If you’re looking for other riders for group rides, or camaraderie, or to learn from those who’ve been at this for a long time, we have some suggestions for you. Learning from other riders is a huge advantage, especially when those riders are happy to impart their knowledge. Just be choosy about the people you choose to associate with. Good habits beget good habits, so if you want to be a skillful and safe rider, hang around with skillful and safe riders.
Company Can Be Helpful:
Join Online Groups
There are lots of options online these days, like FaceBook groups, MeetUp groups; heck, even the ADVRider forum has regional forums where you can plan rides and get together with other riders. Those of us who live in areas of the country with high population densities are blessed and cursed. Blessed to be surrounded by a lot of other riders, cursed with multi-lane strip-mall stop-light roads that are just awful on motorcycles. Riders who have been navigating these areas for a long time will be able to show you the super secret sneaky back-roads route from anywhere, to anywhere!
Go to Bike Nights
Bike Nights happen all over the place; it’s a way for local businesses to bring more people in the door. Find one that attracts your people, and attend that one. Talk to people there about their motorcycles, ask about rides and events.
Go to Bike Dealers
If there aren’t a lot of people there to talk to, look at the walls and see what events are coming up. Do any of them interest you? Maybe you should take a chance on them. Does the dealer sponsor bike nights, or events of any other kind? Talk to the folks working there, and see where they go to meet up with other bikers.
Go to That Spot
You know, that spot in town where there are always motorcycles parked. Perhaps they’re even the same style of bike as yours, which could mean they do the same style of riding that you do. Ask someone about that mod on their bike that you’re interested in.
Join a Club
There are loads of motorcycle clubs out there, and one of them might be your niche. Even if you’re not a brand snob, there are lots of brand-specific (but not really) clubs out there. The BMW Riders Association, for one, welcomes riders of all brands, and they put on quite a lot of fun events. They even host overnighters at hotels and camp grounds. You like motorcycle camping, right?
Start a Club
If there isn’t anything around where you are, consider starting your own club. It doesn’t have to be formal, just a gathering of local riders with the same riding philosophy as you. The easiest way to do this is with social media. Start a group, call some rides, and you’ll be riding with friends in no time.