I haven't followed this thread from the start so apologies if someone has pointed this out already but the reason for a few people posting much of the information is simply because the knowledge isn't spread evenly across the membership.
It follows the well-worn 80:20 cliche where, in this case, 80% of the knowledge will be concentrated in 20% of the members. Chuck, Mick and Hilary, to name but three, have access to an enormous catalogue of information courtesy of what's contained in their brains and through old bike catalogues and magazines.
Most of us don't have that sort of information to hand so it's no surprise when the answers to queries tend to come from the same sources. The solution, as I said before, would be for those in possession of the catalogues to put all the information up on a website or websites so that people can do their own research. For one reason or another, that's not likely to happen.
Most of us have neither the time nor (let's be honest) the inclination to undertake original research in Italy, France, England or wherever. That leaves members with no choice other than to appeal to the list for answers. It seems a bit unfair, then, if information is with-held simply because a particular member has used up his four post quota that day. Of course, the information can be sent off-list but the the result of that is the same question cropping up sometime later on-list.
And as for people sending too many meaningless posts that don't contribute anything, leave e-Ritchie alone: his one-liners are the best!
Bruce
Dundee
Scotland