What does everyone think?

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I hope 2015 brings you health, happiness and the bike of your dreams. The following is a proposal sparked by two recent suggestions.

The first was from Wayne Gillies who told us about how he was loaning his bikes out to local businesses, so that they could be enjoyed and appreciated by others, which was a super suggestion.

The second was from a long-time forum member who suggested we empty the current Gallery and use it to highlight collectors and their collections, be that one bike, two bikes or whatever. Another great suggestion.

I know many of you have posted photos of your bikes throughout the Forum, but this would put them in one easily accessible place – the Gallery - listed by collector.  

The new-look Gallery would highlight the collector as well as the collection. So we’d need some biographical information. Where were you born? When were you born? How have you made a living? Do you have a family? How did you become interested in vintage bikes? Why CCM? What was your first/best/most interesting find? Do you restore bikes? How did you learn about bikes from a mechanical point of view. Trial & error? Mentor? Etc. Etc. As much as you are comfortable with and wish to provide.

We’d also need a recent photo of yourself and if you had a one of yourself as a youngster with your bike that would be cool too. Really, your spot in the Gallery is your own, so it would be up to you to decide what you want to include.

I will talk to the lad who looks after the site from a technical point of view to see how best to facilitate this. I know he's reluctant to provide public access to the site, outside of the Forum, for fear of it being hacked etc., so you may have to send your material through me (or another member should one be willing to look after the Gallery), but we’ll work out those details.

I think this would breathe new life into the Gallery and would provide members with an opportunity to showcase themselves and their bike(s) in a place that was both permanent and flexible and has a high degree of visibility. The Forum has 600+ members and this is still the go-to site for anyone looking for info about vintage CCM.

This is not to replace getting the real thing out into the real world, as per Wayne's suggestion, but it might be the next best thing.

What do you think? Suggestions? Do it. Don't bother. Please respond in the Forum post entitled 2015 Gallery.

Thanks,

John