IMHO there are plenty of good (as opposed to hot air) replies by noobs and more experienced bike travellers on this forum. The reason why we don't have the same volume as other sites:

1. Overland bike travel is still a minority activity, despite the publicity by E&C etc

2. Just because you're interested in overland bike travel doesn't mean you have the skills/hardware/software/time/inclination to write about it/advise other people. Lots do trips without broadcasting it on the internet.

3. Many regular people don't want to repeat what they have written elswhere already to answer the same question that's been asked many times before. Often novice IT users (who don't know how to search a website)/bike travellers are overwhelmed by the size (lack of clarity?) of the HUBB/main HU site and find it easier just to post a new question without doing any research first themselves. They are then disappointed by the (lack) of replies and go off somewhere else quietly or complain about it.

4. HU is an English language site and people whose 1st lang isn't English might be able to read English but won't feel confident writing it.

Turbo-Charger: Don't assume that G and S read every thread on the HUBB. If you can offer help with backend stuff, maybe send them a PM.
cheers
C

Yes I agree. I hope it stays that way but I feel it is unlikely given it's growing popularity.
Very true. I still know a handful of people that don't even use the net and have travelled extensively.
I even felt this way at first, that's mostly why I'm still on this site trying to contribute to the wealth of knowledge that is here. IMHO the biggest challenge of the Internet and not just the HUBB is discriminating the good and the bad from the completely ugly (read dirty) info that exists. But let's be honest, there is no reason why novice IT users (or anyone for that matter, present company included) should not learn to do a better search as indicated above.
Yes right again. But this site wouldn't work if it was in Spanish or Chinese now would it.
No assumption made on my part it was more, let's say rhetorical. But the offer still stands.

My intent on the HUBB right now is to get feedback on my buildup of my R80G/S. I would love people to see it, comment on issues they see, offer suggestions of things to do and give me advice. If nothing more than a "Hey, looks good" Is motivation. To work on the bike I have to slog through 3' of snow for a .10 mile and work on it in 30-40F temps. That's with the heater on.

So far I have a few useful folks, but most just hang back and say nothing. I'm also posting the buildup on ADVrider for the same reason and the feedback there has been great and has allowed me to avoid a few major pitfalls. I've actually had guys even send me free parts that help with the rebuild.

I look at it as the HUBB is made up of folks so completely removed from my "orbit" I would view their input as valuable advice not typically offered by the stateside mainstream. I just wish I had some more.

Then again. One guy on the HU pretty much told me to trash the POS and buy a real bike? :rolleyes2:

It's been a mixed experience. But I take what I get and post accordingly. If you notice I am a contributing member so you know where I stand on HU. :cool4:

Spam spam spam spam (in a Monty Python voice)
 

I have anecdotal evidence (i.e. I’ve banned about 15 of them in the past fortnight!) that quite a few spammers joined the HUBB in the early part of this year. What they do is post innocuous enough first posts, then a little while later they add an advert in their signature or edit their text to include adverts. Often their IP address is from the Indian sub-continent.

If you spot posts from noobs that seem fishy e.g. user-name and location identical, random irrelevant (particularly non m/c travel related) “facts”/words that have just been copied/pasted from elsewhere etc, please report the post (button to the top-right of the post if you’re logged on) and somebody will look into it.

Cheers
Chris

Thanks Mods
 

Sneaky bastards those spamers!:thumbdown:

I'm glad you're on the ball and have been 'protecting' the rest of us from the spam so zealously. :clap: Thanks for all the slient work you and the other mods do everyday.:thumbup1:

While backpacking East India and Nepal I fell for the Enfield and hired them when I could, all the time planning my next India trip to buy one.
Found Ted Simons book in the library and Simon-says "get ye to HU"

Escaping the tourist traps and finding the essence of a country is what is in the heart of adventurers The joy of riding a bike as well makes it an addictive pleasure. ( I wonder if I'm fixposting ? :blushing: )
For most of my touring I don't carry a camera ( I find them obtrusive to take pictures of people, though I am carrying one now for the vistas)
I have no desire to make a web-page/book/documentary. I like my privacy
I do desire to make friends.
This site has resisted the "internet wasteland" mentality that can be insulting to those of us of chronologically challenged, an as a good source of info here I want to help and be helped.

I wouldn't worry too much...
 

Having read the previous concerns about adventure touring becoming 'mainstream' - I wouldn't worry about it.

I'd suggest that 'adventure touring' is so far out of most people's available time, cash availability and comfort zone that it will always be a minority activity. We are now several years post LWR and the 'Adventure-Touring explosion' hasn't really happened. Sure, its bigger than it was, but its still tiny. That's why nobody will ever make any money out of an AT book (except Ewan & Charlie of course). I believe (I could easily be wrong) that even Chris Scott doesn't make that much from the AMH - the market is just too small. If that's true, there's no hope for anyone!

Indeed, as far as I can tell the A-T explosion is limited to the dealerships. People buying 1200GS, KTM, Teneres etc and using them to commute, or for weekends away or for trips round europe. Fair enough - they are big, comfy reliable bikes. However, countless people have always done this - just on different bikes.

Henry drew a comparison with the explosion of rock-climbing in the 1990s. I remember that explosion - it happened just after I gave the sport up and I remember driving past crags and going "What the hell! That's a girl on that route! Wait, there's another!" They came just a little too late for little ol' me! :(

However, I'd say AT is more like ice-climbing. Rock climbing is nice and easy - you can ponce around in your arceteryx jacket and fashionable beanie, chit chat with girls, brew up a latte in your stove top espresso... and these days, on bolted climbs and indoor walls, the danger is almost non-existent. That explosion never really happened in ice-climbing, because ice climbing, no matter how you cut it, is cold, uncomfortable, painfull and dangerous.

AT is, by most people's standards, I would think, just a little too committing. It's difficult to organise, unbelievably expensive, can be really very uncomfortable (!), takes a huge committment in time, often requires a total abandonment of any career one might have, and can even be a wee bit dangerous (asian drivers, anyone?! :) ).

Of course it has its rewards! But these are difficult to appreciate if you've never actually experienced them first hand. So I wouldn't worry too much about the current interest in 'adventure motorcycling', I reckon it is almost entirely generated by people wanting to sell CNC machined aluminium to the masses.

Of course, I could be talking bullsh*t! ;)

Matt :)

PS - Welcome to the noobs! :) We've all been guilty of public noobity at some point or another...

I'll drink to that! beerbeer

Indeed, been there done that:blushing:, nowadays I like to think (perhaps slightly disillusionally) that I have something to give back to the AT community.:rolleyes2:

Nice analogy Matt.

It does seem that as the more adventurous hobbies become more mainstream, there will always be a larger cluster of folks in the safer middle ground of that pursuit.

Climbing as a whole will have the most people top roping and indoor climbing and the outliers will be the ones freezing on the waterfall.

Motorcyling as a whole will have the most people on the cruisers going for sunny Sunday rides and the outliers will be the ones out adventure touring.

Hopefully as a group we create a welcoming enough environment that more folks venture into motorcycling in general and from there migrate as far as they wish into the even more adventurous aspects.

Welcome to any and all newcomers:)

Hear hear! :)

Noob#1
 

Hello Veteran HUBBers

Thank you embrassing and welcoming the noobs!

I must/could/can be one of many noobs hanging around nowadays! Nice to meet you all!

I was not aware there was a mainstream feeling going on. I signed up because I thought I was dreaming the same dream as my fellow HUBBers (experienced or not) did: travel the world on a motorbike and share these adventures with others. Ok, maybe I'm not as experienced as many of you might be, for now. But who knows what my future travels might bring you.......

For the time being, thank you for all the advice that you have given me so far and hopefully I (to) can give something back in return shortly; bier.

Lucien

Mate welcome aboard bier I go to the da Haag now and again, besides I have freinds who live there & for me a short boat ride :scooter: