"XS-650 Garage Calendars"--sign up

[motormike]

Welcome Back .. when can we get a report about your trip..?.. Bike do well...?... perhaps a photo or 2? My buddy has a sidehack unit... Not pretty...pop's out of 4th... I'm thinking about a 3 day weekend with it .. but the girlfriend isn't too trilled about the idea. Mike, MN

[davmo]

I'll take one, maybe two. David

[barb]

Hi Guys,

Well, the trips have been great, but about the calendars.....(yep. Always business!)

Over 900 people have read this thread. We have a few less than 50 calendar "orders". That's around 5% of the people who read about them. So I'm wondering--what can we do to convince a few more--like 75 or 100--people that they can't live without a calendar?

I know this is for people to say, "Yep, I want one", but I'm certainly open to ideas, so ...... let 'em rip!

Thanks, Guys---oh, and Mike: if your girlfriend doesn't want go for a three-day bike ride........get a new girlfriend! ;D (OK, I'm kidding....)

Barb
Yammies & Beezers (and a T140 Triumph!)

[motormike]

I had her sit on the floor with a pillow under her.. with her legs extended.... " Now... think 4 hours " I tell her...... her reply... " I want the BeeMer.. "... M

[motormike]

Barb... it's almost Oct... is the calendar still on the table..? Do you have enough to fire up the press? Any ideas of what you are look'n ? .. Thanks for your work and attempt.... Mike MN

[barb]

Hi Mike,

Here's the thing: I've done calendars for other sites, and doing 50 calendars is just not possible, unless it's a charity thing, and I can't afford to do it that way. It would have to pay for itself, if not actually make money for the site.

If we could do 100, it would work. Barely, but it would work. I think we should continue to promote it, and see if we can do one for six months, or one for next year, but with fewer than 50 people wanting them, it just isn't economically viable.

It's disappointing, but I don't think it was a waste of effort--we can continue to talk about it, and when sufficient people want one, we will be ready to do it.

So--pretty much one last appeal for this year: anyone else want calendars?

Thanks to everyone who indicated interest!

Barb

[gus33]

I would love to have two of them. I hadn't seen this thread before, but it sounds like these might be good stocking stuffers as well. Maybe if we all ordered an extra one we could be closer to finishing Christmas Shopping. (I usually start on Christmas Eve)

[pamcopete]

barb

Email me the design and I'll do a down loadable version...like...FREE...

[e-mail]

[barb]

Hi Pete,

The way I've done it in the past has been to work with a local shop with whom I have a "relationship". I don't normally have a "preview" page, but if there is a chance it would get us up and over the limit, I'll put one together.

Realistically, I'd have to be working on it now in order to get them mailed before Christmas. I'll e-mail you with details and some ideas, OK?

Barb
Yammies & Beezers..and the unnamed Triumph

[slide]

Barb, how many more members do you require to place the order? Possibly the admins for this site could post a banner across some part of the main page to get you over the top. I would really like to see your project become reality. Good luck.
.......Mel......

[drooling-bloodhound]

I didn't read all the post but I would get one. I am a photographer and could photograph bikes in my area. You could build a version on sites like shutterfly, kodak or Iphoto and anyone could buy it. No money up front. People could email me images and I can size and tone them. I have a web site with ton of extra space and could host the photos members to vote.

[barb]

Hi Guys,

Doing a "virtual" downloadable calendar is a whole new thing for me, so if someone who knows how it works wants to put something together, I think it would be great! My experience and knowledge are with ink and paper, and we have moved beyond that---sort of like a modern bike compared to our XS's.

However: "free" and "down-load" sound really good, and I'd love to help make it happen. We have a volunteer (that's you, jcwphoto) who knows how to do this stuff....let's take advantage of the knowledge!

What do you need from the rest of us?

Barb

[drooling-bloodhound]

I can easily make the calendar on one of the sites I stated before. Kodak's calendar is $20.00 for one, $14.00 for $25 or more. Basically, I make the calendar and put a link for anyone who wants to order one. I will check the price at other sites later.
I would need enough photos for a calendar and the text that should be associated with each image. If people want to send me image, I can post them and members can email me with their favorites.

Note: this is not a free download but at the same time I don't make a dime!

A freedownload would take more time than I have . I would have to create a calendar and lay it out. I have to build my bike over the winter, well try to build my bike.

If members want to do the this let me know and I will tell you where to send images.

[drooling-bloodhound]

Okay, cafepress has calendars for 14.99. It is a pretty cool site. You can create just about anything you want and it you want to sell it you can. I make custom shirts their for x-mas.

Let me know what you think. I will be able to tone and color correct all images so they look the same.

[CLAY]

OK- I know I'm not on here as much as some of the others, but I'm making a calendar again this year. Some of you have seen mine from last year and maybe bought it.

Note to admins- this is *not* a for profit calendar. I'm not trying to take over your project, if you are still doing it. I'm selling mine at cost, rounded up to the nearest dollar, plus shipping. Like last year I'll probably try to sell a few on eBay to cover my gas costs- that's where I try to recoup a little for my time.

On to my idea:
*If* you are interested in doing a joint one next year, I'd be happy to take it on. I work with the XS650 mailing list (YAM650 at Micapeak) and the calendar I am putting together this year is with bikes from those list members. We vote on the bikes that make it in to the calendar- I simply take care of the grunt work of designing and shipping. I'd do the same thing here, but do it with both places. It appears you don't have quite enough interest to make it work successfully.
Here's what we do- I announce the collection of pictures and collect for a month or so. I host and number them on my photobucket page, then at the end of the collection we simply have a vote. List members vote for 6, then we narrow it down, then vote again to get the final 12. I get a hundred or so printed, then sell them off until they are gone. Last year I got a second printing of about 50 I think for a total of about 150. Last time I only had 1 to sell on eBay and barely even covered my gas. I didn't go in the hole thanks to a few who "tipped" me. So, I learn and do it again this year.
For me it's about promotion of the beloved XS650. I'm posting this because when I did last year when this came up, I was shot down. I have no problem with that- I just thought I'd offer my experience and success to this site.
If you *don't* do one, and the admins are OK with it, I'd be happy to offer them here at the same price as I offer them to the "list" so you have something- then next year we do it jointly. I forget the price last year, but I think they were around $12 or so. I'll know more later. On the back I included a list ofXS650 sites and sources for parts, including this forum, the email list, and the usual places like Omars, 650 Central, ad Mike's. So you got some free advertising from me anyway. Like I said- it's about the XS.
Thanks for your time!