The HU 4wd Forum and what does it need to make better?

[Walkabout]

2.8

FAQs and Photos- Frequently asked questions and readers rides
(nice one silverG) note- A faq section doesn't generate much traffic so I thought it a good place for photos to hang around longer
The Campfire- Y'know, the place to tell your stories that start with " No sh!t, there I was, thought I was going to die....." ( just throwing it in there guys)
All vehicles 4x4 and 2x4- General questions/discussions and driving techniques
Two Wheel Drive tech-
Landrover tech - all models
Toyota tech - all models
Truck tech - over 3.5 tonnes
On the road - Safety, comfort, cooking and essentials-
Recipes, new products and stuff you just love - bedding, mattresses, swags, cookers, gas chairs, tents, fridges, medical kits, toilets, awnings, storage solutions etc.
Tyres and wheels- the endless discussion
Bush mechanic, Repair shops and Spare parts
Don't panic, make a cup of tea and lets see what weve got in our bag of tricks.
Truck and 4x4 mechanics/suppliers list and recommendations
Shipping & 4 wheel overland travel stories
For sale and wanted -
You look my shop? for you very good price

DRIVING TECHNIQUES (Sorry, can't find the bold button).
- includes for driving schools, offroad centres etc
This does not need to break down into 4x4, 2 wheel drive - this will happen in the threads I guess.

A general comment;
There is quite a lot of overlap with the bikes, but not completely.
So, it depends how much Grant intends to change.

Some areas of interest that have kindred posts (or can have):-
Wild camping
Repair shops around the world
Recommended accommodation worldwide
Shipping

[Grant Johnson]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

2.8

....A general comment;
There is quite a lot of overlap with the bikes, but not completely.
So, it depends how much Grant intends to change.

Some areas of interest that have kindred posts (or can have):-
Wild camping
Repair shops around the world
Recommended accommodation worldwide
Shipping

Overlap is an issue and I too wonder if it's worth duplicating the above. Unless convinced otherwise, I won't - although I suppose - here I'm convincing myself - that does mean the 4 wheel guys need to KNOW to go to the bike pages for those things - perhaps a forum that's really a link to the above forums - see the Travel Stories for an example of how this looks / works:

Ride Tales, Trip Reports and Stories - The HUBB

Travel Stories, Blogs is not a forum it just takes you to a page - which could be a forum, e.g Repair Shops.

Comments?

[Grant Johnson]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

2.8

DRIVING TECHNIQUES (Sorry, can't find the bold button).

Bold Button - you should have a bunch of buttons etc above the edit box - if not, go to your "User Options" on the blue bar just above the thread, left side and Edit Options - a long way down - then at the bottom of that page under Miscellaneous Options make sure "Enhanced interface - Full Wysiwig Editing" is selected. Save and you're good to go!

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Grant Johnson

Overlap is an issue and I too wonder if it's worth duplicating the above. Unless convinced otherwise, I won't - although I suppose - here I'm convincing myself - that does mean the 4 wheel guys need to KNOW to go to the bike pages for those things - perhaps a forum that's really a link to the above forums - see the Travel Stories for an example of how this looks / works:

Ride Tales, Trip Reports and Stories - The HUBB

Travel Stories, Blogs is not a forum it just takes you to a page - which could be a forum, e.g Repair Shops.

Comments?

Uuuuuuuuuuuumm, It's a tough call, if only because this is the website "that motorcycle travellers trust" = no mention of anyone else.
So, we are talking here about the whole website and not the portion given over to 4 wheel travel.
For a long time I never read the 4 wheel stuff, being a bike rider at heart, but I am getting older, so needs do as needs must.
Therefore, this question of developing the bit about 4 wheels relates directly to where you see the site going, this year, next year, whenever.

I have taken another look at the overlap and it is much more than I listed, and more than I realised, depending on the perceptions that are closely involved in my paragraph above.
From top to bottom, the site has fora which relate to bikes alone and yet many of them are generic to any form of travel on wheels --
Tours
Route Planning
Shipping the bike
Any of the regional forums (all 12 of them)
"Equipment and Travel" section - all 5 fora
The HU bar (doesn't have to be for bike riders only, nor does it say that, I think)
After that lot, if an individual is still scrolling down the site then they will come to a bit about bicycles, closely followed by the bit for 4 wheels.

+ sales of 4 wheels is in the 4 wheel section and not within the bit labelled "Want ads" which actually covers sales, swops etc of bikes (+ something about "money" which is bizarre really).

Just some more feedback Grant, but I can see that it is not easy!!

[twobob]

2.9 (without my inane ramblings plus driving techniques, Hu bar and brevity)

FAQs and Photos- Frequently asked questions and readers rigs
The Hu Bar-
All vehicles 4x4 and 2x4- General questions/discussions
Two Wheel Drive tech-
Landrover tech - all models
Toyota tech - all models
Truck tech - over 3.5 tonnes
On the road - Safety, comfort, cooking and essentials-
Recipes, new products and stuff you just love - bedding, mattresses, swags, cookers, gas chairs, tents, fridges, medical kits, toilets, awnings, storage solutions etc.
Driving techniques, tyres and wheels-
Bush mechanic, repair shops, suppliers and spare parts
For sale and wanted - vehicles and equipment.

nb. I think both bikers and fourbies would benefit from a combined Shipping section, there's plenty of space in a container for a bike and a car
I suppose we do need to work on the differences, eg Bush mechanics and Bike Bodges would speak different languages. Equipment is a major with cars ( Ive decked out both and cars are much harder/expensive)
Travel stories combined with bikes ?

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by twobob

nb. I think both bikers and fourbies would benefit from a combined Shipping section, there's plenty of space in a container for a bike and a car
I suppose we do need to work on the differences, eg Bush mechanics and Bike Bodges would speak different languages. Equipment is a major with cars ( Ive decked out both and cars are much harder/expensive)
Travel stories combined with bikes ?

Thoughtful stuff.
To me it is a case that is like the very old Irish joke "if I was wanting to get there, I wouldn't start from here" - but the website is what it is and Grant will need to decide if he wants it to morph into something that looks very different (more or less overnight I suppose), or have it evolve, Darwin-like, over a longer time frame. No doubt he will not want to p*ss off his bike following (it was a close run thing a few years back when the XT600 forum became a Yamaha forum).

Fourbies; yes, I like that!

[Walkabout]

2 3/4 years later, and here is a "nice" thread that contains a few more ideas while dealing with a range of so-called-softroaders.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...nordkapp-72894

[Grant Johnson]

My sincere apologies for not carrying through on this thread, but as you all know that's right when I was going through major medical issues and it fell between the cracks - er - yawning chasms... so let's get it done this time.

I have a few other changes to make to the HUBB, and it's a lot better from an admin pov to get it all in one shot. So, what do you think? Read the other thread, add in your voice!

Thanks!

[Gipper]

Grant, I don't think you have to apologise, we all know what a tough time you've had and Im sure I speak for everyone in thanking you for your and Susan's ongoing work that makes the HUBB THE best place for overlanders be it on 2 or 4 wheels

Ive just posted this In the overland tech forum re overhauling the 4WD section.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...0-2#post488319


Comments welcome.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Cleland

Just an idea, I don't think 2WD tech is needed, its the same tech as 4WD but one diff and transfer less,

It seems to me that there will be far more people travelling the world in "standard" vehicles rather than any form of 4WD.
Because:
1. 4WD is an esoteric interest compared with those who just jump into a vehicle and go.
2. Far more "standard" vehicles have been manufactured in the world than 4WD; naturally they are more commonly available therefore.

This bit of the forum is labelled as "4 wheels" and then becomes 4WD immediately with a bit of a nod, here and there, to specific makes and models along the way.
What about the driver of the 2CV, or the Peugeot 406 or a VW beetle, or campervan for that matter ............ whatever has just 2 driven wheels?
Can they expect any level of interest, technical or otherwise, in this site?

[Jervig]

I would say not too many subforums to start with, my list would be:


4 Wheel Trip Reports (Trip Reports for ALL vehicles)
4 Wheel Travel (Non Technical questions)

Car Tech <3500kg (Any Make 2&4WD Under this weight)
Truck Tech >3500kg (Any Make 2&4WD Over this weight)

Equipping the Vehicle (What's the best gear?)

Expedition campers (How or where to construct one)

For Sale/Wanted


GRTZ,

Jeroen

[Gipper]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

It seems to me that there will be far more people travelling the world in "standard" vehicles rather than any form of 4WD.
Because:
1. 4WD is an esoteric interest compared with those who just jump into a vehicle and go.
2. Far more "standard" vehicles have been manufactured in the world than 4WD; naturally they are more commonly available therefore.

This bit of the forum is labelled as "4 wheels" and then becomes 4WD immediately with a bit of a nod, here and there, to specific makes and models along the way.
What about the driver of the 2CV, or the Peugeot 406 or a VW beetle, or campervan for that matter ............ whatever has just 2 driven wheels?
Can they expect any level of interest, technical or otherwise, in this site?

I also think a dedicated 2WD forum is required within the 4 wheel section to keep up with changing trends, there are lots of people in older vans and newer shape Sprinters, VW, Renault etc etc not to mention cars and small vans that travel without 4WD

[Grant Johnson]

How about:

4 Wheels Trip Reports (Trip Reports for ALL 4 wheeled vehicles)
4 Wheels Travel (Non Technical questions, Driving Techniques, safety, comfort etc)

Car Tech (overlanding cars)
Light Truck Tech <3500kg (Any Make 2&4WD, includes tires and wheels)
Heavy Truck Tech >3500kg (Any Make 2&4WD, includes tires and wheels)

Equipping the Vehicle (What's the best gear?)

Expedition campers (How or where to construct one)

For Sale/Wanted
=======================


Expedition campers - I've had one suggestion only, anyone else feel it's a separate thing, or will it fall naturally under the appropriate truck tech?

For the overlap stuff such as shipping and repair shops, I'll work on wording for those forums. In the 4 wheels forums I can put what looks like a forum but isn't - it just links to the actual forum/page etc. See the second forum on the main hubb page for how that works.

Note that repair shops section says NOTHING about being bike specific, as many of these shops I expect will fix whatever - or know who does.

Let me know what you think!

[Lonerider]

I am a motorcyclist my self but have been reading this with interest as I eventually my get too old or my body might not take any more.

What about an over 7500kg section as I can only go up to 7500kg on my car licence being from the UK and some people travel in some big vehicles. I would be good to know if I ever decide to go to 4 wheels

Just a thought

Wayne

[Jervig]

An issue is Car or Truck, nobody in Europe will use the word Truck for any vehicle under 3500kg We would use Car, Van or Pick-up. To avoid misunderstanding this could be solution:



4 Wheels Trip Reports (Trip Reports for ALL 4 wheeled vehicles)
4 Wheels Travel (Non Technical questions, Driving Techniques, safety, comfort etc)

Tech for vehicles <3500kg (Any Make 2&4WD, includes tires and wheels)
Tech for vehicles >3500kg (Any Make 2&4WD, includes tires and wheels)

Equipping the Vehicle (What's the best gear?)

Expedition campers (How or where to construct one)

For Sale/Wanted


I added expedition campers because that is a world on itself. On other forums topics about constructing these kind of campers stay "fresh" for a long period of time, lots of documentation, pictures, tech stuf etc.

GRTZ,

Jeroen