Rider Club

Bigfeet51 · Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:49 am

Guys, I am interested in starting a Rider Club here in Long Island NY and was wondering are any of our members part of a Riders Club?

Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:57 am

I thought about it when I first started riding. There were two things which stopped me; the groups that existed has a new-riders-are-dumb mentality (like I had to prove myself) and their group rides were all about who could go the fastest and who was best. One of the reasons I started this site, but couldn't get enough Colorado XJ'ers to ride.

Bigfeet51 · Mon Dec 12, 2016 12:01 pm

radare wrote: the groups that existed has a new-riders-are-dumb mentality (like I had to prove myself) and their group rides were all about who could go the fastest and who was best.

That mentality is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. In Brooklyn and Long Island starting a Riders Club without contacting the dominant Motorcycle Club.

Tue Dec 13, 2016 11:49 am

Here are some good reads. The first two are written by the same guy. I think he's a douche. But he does have some valid points and it gives you an idea of the mentality out there.

https://bikersofamerica.blogspot.com/20 ... cycle.html

http://www.rcvsmc.net/id16.html

This one doesn't really talk about clubs, specifically, but about women getting into riding. It's a good read, though. I firmly believe that women motorcyclists bring a much better balance to a club then a group of men. If you can figure out how to create a club which is gender inclusive, I think your chances of success would be much greater.

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/tra ... ting.shtml

And some motorcycle clubs that are comprised almost entirely of women. Interesting to follow up on some of them. What is most note-worthy is that female-rider clubs are much more about the riding and much less about the image (as opposed to the Harley/Indian type clubs that men seem to flock to):

http://independentmotors.net/motorcycle ... for-women/

I don't know why this one is here. But know about it:

http://nypost.com/2016/02/02/law-abidin ... ker-gangs/

Bigfeet51 · Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:47 pm

I read the first two articles many times already and I agree with you about him being a "douche"

Many of my friends are part of Motorcycle Clubs and they have asked me to join, however after being around them and certain other Clubs, I rather be around a more positive group of brothers. We have a huge dominant Motorcycle Club (that was on the news this week) in my area and I wouldn't want to be disrespectful by breaking any rules that are required in starting my own MC or RC.

Tue Dec 13, 2016 1:25 pm

The first, second, and fifth articles that radare linked really point out the distinction between riding clubs and MCs. MCs really seem to be for people that want the image and a bunch of buddies who are into the same image. The attitude of the author of the first two articles may not be true for all MCs, but it certainly seems to be the stereotype. Would he really go harass a bunch of old dudes who wanted to start a vintage BMW club in his town because they didn't get his permission first? His point that there are too many posers who want to form Sons of Anarchy-style faux 1% groups is valid, but he doesn't acknowledge that just maybe people want to form clubs because they like to ride with each other.

I think riding clubs are great if that's what you're into. I don't really like group rides, but I occasionally ride with my father in law and all his buddies. They don't give a rat's ass for brotherhood, honor, loyalty, or whatever other hokum the weekend pirate dress up club likes to vaunt. It's just a bunch of older dudes who like bikes a lot and riding more, so they get together and take trips, ride around the woods, meet up for pie, or whatever. They're not a true club in terms of organization, dues, officers, or any of that, but they very much have the essence of it down, in that they spend a lot of time together having fun doing one specific activity, and supplementing it with Christmas parties and the like.

In my limited observation, dual sport riders seem to have the most positive and fun clubs. They work together for trail maintenance, ride a lot, and are very welcoming to whoever shows up and wants to ride. There are always at least a couple guys that have time for newbies, and most seem to be pretty open to women as well.

Clubs that exist to get people to ride together and have fun with bikes are great. Clubs that emphasize skills, responsibility, and inclusiveness are even better.

Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:46 pm

fateddy wrote:In my limited observation, dual sport riders seem to have the most positive and fun clubs. They work together for trail maintenance, ride a lot, and are very welcoming to whoever shows up and wants to ride. There are always at least a couple guys that have time for newbies, and most seem to be pretty open to women as well.

Clubs that exist to get people to ride together and have fun with bikes are great. Clubs that emphasize skills, responsibility, and inclusiveness are even better.

Great post there, Ed. I couldn't agree more with the observation of dual-sport riders.