Starting a bike night?
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
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From: Passaic County, NJ
Starting a bike night?
I live in a small country town in the Pee Dee area of SC. Northwest of Florence,SC (I-95). We don't have much of anything going on here and there is a good population of motorcycles in this area. I'm seriously contemplating starting a bike night here.
First things that come to mind are location. If I were going to a bike night, I'd like it to be somewhere I could eat and have a cold beer if I wanted. That sort of narrows my locations down quite a bit. One place that serves alcohol and food is the 'yuppie' bar in town. Some 'bikers' (using the term VERY loosely) do go there. Their parking area is not that big. Have to really check it out during the day to make sure there is ample room for cars and bikes.
Second...vendors? Not many bike shops in my area. Closest dealer is about 1hr away in Florence. There is a small indy about 20 miles away. He may be interested in participating. Another small indy in Hamlet, NC just across the state line. He may be interested to participate. I went to one last week in Greenville,sc and they had dyno shootouts. I love that idea. No one in this area has a mobile dyno that I know of.
Live entertainment...that usually costs money. If alcohol is served, we could charge $1 for a wristband for those of legal drinking age to offset the cost. I doubt I'd find a band (and I have one in mind) that would donate the time unless any money collected went to a worthy cause.
My second option for location, a bar, has a crappy corner lot and the parking area is not m/c friendly at all.
I'm not sure what my liability would be and if I'd need liability insurance for the (hopefully) weekly event.
Any suggestions? I'm very interested to hear what you may have learned from a similar experience. I'd also be interested in any help. People from NC (wadesboro, rockingham, hamlet area just to keep it semi-local).
First things that come to mind are location. If I were going to a bike night, I'd like it to be somewhere I could eat and have a cold beer if I wanted. That sort of narrows my locations down quite a bit. One place that serves alcohol and food is the 'yuppie' bar in town. Some 'bikers' (using the term VERY loosely) do go there. Their parking area is not that big. Have to really check it out during the day to make sure there is ample room for cars and bikes.
Second...vendors? Not many bike shops in my area. Closest dealer is about 1hr away in Florence. There is a small indy about 20 miles away. He may be interested in participating. Another small indy in Hamlet, NC just across the state line. He may be interested to participate. I went to one last week in Greenville,sc and they had dyno shootouts. I love that idea. No one in this area has a mobile dyno that I know of.
Live entertainment...that usually costs money. If alcohol is served, we could charge $1 for a wristband for those of legal drinking age to offset the cost. I doubt I'd find a band (and I have one in mind) that would donate the time unless any money collected went to a worthy cause.
My second option for location, a bar, has a crappy corner lot and the parking area is not m/c friendly at all.
I'm not sure what my liability would be and if I'd need liability insurance for the (hopefully) weekly event.
Any suggestions? I'm very interested to hear what you may have learned from a similar experience. I'd also be interested in any help. People from NC (wadesboro, rockingham, hamlet area just to keep it semi-local).
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,836
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From: 2000 Softail FXST
We have a Hooters and a local Pub that each have a "bike night". Both take place on Thursday nights and neither is anything special, just a gathering place for riders of both cruisers and sport bikes. You might start by contacting local riding clubs (if you have them) and schedule meets at different locations until you find one that works. If you get a good turnout on a regular basis the bike night concept may take off on it's own. Start small and see what happens.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,401
Likes: 2
From: Kansas City Mo
I play in a band that does "bike nights" at two different bars Wed. at one and Thurs. at the other. Usually a bar will throw there own bike night. What you might think about is if you know any one with some property that bikes can get into . Have a party. charge some money. have some kegs and loose beers available. You might also think about mixed drinks (pay bar). First few times I would consider a DJ to get you started.Then look around for bands.. Bands rely upon their gig money . They usually need it , it is hard to get a good pro band out for free. Sometimes the parties work better than the bars... have some established security around too.
Another way is to approach some local taverns/bars about it. Bike nights around here .. the bigger ones are usually at yuppie bars. It doesn't take much to get one going.. use local advertisements. flyers and poster up at all the local bike shops. word of mouth at any local runs or events.. They might be slow starting out , word does eventually get around and people start riding in.
If doing a bar, work with the bar owner about drink specials on that night. Beer Buckets around here work great. 5 beers in a bucket of ice for 10.00 is usually what they do around here at the bar bike nights.
Another way is to approach some local taverns/bars about it. Bike nights around here .. the bigger ones are usually at yuppie bars. It doesn't take much to get one going.. use local advertisements. flyers and poster up at all the local bike shops. word of mouth at any local runs or events.. They might be slow starting out , word does eventually get around and people start riding in.
If doing a bar, work with the bar owner about drink specials on that night. Beer Buckets around here work great. 5 beers in a bucket of ice for 10.00 is usually what they do around here at the bar bike nights.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Sounds more like you're wanting to start a mini-rally.
Why not find a large parking lot of some business that doesn't mind, and having a tailgating party type thing. Of course, there'd have to be some cages involved to transport the grill and stuff. Charge a couple of bucks to anyone wanting to participate, and there's your funds for the next one. Before you know it, it'll grow into something big.
Why not find a large parking lot of some business that doesn't mind, and having a tailgating party type thing. Of course, there'd have to be some cages involved to transport the grill and stuff. Charge a couple of bucks to anyone wanting to participate, and there's your funds for the next one. Before you know it, it'll grow into something big.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,575
Likes: 4
From: Norfolk, VA
I live in a small country town in the Pee Dee area of SC. Northwest of Florence,SC (I-95). We don't have much of anything going on here and there is a good population of motorcycles in this area. I'm seriously contemplating starting a bike night here.
First things that come to mind are location. If I were going to a bike night, I'd like it to be somewhere I could eat and have a cold beer if I wanted. That sort of narrows my locations down quite a bit. One place that serves alcohol and food is the 'yuppie' bar in town. Some 'bikers' (using the term VERY loosely) do go there. Their parking area is not that big. Have to really check it out during the day to make sure there is ample room for cars and bikes.
Second...vendors? Not many bike shops in my area. Closest dealer is about 1hr away in Florence. There is a small indy about 20 miles away. He may be interested in participating. Another small indy in Hamlet, NC just across the state line. He may be interested to participate. I went to one last week in Greenville,sc and they had dyno shootouts. I love that idea. No one in this area has a mobile dyno that I know of.
Live entertainment...that usually costs money. If alcohol is served, we could charge $1 for a wristband for those of legal drinking age to offset the cost. I doubt I'd find a band (and I have one in mind) that would donate the time unless any money collected went to a worthy cause.
My second option for location, a bar, has a crappy corner lot and the parking area is not m/c friendly at all.
I'm not sure what my liability would be and if I'd need liability insurance for the (hopefully) weekly event.
Any suggestions? I'm very interested to hear what you may have learned from a similar experience. I'd also be interested in any help. People from NC (wadesboro, rockingham, hamlet area just to keep it semi-local).
First things that come to mind are location. If I were going to a bike night, I'd like it to be somewhere I could eat and have a cold beer if I wanted. That sort of narrows my locations down quite a bit. One place that serves alcohol and food is the 'yuppie' bar in town. Some 'bikers' (using the term VERY loosely) do go there. Their parking area is not that big. Have to really check it out during the day to make sure there is ample room for cars and bikes.
Second...vendors? Not many bike shops in my area. Closest dealer is about 1hr away in Florence. There is a small indy about 20 miles away. He may be interested in participating. Another small indy in Hamlet, NC just across the state line. He may be interested to participate. I went to one last week in Greenville,sc and they had dyno shootouts. I love that idea. No one in this area has a mobile dyno that I know of.
Live entertainment...that usually costs money. If alcohol is served, we could charge $1 for a wristband for those of legal drinking age to offset the cost. I doubt I'd find a band (and I have one in mind) that would donate the time unless any money collected went to a worthy cause.
My second option for location, a bar, has a crappy corner lot and the parking area is not m/c friendly at all.
I'm not sure what my liability would be and if I'd need liability insurance for the (hopefully) weekly event.
Any suggestions? I'm very interested to hear what you may have learned from a similar experience. I'd also be interested in any help. People from NC (wadesboro, rockingham, hamlet area just to keep it semi-local).
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
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From: Passaic County, NJ
On other notes, I'm not looking to make money off this, unless of course there is the possibility to make it worth my while. My intentions is just for something to do on a tues or wed. night.
I was just looking for suggestions from people on the forum who may have done this before me.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 973
Likes: 1
LOL Do you know that from experience?
On other notes, I'm not looking to make money off this, unless of course there is the possibility to make it worth my while. My intentions is just for something to do on a tues or wed. night.
I was just looking for suggestions from people on the forum who may have done this before me.
On other notes, I'm not looking to make money off this, unless of course there is the possibility to make it worth my while. My intentions is just for something to do on a tues or wed. night.
I was just looking for suggestions from people on the forum who may have done this before me.
In all seriousness...good luck but I think Tues or Wed is going to be road trip night.
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 923
Likes: 3
From: Southern Oregon
Having a bike night at a bar is not a good idea. I have absolutly nothing against having a few beers but if all of a sudden a group of bikes start showing up at a local, small town bar, the cops are going to have a field day.
We have a bike night, unfortunitly not on a regular basis but it's at a local, family owned burger joint. They have a lot of outside tables and food thats good and very reasonably priced. Sometimes there may only be 3 bikes show up but other times maybe 20.
Trying to get a weekly group is going to be hard. We can't even get all the members of the HOG chapter to come once a month. Honestly we have about 100 member but I have yet to met 70 of them. he he he
Some ideas on how to get the word out. Find the local burger stand, make sure it's okay with them. Ask them to post a flyer in their window or if they have a sign on the property, maybe they could post something on the sign. Many of our small town locals have signs with those number and letter that just pop in and out. Very easy to change on a daily basis.
Once you find the place, also put up flyers on the boards of your local grocery stores. Most of our grocery stores have a cork board to post local events and notices.
Check with the local news paper or do you have one of those "throw away" advertisement papers. We have one and it's FREE to list something that is not for sale, such as a notice about a bike week.
Good luck, I hope you get some other riders who are interested and make it happen.
We have a bike night, unfortunitly not on a regular basis but it's at a local, family owned burger joint. They have a lot of outside tables and food thats good and very reasonably priced. Sometimes there may only be 3 bikes show up but other times maybe 20.
Trying to get a weekly group is going to be hard. We can't even get all the members of the HOG chapter to come once a month. Honestly we have about 100 member but I have yet to met 70 of them. he he he
Some ideas on how to get the word out. Find the local burger stand, make sure it's okay with them. Ask them to post a flyer in their window or if they have a sign on the property, maybe they could post something on the sign. Many of our small town locals have signs with those number and letter that just pop in and out. Very easy to change on a daily basis.
Once you find the place, also put up flyers on the boards of your local grocery stores. Most of our grocery stores have a cork board to post local events and notices.
Check with the local news paper or do you have one of those "throw away" advertisement papers. We have one and it's FREE to list something that is not for sale, such as a notice about a bike week.
Good luck, I hope you get some other riders who are interested and make it happen.