Data on BARF newcomers

[NorCalBusa]

New members calculated...

View attachment 598196

Begs the question; did/what changed in 2008-2013, and 2016-2023 on BARF and in California? Other influences (national, global, industry)?

 

[NorCalBusa]

We did an "assessment" of BARF using AI a couple months ago.
To sum it up, BARF's challenge is: Converting casual riders and search visitors into participating members.

I think the challenge all forums face is the types of content and the response in engagement is much different than FB, IG, YT, and X. Topics are generally introduce via short format video, hosted on site, not linked to other places. You also have to tolerate "braindead n00b" content on those sites. Where on forums, there tends to be knowledgeable veterans, with the good and bad that can come with that type of user. So us "experienced" folks also need to remember that being encouraging and welcoming is important in maintaining our community.

I think that high quality, engaging contact and real world community social experiences would encourage more our of younger motorcyclists no matter what the data might imply. Bike nights, rallies, half-day group rides, garage maintenance meetups, etc. That is the way.



IMHO.

Does that suggest there is no "there" there?
Newbs come and its new/interesting for a short period of time, but nothing that urges coming back. No "hook". It would take some testing/modeling to see what works- recognition, prizes, status, contests, whatever.

 

[ctwo]

Begs the question; did/what changed in 2008-2013, and 2016-2023 on BARF and in California? Other influences (national, global, industry)?

I joined in 2015. Before that, I was engaged in model specific bike forums, mostly for technical support. I still do that but most of those members are far enough away to never meet, but I'm light on that anyway.

What I recall was a lot of SJW, moderation, internal infighting... There were some class clowns that got cleaned out. Then there was the sensitivity to misogyny. There were probably other real-world things going on, like what insyder mentioned. The tech and method of interaction changed that better caters to shorter attention span and media sharing.

 

[insyder]

Begs the question; did/what changed in 2008-2013, and 2016-2023 on BARF and in California? Other influences (national, global, industry)?

2016-2013 VBulletin was suffering from technical issues, some of which was long term poor maintenance. Caused the forum to run very slowly.

IDK around 2008-13.

 

[insyder]

Does that suggest there is no "there" there?
Newbs come and its new/interesting for a short period of time, but nothing that urges coming back. No "hook". It would take some testing/modeling to see what works- recognition, prizes, status, contests, whatever.

Here's the full ChatGPT blurb:

This is not a startup forum trying to find an audience. It's an established community with deep roots, thousands of historical discussions, active staff, recurring events, rides, classifieds, technical discussions, racing, law enforcement, and social sub-communities. The forum appears to have successfully migrated to XenForo in 2024 and remains active in 2026. (Bay Area Riders Forum)

What Makes BARF Valuable​

The biggest asset isn't the software. It's:

• 20+ years of content
• Strong regional identity (Bay Area motorcycle riders)
• Real-world events and group rides
• Recognized community leaders
• High-quality technical discussions
• Established culture and inside history

That combination is difficult for Facebook groups to replicate.

What I Would Focus On​

For BARF specifically, I would rank priorities:

1. Mobile experience
2. Registration conversion
3. Classifieds monetization
4. Event participation
5. Re-engagement emails
6. Social login

Notice social login is relatively low on the list.

Should You Add Google/Facebook Login?​

Google: Yes.
Microsoft: Probably yes.
Facebook: Maybe.
Why?
Most riders already have Google accounts. One-click registration removes friction for new members arriving from search results, ride announcements, YouTube channels, or social media.
I suspect Google login would outperform Facebook login on BARF today.

What Would Move the Needle More?​

If I owned BARF, I'd focus on:

1. New Member Funnel​

When a user registers:

• Welcome message
• Introduce yourself thread
• Local rider groups
• Upcoming rides
• Classifieds rules

2. Email Digests​

Weekly:

• Popular threads
• Upcoming rides
• Classifieds highlights
• New member introductions

3. Guest Conversion​

Many visitors are probably lurkers arriving from Google.
Consider widgets like:

Join 100,000+ Bay Area riders discussing roads, gear, rides, racing, and local events.

above thread lists in selected forums.

4. Premium Membership​

BARF already has community loyalty. A premium membership offering:

• Classified perks
• Ad-free browsing
• Member badges
• Ride discounts

could work well.

XenForo-Specific Observation​

I noticed BARF is already encouraging 2FA because of spam and account compromise issues. That's a sign the community is large enough to attract abuse, which is actually evidence of success. (Bay Area Riders Forum)

My Overall Take​

BARF's challenge is not "getting people to register."
BARF's challenge is:

Converting casual riders and search visitors into participating members.

Social login helps with that conversion, but I'd expect:

• Google Login = worthwhile
• Microsoft Login = worthwhile
• Facebook Login = modest benefit

If you are looking at widgets, ads, and registration improvements, I'd spend most of my energy on guest-to-member conversion and re-engagement, because BARF already has the hardest thing to build: a genuine community.

 

[insyder]

REAL WORLD engagement can get us places.

Organizing events, having branded swag like stickers, shirts, wrist bangs for brake master cylinders, sponsor discount coupons, key fobs.

Of course this kind of thing requires volunteerism to make it happen.

 

[NorCalBusa]

First things first- what do these potential "customers" have to say (while also important- without the AI filter/interpretation/spin)?

Perhaps a poll of those that have signed up in the last two years would be telling (Private so folks speak freely)? A thoughtful introduction, maybe a dozen questions (too many Q's may not get thoughtful answers- but include a place for free writing (not just check-a-box) at each Q and at the bottom. "What would you do..." kinda thing.

Content of the questions is critical, do we have any marketers with experience or know someone who does? Perhaps not an old fuck like me, but someone in tune with today's 20-30 somethings.

Ask longer term folks too. What do you miss/want to bring back/change? Be sure to filter results so Yr 1, Yr 2, Y5, Yr 10 etc. can be seen for differences.

Maybe vendors (retailers) would provide prizes in exchange for modest/well done ads? "Shop at Bob's" isn't going to turn the dial, they'll need to get creative. I suspect if its newbs we need, Riding Schools are a logical start- I also suspect that might be hard money to obtain so flip it- BARF has widget prizes they donate to these entry level schools. For more advanced training, they get space for well done ads that must include a value, "sign up via BARF and get $ or a t-shirt or whatever" (thinking aloud).

I think having some "Feature" content on a regular (monthly) schedule would be cool. Real writers, submit their articles for publication on BARF (fitting guidelines) in exchange for autographed books/t-shirts, a cool get together, etc.

In all the above, we need to be careful not to get "too slick"- has to keep the BARF flavor/style.

 

[Cabrito]

I was the class of 2010 and there aren't a lot of us still active.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I was the class of 2010 and there aren't a lot of us still active.

ha! mee too …


got way moar involved with BARF cuz someone told me I “had” to go to a BARF rally. most likely wasn’t something that would have occurred to me to do, left to my own devices—that personal invitation probably changed my motorcycle life for the better—I like to think so, anyway.

 

[deathbug74]

REAL WORLD engagement can get us places.

Organizing events, having branded swag like stickers, shirts, wrist bangs for brake master cylinders, sponsor discount coupons, key fobs.

Of course this kind of thing requires volunteerism to make it happen.

I think GPT is onto something with (optional) email digests, especially for upcoming events/rides, though this does tie into the need for volunteer involvement. Making it easy for people to know when and where things are happening is a plus.

 

[needles]

I think GPT is onto something with (optional) email digests, especially for upcoming events/rides, though this does tie into the need for volunteer involvement. Making it easy for people to know when and where things are happening is a plus.

I subscribe to the group rides and social events forum for this reason. if we can make that easier to do, I agree with GPT here.