Dirt Bike Clubs

[Dirt Dud]

So I joined High Mountain Dirt Bike Club . If you do not belong to a dirt bike club that puts on an enduro / hare scramble wake up and find a good club and join it . I took my CFO / 34 year partner with me since there is a Farmers Market nearby (only open wensday) And the first thing she said is look at how old the club was !!!! I thought I was at church ! But the guys for the most part are not fat or sloppy looking . I belonged to another Hillclimb but mostly road bike club with bylaws up the ass . They debated for 3 months on the color of the T shirts and would take LOTS of time to figure out who should be the next President ! TRUMP /CLINTON type of deal . Not these guys the main focus is do they have enough money to have a party and when and were is that party going to be . They passed an amendment to radically change the bylaws purchase club riding jerseys and pit shirts without agreement on the COLOR . They are for the most part in shape and interested in RIDING in the DIRT . I believe you need to at least consider getting involved with a club cause life is to short .

 

[Rod Overstreet]

I agree 100% Anyone who thinks putting on an event, has never done it!

My latest endeavor (like I don't have enough on my plate) is running for D-10 Congressman for AMA, which I won. Kinda figure its my obligation to give something back, plus the riders in my home state of KY need a voice.

 

[Wimpy525]

HMDR is a great club! I hope their club can grow enough to put on the Shotgun Enduro again, they had a good thing going and the event was improving every year. Shotgun was an awesome event.

 

[hadfield4wd]

I'm still a little "put-off" by clubs. I was pretty heavily involved in 4 wheeling and rock crawling. An officer of clubs and working on trail projects to keep trail open etc etc.

Turns out one club completely screwed up and got a place shut down. Stupid bickering.

I just got tired of the BS involved. I was into the more extreme riding than others. They wanted to ride around on dirt roads once or twice a month and have a "meeting" which consisted of the same person rambling on about nothing and beer.

However if I wanted to put on an event it can't be done without a lot of people involved. I wish I could find one locally. But the ones I have been involved in have not been that great. More talk than walk. Even tried to get a dual sport one together last year, but couldn't get much interest.

Well now when I want to go riding a call a couple friends and we go. No fuss. We all are very comfortable with each other and our riding.

If one started up here locally I would be involved. We had a local place almost get shut down due to pressure from neighbors, and the community rallied around the property owner. The ruling was no expansion, but they can keep what they have. Lots of racers here, harescrambles and such and also big BMW dual sports but not that many who like to do the harder stuff I do on my DS. Not many trail riders that I've come across.

 

[SS109]

I agree! Get involved! Without the power of a club trying to save riding areas is pretty much impossible. Even then it is better to have a coalition of clubs/groups.

Different types of riders have to put their differences aside and work together. My club, Trail riders of Southern AZ (TRS), works this way. We have MX, singletrack, dualsport, extreme to fire roads only type riders. We have learned this is what it takes. We have partnered, and worked with, a local MTB club (TORCA) as well.

The biggest issue we have seen is getting the younger people involved. Our youngest current member is in his 30's with most of us in our 40's and 50's. I think it's important for us older riders to teach or children, and other younger riders, how important belonging to a club is. How to do that? I just don't know. If anyone has some proven methods, or even just ideas, let me know. Seriously.

 

[3beejay3]

I agree! Get involved! Without the power of a club trying to save riding areas is pretty much impossible. Even then it is better to have a coalition of clubs/groups.

Different types of riders have to put their differences aside and work together. My club, Trail riders of Southern AZ (TRS), works this way. We have MX, singletrack, dualsport, extreme to fire roads only type riders. We have learned this is what it takes. We have partnered, and worked with, a local MTB club (TORCA) as well.

The biggest issue we have seen is getting the younger people involved. Our youngest current member is in his 30's with most of us in our 40's and 50's. I think it's important for us older riders to teach or children, and other younger riders, how important belonging to a club is. How to do that? I just don't know. If anyone has some proven methods, or even just ideas, let me know. Seriously.

Agreed, a coalition of groups works much better. Our Provincial Federation has been building relationships with other motorized groups such as ATV and trucks as well as snowmobiles. We are also building relationships with non-motorized groups as well, such as horseback, MTB, hiking etc. It works by working together and finding ways to help each group get their needs met and maybe even some of their wants. Each group recognizes that the problem users don't represent any one group as a whole & that problem users only represent a small percentage of any given group.
Additionally we are making good headway at working with municipal and provincial gov't bodies as well as Policing. They are starting to take the groups much more seriously than they used to and are actually starting to use us as a resource.

The best way to teach kids about the benefits of clubs is to invite them out and show them. It may not sink in right away, but the seed will be planted. The kids that grow up in that atmosphere will gravitate back when they're adults on their own. Additionally, if you build a good trail network, younger folks will start to appear out of the woodwork, at least that's what we're starting to see.

 

[Mick]

I'm still a little "put-off" by clubs.

I used to belong to 3 at one time. While I do agree there are strength in numbers, and yeah I have met some great people in the club(s).

It was turning my stress relief [riding] into my stress. That is no bueno...so I quit the clubs. I deal with BS all week at work....don't want to deal with it on my down time.

My club, Trail riders of Southern AZ (TRS).

Thought TRS stood for Todd's Race Slaves?

 

[VxZeroKnots]

Funny how it differs regionally, we dont really have clubs in CO but we do have advocacy groups.

There is a local club but i stopped being a member when i started to realize my dues werent going to keep trails open or putting on races. Not that what they do is bad, its just not for me.

If there was a race club or one that did regular trail advocacy id join in a heartbeat.

 

[3beejay3]

Funny how it differs regionally, we dont really have clubs in CO but we do have advocacy groups.

There is a local club but i stopped being a member when i started to realize my dues werent going to keep trails open or putting on races. Not that what they do is bad, its just not for me.

If there was a race club or one that did regular trail advocacy id join in a heartbeat.

Perhaps consider starting one?

We've started 2 new clubs in Ontario this year just by asking people if they want a club in their area. Took some time spreading the word and gathering names of interested people, then pulled the trigger.
Classic case of 'if you build it they will come'
Once the process was started, people started coming out of the woodwork at much higher than expected numbers.

 

[jan_b]

Which clubs where the ones started in Ontario? I'm currently with SteelCityRiders pretty good club. Just curious about the others.

Perhaps consider starting one?

We've started 2 new clubs in Ontario this year just by asking people if they want a club in their area. Took some time spreading the word and gathering names of interested people, then pulled the trigger.
Classic case of 'if you build it they will come'
Once the process was started, people started coming out of the woodwork at much higher than expected numbers.

 

[3beejay3]

Which clubs where the ones started in Ontario? I'm currently with SteelCityRiders pretty good club. Just curious about the others.

Muskoka Offroad Riders Assoc.
Dufferin Rooftop Rec. Riders Assoc.(still in startup process)

 

[Dirt Dud]

Great replies as to what we can learn from each other . I believe that the biggest problem to attracting youth is the cost of newer dirt bikes . My first new bike was a 1976 RM 125 $995. then 2 years later a 1978 PE175 for a wopping $1150.00 My last new 2015 300 done up my way was over $12,000. so how does a young person afford that and a house payment . Plus we had no cell payments , no cabel or internet payment . Micro wave no we did not have tat either . I remember how exciting it was to get a calculator . So today getting young people involved would be more exciting than that Calculator was !

 

[hadfield4wd]

You're right. It's not cheap. My boys ride but their stuff is all older and we wrench on it together. So many people think I'm nuts allowing them to ride both dirt and street. Obviously it's dangerous. Not many kids can talk their non-riding parents into letting them get a bike.

 

[VxZeroKnots]

Great replies as to what we can learn from each other . I believe that the biggest problem to attracting youth is the cost of newer dirt bikes . My first new bike was a 1976 RM 125 $995. then 2 years later a 1978 PE175 for a wopping $1150.00 My last new 2015 300 done up my way was over $12,000. so how does a young person afford that and a house payment . Plus we had no cell payments , no cabel or internet payment . Micro wave no we did not have tat either . I remember how exciting it was to get a calculator . So today getting young people involved would be more exciting than that Calculator was !

If you are like me you ride old ragged out stuff to start and slowly upgrade. No one is forcing cell phone, internet, or cable bills on anyone but that can easily add up to $300 a month. Save that money for a year and there are plenty of good bikes in the classfieds section of this site you could buy with change left over for gear.

To go full circle id say the biggest barrier is public perception and lack of riding areas making it seem not worth the effort, thiugh i disagree

 

[SS109]

Thought TRS stood for Todd's Race Slaves?

Ha! You know Todd? Then you know what a crazy group we are!

If you are like me you ride old ragged out stuff to start and slowly upgrade. No one is forcing cell phone, internet, or cable bills on anyone but that can easily add up to $300 a month. Save that money for a year and there are plenty of good bikes in the classfieds section of this site you could buy with change left over for gear.

To go full circle id say the biggest barrier is public perception and lack of riding areas making it seem not worth the effort, thiugh i disagree

The thing is how do you get them interested enough that dirt bikes would be a priority over cell phone, cable, PS3, Xbox, etc? It really isn't the cost of the sport, IMO, but the lack of interest. I know the lack of riding areas isn't a problem for us here in AZ.

 

[hadfield4wd]

It's a hassle if you're a parent and don't ride. You have to give up a lot to do it.

I think back to when I was a kid. We grew up 10 min from a ski slope, but my parents didn't ski. But they drove me everyday. We also took ski vacations as well. I'm sure my parents chased each other down naked in the condo when we were out skiing. But I raced all through HS and college. My parents gave up all kinds if stuff.

Parents today that are my age (mid 40's) are the first generation of "me" kids that are now "me" adults. I see it with the parents of my kids friends. They don't do anything. Sit on their butts and watch sports. Screw that I'm "doing" sport.

 

[Mick]

Ha! You know Todd? Then you know what a crazy group we are!

Oh yeah, I know Todd. He is a good guy.


Clubs are a good thing for our sport, just a little too much stress for me personally...especially putting races on.