Clubs....is you in or is you out?

[1/32 man]

Question....are you in a motorcycle club or group? How does it work? Rules? Meetings? Loose or tight?

Looking for recommendations, observations, information and any other comments.

TIA.

[Laava]

I am a ulysses member..it is Ulysses club tho, not motorcycle club. It was formed in Oz and they did not want to be tarred with the bikie image, apparently. I know it varies from branch to branch re what the riding ettiquette is, but it is ettiquette rather than rules. Our branch is relatively relaxed, as in, ride at your own pace. And we dont put pressure on people to join up which can happen I'm told…
Everyone rides when they feel like it, there is no expectation and ALL bikes are acceptable, none of this one make malarky.

[F5 Dave]

I'm only in Ixion at the moment.

They have lots of observations.



because its trials, hoho dad joke

[Laava]

Ok so sorry I didnt click that you were talking about it from the sporting angle…I'll get me coat!

[pete376403]

I'm only in Ixion at the moment.

They have lots of observations.



because its trials, hoho dad joke

Ixion still going? I was a member back in the early 70s, for the organised trail rides.

[jim.cox]

I'm told my DoD number should be still be valid...

[FLUB]

I used to be a Fat Biker but that group fell apart a few years ago, so now I'm just fat. Caseye tried his best to get things restarted, then covid happened. I guess you could say we got the wobbles.

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[F5 Dave]

Ok so sorry I didnt click that you were talking about it from the sporting angle…I'll get me coat!
I don't think he was, I was just being silly.

[pete376403]

I'm told my DoD number should be still be valid...

I never did work out how to contact the KoTL

[roogazza]

I don't do clubs, apart from joining HVMCC to get a comp licence in 1971.

Came back from Aussie in 1997 and a couple of mates were doing Ulyses rides. I joined in a few times but found evry ride one or two turkeys would jump into the shrubbery riding way above their ability.
So canned that and rode with one or two mates who I could trust.
Nowdays I ride alone and prefer it that way.... all mates have given it away anyway!!!

Be out early this morning by the looks ,it's lovely out there... :msn-wink:

[Laava]

One thing I will say with regard to group rides, in general in my experience, is that if there is a crash, it is nearly always the new person. I now try not to ride near the new person if poss and make sure they settle in. In our Ulysses group, the faster riders will head to the front and this is always happening. You will get overtaken and you need to be comfortable with that and at all times ride your own pace, ability, comfort level as appropriate.in my 15yrs with the far north we have had one bad crash where old mate busted up his femur etc. it was not his fault, in as much as he was not charged with anything but he could have maybe avoided it. Dont know, wasnt there. The other good crash that happened was a guy on a Rocket Three and we all were expecting that, he just went full noise off a corner.

[1/32 man]

Thanks Laava
Ulysses member here too. I joined slightly after getting a bike about four years back.

And this is kind of why I asked the question....what has your experience been like in a club which are often strange organisms anyway.
I am currently struggling with over zealous administration types.

[Moise]

Soon after I started riding again, I rode to the local Ulysses for their monthly club night. I got as far as the car park!

I'm really not into clubs anyway, but am finally getting over my prejudices as I get older.

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[Laava]

Thanks Laava
Ulysses member here too. I joined slightly after getting a bike about four years back.

And this is kind of why I asked the question....what has your experience been like in a club which are often strange organisms anyway.
I am currently struggling with over zealous administration types.
I hear ya re the over zealous types. Which is why I am not involved at a committee level anymore. I have been known to remind the odd person that their motto is "growing old disgracefully"


Soon after I started riding again, I rode to the local Ulysses for their monthly club night. I got as far as the car park!

I'm really not into clubs anyway, but am finally getting over my prejudices as I get older.

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I cant speak for other branches but up here we do a wed ride and a sun ride every week and get a good turnout. School teacher types are not taken too seriously and sub groups split off regularly as they see fit to ride a different way home etc. I do not do any purely social stuff with them apart from the odd fund raiser.

[F5 Dave]

Last group ride I did was a KB ride organised by White Trash, ironically I'm about to pop onto shop in 10 min so may see him. But it reminded me of why I no longer do group rides.
Too many competitive males trying to find their way place in the pecking order.

I left after about the 3rd crash.

Had someone cartwheel off the back of my GS11 Suz mufler one Coast to Coast charity ride. I saw him coming in my mirrors and moved over but couldn't get far enough left and his boxer engine clipped. Bent my pipe but he went flying into a ditch. Doesn't bear thinking if he rear ended me square on.

At the same time another winner on his Hardley shot up the left on the dirt from about the same distance back as him. He was later heard recounting his story in the pub as 'No time to stop'. Somehow we all managed to slow down just fine. My mate who had been just ahead of me ripped into him. He had stood up on his pegs waiting for impact so was very appreciative that clown 1 hadn't made it past the GS.

The group had all slowed down to watch tye Westpac helicopter land in a field nearby. It was them we were fundraising for. Oh the ironing.

[Moise]

I hear ya re the over zealous types. Which is why I am not involved at a committee level anymore. I have been known to remind the odd person that their motto is "growing old disgracefully"


I cant speak for other branches but up here we do a wed ride and a sun ride every week and get a good turnout. School teacher types are not taken too seriously and sub groups split off regularly as they see fit to ride a different way home etc. I do not do any purely social stuff with them apart from the odd fund raiser.

I'm curious now, do you mind saying which branch it is?

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[Laava]

I'm curious now, do you mind saying which branch it is?

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Far North. We ride from BK every wed and sun at 10

[Kickaha]

Last group ride I did was a KB ride organised by White Trash, ironically I'm about to pop onto shop in 10 min so may see him. But it reminded me of why I no longer do group rides.
Too many competitive males trying to find their way place in the pecking order.

I left after about the 3rd crash.



Give him a big sloppy kiss for me

I did 2 KB rides, one over the Rimutakas from the Caltex (you were there on an RF900) 19 years ago and one down here, the most abysmal riding was the one down here where I cautioned a young guy who crossed centre lines a few times, there was one crash with only the rider involved, I normally will only ride in small groups with people I know

[F5 Dave]

Yeah that was the one. I reminded WT about it and he vaguely remembered it.
I think someone crashed a multistrada mk1 on way up the hill doing numerous improvements to its aesthetics.


Later a guy on a 400 shot past me showing how fast a real man goes and then didn't make it onto the bridge a very short distance after. That sort of stuff kills you quite dead. Somehow he got away with it. I checked he was OK but didn't offer to help pull him out of the shrubbery. That should be a decent time for reflection.

Only ride with friends now that I trust.

[Laava]

Yeah that was the one. I reminded WT about it and he vaguely remembered it.
I think someone crashed a multistrada mk1 on way up the hill doing numerous improvements to its aesthetics.

Lols, I have one of those! Multipla.
My pet hate is riding in a swarm like the gang guys do. And I am told some of the Ulysses branches prefer their group rides to be tight as well. Asking for trouble no matter the age, skillset or machinery IMO.

[Kickaha]

Yeah that was the one. I reminded WT about it and he vaguely remembered it.


The one I did WT couldn't make it, it was a few weeks after the crashfest, Paul was there on his Guzzi, Jim2, Lynda Blair, the Greens on their KLX250

Probably not as memorable due to the lack of crashes

[pete-blen]

Been a tag along on a few club rides...
I would rather ride my ride than someone who organized it.

Not for me...


.

[pritch]

At the same time another winner on his Hardley shot up the left on the dirt from about the same distance back as him. He was later heard recounting his story in the pub as 'No time to stop'. Somehow we all managed to slow down just fine. My mate who had been just ahead of me ripped into him. He had stood up on his pegs waiting for impact so was very appreciative that clown 1 hadn't made it past the GS.




Ah yes. I had one similar. On a pie and pint run, for some reason I can't recall everybody slowed and I'd pulled over to the left when a bike went past on my left only inches away still going warp speed. The rider was a nice guy but I later found out he was legally blind.

My favourite quote from the pie and pints.
"How fast were you going?"
"I was doing 260 trying to keep up with the guy on the Hyabusa but I had to let him go."
They have a lead rider now I believe.

It's a long time since I did one, but the local Ulysses branch generally had safe rides. They currently have an active ride and social calendar.

I did a couple of the big group rides: a toy run and an Easter egg run. Too many people on a ride like that seem to think brains are optional. No thanks.

[jim.cox]

Too many people on a ride like that seem to think brains are optional. No thanks.

Yup - what he said.
Don't need the Richard Cranium factor in my life.
Avoid.

[release_the_bees]

You're all making me feel better about my decision to ride my own ride and only riding with trusted family members.

About the closest I come to group rides is the NI 800 and TT2000 events. Even then I've seen the odd idiot. I definitely didn't appreciate being undertaken by a ZX10R or similar, at warp speed on a blind corner, not far out of Turangi at the start of the NI 800 one year.

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[toycollector10]

We've been around for 17 years and started out as an informal group with no rules.Over the years we've trimmed things up a bit so the bikes have to be 1985 or earlier and in factory condtition. That is, unmodified. We try to present as a rolling mini show when we ride out together and can normally muster up ten to fifteen guys on any ride out of a total membership of over sixty riders.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066405589591

[neels]

We've been around for 17 years and started out as an informal group with no rules.Over the years we've trimmed things up a bit so the bikes have to be 1985 or earlier and in factory condtition. That is, unmodified. We try to present as a rolling mini show when we ride out together and can normally muster up ten to fifteen guys on any ride out of a total membership of over sixty riders.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066405589591

That's a shame, my bike's a year too new to join in. Probably too scruffy anyway.

On the subject of clubs/group rides, I've had experiences at both extremes. There have been the idiots trying to prove how 'fast' they are fucking up everyone else's ride, and rides where you are expected to follow the leader and ride at whatever their (sometimes pretty awful) skill level might be.

We used to have a pretty relaxed wednesday night kb ride here in christchurch, until some overly officious types took over and sucked all the fun out of it at which point it died a natural death, seems motorcyclists generally just want to go for a ride and not be told where to go and what to do. Who would have thought.

These days I occasionally ride with like minded people who are happy in themselves and all good with see you at the next stop, but mostly by myself as it's just too hard to join the dots for anything else.

[1/32 man]

Thanks for all comments so far, gentlemen. I appreciate it.

So can anyone suggest an optimal number in a group riding situation.....four or five seems good to me in my experience so far.
I dislike toyruns/charity rides due to numbers of unknown riders and the fact I have done my stint in charity work.(40 years of it)

[Moise]

We've been around for 17 years and started out as an informal group with no rules.Over the years we've trimmed things up a bit so the bikes have to be 1985 or earlier and in factory condtition. That is, unmodified. We try to present as a rolling mini show when we ride out together and can normally muster up ten to fifteen guys on any ride out of a total membership of over sixty riders.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066405589591The first photo would have to be a Suzuki triple... I need a 2-stroke back in my life!

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[Laava]

Thanks for all comments so far, gentlemen. I appreciate it.

So can anyone suggest an optimal number in a group riding situation.....four or five seems good to me in my experience so far.
I dislike toyruns/charity rides due to numbers of unknown riders and the fact I have done my stint in charity work.(40 years of it)
Yep, I think you are onto it. Apart from the Ulysses, I ride with a couple of other groups. One is just mates that we organize re text, never more than 5 or 6 and the other is similar but we do trips away rather than day rides. Even in our Ulysses branch it is like riding in a small group as we always string out and end up riding in a 2-5 kind of size. Again, it is the riding in formation thing that sucks for me.

[wetanz]

the group thing is a bit of a double edged sword - too structured to sheer chaos - dont expect too much from them, use them to find like-minded types or ride solo, sparking-it with other fuct-up types you find along the way

i rode with a group from the netherlands for years, a loose-knit bunch, about 15 or so, never more than 6 riding, had a day plan flexible enough that any 1 or more could split off and meet later ... all experienced riders capable of road-side repairs ... the major hurdle is personality-need a bit of wind to sort out the chaff

i have enjoyed many Distinguished Gentlemens rides in various cities - although these tend to be relaxed but structured, you take your chances with the egos - generally kool bikes and a good mix of people, done charity sidecar rides for kids etc, all in good fun but is hard work-need a good 200km solo run after to wind down, "club" rides are simply ego-strokes

get a lot of bikes through here now, esp weekends, they can be a nuisance in the forest, too fast and the dicks forget that wheels in the left lane doesnt mean their heads are (ive started collecting points)

mostly more than 2-3 riders, esp on narrow nzl roads, is a cluster-fukking, road-hogging one-way to hell

[roogazza]

Seems reading, that most people avoid the groups and prefer their little clicks of mates.

I come from the olden days and grew up fanging over the Rimutakas from mid sixties. By seventies our group in the Hutt valley were all production racers and to a pretty high level.
Sundays early,we'd head off and by the Kaitokes ,before the Rimutukas, it was on !!!

Never felt unsafe ! We were at the top of our game and could ride close.
But I would say most average riders would be saying we were maniacs ! ????
From an old memory I think the 10 miles of Rimutukas from bridge to bridge was covered in 7 to 8 minutes !!

I've seen TZ 's unloaded from vans just to do the "Hill" lol. :confused:

So yeah I'm not a tourer, my riding still is very sporty..... although I've given away trying to do wheelies n shit . (I'm old !).

[wetanz]

Seems reading, that most people avoid the groups and prefer their little clicks of mates.

I come from the olden days and grew up fanging over ... from mid sixties. By seventies our group ...

Never felt unsafe ! We were at the top of our game and could ride close.
..... although I've given away trying to do wheelies n shit . (I'm old !).

ah - the 60s/70s pre motorway, pre major urban sprawl - when roads were roads, bikes werent made of plastic and roll still went with rock

many still rode bikes daily, no size restrictions, uniformed criminals still rode triumphs, knuts didnt have cell phones and a kiss didnt mean molestation (or maybe it lead to something to do with pets)

i remember fondly - i think

[F5 Dave]

The first photo would have to be a Suzuki triple... I need a 2-stroke back in my life!

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Without a 2 stroke in your life - can you really call it living?

[wetanz]

Without a 2 stroke in your life - can you really call it living?

- have heard it said 4 strokes give twice the pleasure with half the burn :sweatdrop

[F5 Dave]

I've heard it said that jesus is lord.

I didn't believe them either :devil2:

[Laava]

Loaded. Jesus is loaded. Very liberal with the "medication" the mexicans.

[rastuscat]

Seems reading, that most people avoid the groups and prefer their little clicks of mates..

Nailed it. This is what makes it so hard to get a groundswell of support for much at all, amongst the community.

[neels]

Nailed it. This is what makes it so hard to get a groundswell of support for much at all, amongst the community.
That raises a good point, the individual nature of motorcycling probably makes it hard to gather coherent information.

There was a recent federation of motoring clubs survey sent out to various member clubs, which has put together some data on the significant value of what's owned and what's spent by owners of various types of motor vehicles. It included historic and classis cars/motorcycles, caravans/motorhomes, but appears to exclude post 2000 motorcycles probably due to there not being an affiliated club for this category. This would mean it has missed a significant percentage of motorcyclists, so the economic value of motorcycling as a recreational activity won't have been captured.

It's pretty hard to argue your case when you don't have any data to back it up.

https://fomc.nz/wp-content/uploads/NZHCVS_Summary_Report_Feb_2024_Small.pdf

[1/32 man]

It's pretty hard to argue your case when you don't have any data to back it up.

I have been having difficulties with one person in my club, a meeting was called and I vented my case.
The old deny and lie tactic was employed by the other person on three points I raised.
It isn't easy dealing with someone who looks you in the eye and insinuates it is you who are lying.

Life goes on and I am riding to Ongaonga general store with some mates today.

[jellywrestler]

Coast to Coast charity ride.

little wonde i called it the coast to ghost. last one i did there were three die that day, cheap piss at the pubs, no organised and promoted optio of stopping at the end, my neighbour was n ambulance ofiicer that day, it was carnage, they swapped ambos at mos settlements as they were full. when i rang the lions to offer help they were pleased the riders left no rubbish at the lunch stop, and considered it a success