produced but now once they are gone I will not remake.
It hurts me deeply to see this happening but maybe it is a sign of the times. We cannot fix everything although a lot of us have tried.
Some people are called "emotional" for their strong views I look at these exact same people as being "passionate". We can all look at the same situation and have polite differing views of what is in front of us.
Peace
Paul

Thank you Paul for taking such a high road on this and other issues. This is the only forum that I visit frequently for two reasons. Firstly I have learned so much from the collective wisdom of the group, and secondly I really enjoy the friendly and respectful nature of the discussions. This discussion is no exception.

Victor, I hope I made it clear in my comments that this was my opinion and I was speaking only for myself. I still stand by my comments and make no apologies for them but cannot explain why the line was drawn at mirrors, and not at number plate brackets or paint. I guess it just hit me at that point in time. I do understand your frustration with the arbitrary nature of it and do apologize for that. The opinion was offered as constructive, and I hope was received the same way. By the way the internet is a strange place and I thought the comments on manners could have been aimed at me.

This is my last comment on this particular discussion because I have offered my piece and have no desire to beat a dead horse, but I am glad to have sparked the conversation. I am proud to be a part of this great group of guys.

Eloquently said Paul. It's the exchange of ideas which makes keeping these bikes going possible. Being nasty to one person or another, even if you think you're just being funny, or supporting a vendor, isn't the way to go. I looked for round mirrors on yours and Bill's site. Couldn't find what I was looking for. I was at my local Suzuki/Yamaha/Kawasaki dealer and found these mirrors in a catalogue. Sharing the info for those who might need or want something like these was my only intent. There's no place for rudeness. It's not like I was bashing anyone or product. But I sure got bashed for it. Even Ivan tried to be polite about it. It was never about anything more than to show people that there are possibilities out there. I started to imagine posting my progress on the Road Toad with comments like "I finished the xxxxx of the bike with some xxxxxx parts found at xxxxxx, just because I couldn't find it from you or Bill or Bruce, and maybe even editing the view of the photo. But what good would that do anyone. If we can't share what we know, find and buy, how much help is the forum. I appreciate your comments on this and hope people will take it to heart. As I have stated, I have a Suzuki VL1500 which stopped being manufactured in either the carbed or FI versions in 2009. We have a forum for this bike. Though some parts are still available, we also have learned to SHARE what we get from all resources, without badgering people who post info from new and differing sources. Sometimes people just need help and sometimes people go out of their way to provide that help. Our forum there has sprouted 3 different cottage businesses to help keep the bikes going. We recommend the support of these member venders and also others who have added parts for our bikes to their list of parts and supplies and let our membership know they are carrying these items solely because our forum is so large and a target market. No one ever says "Hey you shouldn't post that because Dave or Gary or Jim or "other" sells that to our membership. And we also strongly recommend our member vendors on sites like Facebook in pages which are similar to our own forum, same as I do with Strictly Hodaka and Hodaka-Parts and have been since I started on my Hodaka rebuilding ventures 2 1/2 years ago. I'm on my 3rd Hodaka now and have spent numerous hard earned dollars with both of these vendors. I will continue to reccomend you and Bill/Dan because I know from first hand experience that you are dependable, accurate, fast shippers and helpful along with having people who care about the bikes and the people who keep them running. Let's close this thread and remember that real help, from ANY resource, is a genuine source for all in need. ; D Victor

Ivan. Your point was made without being rude. I acknowledged that and have no issues with what you said. However, it did get rather "colored" after my last reply to you. That was where I chose to draw the line. Thank you for being civil and expressing your opinion without name calling or evicerating remarks. I may not agree with you, especially if it comes to parts which can not be readily had at our vendor host or other Hodaka specialty vendors. And Matt has already politely apologized. I don't see why ANYONE here would think it's fair to jump on a double standard bandwagon and insult a member. Have a great week! ; D Victor