30 year patch

[Hired_Goon]

If you can handle international orders then I'm in for a couple as well.

[madbiker]

This can go any where you want it to shipping will be a little more . Sorry I can't help that .
Madbiker

[Fddlefoot]

Me too please

I'm in for 3 just let me know where and how much

[omegaxj]

I'll take 2. Great work guys!

Mark

[eroellig]

Me two....

I'll take 2.

Watching the thread for the particulars.

Eric

[TopCatGr58]

30th Anniversary Patch Alternative.

Dear Fellow Xsives,

It is with much trepidation that I type this reply! This will be a long winded post, so I hope you're comfortable? I feel the need to provide some very important background info as part of the reasoning behind my following actions!

Several weeks ago, in the Northwest Rally forum, the XSEast thread, Wayne(Phoenix Rider) and Ralph(Madbiker) along with assists from Randy and MartyA came up with an awesome graphic to use for the T-shirts of the event. Ralph has done this before and has provided the high quality graphics and T-shirts commemorating these auspicious events for all to enjoy! See below his/their latest collaboration for the XS East 08 Rally in the Poconos, along with celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the 78E.


It was during this time that Wayne and Ralph talked about creating a patch for the 30th Anniversary of the 78E. Wayne then contacted me regarding the possibility of borrowing Wildkat's 30th Anniv. Design, but I told him that her image was too photographic for a patch, and would need to be simplified, but that I would work on it very soon and get back with him. A couple of days later I submitted my rendition of the 78E in it's simplified 7 color patch format to Wayne and Ralph.

Ralph has stated that he had access to a local patch maker, but after showing the image to him, was told that it was too complicated and would be too expensive to make. So, that's when Ralph decided to go with the Silhouetted image of the bike, to keep final costs down. When I had seen their latest design, I had informed them about the patch maker that I had used for the 2 recent patches done for the site, the XS-XJ Owner's Assoc., and the XS11.com Logo patches. And that site is where they recently posted the latest proof of their design from!

The text for the XS and cursive Eleven portion is not easy to find or replicate, it's only from Yamaha. This is why I took an actual photo of the side cover emblem, and then reworked it into a graphic for the previous patches. I applaud Wayne and Ralph's drive, enthusiasm, and efforts in wanting to create a patch commemorating this point in the XS11's legacy.

Below is a copy of an older discontinued patch that was done for the 78E years ago and offered on the site.


It was this patch that was my inspiration in converting the photographic image of the 78E into a fairly detailed, yet patch simple design when Wayne asked about Wildkat's design. IMHO it's the BIKE that we are celebrating, it's enduring quality, power, presence, and I thought that a patch should proudly display the bike's image in all it's glory and detail so that one can easily see and recognize the features that make our beloved machine what it is. From the color scheme of the original 78E, the seat cowling, the spoked wheels, the driveshaft, the finned engine/head, the flowing exhausts, the square headlight/gauge cluster to the carbs and intake box, etc.!

So...I put together a design, and submitted it to the patch company, and below is the preliminary rendition.


I first thought of using the vibrant Yamaha Yellow as the background, but I've received feedback from the mods and others, and made a few changes. I really liked what Ralph did with the metallic gold thread, but realized that it wouldn't show up very well against the Yamaha Yellow background. So...I created a black road for the bike to sit upon, and also a Macho Maroon backdrop for the XS Eleven logo so that it, too, could be rendered in metallic gold thread! See Below.


A little while back I had told Ralph that I wouldn't "compete" with his design, but that I had hoped that he would have tried to use the more detailed bike image after deciding to use the Patches4Less site instead of his local supplier, but it is with a heavy heart and concerned conscience that I now break that confidence with this reply. I think that his T-shirt graphic is awesome, and understand the limitations of silk screening that necessitated his use of the 2 color design for it. I sincerely hope that Ralph hasn't already approved and paid for the making of the patch he submitted?

I publicly "APOLOGIZE" for my treacherous actions, but I only have the best interests of the Xsive Community in mind in wanting to provide a patch that exemplifies what we hold dear in our hearts and minds regarding our beloved XS11. I feel that a patch has much more potential in being able to offer so many colors and detail. You can see examples of the http://www.Patches4Less.com/gallery.htm and the details that are possible by clicking on the link above. And so above is an alternative patch design, not so glaringly YELLOW, and allows the use of Metallic Gold thread for the main lettering. This design is expected to be ~5.5" x 4.5" in size.

I will create a new thread/poll to measure the opinions of the masses regarding a choice!
T.C.

[desert1]

Two 4 Me

Yeah I want two of the Macho patch 4 sure.....havent been around this site as often as I would like but I'm still out there and still as XSive as ever,
Bruce
78 0r 79 XS1100
Built Jan. 1978

[madbiker]

Short and to the point I'M DONE. You did this because We had our own design and you didn't like it so I'm done .
Ralph the pissed off biker.

[Brent]

aint changing MY order

I made my choice. I chose to buy. My order is in. I will stand by it.

Ralph, I still want 2. (And I am as good for it as I ever was).

[randy]

Forgive them, Ralph...they know not what they do. The design you and Wayne came up with is good, go with it. Please?

[79XS11F]

I will also be taking 2 or 3 regardless of the finial design.
Rob

[prometheus578]

"Truth be told..."

You did this because We had our own design and you didn't like it

I don't think so...

What happened was... Some other members knew of the other design and asked T.C. to offer it as an alternative. This, he was reluctant to do, fearing how it would turn out. Evidently, he was right.

Odd as it may seem to some people, there's actually members here who do things for the site, for camraderie, or just for the sake of doing things: Such as one member fixing TCI boxes for free... or a well known cranky bastard who spends hours fixing other people's carbs just for the price of materials and shipping. (Ok, that's not completely true... he does demand coffee from locals and home-baked cookies from distant members)
In regards to situations like this,
"If" the alleged injury suffered was just due to a potential loss of personnal profit, I feel sorry for whomever feels offended.

And if another member comes up with a design that he thinks has merit, I would ask him to post it, too.

(And yes, I was one of the group that asked T.C. to post his design... though I don't feel as badly about upsetting people as he does)

[Wildkat]

Wow... this took an interesting turn

While I think the idea of having an alternative design is ideal... I think the timing was really bad.
I too, had a design for a patch... based on my design for the 30th anniversary, but I was too late in getting it going and decided that once Ralph and Wayne had so much time vested in theirs... to let them go with it without making waves. As someone stated in another thread (or maybe earlier in this one).. none of us have the same taste in bikes... why would we have the same taste in patches?
Not everyone will be happy with whatever patch is decided upon anyway... why make waves? I like the simplicity of Wayne and Ralph's design... The alternative design was not even begun until after Ralph and Wayne had done all of their ground work, spending a great deal of time in the process.

They were hesitant to offer it to the group... then they did it... got a lot of positive feedback... and then this was done. I can certainly understand the hard feelings...

and prometheus... here ya go...

The border and lettering would be in metallic gold... If only I could have gotten the correct font... it could have been a contender...

[madbiker]

I waited a long time before I did this like Wildkat said she knew what Wayne and I were working on as did TC. I did not ask TC for help or did I want his help , but I did talk to Wildkat . So the way I see it Wayne and I are the only people in this mess that talked to real people about these designs. I never said they couldn't do it I said a lot of the detail will be lost on a smaller patch and unless TC changed his size his is a smaller patch . Also there being made by the same place he didn't say any thing about that.
Prom just so you know I was told by TC that he wouldn't post against this patch. So I have good reason to be pissed when you get blindside like this when all you did was help a friend design a simple patch. Also so everyone know don't own a running XS I ride a Royal Star as I said I was helping out A good friend.
Ralph the madbiker

If enough people tell me. I can sell the amount I need to make the money back I'll put in to this I 'll do this .

[prometheus578]

"I'm glad to see that you're still offering your help, Ralph."

Prom just so you know I was told by TC that he wouldn't post against this patch

Yes, this I know. T.C. stressed that point several times to me.(and others)
T.C. himself was against posting...
I counter-argued that others, myself included, might want other options and urged him, based upon that, to post anyway for what I thought would be the common good.
"The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.. or the one." (Ok, so I had watched an old Star Trek movie earlier that day and maybe that tinted my judgement)

Actually... I like WildKat's design!
Maybe because I prefer black and gold...
Maybe because I'm secretly afraid of WildKat...
I'll never say.

I don't even wear patches!
The last ones I bought are still sitting in a desk drawer. I just buy things because they're neat to have. I would buy one of both (or of three) submitted designs just 'cause that's how I am.

I freely admit that I know nothing of the economics of the issue; production costs, shipping, minimum orders, etc.
I also realize that even though we have a membership of 3,000, there will not be 3,000 patches sold.
No one should lose money out of this deal... a gracious deal to provide a service to other members.
Maybe the best thing to do would be to let the poll run for a few weeks... see how much member desire there is for each patch and then go with a decision based upon that.
The majority of the members get the patch design that they like, and no one loses money by ordering more than will be sold.
Based upon the poll numbers... there may be only enough interest to warrant a minimum order from the manufacturer. There may be enough interest in two designs to warrant ordering two minimum orders.
Hard to say at this point.

And yes, Ralph, I'm fully aware that as I'm not really involved in this venture I should just keep my mouth shut.
But, as someone who I feel caused this rift in the first place, I feel that I must somehow try to ease the tension and undo the damage I have done.