More than just a commute
Buying a motorcycle opens the doors to a brand new lifestyle, one that doesn't see race, creed or social standing but just the fact that you're on two wheels. Despite their gruff and surly appearance, bikers are some of the most lovable and welcoming people you will ever meet. If you have bought a motorcycle for commuting and eventual leisure riding you may be wondering how on earth you get involved with these groups and what kind of events you would be attending.
Related: 10 Things to know before you start riding
We can give a small insight and taste of what awaits you when you decide to become a part of one of the best communities in SA. Put any thoughts of what you see on TV and in Movies aside because that is as fake as it comes and in no way a true representation of the community and the events that occur weekly. Here is a brief rundown of how things work, how to get involved and how to help others while having an absolute blast.
Clubs
You may be quite surprised to learn that there is actually quite a bit of structure in the community, it isn't haphazardly thrown together in chaos. As a new or returning biker, you may be at a loss of where to start or how to get involved in your local community. Each region has a president's council that meets regularly to discuss events, rallies and charities in need and to ensure that there are no event overlaps. These presidents' councils are exactly that, committees made up of the club presidents from that region. Clubs that wish to become official need to be vetted by these councils, this keeps things orderly and fair for everyone. There are literally hundreds of clubs all over South Africa, with over 400 in the Gauteng area alone. As you can imagine there does need to be some oversight and that comes in the form of the South African National Bikers Council Association.
This group meets every 3 months or so to see how motorcycling in the country is doing and to iron out any issues or problems the community may be facing. If you find yourself in the position of not knowing anyone and where to go, we would recommend this as the starting point. find your area and this will usually lead to some sort of events calendar which leads us to the next part.
Rallies
Bikers are a very social bunch, we hardly need an excuse to have a get-together or meetup. These come in the form of weekly events ranging from club birthdays, annual rallies, charity runs and even funerals. There are a number of fairly large rallies that happen throughout the year which attract thousands of bikers from all over SA. You will hear many speak of the Rhino, the Buffalo, the Poison, Pongola, Dragon, Gremlin, and so on and so forth. These rallies are multi-day events hosted by clubs and are a once-year party for many, but it doesn't stop there. You also get the day jol, a single-day event hosted by a club to celebrate a club birthday, or to raise money for a charity.
Many clubs or groups will have monthly or weekly events in their respective areas to socialise, these come in the form of breakfast runs, dinner runs, a social ride after church on a Sunday, and in most cases the only way to know that these events are happening is to get onto a Facebook group or Whatsapp group where these are planned for your immediate area.
This is where the brotherhood you hear so much about is formed, friendships are made and respect is given and earned.
Charities
As well as being very friendly and social, bikers also have huge hearts and charities are a big focus with the proceeds from many of the club events being given directly to various charities. These charities run the gamut from animal shelters to children's homes, old age homes, schools and individuals that need help. In most cases, you will be amazed at how much a single event can raise in one afternoon as clubs and individuals open their hearts and wallets for a good cause.
I have been on a number of these, and it is truly heartwarming to see the beneficiaries of these events give their thanks, small kids signing songs, old folks dishing out hugs and destitute families crying on the shoulders of big burly bikers, this will fill you with admiration for what can be accomplished by even the smallest of clubs.
Join up now!
To be perfectly honest the biker lifestyle just becomes one giant feedback loop, the more you get involved the more you want to do, the more you want to ride. One of the first things I learned was LH&R. This stands for Loyalty, Honour, and Respect, the three core tenets of the biker lifestyle. Be loyal to your brother/sister, honour them and your group/club, and respect everyone on two wheels, from the guy delivering pizzas and burgers on his 250cc to the meanest looking 1% biker. Once you become a biker you will never be alone because you will not only have friends locally, but nationally, and even worldwide. So don't just be a commuter, be a biker and become part of the biggest family on the planet.
