Trying to start a local riding group

[mobandy78]

How many of you are part of a local riding group? I'm not looking for clubs or anything of that nature. I have helped get one started in my local area and we are trying to come up with ideas to help us grow. We're just a group of guys that want to ride and enjoy the road. Currently, there are 7 of us w/ 6 bikes. We'd like our numbers to be in the 20-25 people/bike range. We do not care what type of bike our members ride. Our President just sold his Nomad and purchased a Trike. So, basically, no bike type/brand requirements.

So, my question is... how did your group grow and recruit new members? Do you have any suggestions that we could do to increase our numbers?

[Loafer]

You could meet once a week, or twice a month at a coffee shop or snack shack type restaurant. Post on Craigs List that you all will be there for a meet and greet and a short ride together. Or something similar. :)

[Dave]

You need to advertise. Start with a patched vest. Go with the 3 piece type. Don't worry what the other "groups" may say.

[mobandy78]

Loafer, that's a good idea to put our meetings and dinner rides up on Craig's List. I'll bring that up.

Dave, thanks for that input. I think we'll stay away from the 3 piece patch. ;) We did have a small patch made to wear on the front of our vests/coats.

We have a website and a forum set up... we just are not getting much interest or attraction to the site or the group. I think we're going to have to do something to get people interested in it. We are doing an IBA ride in a couple of weeks.

[cactusjack]

The cost is minimal, but you could set up a group on meetup.com. I belong to a group that grew to several hundred members that way. There's 4.5 million people in the greater Phoenix area, obviously a group in a smaller city wouldn't get that big. Post flyers in places where riders hang out. Dealerships, bars, diners, motorcycle shops, etc. Or you can just get out and shake a few hands at bike nights or other places where riders congregate.

[chainsaw]

What CJ said.

[coacha]

I ride with a small local group that started as a group of 5-8 riders and now we have probably 20-25 that ride with us on different occasions. It was all word of mouth. We don't have any patches, no officers, no dues, etc. We ride everything from BMW to KawaTanker.

Our group rides are posted on the web, people show up when they can. Friday night is designated as dinner ride night, Saturday is a ride to some site around the state with a lunch involved. Most rides have somewhere are 8-10 riders. We have an annual Turkey Trot ride (3 day ride at Thanksgiving) that usually has 20 or more bikes.

I was involved with the Retreads, an over 40 yr old group, but their rides didn't seem that fun. So we gravitated over to the other group because they had better rides planned.

[glwilson]

Word of mouth and consistency of your rides will help you develop a group.

For example, there is a local group here that meets every Sunday at the VFW (because they have access to it) for coffee and they ride.

They have been consistent in meeting on Sunday mornings -- which is a key element to their success. Someone is always there for the group every Sunday and a ride happens every Sunday (weather permitting).

These guys still get together and meet during the winter months. They are not all VFW members either. So if you don't have access to a place like that; you could pick a small coffee shop or something.

I see 15-35 bikes there on any given Sunday morning now; and they always take a group-ride on Sundays.

I assume they now have emails; or a website where they post the rides in advance so people know what they are doing.

Now... all of this depends on you and your group being "likable" people!!!