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Below are our links to the Club Corner Motorcycle Clubs featured in RoadBike Magazine:
RoadBike September 2007
By Jon Langston
In Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition, sport is defined as “any activity or experience that gives enjoyment or recreation; pastime; diversion.” Webster’s defines touring as “making a long trip, especially for pleasure.” Put those two together and you’ve got a recipe for some serious fun.
And that’s what the Concours Owners Group (COG) is all about. This isn’t your father’s motorcycle club. You won’t find any burnout pits or wet T-shirt contests at a COG gathering, no beer blasts or extreme stunt shows. Just a group of serious riders looking for some serious fun. And for them, that means riding, and lots of it.
Since its inception in 1989, COG has accrued more than 2,000 members all over the US and Canada. And despite the name, COG is not exclusive to Kawasaki Concours owners; the group welcomes any and all bikes and riders seeking to get the most out of the sport-touring experience. A nonprofit, volunteer-run organization, COG membership is separated into six geographic regions, ensuring that its members receive all the perks of being a part of a national organization while retaining the friendly, neighborhood vibe of a local club. Furthermore, each area has its own director and distributes a proprietary newsletter, keeping local members up to date on community events and happenings close to home. They also sponsor regional activities, including rides, demos, and Motorcycle Safety Foundation workshops.
In addition, members receive The Concourier, a high-quality quarterly magazine devoted exclusively to the Concours, Kawasaki's flagship sport-touring machine. It's packed with technical tips, product reviews, reader responses, technical information, stories, and classified ads. The release of the new Kawasaki Concours 14 should make the magazine’s content even more interesting. Members of COG are eligible to receive deals and discounts from motorcycle-friendly businesses, including Mac Tools, Aerostich/RiderWearhouse, Cycle Saddles, Adventure MotoStuff, Sunchaser Scuba, Boston Soapworks, Buck Sport Touring, Amsoil, Locust Creek Outfitters, Manic Salamander, and Whitehorse Press, in addition to R.O.K. and Kawasaki USA.
Each year, COG directors and members plan their next annual national rally so more members can get together and explore new parts of the country. This year’s COG National Rally will be held at Canaan Valley Resort in Davis, West Virginia, August 7-12. Activities at the rally include plenty of rides (routes provided by local COG members), experienced rider courses, Kawasaki dealer open houses, social gatherings, tech sessions, a COG Women's Breakfast, and a banquet with guest speakers and door prizes.
The Concours doesn't need much in the way of maintenance, but it’s nice to know that the model-specific information an owners group can bring to the table is available.
Info: COG Concours Owners Group www.cog-online.org
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RoadBike Nov. - Dec. 07
By Jon Langston
Quick: What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word Milwaukee? Brett Favre? Miller High Life? The Fonz? Judging by the magazine you hold in your hands, it’s a pretty safe bet that the first thing you think of when someone says Milwaukee has nothing to do with football, beer, or 70s TV, but with a legendary American motorcycle company.
Fine. But there’s another group for whom Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is motorcycle Mecca. Since 1977, the British Biker Cooperative has celebrated the glory of British motorcycles right here in America and its home base is none other than Brew City, USA.
Originally started by a bunch of roughneck rockers, in thirty years the BBC has grown to include owners of all variety of British bikes from the obvious -- famous marques like Triumph and Norton -- to the obscure -- Matchless, Royal Enfield, Velocette, Vincent, Matador, et al. Collectors, purists, racers, and riders of all backgrounds are represented and fully 10 percent of the BBC’s membership is made up of women. BBC members share an enthusiasm for a type of bike that only an owner could love; bikes with the reputation of being unreliable and expensive to maintain, but which also exude an undeniable cool that’s rivaled only by that little American bike company up the road.
Members also share a network. Most of the aforementioned marques are defunct and the only way to get parts and information is through other British bike owners and riders. BBC membership costs only $25 annually but you must own a British motorcycle to join. A patch is included along with a subscription to The British Steel, a quarterly periodical that keeps members up to date on events and goings-on within the cooperative.
The BBC’s annual rally, held each year at Eagle Cave Natural Campground in Blue River, Wisconsin, always draws thousands of enthusiasts. This past summer marked the 27th annual BBC rally and offered a great opportunity to see both rare-vintage and late-model British motorcycles.
“Long live the Limey!”
Info: British Biker Cooperative - P.O. Box 371021 - Milwaukee , Wisconsin 53237-2121
www.BritishBiker.net.
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RoadBike Nov./Dec.
Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and, thankfully, colors. It’s important to remember all those folks who make a difference. So in this, our holiday issue, Club Corner honors the Blue Knights.
The Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Club Inc. is a motorcycle organization whose tireless charity work is known and admired the world over. According to its web site, as of March 31, 2007 the Knights have contributed to charity $4,941,248.12 in cash, an estimated value of $527,951.37 in goods, and 158,403 man-hours. Figuring $20 per man-hour, total charitable donations from the Blue Knights come to well over $8.6 million. The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Toys for Tots, D.A.R.E., and Concerns of Police Survivors are some of the better-known recipients of this aid.
Formed in 1974 in the Bangor, Maine area, the club has blossomed to become in international non-profit organization with 586 chapters and almost 20,000 members in 28 countries. Active and retired law enforcement officers are welcome to join, with members enjoying such privileges as discounts on lodging, insurance, bike gear and riding apparel, safety and skills classes, bike shipping -- even mortgage loans and golf outings. Discounted roadside assistance programs are available through Road America, but members also have access to the 19,000-plus listings in the International Member Directory, and are encouraged to contact fellow Knights if they need assistance while traveling.
A family fraternity, spouses and children are encouraged to accompany Blue Knights members to various rides and functions, including the annual international convention, held at a different location in North America each year. (In 2008, the Knights will meet up in Peoria, Illinois.) Members also receive the Blue Knights News, a quarterly publication with news, classifieds, and more.
This holiday season, take a moment to remember all the men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day to protect you and yours. Support the Blue Knights Club’s charities by donating to its causes and attending its events and functions -- go on a BK-sponsored Toy Run -- and let’s remind these folks that we appreciate them and their considerable sacrifice.
Info: Blue Knights International - 38 Alden St., Bangor, ME 04401207/947-4600, www.BlueKnights.org
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RoadBike March
Here in Club Corner we’ve tackled most of the official owner’s clubs celebrating the major motorcycle manufacturers. Thing is, most of the marques make several different kinds of motorcycles and, regardless of the brand, many riding clubs exist solely to celebrate a certain type of riding or bike. So this month we’re focusing on cruisers, and we’re happy to put the spotlight on the Midwest-heavy (but nationally friendly!) Cruiser Club, USA.
Formerly Shadow Club, USA, the nonprofit, family-oriented club was formed in 1988 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The club is still growing, and there are now Cruiser Club chapters in several states and Canada. At first, it was limited to owners of Honda Shadows, but over the years, as members began buying Kawasakis, Yamahas, and just about every other bike on the market, it became obvious that a change was brewing. The decision was made to change the name of the club. Initially, the club was open to any make of cruiser-style motorcycle. Recently, however, members who own touring bikes and even sportbikes have been joining. And that’s okay, because, to these folks, it’s all about the love of the ride.
Nearly 20 chapters later, Cruiser Club, USA now has approximately 500 members. They have a national rally each year, open to members and anyone else who loves motorcycling. Chapters in various regions of the country also sponsor their own regional rallies, and each chapter has several yearly rides as well as monthly meetings. Members are required to have endorsed motorcycle driver’s licenses and necessary insurance coverage. In keeping with the family-friendly credo, Cruiser Club, USA’s logo patch is worn as a club membership, not as a gang affiliation. National dues are $30 per year, and include a member patch, pin, and official newsletter subscription.
The next national rally, the Gathering of Eagles XII, will be held on June 17-19th in Indianapolis, Indiana. Cruise on down.
Info: Cruiser Club, USA <no phone> www.CruiserClubUSA.org
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RoadBike 04-08
To call the Iron Butt Association (IBA) a club is a bit of a misnomer. Its members don’t pay yearly dues, they don’t have formal meetings, and there’s no monthly newsletter. There are no benefits in the IBA -- only bragging rights.
To be an associate of this collection of 34,000-plus endurance riders is more of a badge of honor than a membership in a traditional riding club. The IBA was formed to recognize those motorcyclists who show resilience in the seat. The ability to not only stay in the saddle for long periods of time, but to actually go somewhere, is rewarded by nothing more than a sticker, a certificate, and your name post in cyberspace for all (or none) to see. Like the guy who climbed that famous mountain "because it’s there," riders strive to join the IBA for no other reason than to say they did it.
And what exactly have they done? There are a couple of ways to become a member of the Iron Butt Association, but the sure-fire way to gain admittance is to finish the biannual Iron Butt Rally (11,000 miles in 11 days) or one of the other IBA-approved rides, such as the Saddle Sore 1000 (1,000 miles in 24 hours), the Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours), the 50cc Quest (cross-country in 50 hours or less), the National Parks Tour Master Traveler Award (50 national parks in at least 25 states), the 10/10ths Challenge (10 consecutive 1,000-mile days), and the revered 100K Club (100,000 miles or more in one year).
Finishing one of these butt-punishing rides is a lot harder than it sounds, and it sounds awfully difficult; this is not for the faint of butt. Many rides can be done on your own time, but you have to account for yourself with gas receipts, odometer logs, witness signatures, etc. There are also regularly scheduled rides throughout the year.
If you’re interested in becoming an IBA member or taking one of the sanctioned rides, see the web site for compete rules and regulations before setting out. It would be a shame to develop a severe case of monkey butt only to find you don’t qualify! Also, the IBA web site is pretty informative as far as long-distance riding tips, links to valuable resources, and other information.
Info: Iron Butt Association www.IronButt.com
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Ducati Enthusiast Sport Motorcycle Organization (DESMO)
RoadBike March
Ducatisti come in all shapes and sizes, and from every corner of the world. Their passion for the brand is legendary; indeed, some say the intensity of their fervor is rivaled only by that of followers of that little motorcycle company up in Milwaukee.
Interestingly, Ducati North America doesn’t sponsor a national owner’s club. No, ducatisti, renegades that they are, instead congregate in smaller groups, usually geographic in nature, and so this month in Club Corner we’re featuring RoadBike’s local Northeast United States group, DESMO. DESMO, an acronym for Ducati Enthusiast Sport Motorcycle Organization, is based in New York City, and is one of the largest of its kind in the US with active members stretching from Maine to North Carolina. But like all other DOC (Ducati Owner’s Clubs), their membership is as varied and far-reaching as the motorcycle they celebrate.
Fact is, the DESMO forums attract users from all over the world, eager to share and gain knowledge and information about Ducati motorcycles. But membership isn’t limited to Ducati owners; all are welcome to join DESMO on events such as track days, rides, and such. There’s no membership fee, no dues to pay, no uniform to wear -- just the love of the original Italian stallion. But DESMO is just one of a much larger umbrella organization known as the Ducati Owner’s Club, or DOC.
To find a group near you, check out www.DucatiClubs.com. Ducati's official club website features news and information on DOC goings-on around the country, and the Club Finder helps you find the group in your area. True Duc rogues, leery of joining a group they’re not familiar with, can use the Event Locator to point them in the direction of rides, events, and gatherings in their neck of the woods. Ducati North America-sponsored DOC’s get their own space on Ducati’s official website and are privy to manufacturer-sponsored events such as demo rides, dinners with factory riders, special Ducati factory and museum tours, invitation to the annual world president’s meeting, and other official factory support.
Welcome to DESMO
Giving Ducati riders and fans in the NY, NJ, CT, and PA a place to express and share their enthusiasm. We have members from all over the world, and all are invited.
Rides, events, questions and advice are just the beginning. New friendships to share your excitement about riding one of the most dynamic motorcycles ever built.
DESMO invites all Ducatisti, as well as any other brand motorcycle owner to join us. DESMO will expand and enhance the joy that comes with motorcycle ownership.
We provide a comfortable atmosphere where riders of all skill levels and experience can benefit. In an effort to maximize fun and respect for others, we do promote safety. We would like to assist our members having a long happy relationship with the passion we know as DUCATI.
No, there's no national club.
www.ducaticlubs.com is Ducati's official club website, which groups clubs geographically. (Although the Club Finder seems to be broken today, since not all the clubs are appearing.)
Most of the Ducati Clubs are Official DOCs (DESMO Owners Club). There is no parent organization, like some of the other manufacturers and product lines have, and there is geographic overlap between some clubs.
Additionally, there are marque specific groups--the Ducati Monster List (DML; www.ducatimonster.org) comes to mind first. There are employees within Ducati SpA and Ducati NA who support us, although this is limited due to Ducati's size.
DESMO is the largest DOC in the Northeast, and our events are centered around NYC, but we have participating members from ME to NC. We also have members nationwide, and internationally, who participate in our forum.
In addition to selling to residents of our local core (NY, NJ, CT, PA) this year we've sold club shirts or gear to members in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, Canada, Greece, and New Zealand.
Info: DESMO www.DESMODucati.org
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RoadBike 06-08
If you can’t ask advice of, complain to, or commiserate with your family, then to whom can you whine? To that end, this month’s Club Corner brings you something a little different. VTXRiders.com and its online discussion forum, VTXOA, is a group dedicated neither to dues, nor bragging-rights pins, nor any real benefits other than those that pure camaraderie provides.VTXRiders.com holds to the idea that even tough-guy motorcycle riders need some family-style lovin’ once in a while.
VTXRiders.com is an online community of 333,731 registered users who have a total of more than 1.8 million posts on its forums at the web site. They discuss parts, accessories, upgrades, and pretty much everything else as it relates to the Honda cruiser.
“Since we started in 2002, the web site really took on a life of its own, and it has become a great big family now, with members helping members all over the world,” said founder Lamont Bryden, VTXOA member number 0001. “We have raised thousands of dollars to help many worthwhile causes.”
At www.VTXRiders.com, you can learn all about the club -- chapters, events, riding etiquette, etc. -- but the real action takes place at www.VTXOA.com, the online message board and community forum where members swap info, stories, and even stuff. VTXRiders.com has chapters in most states and 11 countries, and each area has a forum at VTXOA.
The forum has sections in which users can discuss general motorcycle issues such as laws and gear, tech boards for both the 1300 and the 1800 models, an electronic devices forum, a classified section with items for sale as well as those wanted by other users, a forum for rides, trips, and events, an Iron Butt and Long Haul VTX riders’ message board, a Harley vs. Honda debate forum, and, perhaps the coolest feature, an Online Service, Maintenance, and Accessory Log, where you can post and keep track of upgrades and modifications to your VTX, as well as follow along with other users’ projects. Even Blue Knight members who ride VTXs have their own private discussion room here. It’s a wide-ranging group of riders and enthusiasts who love their VTXs and want to discuss them with other like-minded individuals. And all riders are welcome to join in the fun.
"I judge the success of the board not by the money it’s brought in, but by the lifelong friendships it’s helped to create. Some of my best friends live thousands of miles away, but they are as much family to me as my flesh and blood," Bryden said. "There really is no family like the motorcycle family."
Info: VTXOA/VTXRiders.com www.VTXOA.com www.VTXRiders.com
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RoadBike 07-08
The Honda Rider’s Club of America (HRCA) was formed in 1991 by American Honda with the sole purpose of making ownership of a Honda motorcycle, ATV, or PWC an experience second to none. Whether it’s a local chapter ride, a charity run, dual-sport adventure, or just a laid-back day of off-road fun, the HRCA constantly develops new ways to enable riders to get out on their machines and enjoy the best sport in the world.
Better yet, the HRCA gives riders the inside line to a jam-packed calendar of exclusive, members-only activities throughout the year. That includes VIP treatment at special dinners, receptions, and activities; exclusive hospitality areas at rallies and races, members-only motorcycle parking and gear-checks at popular events, plus access to special displays and more.
HRCA membership also brings riders an excellent selection of benefits ranging from Red Rider magazine, packed full of travel stories, technical articles, and places to ride, plus a dedicated web site filled with streaming video films, hundreds of additional articles, and thousands of photos. Members can also cash in on reimbursements of up to $75 for successful completion of a Motorcycle Safety Foundation training course, Freddie Spencer riding schools, and a far-reaching selection of other valuable goods and services from motorcycle shipping by Federal Companies to bike insurance from Progressive, as well as discounts on tickets to races, events, and more. Members also gain online access to reference materials including Honda’s Common Service Manual, a model-specific service manual, and the Where To Ride Guide, covering off-road riding areas all across the nation. The HRCA web site also has forums, photo galleries, and a nationwide member directory.
Boasting more than 500,000 members, the HRCA is definitely the place to be if you’re an active rider -- and you need not own a Honda to join, although the purchase of a brand-new Honda from an authorized dealer gets you a one-year membership on the house. HRCA club fees are only $19.95 per year. For all that you get, that sounds like a bargain to us.
Info: Honda Rider’s Club of America (HRCA) www.HRCA.Honda.com.
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RoadBike 08-08
That Internet thing sure is a powerful tool. Not only can you find, buy, or sell just about anything, you can use it to connect with long-lost friends and family, meet that special someone, or just locate some folks who feel the same way about things that you do. Whether it’s politics, sports, or any other subject (motorcycles?), like-minded individuals with plenty of time on their hands and no shortage of opinions are out there, just waiting to give you their two cents’ worth.
That’s how the M109Riders.com online forum got started back in April 2006. You may remember a couple of months ago, we cast the RoadBike spotlight on the VTXOA online group. Well, the M109Riders is cut from the same web. A bunch of people who own, ride, or are interested in Suzuki’s monster power cruiser decided to start their own forum so that they could focus on one thing and one thing only: the M109.
This is the definitive online resource for all things M109, from service advice to used parts to rides and events catering to M109 owners and riders. So, while old-school purists may not consider it a riding club, the fact of the matter is that M109Riders.com puts on events, organizes group rides, gives to charities, and contributes to its communities. If that’s not a riding club, then what is?
Check out the forums on at M109Riders.com and you’ll find topics on shop talk, relating to parts, service -- the nuts and bolts of the M190. For in-depth tech, there’s even a Step-By-Step board on how-tos, with photos and advice from those who’ve already done the work, so you won’t go in blind when it’s your turn to wrench.
Of course, there’s a place for members to post photos and videos of their bikes, there’s the 4 Sale By Owner board, where members can hawk their stuff (no vendors allowed!), a board dedicated to motorcycle events, and the OTE board, aka the Off-Topic Experience board where members can post pretty much anything and everything else. But don’t worry, spam, porn, political chat, and otherwise offensive material is not tolerated! Another neat feature is the Local M109Riders board, which features local chapter boards of M109Riders from all over the US discussing local events and issues.
With almost 8,000 members posting 376,143 times in more than 26,000 topic headings, M109Riders.com averages almost 600 posts per day.
Info: M109Riders.com
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RoadBike Sept. 2009
If you ride a Victory, then you’re one of a small, but rapidly growing, contingent of V-twin motorcycle enthusiasts who understand that you can buy and ride American without taking out a second mortgage to buy a Harley-Davidson (never mind a $50,000 custom). Not wanting anyone to feel left out, we here in the Club Corner would like to pay sincere homage to a group we’ve been unintentionally neglecting, the Victory Riders Association.
One of the fastest growing clubs in the US, the VRA is open to anyone who rides one of the Minnesota-based company’s bikes. Indeed, since 2004 or so, anyone purchasing a new Victory is automatically enrolled, reaping the benefits membership provides, including 24-hour roadside assistance throughout the United States and Canada; quarterly issues of Victory Rider magazine, the official publication of the VRA; discounts up to 30 percent on car rentals and hotel accommodations throughout North America; VIP access at select national events including Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis; access to the official VRA web site at www.VictoryMotorcycles.com; online listings of scheduled local rides and regional rallies; and a personalized VRA membership card and special VRA lapel pin.
VRA chapters are popping up at Victory dealers all over the country with informal local events and functions geared specifically to the Victory rider, offering the opportunity to get to know other Victory aficionados in your area. Parties, sales, and more are the norm, but it’s the monthly rides that are the biggest draw. The Victory dealer or a VRA volunteer ride coordinator will pick a date, plan a route and a lunch stop, and then spread the word to fellow Victory Riders. A ride will usually start at the dealership and end up at an establishment nearby. Sometimes lunch or a barbecue is involved, and occasionally door prizes get handed out; a blast is generally had by all.
If you purchased your new Victory since 2004, you’re already a member. If you want to join, just check the web site. Only $35 per year gets you in the club. RB
Victory Riders Association
800/809-5935
http://www.VictoryMotorcycles.com
From Nov./Dec. 2008
For some of us, motorcycling’s the ultimate solo activity: you’re in your own world with your helmet on, controlling the machine yourself, moving at your own pace, on your own time, alone with your thoughts or the music in your head. It’s your time, your solace.
Then there are others who enjoy sharing the motorcycling experience, who talk with their riding buddies through intercoms, or take their friends and families along on rides via sidecar rigs.
Like a nation, the world of motorcycling is made up of a vast collection of disparate individuals: hardcore aficionados of one type of bike or another, fringe groups, those who prefer a certain type of riding to another, and all the rest. That’s why this month’s Club Corner celebrates one of the smallest, yet most devout, groups of bikers — sidecarists. Fashionable in America in the early 20th century, sidecar outfits went the way of the horse-and-buggy around the time Ford’s Model T made automobiles affordable to the general population. During World War II, sidecars found a use on the battlefield in Europe. Ever since, various manufacturers have tried to bring the funky rigs to the mainstream, with varying degrees of success, but the fact remains: devotees love their sidecar rigs, just as the rest of us love our bikes.
The United Sidecar Association was formed in 1976 near Chicago, and today boasts members from all over the US and Canada. It’s an independent, non-profit organization that welcomes anyone into its ranks, even those who’ve never ridden a sidecar rig. Because the main function of a sidecar rig is to let bikers share their experiences with others, USCA events, such as rides, rallies, and campouts, are all family-oriented. According to the group’s web site, motorcyclists have been connecting sidecars to their bikes in an attempt to share the experience with family since before “family values” became a slogan, and the USCA aspires to foster that kinship among its members. The USCA had its 30th annual national rally in Duluth, Minnesota, in July. Check the web site for information on next year’s rally.
Membership in the USCA includes a subscription to the informative newsletter The Sidecarist, delivered six times a year, an annual copy of the Emergency and Friendship Directory, and a USCA memento such as a pin or patch. RB
United Sidecar Association
www.Sidecar.com
