General Introduction
The idea behind establishing The Hague BMW Motorcycle Club came about as the result of a couple of enthusiastic BMW riders who were interested in a bit more than just a weekend ride along the canals of South Holland. Riding in UK is a passion of ours as is across the border in Germany. We started with a group of 7 GS riders of which a hard core group of 4 are regular UK tour enthusiasts. As a result the UK Tour Club got underway. However just having the 4 meant that we were limited in what we can do and so the concept of starting a new Club came about.
Through experience of having already established a thriving and successful motorcycle club in Rotterdam, part of the fun of being with a group of like-minded riders is the social aspect and also looking to organise other non-riding events. In order to do this we felt the best way forward was to establish a formal Club structure.
As stated this is all very much in its infancy and therefore we need to see how things develop. We have started with a website, monthly social event and some day trips in Holland. As time progresses and we see if there is a real interest in setting up something more formally, we will do so. If not it will remain and informal gathering of likeminded motor bike friends.
Although the name suggests BMW we do welcome all sorts of bikes into our Club so don't be put off by the name!
Who do we Welcome?
Whilst the Club name suggests a geographical area of The Hague this is merely for convenience. We have members from as far away as Rotterdam and other cities. We are not looking to put any limits on membership but for convenience purposes, and as some original members live in the city, the social events will be held at a location in The Hague. Also for ride-outs it tends to be easier if people live closer to the start location. The Clubs emphasis is very much on riding and touring as opposed to fixing or building however we also welcome members who have an interest in the mechanics and who are willing to help and even give tips and advice to others as well.
As part of the non-riding events we like to set up training for such issues as first aid for bikers, GPS workshops and technical evenings. Where we can we will work with other Clubs or even BMW dealers that are willing.
The Club is established as a social platform and at present we do not encourage any form of sponsorship or advertising. In future these issues will also be considered if they bring benefit to the members.
Finally being a member of a motorcycle club has its legal issues. For this reason we have an explicit rider disclaimer which all members who wish to join must sign off on and agree to its terms.
Also to quote a good friend who also has his own Friends riding a group I picked a few points from his club website which I though summed up whole concept quite nicely:
1. Our Trips and Tours are not professionally organised trips. It is not some sort of business venture.
2. Hotels. We are not staying in Formula 1’s nor the George Cinque. I would say a mixture of family run Logis / German pension type places, with the odd chain hotel lobbed in as needs be. The aim would be to strike a balance, between reasonable cost and reasonable accommodation.
3. Routes. If we have to do 350 miles in a day, we will not be taking every goat track. Days out? Say 150 to 180 miles on decent roads.
4. Do we have to all ride together? No, of course not but it is preferable, otherwise why join a group tour?.
5. Can I join for a part of the trip? Yes, if it’s practical to do so. The only thing that sometimes jars, is when someone joins for the whole trip and then - as it’s all over - says: “Right, I’m off home, the fastest way…..byeeee” and vanishes in a cloud of exhaust smoke. It sometimes gets a bit: “Thanks for organising it all, I have had MY fun and now I’m off…”. It’s a social trip; let’s be social as far as possible.
6. Does everyone have to come on them all? No, of course not.
7. Others joining. Everyone has friends, there is no law against it. Most often the biggest limitation is finding cafes for lunch and hotels. Six bikes, is about the maximum that is comfortable. We all know, near enough, what everyone in the group is like. What we don’t really want is the (thankfully, very rare) occurrence where someone is such a pain in the arse, that it spoils it for everyone and - in extreme circumstances - others in a hotel or restaurant. This is not some puritanical church festival but it’s not “Bikers are a blight on humanity”.
8. Can someone else put something together, too? Yes, of course. It’s not a monopoly.
Meantime if you have further questions or want to know more please feel free to drop us a line at our email address bmw.mc.dh@gmail.com
