Moto, I definitely am. Social, not as much.
The Moto Social is all about spending a couple of hours hanging out with like-minded people who ride, or maybe would like to ride.
Not surprisingly, I was overdue to check out one of The Moto Social events, a concept that sprouted in Toronto, Canada, in 2013 and has since taken root in cities around the world. The Moto Social gatherings happen monthly in cities from Cape Town, South Africa, to Christchurch, New Zealand, in a dozen cities across Canada, and several locations in the United States, among other countries. While New York City has its own group, there’s another one even closer to home for me, and that’s the Hudson Valley group. I had several good reasons to go check out my first event today.
The Moto Social event at Hoosick Falls was one of the smaller ones, with a couple dozen riders. That’s because it’s the farthest north of any location the group goes to and the afternoon threatened rain. Well over 100 riders attend some events.
Those reasons? For one, today’s event was the closest one to me, just 20 miles from my home in Massachusetts, at Iron Coffee Company in Hoosick Falls, New York. Another reason is that one of the organizers is Stephen Seifridsberger, who has recently contributed a few stories to Common Tread, in addition to writing his own blog and books. A third reason was that Wendy Pojmann, another new contributor to Common Tread, is a regular attendee, along with her husband, Andrea. So I made the short 20-mile ride to Hoosick Falls to meet a couple of people I’ve worked with, but never met in person.
There’s a broader reason I wanted to see and support The Moto Social, however. And that’s the spirit, intent, and philosophy of the event. Even though the vast majority of my riding is done alone, and even though I more often get on a motorcycle to get away from it all than to go find community, I still want that community to exist. Not just for those minority times when I seek it, but for all the times others seek it. Or need it, maybe.
While it’s possible to find great community spirit among motorcyclists, it’s also easy to find way too much tribalism and gatekeeping. Too many riders snub others because they don’t ride the “right” brand or do the “right” kind of riding. And that’s before even discussing the obstacles that an aspiring rider encounters.
The Moto Social carves against those exclusionary grains. The slogan is “Everyone’s welcome. Everyone’s invited. Bike or no bike. Good vibes only.” That’s a sentiment I can get behind.
If you feel the same, check out The Moto Social website and see if there’s an event near you.
“Good vibes only” indeed.
