Noticed a theme recently and wondered what other members think. What I've noticed is on a fair few members profiles, instead of saying something about themselves, they are putting comments that they think the site is crap. Now before anyone jumps up and down and throw their toys out of the pram, I fully accept everyone is entitled to their opinion. What makes me curious is that these members are not obviously active on the site, ie, forums etc, and if that is a fair assessment how can they judge the site? It's similar with chat, which used to be busy, but now seems to have more members going in just to moan how quiet chat is. (My thought would be that maybe the moaning about no one being in chat actually puts others off, but hey I could be wrong) So what do you think?

I can see there point the site is dead nobody is posting most of the members have moved on for one reason or another and now we are left with a small number of the long standing members. The site will only pick up IF the members want it to, You get out what you put in.
Event's are the best way to meet up so get along and meet the rest and put a face to the names.

Next weekend we have the Big 0  Birthday weekend free camping all welcome bring the kids bring your Granny come in the car this is not a bike only event.

We are looking at a christmas party in the south Birmingham area but this is dependant on numbers so its on the events thread if you want to come get your name down.

Christmas dinner Alice is planning the dinner at Squires bikers cafe near Leeds open to all members its on the events thread

Next year I am planing a North Devon camp again open to all if you dont have a bike your welcome to come in the car and join the fun. If your interestred get your name down.

We have over the last few 5 years run BMs own Kiss rally this has had good numbers at all and been a great little rally this had to be cancelled this year due to the organizers having personal issues and being unable to continue. As no other member was interested in take it on it fell by the waysaide we hope that next year it will be back with a big bang. 

There are a few other local events going on around the UK but as I said you only get out what you put in so if you would like to meet up with other members grab a life jacket from the the coat hook and jump in the water is always warm and inviting.
If you dont want to join in and meet other members thats fine we know that some members are on here just to meet a partner or for other reasons.

may be if we do a chat in the chat room at a time so peps can go in and there be some one in lots go in just at different times if we have a time may be that would get the chat back up and runing 
as for what people say on there profile bets ill tell you later                                                                                                                                                                              

Good idea KC,let's hope that it isn't hard work talking to people. Can we make it an unwritten rule not to turn it into a doctors waiting room as well please?                                                                                                                                                                             

Only trouble with setting a time is work. 66 as you know all to well it dictates your social life to a massive degree Yes you have a few times during your shift you can get a 45 min break on line as you eat your lunch but it really needs folk in there most of the evening. Im know Im not one for the chat room and I think Ive only been in a couple of times but thats me I dont like it I cant read or type fast enough to keep up lol. I think its about time Matt stepped up and ran a massive promo to boost the site for the upcoming winter when its crap weather and folk are stuck in the house. Im not talking about the freebee he gives to existing members but give it to new member BOGOFF buy one get one free you pay a month get 1 free you buy 6 you get 6 free.

Must admit i wandered off for my own reasons for quite a while,and returned for a 'security blanket' feeling,as i've always enjoyed the banter on various games/posts...can't see why people sign up if they're only going to knock it,they're free to try elsewhere.
You pays yer money and makes yer choice..:)>                                                                                                                                                                             

may be a time as 8 till 9  then see how it goes or 9 till 10  pm that is bit harder in the day with peps at work or out on the bikes weekend and such i dont know ill put a post up may be have a question and answer night for new ones to pop in  or  set up a ask about the bike i know we can do it on the forum  but i good to talk 

I'm just glad I'm back :) This site was a lifeline for me when I needed people, only sorry I've not been able to get on as often as I used to
See you in chat folks :D

                                                                                                                                                                             

So other than the events about to happen, what else, as members, can we do. I like KC's suggestion about posting a time for chat and then those who are available can pile in.

It can't all be down to Matt offering deals.

Catkins has done a lot of new game type threads in the joke/fun forum as well. I know people use the ones they like and leave the others, but it's great to see the choice.

So, again what more can we do?

No its not all down to Matt but it would help to boost the numbers when its needed most.
                                                                                                                                                                             

I don't see how offering a BOGOF will help. We already have a big membership base but it consists of people that don't want to interact publicly, and many who don't even bother coming on here anymore. They have made their connections and are perfectly happy to just send pm's to each other or go on dates/rideouts with whoever they are engaging with.
It feels like the site has reverted from being a social site back to a match making site but behind closed doors.
I have been in chat tonight with several veteran members in the hope of coaxing some new blood in, but a member from over a year ago appeared and said nothing. Even though earlier he was moaning no-one ever came in to the chatroom. 
If people want to pay a subscription to this site and keep their heads below the parapit then that is their choice. Also, if they don't wish to use the forums actively they don't have to.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.                                                                                                                                                                              

It will bring back some of the older members who have stepped back this site has changed over the years and the members who were on here for the social side have stopped posting. When you look them up there all STD members and some I have spoken to have told me its down to money they are short of money and FB is free. I kept asking folk to put there pics on the events but it its to much messing about compaired to FB so thats where all the pics went so the events looked dead with just a few pics. The site needs to be user friendly and its not. IMO the changes that have been made over the last couple of years have all been a backward step. and the new profile layout looks like its from the 80s. Lets see how long before Matt comments on this thread 

A pound a week to be a full member is too costly? I've heard it all now. Long term members who are active on the site get a very healthy discount, and if they attend the KISS rally, when it's on, they get a promo code anyway.
I have been a member for about 4 years and there are members who have been here a lot longer, but I have never seen them in the forums or the chatroom.
Loading pics onto events galleries isn't exactly rocket science and even after Matt has tweeked things from time to time, it doesn't take long to get used to it. Certain members have in the past complained that photo's of rallies not connected to BM were always loaded to fb, and nothing to BM, even though a lot of them were of members having a good time at those events.
Perhaps Matt should adopt a policy of paying people to join up? Even then no-one can guarantee they will actively take part on the site.

Looks like its my turn for you to try and start a row with if you dont like my comments that fine as I said IMO.
                                                                                                                                                                             

I am not trying to start amything, I have my opinion as well, or are you the only one allowed to voice their opinion.                                                                                                                                                                              

Break..!....:0>                                                                                                                                                                             

I disliked Facebook intensely,for the hour i was signed up with them...i'm not a bloody hermit,but to have 36 people professing to be 'friends'..when i've never met or heard of them..not for me..my true friends? i have known them all for many years,as they have me..and we all accept each other,"warts and all"...'small in number,but solid to the core'..(i may copyright that)...:)>

think  1 a weeks greaat but to get that you need 52 pound all at once is hard for me and if you pay monthly it more than a 1 pound 
but peps will find the mony if thy what to come on here i think it just it is a dating site and when peps come on here thy see that first i fell on to the fun side and was very glad i did i made lots of friends on here but unless you look at the forum you dont know about the other side of the dating site i will post a chat room post in the forum at see if we can get it back to being used  
hugs xx                                                                                                                                                                             

I couldn't afford £52 all at once either KC

The other problem is you have to be a paid up member to post in the forums, send a message, join in the chat room etc
So people won't know if it's right for them until they've paid, so it's pay yer money , then find out you don't like it , or not what you thought it would be.
.
Bike groups on Facebook are plenty and free, same banter, same chat , good and bad advice rides out, events ,so on.Join a group, join in or leave , costs nothing .

JINX , I know you don't like Facebook, but th " suggests " you might know these people to add as friends , doesn't mean you have to take notice .
It isn't the actual people professing to be your friend . (Takes a while to he the hang of how it works .) Yes I know your answer , you won't bother , you don't like it.
Its not for everyone.
I've made plenty new friends on here and on Facebook, some are still only online friends not yet met for real but still friends.

Point is, I reiterate , that here you have to pay to participate,, e.g.I had to pay again simply to post my opinion .Although I understand Matt charges for covering costs .

I get the point about the subs etc. I didn't pay full price for the year this time, the discount was brill. Noone can expect Matt to run the site like Facebook though, nor for him to not cover costs.

I also get that some don't like Matt's changes, but let's be honest here, Matt isn't going to win on this point. Changes need to be made to keep the site viable with phones etc. Whether he makes changes or not some one somewhere will moan.

How about new members get a free week to look round the site, thus a bit of time to make minds up.

However, that doesn't change the query I had, which is why members are commenting as they are in their profile. That is the issue to resolve, not just subs costs.

Prime example was last night in chat. A member bobbed in, didn't say anything, didn't get involved, but not two hours earlier was complaining about chat being empty. Now I get not everyone in the world wants to chat with me and I'm fine with that, but you have to put some effort in, dont you?

I also understand people just want the site for dating.
But I like the site because it's more than just dating.


Maybe that isn't something that is clear, maybe people have been knocked back when they've approached others. Maybe they are expecting the site to be more like plenty of fish etc.

How do we change perception