LIST OF THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU POST

alright...

so upon logging in today i noticed some 29 new threads... yaaa.... thats quite a bit. and probably 60% of those are all about restoring carbs in a newly aquired bike... not hating or anything because i was there once but its my opinion (hate it if you will) that we should create some kind of list of things that you should do before you post a new thread as to keep the place from getting too cluttered with threads about nothing... and i don't mean to offend anyone or anything it just seems like it could be a time saver on a ton of levels (that of people trying to get help and those wonderful souls giving it)

this isn't an actual list but i do say that someone who would know everything to put in here... (ex: Rick, MiCarl, Gamaru... ahhh you all know who you are) puts up some kind of list of things people ought to do before they make a post... here are my few thoughts and i'm sure there are alot more that could be added to it..

first things first:

1) make a signature with the year, model, miles, and modifications of your bike(s) it is vital information to know if any specifics are needed in your question

2) register your location on the XJbikes map

MECHANICAL

1) read the bible of carb cleaning http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1961.html
do as it says and clean your carbs.

if that doesn't suit your fancy try this one!
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2908.html

2) after you've put them back together and your bike still won't start without starter fluid read the enrichment circuit bible... http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=8918.html

3)Many other problems you may be experiencing are solved somewhere within this page.... go to it!
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=8588.html


ELECTRICAL

1) Replace your stinkin fuse-box! link found here. http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2210.html

2) if your bike does not start then follow these instructions and locate the problem! http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=7828.html

3) great reference for just about all of the electrical system!
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Spee ... html#alter
LASTLY

1) get down on your knees and thank RickCoMatic and Gamaru for all there most excellent FAQ's and HOW-TO's by using them and not posting useless threads without having at least read and tried what they say!

 

07 - I share many of your frustrations.

My 2 cents:

My number 1 biggest frustration is when someone new shows up asking for help and we go through the same usual routine of what, where etc. Perhaps Sno could make year, model, displacement a requirement when registering.

It's time to graduate the XJ FAQ SUGGESTIONS and move many of those great articles to the empty XJ FAQ section. I think if I showed up for the first time and saw FAQ empty I would also just start posting.

There is a lot of stuff ending up in the wrong sections. We've got tech stuff in the General lounge, general stuff in the XJ Chat section - for sale, wanted and regional stuff all over the place. Perhaps the moderators could better enforce putting things where they belong.

I really don't fault new people for just diving in with their carb questions etc. I understand what it's like to have a new bike and be focused on getting it going rather than searching through a zillion posts to find a particular situation.

 

Gentlemen, I agree with you about the clutter. Folks keep posting in the wrong forums and, well, I have not been as attentive as I ought to be. This said, I will bring up the moderator issue with the moderators and Sno and see if we can't come up with a plan. Perhaps some more folks brought aboard as moderators, it is a bit of a task to drop in regularly. I know for myself that this is becoming increasingly difficult, life has placed more demands upon my time. And I know I am not alone. I'll shoot the question and we will see what happens.

 

more moderators... oooooh who gets the honors!? dibs that gamaru should... he's always here...

 

Ok folks, I posted the question. Now we sit back and wait.

 

IMHO, 07's post starting this thread makes great sense... worthy of sticky status?

 

Might well be Gcrick, might well be. The great and powerful Sno will speak to us (hopefully sooner than later, pay no mind to the man behind the curtain...).

 

added another link to the electrical section... its super in-depth for just about all the electrical stuff on an XJ...

 

just my 2 cents as useless as it is, We newbies lookin for technical advice and panic striken answers arent considerate enough to read 2 weeks worth of searching in our spare time to find the answers that may be of assistance. I personally have gone through much of the things that 07spacker has posted about but not until i was DIRECTED there by a friendly helpful and absolutely LUCKY chance upon another thread. MAYBE suggesting the gamuru THREADS OF the 8588.html REQUIRED reading would help eliminate the repetitions fo the (WE) mindless that figured this would be a great adventure and tackle it head on. i personally have been researching for over amonth before i found this stuff.
And many of the technical guys have been quite patiently answering my idiotic questions and i thank them for it. But much like a tired father(of one i am) we all lose our minds some days. i completely understand this,but a friendly point int he right direction would of course alleviate much of the harrassing repetitous monotonous questions.
just a thought from the other side o the coin. And i CAN appreciate all the views,from the newbie to the Techy. thanks for everything from all you guys that respond consistently and aptiently with us.

 

I havnt been around here as long as 07spacker and many others but I certainly agree with what he says about the same `ole problems over and over, thats just how it is considering the age of these bikes and what maintenance probably hasnt been done.Without even getting into mod`s. Ditto for the empty FAQ section. Maybe its a matter of how the site is set up, 07spacker`s first 2 points are a good idea and when someone joins the site perhaps a list of the common problems/ questions attached to how to links is the first thing that comes up. Not that I could actually help with doing that, being such a computer klutz. Hope I havnt stepped on any toes, just another 2 cents worth. And as it says in my sig` thanks for all the willing help here!!

 

Best thing to do is ignore posts you don't want to answer.

I belong to another forum where the forum "Mr. Know it ALL" posted links to every newbies question with a icon saying USE SEARCH.

I can tell you that there and here, the SEARCH feature pretty much sucks.

BTW the forum got more irritated with "Mr. Search" than the newbies and he's now banned from the forum.

It's simple, don't want to post to something DON'T. Don't make things harder than they are.

JMOOC

 

I'm pretty new to this site, in June I bought a 85 XJ700 Maxim X, love the bike, and of course I have carb problems, I can't tell if it's getting too much or not enough fuel, at full thottle between 4 and 7 grand runs like crap then it takes off like a bat out of hell... I understand the frustration you long timers have with people.. I've been trying to learn the site and where to find the info that I'm sure is posted somewhere. This my first post because I don't want to be a pain. Hopefully the other newbies read this post...

 

Welcome Billt1969, its not about being a pain. I would suggest you introduce yourself in the general lounge and raise your question in xj chat where it will probably get more attention. I am not knowledgeable enough to answer your specific question, you could try searching the forums for something by Rickomatic or Robert. But back to the point I raised earlier these things arent Kenworth 22? wheelers, theres only so many problems to find and they have been. Enjoy your bike.

 

I like 07spacker's idea. When I first got here I didn't know much about forums or bikes (ok, so I still don't know much, but more than before).

A very obvious place to to look up FAQs could save a lot of repeats. Kind of like a tutorial since I suspect that most of the newbies are new both to this forum, if not forums in general, but are new to XJ bikes. It takes at least a bit of knowledge just to ask smart questions.

 

Coming here, I've actually been surprised at how little this kind of problem is regulated.

I'm very new here, but have been on technical forums like this for a long time. The most successful, legitimate and helpful of these forums have management that is very serious about stopping this kind of clutter. No one who puts time into this forum wants to spend time on the little obvious stuff, and it is much more fun to come and read about some of the more intricate things people are doing.

This way, everyone learns more and has more fun. You know, I've even seen forums that don't allow you to post in any of the technical sections until you have a certain amount of posts in a "newbie" forum. Everyone does their time in there, and then gets to move in with the big boys. In that specially designated forum section, there would be lots of carb questions, oil change questions, and it would be rather unlimited with what you could post, plus there would be all the best stickies, write ups and knowledge from the best guys at the top. It would force all the new owners to read exactly what they need to be reading, and still have a place to talk to somebody.

Then, the rest of the forum areas would be less cluttered, and the guys who really like talking about more serious matters and more intricate projects wouldn't miss out on stuff because it gets lost in the mix.

I would very much support a system like this. I know it's some serious reworking of the system, but it would make EVERYONE happy.

 

The pain is whats inside my head and eyeballs lookin for this stuff...........hahaha. these tech DIY's and tips really need a central location,like say AN EMPTY FAQ search,or maybe create a new one JUST for NEWBIES to make the whole process easier on both,the newbies AND the tech writers who are so sick o the same questions over and over and over and over and over and over.........................yea u get the idea.
Having difficulty with the Motorcycle end o the mechanical stuff is my SPECIFIC problem, and trying to find all this information scattered out is as much of a P>I>T>A 4 me as it is for the frustrated support gurus.
Just my 2 cents worth!

 

8O

 

It's an easy matter to avoid threads you don't want to participate in. A forum is for discussion, even if its of subjects you personally have already discussed.

 

To quote Wade Garrett in Roadhouse, "EGGZACKLY RIGHT".

 

I empathize and am an offender. Um, maybe not everyone realizes it, but this place is Deep with quality content. Should also add that it's tough to find more generous and helpful people as a group anywhere.

I know and feel your pain for other interests and in other places on the interwebs--it's hard to keep spending (precious) time when you see the same stuff repeated.

If nothing else, hats off to 07spacker for the threads listed in the first post.

I know everything I haven't even thought yet is here...I'm just still getting to it all. Thanks again to everyone for the patience.

ps so far, 900 miles since August and my face still hurts from smiling