Inherently, it seems that to make new friends in the outdoor motorsports world, you’d want to head out to the trails or a local club and connect with other ATV riders, sled heads, boat lovers and 4×4 nuts. But that’s not how things work anymore. We have the internet, you know, and the internet is (as backwards as it may seem) perhaps the best way to meet other motorsports enthusiasts.
Over the past decade, the interest in online forums has boomed. These online destinations offer a place for people of specific interests to connect with similarly minded individuals and share ideas, successes, defeats and shoot the breeze. Forums exist for nearly every hobby or interest. However, motorsports forums are a unique monster that feature online discussion boards for nearly every make and model of vehicle, type of vehicle, and hobby. Are you dyed in the wool Toyota guy? You’ll find a forum. Do you live for weekends on the trail in your rock crawler? There’s one for you. A diesel-only kind of gal? Lots of places for you to chat.
Finding a forum is relatively easy. Thanks to the power of Google, you need only to search for the topic forum that you’d like to participate in. With little effort, you’ll be directed to the sites in your realm. In fact, you may even notice that when you search a motorsports topic, many of the top answers are from some of these forums. After browsing the posts and deciding you want to post back and forth with other members, simply complete the quick online registration and start posting.
In motorsports, some of the most trusted experts are people that have played in the sport for years. Expertise comes from experience, and forums offer a place for outdoorsmen, and women, of all knowledge levels to come together and share with one another. Although, you may be surprised to find that forums don’t just harbor hobbyists. Many times, major specialty parts dealers, competitors and industry experts will also participate in online forums; giving you a place to get great advice – for free!
Beyond tech advice, motorsports forums typically feature a place to ask about performance upgrades, troubleshooting tips, part swaps or sales, and upcoming events. The events part allows users to communicate with other nearby users and arrange days to ride together or visit a local competitions. It is, perhaps, the best way to meet new motorsports buddies without those awkward moments on the playground.
So the next time that you’re looking for some input about why your sled won’t start, what that weird clacking noise is in your truck’s front end, or want ideas about upgrades for your ATV, search the forums and join the world’s largest online community of outdoor motorsports junkies.
