Bike "Meets" - do you, don't you?

[yambabe]

Me and Him were up at the Ponderosa cafe near Llangollen today, a place that is well-known as a bike "meeting place" or at the very least a stopoff point for a brew or a plate of chips during a rideout. Later on we called in at the Petrolheads cafe in Bagilt which is a new venture that is trying to encourage bikes to stop there.

At the Ponderosa I noticed that even though we are hardly in the flush of youth, there were a fair few bikes there but they were nearly all ridden by people older than us - mostly a lot older. Don't think there was a single rider there under 40. At Petrolheads there was only one other rider and he too was a pensioner.

It's quite a common thing for us when we are out and about to go to places where bikes are known to meet, not necessarly as a ride destination but often just in passing, and to stop off to look at other bikes and chat to other riders.

But I've noticed in recent months that fewer and fewer younger riders are turning up and I'm wondering why this is.

I know a lot of you lot are younger riders so I was wondering what your take is on "meets". Do you go to "biker" pubs and cafes?

If you do, what do you get out of it? If not, why not?

Not censuring, or suggesting that to go or not to go is right or wrong, just interested in what your opinions on these sort of places are.
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[Pol Anorl]

me and about 7-8 of my friends go, i usualy go 2 up with the ex gf and we are all under 25 were at the adelaide cafe every wednesday without fail but ive noticed as its getting colder a lot of my friends don't seem to want to go.

Summer months they are all out but now its generaly me, my ex, my mate rob and jake who pops in on the way through when he finishes work.

they don't like the cold.
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[Drake]

i think its older people can afford to go on ride outs, i go upto hawes but never stopped as im always by my self :/
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[Nai]

Im on a 4 stroke 125cc bike, and I plod about sticking to speed limits so don't go out with people on ride outs. Would feel odd walking to a bike meet on my own.

[virus]

Usually go to as many meets as i can get to, most of the times to meet friends on there bikes for a rideout, often its just for a cuppa tea and to park the rat up at quatt cafe and see how many people in full leathers with matching blue and white gsxr 'dont get it'.


Cheers
John
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[Dilyan]

Not good at meeting people that I haven't communicated with in some way beforehand. And drive for a living

I can't imagine walking in a pub full of bikers and start a random conversation. But enjoy rideouts
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[james1988]

I don't have any friends my age to ride with. I normally stop off on RAC corner on the A470 for a cuppa and I would go as far as saying I'm normally the youngest there (22). Finding the money to go out for a jolly is becoming increasingly difficult. Being in uni full time doesn't allow me to work full time so what I do earn goes on petrol, insurance and tax that is mainly used to commute / catch the train or get a brew on.

James

[MarJay]

I think the whole bike 'meet' thing has just got a bit stale these last few years. I'd rather be riding than sitting or standing around in a car park to be honest. Bikes that turn up are less and less interesting than they used to be. I think lots of people do these meets because its the 'done thing' or because of habit. I don't mind the odd bike meet here and there, but riding to the same place each week to see the same bikes each week doesn't really appeal to me.
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[JoeDougieDoug...]

There is a chip shop that me and about 5 others meet up at on Southend Seafront. That's quite a common place for bikers young and old to meet up for a bag of chips before a ride out. Nice social spot for bikers.
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[Cheeseybeaner]

[D O G]

Meh, never understood the idea. One rides a bike for the pleasure of riding - not for standing aboot talking with people.

I don't want to meet new friends really - and certainly not the sort of people found preferring to spend their time in carparks/caffs talking about bikes when they could be riding.

Plus, I think people's time is more precious now, and so engaging in such an activity is less attractive.

[hellkat]

You're right. I should get out more
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[Alex A]

I'll often stop at a common bike stop (e.g. Devils Bridge) to break up a long ride, get a cheap butty and brew, and have a nosey at some bikes. But I'll keep to myself/my group and won't stay longer than 10-15 minutes.

I won't go to a meet as a destination, and I certainly won't go somewhere to spend an entire afternoon or evening. I ride because I enjoy riding, not because I have some desire to keep company with bikers, most of whom I don't know.

Besides, standing around is a waste of riding time. And if I'm not riding, I have better things to do.

[Rogerborg]

On my last trip to the Green Welly Stop on the A82 biker route, there was one Yoof on a CBR600F, then I'm fairly sure that I was the next most junior attendee at 39. Grey stubble as far as the eye could see, and the men were even worse.

It was mostly Big BMWs, Big Harleys, Big Bandits, and couple of bike coppers on whatever Big Bikes they ride now they've stopped stacking their Big Pan Euros. The CBR looked like a 125, and my GPZ was like a widdle mini-moto.
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[swiftb]

il stop at the usual hotspot if im on a long ride out for a quick rest and a drink- tend to keep myself to myself, stop for about 20mins then back on the roads. DOnt see the attraction of wasting time standing around gassing when I could be having a lot more fun riding, which is why I have a bike, to ride, not to stand round posing, chatting shit and telling everyone how awesome I am/my bike is. Some folk like that though. whatever.

[WannaBeDude]

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[N cee thirty]

i usually go out with a few of the lads my age (CHr15,woll) to the meets when we cba/have the time/money,but with all the licensing hassle etc most people i know stay on 125's

from your pic on fb Jo,it looked about the same turnout as when a couple of us went in august
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[Dazbo666]

I stop off at a few regular spots when out for a ride... but not always at known "biker" stops, just whatever's convenient at the time.

As for going on a solo ride on a regular basis, work and family commitments often take over, so we don't go out as often as we'd like.
I've also been on a couple of club organised rideouts over the years, and while there was a good community spirit, I'd still prefer to be riding during my free time rather than standing around talking about it.

As for the age issue, we're in our early 40's
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[BIKEVIDDER]

Bit of an 18yr old grey beard myself, don't have biker mates any more & for years I was on a Chinese 125 to commute due to a low wage job.
This year I went to a local bike meet quite a few times & have been on a few rideouts.
I didn't get my bigger rusty wreck untill late in the season.
I did see many more grey beards than yoofs & mainly big bikes.
One thought I've had for next year is invite local to me noobs to have a ride out to the biker meets that are fairly local & to all the rideouts I'm going on next year, the calender is already filling up quickly.
Every meet I went to & rideout attended perhaps I was just lucky but most were quite chatty, just a guess but perhaps there are many singles out there & meets & rideouts are the only way to meet up & chat with like minded people.
I say that because often I've seen more lone bikes than groups arriving or leaving.
Also when out in the family cage going to boot sales on Sundays although groups of bikes were common the most regular bike sight was a lone bike or pair & I suspect many groups were in fack singles or pairs joining up along the same road.
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[jjdugen]

We were up at the Ponderosa too, (bit breezy and cold up there, like a summers day in Conway and the ride back to Manchester). I was making the same comment, everyone there was certainly grey, if not pensionable. Some tasty looking machines too (read expensive).
Its not so much that I do bike meets, its just that the best riding roads seem to have somewhere to stop for fuel and brews, might as well have a look at the rich kids toys while I'm there.

Bikes are expensive, you need a fair bit of disposable wealth to run one, at least one that will get you a good long run without breaking or taking forever to get there. My generation was brought up on bikes, the youngers were the car generation, can't see things changing much.
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[mistergixer]

Nope, never interested me in the slightest.
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[DrDonnyBrago]

[Kris]

I don’t go very often but usually enjoy popping in to a bike meet once I’m there. I have to be in the mood. I tend to pop into Box Hill etc after a mammoth rideout nowadays and generally on my tod. It’s a place that sells a decent cuppa and offers a nice chance to stretch the legs and have a look over some other bikes. If the death of traditional bike meets does eventually occur then I think it’ll be because of three (recent) factors:

The inability of the ‘yoof’ to mix with others without being introduced via Faceache.
The smell of wee and biscuits from the tourer / IAM / Rospa brigade.
Increased plod targeting and OMG he did 100mph!!! OHNOEZ! mentality of locals that cry out for increased policing.
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[Musketeer]

Always ride alone, I prefer it that way.

I sometimes have a short chat with randomly met bikers in petrol stations, car parks etc. to never see them again.
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[robbieguy2003]

When i got my first bike, I lived 5 doors down from a biker pub and actually got my bike from the landlady when she jumped upto a bigger bike.

I dont live there anymore but still go down on a regular basis - but more for beer. The lot in there are a friendly bunch.

I used to do rideouts with them on certain week nights or weekends but as the majority were cruisers it got a little boring'ish after a bit, although I reckon I learned a ton of places in East Sussex by going around with this lot.

Going to the same places each week got boring so though i'd end up going on my own little rideouts and picking the roads I preferred riding on.

I dont quite agree with the 'why bother stopping and chatting rather than riding'. If I go for a rideout I live in hastings and i have friends who live in brighton, so I might ride over to madera drive, grab a coffee/bacon butty then ride to boxhill taking a varied route, stop for a coffee, carry on etc. It give you 15-20 mins to stop, wee, nose around and get a coffee.

As much as I like riding for pleasure half of it is getting off and having a look around. I don't need more friends, but that wont stop me chatting to someone who could be genuinely interesting, and if i've been riding for an hour or so - of quick riding - i.e. lots of moving about the bike/heavy concentrating then a break can be quite nice.

I'm 26 so still class myself as a young'un.
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