| Author | Message | ||
     Koz5150 |
Ok, so I am curious. One of the disadvantages about owning a Buell is the lack of aftermarket parts. Yet everytime I see someone build or create something new for our bikes people start complaining about "don't advertise here, you need to pay for a sponsorship and blah blah blah..." I understand that the website isn't free and no I don't want to be flooded with junk posts of crap products, but there has got to be a better way. What if BadWeb offered a link page that people could submit a link to their website with Buell/motorcycle related products. It would take up no space here and wouldn't receive nearly the attention that paying advertisers get (Banners, product sections to communicate with buyers). It would however allow the Buell riding population that read this site a chance to stay informed of new products that some of the vendors here may not carry. Or at the very least introduce the products to our vendors in a more timely fashon. It would also potentialy increase traffic as it would increase the resources available to the readers. As a resource for Buell riders I would think it would be in our interest to have access to the lastest and greatest products. Instead the current system where we come off as high and mighty know-it-alls and end up pushing potential Buell aftermarket suppliers away. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
BadWeB "Links" page we already have that (Message edited by blake on November 15, 2004) | ||
| Bomber |
it's a throny problem, for sure -- how do you avoid kicking the sponsors in the teeth by allowing others free access to the potential market this board represents? also, just to pick every possible nit, the company/person isn't an advertaizer is they ain't a sponsor -- btw, the fees for sponsorship are peanuts, and, given the number of potential customers here, a great bargain (Message edited by bomber on November 15, 2004) | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
Someone who makes products for Buells would be wise to not just Spam a site, but instead to contact one of the established vendors here like American Sport Bike or Trojon if they don't want to deal with a direct dealership like Dave. If they have a product but don't think the sponsorship is worth the price then the established dealers are already here and can do the advertising for them. But nope, generally (note the word generally being used) they are in it for the quick score. They figure they can just sign up and make a quick post. Out of that post they figure they will nail maybe 20-30 buyers of their stuff then be gone and not have to spend a dime for it. But if they dealt with one of the established vendors here they would find an even broader customer base. See our sponsors aren't just selling their own products, People like Al and Dave and Matt are in it for the long haul and will be willing to add GOOD quality products to their catalogs. That is why I prefer the way things are. If one of them tells me its a good product then I will beleive them more then just some single poster that says "hey look at my new product". Atleast with them I know they have tried the item out and if they haven't, well they will tell you so. As with Bomber, when I had my own business, the fees here for sponsorship were not even 1/10th of what I spent in advertising for a YEAR. Its all relative into how bad you really want to sell your product. I mean seriously, if you got down to the nitty gritty Koz, how much do you really spend on advertising your business? Remember to include your vendor/show fees as well. | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
yeah yeah but how do you become a sponsor....i've tried...blake never answered my e-mails | ||
| Bomber |
Signer! sounds like an oversight -- if you're still interested, I'll get you the data -- you in, or at least interested? | ||
| Court |
I'd suspect it's an oversight. Advertising here, particularly balanced against the thousands of folks, is a killer deal. Anyone seeking to "slip in" and snag 20-30 customers by placing a quick post will likely be treated to what they deserve. Over the years Buell has, like all other products, has it's share of LTR (less than reputable) folks. The current sponsors, led by American Sport Bike, offer the opportunity for Buell owners to get the right stuff for the right price and be assured of excellent service. I have to tell you that be it Pammy, Aaron, DaveS or any of the folks here, I am personally very proud of the standards that have been established. Ron Dickey continues, in my very own mind, to define the "honest competent gentlemen business owner". Court | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
i have to agree with everyone so far. think about it u dont want fly by night junk on ur baby do u? I know i dont i want good quality products on my bike and the guys that are sponcers here are good honest people that not only use the products they sell they will assist u in the even tu have a question or problem with it. You dont get that with the guys that just jump on here and make a post to try to sucker people in to there stuff. I know when i get back and start buying parts for my bike i plan to only deal with the sponsers here because they are people we can all trust (well exept the body kit from hals i want but they are reputable too) | ||
| Newfie_buell |
I think that if you want to advertise here then you should have to pay the fee associated with it. Its a small price to pay considering your hitting almost all Buell Enthusiasts. I'd buy more but in the past I have been hit with customs and duty fees that have made the pricing very uncompetetive. Then there is DAVE, my long lost cousin Dave has been able to combat that one. hehehehe Keep up the good work. | ||
| Daves |
Firebolt, Let me know before you get the bodywork. I might be able to help you out. Dave Proud to be a sponsor of Badweb! Thanks! | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
thanks dave ill be sure to do that! besides i got to hit u up for most everything eles i want to get for my bike. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
see this is why you should stick to the sponsors | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
> intersted... so is Odie | ||
| Bomber |
Signguy amd Odie -- I've passed the word to his Blakeness -- expect commo soon! and, thanks for your patience! | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
>ROGER.....OUT | ||
| Odie |
I contacted Blake months ago about sponsorship but never heard anything back from him. I also disagree with a few of you lumping everyone together when it comes to jumping in to make a quick buck with junk products. I think if you read every post I have written you will find that I am sincere in what I say and that I don't make "junk". There are more satisfied customers of mine out there than you think. I'm not out to make a quick buck or tons of cash. I spend my time fab'n things because I enjoy doing it, it's my stress relief and it helps out fellow Badwebbers as our product availabililty is limited. BadS1 thinks that my "Grater Eliminator" mod is too spendy for what "he" considers is not much work. I spend countless hours getting it just right so everyone is happy. What I charge doesn't come close to compensating me for the hours of labor I have into it. Again, I don't make junk. I take alot of pride in what I turn out. And, as I tell everyone, if you are not happy with anything I make you can send it back to me on my dime and I will give you your money back. I spend my own money on buying stock pipes and then buy materials to mod them, welding supplies, grinding wheels, paint, shipping charges, and above all of it is my time. If you talk to anybody who is running one of my pipes you will find a happy camper. Especially for what I'm charging! I'm not making squat! It all comes down to enjoying what I do. Trust me, I don't need the money......but my time is VERY valuable to me so I charge a very fair price for the things that I make. Don't like them, don't buy them. Think it's junk, fine. Spend your cash somewhere else. I truly love spending time on the BadWeb but sometimes people do come across as high and mighty. I agree with everything Koz5150 said. Firebolt020283- you have offended me Odie | ||
| Blake |
Ya know, I sometimes get hundreds of emails a day, some are spam. If you sent me one email and didn't get a reply, you might want to try again and be sure to title it so I can recognize it as not being spam. The post above sounds a bit like advertising to me, and frankly as a vendor your attitude sucks big time. | ||
| Blake |
Yeah, I'm a grumpy SOB, especially when confronting those who feel entitled to use this board for their own gain. | ||
| Koz5150 |
I think the gains of the riders here is far greater then that of the suppliers. There are many creative people who read this board and build products that would be of interest to other riders. Unfortunately the environment here is not one for the individual to share his skills. I feel that even when I make custom parts for my bike if I post pictures of them I get accused of trying to advertise my services. I also believe there are others that feel the same way. I think it is great that you can find out just about anything you want to know about tuning your bike. After that I think the knowledge of what's available to the average Bueller is pretty thin. Regardless, I still value Badweb as one of the top resources for Buellers and I always mention the website to any Buell riders I run into. | ||
| Odie |
I'm not advertising anything. Again, Blake, go back and read any and every post I have ever written and you will see that I am MORE than willing to help anybody and everybody if they need it. I'm pissed off at being lumped into a "jump on here to take advantage of people and their hard earned cash" pile. And no, my attitude does not suck. And no, I am not a "vendor". I relax by making stuff that people want to buy at a fair price. I contact people and they contact me via PM's and stay off of the BadWeb as far as that goes as much as possible. I have never had a bad word to say to anybody about anything except for my motor crapping deal in the very beginning and that was directed at BCC. I appreciate what you and all the custodians do here and truly love spending time on the BadWeb. Tons of great people and lots of info, of which I contribute to. I did contact you, twice, in reference to sponsorship and never heard a word back. As far as using this board for my gain- not hardly. Again, I feel I give far more than I get here. In the end I'm losing if you look at it monetary terms. But what I gain in helping someone out with a problem or maybe helping them get a performance product at a low price because they don't have a ton of cash laying around is invaluable to me. It is not about the money to me Blake- my line of work pays very, very well, I don't need the cash. I do this because I enjoy it. Blake, trust me, I, by no means want to get into a pissing contest with you or anyone else. I truly do appreciate all that you do and I TRIED TO BE A SPONSOR! I could've have kept quiet about this thread and there wouldn't have been a problem between you and I (and I don't feel that there is, I hope) but I feel that Koz5150 has a valid point. In the end, product development by all of the fellow BadWebbers helps all of us in the end. What sent me off on a tangent is the whole "if you make something on your own and you're not a sponsor then your stuff sucks" deal. Time will show that this is far from true...... I do apologize for sounding gruff and short. I get grumpy just like you do. Must be something to do with the "40" years! Plus I'm at work which is tiring on 3rd shift. I wholeheartedly tried to do the right thing by contacting you in the very beginning. I don't want to have any bad feelings between us AT ALL. My intent in genuine and sincere in my efforts to help fellow BadWebbers. Please feel free to contact me via PM if you desire if you feel we need to discuss this any further. Have a good night.....Odie | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
odie i apligize i wasnt refering to u i was refering to the people that simply jump on here just to advertise some product and then leave. You are always on here and seem like a good guy. i never even knew u sold a product. you fall in to a diffent catagory, u are a honest hard working person that sells a product on the side that u make as a hobby and i have nothing aginst that cuz i know if i bought something from you and had some kind of problem i could probly email or call you and you would assist me in my problem. so if i ofended you im truley sorry. But i stick to the fact that i dont like shody flyby night deals. | ||
| Odie |
Firebolt, I just wasn't happy with being lumped into a pile with dishonest people. I am far from that. I wasn't really offended, just venting. The fact that you didn't even know that I fab'ed anything goes to show how low-key I keep things here because I am not a sponsor. I am not a vendor by any means. I have a hobby that other people have an interest in and everybody walks away happy in the end. In the end I'm making very little, if anything, depending on the piece I'm working on. Not a problem here.........I knew I shouldn't have went on the quick board tonight....Later, Odie | ||
| Court |
Odie: Moderation and discussion. You are a valued contributor here. I don't think anyone was intentionally trying to group you with the LTR (less than reputable). As custodians I am certain you can understand that we walk a fine line. Folks, eitehr rightly or wrongly ascrive some credibility to what they read here. In the past some have abused, taken advantage of that and operated under the false illusion of some de facto "badweb endorsement". I have a personally elevated uneasiness as one of the worst of all time produced a catlaog that was pretty much exclusively pictures of MY personal Buells (at the time I owned six) and copy to the effect "ridden by Court Canfield". He went on to fleece many a Buell rider for Penske shocks some of which I anted up for from other sources from my own pockets. Ergo, each of us as custodians, arrives with a duty to guard particpants against ill use of the board while simutaneoulsy fostering "Buell like" thinking. I say again, you have been a valued and respected contributor. May I susggest that, in the spirit of seeking a solution set, not ascribing blame, you contact Blake to discuss this. By the way, in Blake's defense, I too get many, many, many e-mails. As some of you know I am involved in several things Buell, a couple other hobbies and 2 buisnesses as well as Team Elves. Getting over 100 e-mails a day is not the least bit uncommon. If you send me an e-mail that has no subject, it instantly gets poofed. An e-mail with a subject such as "question" gets read when I get time...perhaps 4 weeks. I prefer e-mails with titles that allow me to know the subject. Unlike the F-15 Eagle weapons system, I can no longer track "multiple bogies" and give priority to the ones that produce checks on a regular basis.  . . . sound grouchy or what? Thanks for listening. | ||
| Odie |
Court, I really appreciate your moderation as I feel it is badly needed here. I, in no way, want to end up on the wrong side of Blake, the custodians, or BadWebbers in general. If you knew how much time I spend on here you would believe me 100%. I appreciate your opinion of me being a valued and respected contributor to the BWeb. I like to think of myself as one also as I am always willing and eager to help out someone individually or the whole group in general. I was beginning to feel like I was another 420 for a minute there! It is crystal clear to me the fine line that the custodians walk in preserving the content as well as the spirit of the BWeb. I back all of you 100%. If it were not for you all then none of this would probably exist. I totally understand how society these days believes all of what they see and hear. Sad state of affairs........I too, do not like to see people taken for their hardearned cash. I work just as hard for mine as anybody else does. Of course some policing of "non-sponsors" needs to occur to protect not only the BWebbers themselves but also the trustworthyness and integrity of the site. I'm trying to help people out, not take advantage of them. I guess it just irked me to hear that if you make something and you are not a sponsor then it must suck. Maybe I was quick to get defensive but I have tried, twice, to contact Blake about sponsorship, just as Signguyxb12 has. I understand about the quantity of received emails, I'm just glad I don't have that problem! I'm not blaming anybody for anything I guess I just wanted to stand up for those of us out here that do fab some things in their small quantities of spare time and take pride in doing it. I certainly wasn't attacking anybody nor was I trying to •••• anyone off. I think a good example of me not advertising anything is Firebolts statement that he didn't even know that I made some items. I have always kept it very low-key and played by the rules. Again, thanks for the moderation here and hopefully I didn't make too many people mad. I'm trying to be one of the good guys. Have a good day....and no, you weren't grouchy at all  | ||
| Bomber |
Odie -- I am in pretty much the same boat, in terms of making small numbers of parts for friends at a more or less break even point, so I am very understanding of your position -- Your rep is secure here, sir! I think some where simply trying to explain the sponsor guidelines in a slightly over-simplified manner is all -- drop Blake one last email, with BADWEB SPONSOR DOLLARS WAITING FOR YOU TO CLAIM THEM in the subject line -- that will likely get his attention! | ||
| Odie |
Bomber, yea I may have gotten a little too defensive too quickly. Being on 3rd shift keeps my sleep deprivation program going full swing! I will email Blake back and talk sponsorship. I'm trying hard to not look like the bad guy in all of this. Thank you Sir, Take care...Odie | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
once agin odie im truly sorry i think ur a great part of the bad web experiance that i really and truly enjoy. I look up to all the older guys in this place (wait thats everyone since i think im the youngest) and in no way want to •••• anyone off or hurt anyone here. on another note blake how did u make the link i put on my first post in to words? | ||
| Darthane |
Firebolt, you type (without spaces) \ link { url_address_here , text_to_display } Like this. | ||
| Dsergison |
Anyone want a spiffy sprocket cover? :P I did reach Blake, and he was very quick (and kind) to reply about the rules. Sponsorship was WAY OUT of the question for my level of commitment. He did reccomend to go through A.S.B. as a middle man, since they are sponsors. I don't want to go into business. I don't want to have orders backed up. I did make one extra cover to sell and I kept track of my time. about 4 hrs. I figured $75. I don't care to go into production unless there is a market who would want to pay me $200 a piece. at that rate I could kill a few days and make a bunch. but really, I have a damn good day job and a night job allready, my most valuable commodity is free time. I just wanted to sell ONE! I thought the classifieds was the appropriate place for such an item. I was told it wasn't. Oh well- Maybe it'll show up on ebay? (Message edited by dsergison on November 16, 2004) | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
buell it worked! |
