Nothing worse than a 'strategic nod' - think there may be medication that can help that lol :- )                                                                                                                                                                             

If you can't send nods as a standard member, then how do 2 standard members know if they should join and start chatting? If they knew the other person was interested then they might sign up. Unless nodding is restricted to only standard to standard, or full to anyone.    ???                                                                                                                                                                             

Full to anyone, if a standard member is interested in someone and wants to get to know them then they should subscribe                                                                                                                                                                              

I upgraded to be able to contact who ever i wanted,would have done it sooner but being new to computers it took me a while to work out how to pay,however emails were answered very helpfully.   Having established a wide group of biking friends from on and off the site im going to take a break for the summer but may upgrade again later in the year.   I would quite happily pay more to have a private instant chat facility,think that would be brilliant and would def encourage more people to upgrade,Ive not a clue of how complicated or costly that would be to set up.   did you consider giving potential upgraders a free weeks premium membership?                                                                                                                                                                             

I upgraded to contact people, and as others have said it's not expensive. I must say, I get a bit fed up of getting nods from standard members - I kind of think if they want to speak to me they could spend a fiver and subscribe just for th month!!   I think an instant chat thing would be good too - good idea Julie!! :o)                                                                                                                                                                             

Hi, I upgraded this year because of the fantastic social scene. I've been to a few events this year and must admit I've been made very welcome by new and old members alike.
I realised its primary set up as a dating site, but I wanted too meet bikers in my local area.
Also cupid's arrow has struck and I'm dating somebody off the site and things are going well. I shall be renewing my membership when its due cus I'm active in the forums and enjoy alot of the banter
Its a good site Matt, nice one mate
                                                                                                                                                                             

Lol I know what you mean angel, they nod at you in the hopes you will pm them 1st so they don't have to be a member. . Cheap skates

I agree with the being able to reply if a full member pm's 1st as I know that's one of the ways Jackie and I and others try to get mew members to join in :-)

Cheap skates Shell - good description!!                                                                                                                                                                              

i upgraded because its the only bike site ive seen so far with forums and other social activities, i dont own a bike but have been a pillion since i was 15, i very much miss not having a partner that is a biker,im still looking to meet the right person and make some new friends hopefully one day maybe somebody will invite me to join in, at the moment i feel like the kid in the playground with a yoyo when every1 else has a pogostick!

Aww Boody hun!!  You poor soft sod lol!

You really don't need an invite, all are welcome.

However, I understand that it can feel awkward to just turn up as the newbie, so here's your invite.  Next meet/event I want to see you there lol!!  It don't matter if you have to make your way by car even, just get yourself down to it and say hello.                                                                                                                                                                             

Matt I joined the site in 2007 as a fully paid up member and have had a annual automatic renewal but doing this I missed out so many times on reduced membership so I have now gone down to a standard member, do you think it would be a good idea for long standing members to have a discount based on how long they have been paid up members for and not for them to just have to cancel then re join when there is an offer on.                                                                                                                                                                                 

I'd agree, folk need to see the site before they pay. People won't pay if they can't see the benefits.   But I think they should pay before thay can become active. ie before being able to nod, pm, post on the forums, etc                                                                                                                                                                             

Julie... I regularly upgrade accounts at random (kinda random, still gotta keep out spammers). 3,000 people have free access this weekend and until Wednesday who normally only have standard access.  Those who get freebies have a few requirements of their account beforehand, but I wont say what they are.  Instant Messaging.... I'll look into it.  Would it really be so good? CG... There's a discount running now.  Anyone who cancels and then re-upgrades will get 20% off (there's a code given to you during the sign-up period).  You're always welcome to PM or email me and ask for a code, you'll certainly get one from me if you've contributed previously.                                                                                                                                                                             

instant messaging would be great! I use it on lots of other sites,chat all night long sometimes, i do send a lot of messages and its a real pain having a conversation that way but a lot of the time its not things that you would want to say in the chat room, i know there is the option for private conversation but then you are still surrounded by what everyone else is saying.Maybe its just me that would like it   the competion got a lot of interest, how about another one?                                                                                                                                                                             

Thanks Matt, it's only because I have a free week I have been able to reply to this thread so maybe giving people a couple of days as a full member to see what they get different might encourage them to upgrade.   I have had hours of fun on the chatroom over my time on here.                                                                                                                                                                             

hi I,v just been pm,d by some1 who was a standard member but has been given the promotion your running matt so thats a good sign that people will try the site and then upgrade you have to get a balance of lettn them get a taste of how good the site is and hopefully they stay and pay                                                                                                                                                                             

Julie, the competition got a bit of interest.  However, it took a LOT of time and energy on my part.  It run me right into the ground and Bridgestone were really difficult about the whole thing.  I almost had to go and buy the tyres from the shop myself because it took until LAST WEEK (8 months?)  for them to give the tyres to the winners (and that was only after threatening them).  Not only that but after all the effort I put it, there were a lot of people moaning and complaining about rules etc (like having themselves on the foto with the bike ffs!).  So I don't think I'm gonna be doing that again very soon, cost me a lot of sleepless nights programming and I just got an earful from a lot of members.   Also don't forget that at the moment I can't do any programming cos of my back.  See here if you didn't catch it... http://www.bikermatch.co.uk/sites/bm/forum/posts.asp?to...ic_id=5195 I'm off work now and have been for 3 weeks in a LOT of pain.                                                                                                                                                                             

hmmm well i upgraded coz i saw some posts and felt the need to reply matt plus the site dont do anything much if you dont upgrade dose it glad i did though its been a real help getting to meet up with new people   so keep it up bud  !                                                                                                                                                                              

I upgraded from a standard member to paying member because after looking at several other 'bike related' sites, this offered me a bit of everything ... Technological help if I needed, practical advice and support reguarding biking issues, events that looked welcoming to someone like me, who wanted to get back into the biking scene and didnt know anyone on the site, and the social side of the site that has brought up less serious chat and often silliness ... that is def been a form of bonding with others :)   Upgrading gave me the opportunity to join in on the forums which in return has made me feel a lot more comfortable when going to meets because of the chat and pms already had with people :)   Im not saying its perfect, but by far the the best 'balanced' site ... so was well worth my upgrading, and shall continue to do so.   My son has just joined the site and after being a standard member for 1 day ... hes already upgrading, cos he said he would get so much more out of it by doing so and ... its only going to cost him 2 pints worth a month ... apparantly.                                                                                                                                                                             

cool, that's good to hear.  You'll have to get him to show you how to upload photos that aren't microscopic!