Our newest web site

We acquired a web site called www.canadianriders.ca
"Riders in need have a friend indeed"

It's a web site about riders who are willing to help out when you are broke down on the road.
Ali and I will start revamping that site and trying to get more riders involved with helping each other out. It all started when I asked for a link on that site! Peter asked me and Ali to take it over.

I have emailed all of the members there and invited them over to www.beltdrivebetty.com

It is my hope to add all of those who wish to be part of our riders phone book (Belt Drive Betty's Little Black Book for Canadian Riders).

To that end We are going to offer this:

For $35.00 you get your name and a phone number (email as well if you have one) added to our phone book for the city/town you are from in the phone book.

You also get a copy of the phone book mailed to you.

If you think it's a good idea, let me know at bdbetty@gmail.com

Stay safe out there....
BD Betty

New Forums

Well it looks like a good number of riders are checking out all of the new tools, our forum is only a few weeks old and seems like it's catching on.

If anyone has any comments on the site, new tools you'd like to see or functionality or navigation issues - give us a holler. Ali has been like a mad woman with all of her hard work! Wait till you see what she has it store for all of you tomorrow....

Be good out there....

BDB

Finally!

One more big data entry job done!
I do believe I have everyone loaded into the new members format.

If you can't log in or have any challenges just give either Ali
or myself a holler - we'll get you up and running as soon as we can.

There are going to be more tools on the way very soon. It's amazing the work that can go into making a good web site. Virtually every day we are tweaking, fine tuning or adding something. My hats off to Ali - she does a kick ass job!

One of the new tools that we will be adding is a Riders Helping Riders Section.

We acquired a web site called www.canadianriders.ca

It is a place to list yourself if you are interested in helping fellow riders when they break down or are in need while on the road.

Eventually we plan to incorporate this information into our riders phone book!

So much to do and so little time to do it in.....Don't forget to be at a cenotaph near you tomorrow and take a few moments to give thanks for our freedom....

Stay safe out there...

BD Betty

Memberships and other stuff

Hi everyone,

Ali has our new membership program loaded. I am going through every one's files and updating information and trying to contact everyone.

If you aren't showing up yet, give me another day or so, then if we lost you you might have to re register. Sorry gang that sometimes happens when upgrading components.

The good news is we now have members forums, puzzles, word searches, the on line phone book which has become really popular with the riders, the new events calendars and a whole host of wonderful tools.

We hope you'll become a registered member on the site and take advantage of all of the tools - it's free!

Subscriptions to the electronic version of the paper are still only $5.30 per year and include the membership on the sites and all of the freebies and tools on them....

Stay tuned - more improvements coming.....

BD Betty

What's wrong here?

Why do so many motorcycle shops and retailers not want to advertise in a phone book for your saddlebags?

Send me your thoughts on the subject at: bdbetty@gmail.com

I'd love to hear what you think.

BD Betty

PS - I have almost reached my goal of 1,500!!!!!

Pushing 1200 Entries

I'm just cooking with gas today - almost 1,200 entries in our on line phone book.

My goal, by Wednesday to have 1,500.....we are getting there!

Have a great day!

BD Betty

Sad news in Canada.....

There are some very sad things going on in the motorcycle industry here in Canada, and it looks like the motorcycle industry here is going to go through much of what our brothers and sisters south of the border are going through - a slow down.

Companies like Honda are going to the big box style of sales where you can buy a boat, generator and car from the same guy that sells you a bike - closing out all kinds of small dealerships. Here in the North you can't even demo a bike unless the dealership has a bike for that purpose. You have to make an appointment and go to Edmonton to test ride a Honda now.
Why? Economics they say.

The other sad thing is the number of bankruptcies and close outs -and the strong Canadian dollar is a huge contributing factor. Many businesses bought product when the dollar was not so strong and are still sitting on that product. Why? Because bargain minded Canadians are going south to shop be it in their cars or through the net. So, the American economy will benefit from our strong dollar and Canadian businesses will suffer for it.

Everyone wants to save money and who can blame them, yet at the same time it is causing a back lash, Canadian businesses are starting to close their doors. I know it's affected the paper in a very negative way as more and more businesses tighten their belts - their advertising budgets for little publications like the Busted Knuckle are the first thing they trim.

Why? Because the advertisers doesn't feel that they get that much out of the money they spend with us. They don't think you guys actually read this thing so....they cut their ads.

For me, it's a double edged sword - the bankruptcies have meant that businesses who owed me money are now not paying me for what they received and we have lost 10 advertisers already.

All I can hope is that I have the ability to weather the storm, many it seems have not been able to.

We need your help. Tell the businesses you see in the paper that you do read it.
If you don't, the paper may end up being another casualty.

Stay safe out there.....
BD Betty