K11 Owners Group

[Ted]

Hi Folks,

Well I have never had so many private messages as the last two days. I never knew so many folks read the boards and rarely if ever post too!

My thoughts on this...

1. The K11OG has always been a place where I have viewed as an oasis free from the often heated and divisive discussions of religion and politics (and some of you might know that politics is my livelihood - yep, I am a political hack/wonk.) People have needlessly died over those two things for as long as man has had the ability to have either, and its malignant influences have sure found a great home on the Internet.

2. We're maturing from a specialty board where folks visit to discuss K11s to a place where people have forged friendships and want to move beyond just the bikes and such and discuss other things as well.

I've put a lot of thought into these two things over the last two days, even got up at 3am to sit on the porch with a cigar and the dog to try and find a way to both keep this place "pure" yet also realize that we're people with lives and ideas that we would like to share with friends.

I think I might have a solution and I would appreciate your thoughts - by private message please as I think that folks will be more open not having to be concerned with being drawn into a debate or argument.

Here is what I came up with...

1. The Dungeon stays, with some caveats...

a. No religion or politics. As I mentioned above, I think it is rare that anything good comes of these two except on boards specifically designed for them. Further, they are a moderator's nightmare. And because this has come up on other boards with an "Other" area - if you cannot click on it at work or in front of your 4-year old, put a "NSFW" in the thread title (I'd rather not have to get in to whether a nipple can be exposed or not or how sheer fabric may be, use your judgment )

b. It is "Closed", yet access will be wide open for all that ask. There is a lot to be said for "don't like it, don't click", yet there is more I believe to be said for "don't want to see it, don't have to."

c. No attacks or insults, implied or express - "play nice."

d. So what's left? This will be home to the off-color jokes and such, rants and raves (such as my experience with the pizza delivery guy who stole my Christmas Wreath last night), pretty much anything but religion, politics and the "needlessly divisive."

2. Now you might ask if that is what the Campfire area is for? The Campfire is for everything that is somehow even remotely related to motorcycling or the motorcycle experience but is not Tech, Trip Reports, pictures, product reviews, etc. Take a look at the threads in there, they are all somehow related - it is where I hear about new bikes, see pics and read stories of different parts of the world, hear about great places to eat, share road recommendations, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, the list goes on (and happily, on and on...)

Well those are my thoughts, I would appreciate yours.

Ted
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Ted
KOG#1

[Off the grid]

Think of it this way.

When you go to a rally, when you go to a meet, hell when riders from this site meet up, what do you talk about? Is the conversation 100% about motorcycles, all the time? (BMW or otherwise)

The answer is no, absolutely not.

If you get involved in a conversation that bothers you, that makes you uncomfortable, you walk away.

You can choose who you interact with.

It's the same thing here.

People have many different conversations about many different things.

I think the Dungeon should stay as it is, and threads should only be locked if they degrade into personal attacks.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[Jim]

OK - Ted asked for you guys to send him your thoughts by PM - private message. Locking.
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Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."