I'm noticing a massive spike of forum users/visits

[GypsyR]

Word about the knees is getting out.

[vividpixel]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

The more I talk to my auto body buddy, the more it makes me want to keep and rebuild my 2001 Ranger when the time comes, instead of buying something newer.

I've got a 2002 Ranger 2.3l cylinder with a manual transmission and I also don't know if I could let it go, but it has been quite the problem-child for a vehicle with only 65,000 miles. This is compared to a 2004 BMW Z4 3.0i with a stick shift that I've had almost a decade, going from 62,000 to 125,000 miles and only ever needing simple repairs, and not a single clutch replacement. The Ranger...well it's at least on clutch #3 that I know about, and there's this intermittent cylinder 1 misfire that has not resolved with plugs, wires, coils, or sensors. The BMW, in fairness, was over double the MSRP when it was new, but that Z4 has been the most reliable car I've ever owned.

Back on the topic of the forum and user spike: I really do like forums but this vBulletin software is really showing its age as far as usability is concerned. Would love to see it updated, or converted to XenForo, or something free like MyBB. It majorly sucks having to ever use this forum with a web browser on one's mobile phone. Additionally, the "VigLink vBulletin Plugin v2.0.6" that you can find at the end of the page's source code, well that plugin often changes links without users' knowledge, and sometimes it sends people to a completely different website than the poster actually intended. Would be great for that to go away, at least.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by superjocko

I would have almost automatically bought a Japanese DS bike if they didn't cost more than three times what I paid for my TT250. That price shock is what lead me to alternatives and ultimately to this site.

Same here. We were looking for a couple smallish camping bikes to haul in the truck bed with the trailer behind us. I was STUNNED when we walked out of the Kawasaki/Yamaha dealer. Why on Earth would I pay all that money for a couple 125's we may ride three times a season?

I was bitching to Mrs. 2LZ dad about it and he showed me his Hensim quad he just bought from a local China bike dealer (Doug on this site). Next thing I know, we had a pair of Hensim DB150's. Bikes, helmets, gloves, trickle chargers, and other schmise......1500.00 OTD. More than worth it. We had a blast on those little bikes.

[Mikd]

I was looking for a small dualsport to keep on the back of my RV and use for light dualsport exploring and grocery runs and figured a Honda CRF300L at $5300 would be great. I've been riding dualsport for decades (ugh). Well that 5300 turned into almost 9 grand with dealer fees and market adjustments so I came home quite dismayed (as a 4 decade Honda guy) and found the Templar X which seemed to fit the bill and had some decent utube reviews so I clicked buy. Damn happy I did as it has turned out to be exactly what I wanted at a price that didn't hurt. I was so impressed I ordered a scooter as well and that has also been fantastic. The big name manufacturers really need to get ahold of their dealers actions and greed before China cleans their clock. The CFMOTO 450 MT and Kove models should be a real wakeup call for the big boys that China has arrived and is quite serious.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Mikd

I was looking for a small dualsport to keep on the back of my RV and use for light dualsport exploring and grocery runs and figured a Honda CRF300L at $5300 would be great. I've been riding dualsport for decades (ugh). Well that 5300 turned into almost 9 grand with dealer fees and market adjustments so I came home quite dismayed (as a 4 decade Honda guy) and found the Templar X which seemed to fit the bill and had some decent utube reviews so I clicked buy. Damn happy I did as it has turned out to be exactly what I wanted at a price that didn't hurt. I was so impressed I ordered a scooter as well and that has also been fantastic. The big name manufacturers really need to get ahold of their dealers actions and greed before China cleans their clock. The CFMOTO 450 MT and Kove models should be a real wakeup call for the big boys that China has arrived and is quite serious.

If the Chinese bikes take enough money away from them, they will change their tune. Same thing happened when the Japanese brands came on the scene in the 50's and 60's. Cheap and reliable enough transportation. It's the "market adjustment" stuff that I hate, as do many others. It's biting a lot of dealerships in the butt now too, especially Ford dealers. They have 2 year old trucks they can't sell and are STILL trying to get over MSRP for them.

[Mikd]

I consider new truck pricing as a "stupid test" at this point. I refuse to purchase a new truck as I don't want to support this madness.

[XLsior]

its somewhat ironic that the Japanese brands are being overtaken by essentially their own 30 year old engineering and technology. Though that seems to be a case of history repeating.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by XLsior

its somewhat ironic that the Japanese brands are being overtaken by essentially their own 30 year old engineering and technology. Though that seems to be a case of history repeating.

That....and everyone now has computers. 30 year old designs, being built more accurately than they were 30 years ago.

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

That....and everyone now has computers. 30 year old designs, being built more accurately than they were 30 years ago.

And cheaper too.
Maybe the same price as 30 years ago, but without inflation.

[Thumper]

Maybe "everyone" had computers ten years ago, but that trend is over. Now, smart phones that have high resolution 5" and bigger screens loaded with text, and apps for email, streaming video, and all sorts of social media, all of these things are migrating to mobile devices!

I wonder how many of these new users browse oldgeezer bikes, I mean China Riders on a desktop?

My 73 year old older sister is a luddite, and when her laptop volume was too low suddenly, she didn't look for volume control, she started watching videos on her 3" flip phone. Gee

Not me I have an i7 6 core with 32Gb ram, noice 6Gb video card, and twin 32" monitors, and a Klipsche Promedia sat/sub.

We are lucky to have access to hardware that would be considered supercomputers a couple of decades ago for barely over $1000 !!!

[Aussie_in_MO]

I'm running a retired CAD workstation tower from my former workplace as my main PC these days.
Thinkstation S20 case, W3550 CPU, 32GB of RAM, 6TB of storage, dual Quadro 600 graphics cards running a quad 24" monitor setup.
Total investment? $0.00 (ignoring the 5 years of soul-sucking that job did to me)

[XLsior]

My mother told me stories of how she worked in a punch card compute room.



Moore's law though is effectively dead now. the number of transistors are hitting a limit on the silcon wafer. Which is why there is an incentive towards light and quantum computing.


I think that's why there is such a push towards 'AI' becuase basically there is a hard wall conventional PC hardware and the 'upgrade' path is not offering a lot in terms of value over the last couple of generations of domestic hardware.


Yes advances are being made...But I seem to be playing more games from 10years ago and don't need a $5000k PC to ray trace graphics when I can just step out side and not deal with DLC and microtrasactions.


All these stories of EVs on autopilot racking up kills. Then the sociopaths in places of power wanting to switch off your tracked vehicle remotely because you violated your carbon credits...


That's why I am grateful for being 1 of the last analogues in a the smarter the phone, the dumber the person seems to be world ...