Mmm, I haven't renewed my membership. As has been mentioned, beard strokers and bevel polishers (had to laugh when I read that) about sums it up. Then again, I didn't contribute but that's because I don't have a beard to stroke or a bevel to polish. Maybe it's a case of chicken and egg. On another topic, I do mourn the passing of the Ducatisti website. Now that was worth it's weight in gold.
In my entire riding career I've managed to successfully avoid joining any clubs. But that may have to change now I've got the Guzzi; there seems to be very little in the way of knowledge on the interweb, so I may have to cough up a few bob to join an owners club. Goes against the grain, though.
they have a website and forum, but don't criticise the bmf, one of their little hitlers (moderators) will have you banned from their forum
I won't be there long enough to get banned, just long enough to glean the information I need. I'm not a club person.
Hello Some of you may remember me from the days when I was DOC GB chairman. I am sad the see the gradual demise of the club having helped in rescuing it from the disaster it suffered in the early 80's. Unfortunately the present state of affairs was predicted when I left the club. I won't dwell on the past too much or fully explain my reasons for leaving. Enough to say that I was stolen from, lied to and generally F****d over by certain committee members. An article I submitted to the Desmo magazine shortly before I left was refused as it detailed too accurately what was happening in the club. I had some fantastic times over the 12 years I was in DOC. I personally consider that I did a good job, other people would disagree. One comment I once made to a dissenting member was ' we will provide the paper its up to you to wipe your own arse' I don't regret my time with the club I do however regret the amount of time I wasted on w*****s within it.
Agree, Ducatisti had the perfect balance of information and humour, decent admin team and a good member base. Shame it all ended
Nowadays folk communicate mainly via Facebook groups. Look for "Ducati Owners Club GB - [Kent/Essex/London/whatever] Section". The old DOC website is now little used. Some sections are lively, some are small, some become moribund for a time until somebody comes along and revives them.
If it wasn't worth joining in 2012 (when this thread emerged) has it got any better now. I saw the stand at Stafford last weekend, there were some big beards there so they scared me. The bikes on the stand were probably the worst selection of all club stands there. Some of the others were spectacular with the bikes on display.
I see this a lot, especially as I'm with one of the other DOC clubs (the DSC) rather than DOCGB. Someone has already said here that the clubs are only worth what you put in, and that's true, but the clubs also have to cater for the silent majority who are happy to pay their fees and get their money's worth out of it. In terms of activity, I see plenty of people posting here, on facebook, in other forums who say "but the website is dead..." - so why are you not posting there instead? If you spent as much time on that forum as you do here, maybe it wouldn't be dead? Facebook has killed a lot of forums because it is used for lots of things and seems to be part of our lives now; websites and forums in particular are very old hat now! As for the clubs fees, I can only comment on what I know from the DSC. The £25 a year covers the costs of the club which include the website, printing and posting 4x full-colour A4 magazines a year (roughly £800 a time to print and post just under 500 copies), the posting of the Desmo Owners Club kit that comes from the factory every year (t-shirt, pin badge, patch, small gift - a dog tag this year) and paying for things like t-shirts, stickers, lanyards, etc that are either bought or given to members. There's a lot of costs there and sometimes it's very tight with a small club. Nobody gets paid or claims expenses, so it's a lot of people's time spent organising this stuff for free, and they all still pay their membership too! So aside from an exclusive t-shirt, pin-badge, patch, gift and magazines do you get for £25? The rest is all discounts with official Ducati stuff or experiences that you wouldn't otherwise get. Discounts like free entry to the museum and factory at Ducati (normally €10 per person) or discounts on tickets like for WDW where they're half price for members (€40 instead of €80) plus advance booking. We also get access to events such as World Superbikes and MotoGP to meet the team and riders, have dinner in hospitality and generally get to hang out with them. The club is only as good as the members, but it's also only as good as the people that put the effort in. In regards to comments about international contacts, I've met and made friends with people all over the world - Italy (obviously!), Spain, France, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan (seriously!), Slovenia, Hungary, Netherlands, Dubai, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, the US - from LA to NY, Venezuela... the list goes on. I've flown over to Italy and been looked after really well by these people because we have a common passion, and I've done the same for them when they come here. A couple of weeks ago I was sending a Scrambler front wheel to the US as the ebay shipper was in the UK and wouldn't send it overseas so it came to me and I forwarded it on. Next month we're meeting up for the DOC party (V4 Day!) after the EICMA show at Milan. IMHO if you feel you're not getting anything out of a club then maybe it's not for you? Happy to discuss further...
Think it may have, given that fella up there ^^ isn't there and its that kind of elitist attitude that kills clubs. DSC was the same. Its simply run for the benefit of one or two and for the race series. Which, as its winter, will no doubt be full on Facebook of 'whats the DSC do for us?!' Same every year. Its a shame. Clubs have the habit of putting people together: forums don't. Most of my friends I have met over the last 10 plus years was via DSC. It was a great place to be.
I am an Elite now? That's a very old low value Lotus But to be fare you go to shows to see good bikes, and it let Ducati down when compared to other 'less elitest' brands. You have funny views (usually directly opposite to mine for effect) but you will know I agree with you a lot from my resposes. You'll never make an angel like what I will be
DOC has saved me more than my subscription money since I joined, on things like Ducati related purchases and my insurance. Plus you get free T shirts and badges annually and a magazine every month
View attachment 100709 View attachment 100710 [/QUOTE] I was talking about the new fella that thinks his members are w$ankers
I was talking about the new fella that thinks his members are w$ankers [/QUOTE] I have no idea what that means
I have no idea what that means [/QUOTE] 'One comment I once made to a dissenting member was ' we will provide the paper its up to you to wipe your own arse' I don't regret my time with the club I do however regret the amount of time I wasted on w*****s within it.'
I was talking about the new fella that thinks his members are w$ankers [/QUOTE] I'm the 'New fella' read carefully what I said. I did NOT say that my members were wankers. I referred to wankers in the club ie a few but certainly not all.
