This goes back a few years. I spent a couple of years in Germany after university and when I came back to the UK I decided to get a motorbike. Somehow I found out there was a local bike club who I hooked up with. This was not some lawless gang, just a bunch of people who enjoyed their bikes and were into going to rallies. Bike rallies tend to be based at a pub or just a marquee in a field where you camp out for a few days of drinking, silly games and often a ride out en masse. This first club was the Bedford Eagles. When I moved to my current home I looked around and found North Herts MAG. This was a branch of the Motorcycle Action Group who campaign on biker issues. I marshalled at some of their events which incorporated some political actions like riding to Buckingham Palace after their demonstration was pushed to some remote part of London.
Bikers have a bit of an image problem, but underneath those leathers and beards you will find some great people who just want to be left alone to have some fun. There are some who go looking for trouble, but I tried to avoid those. The first rally I went to was just after I joined the Eagles. I went on my learner bike (Yamaha RXS) and had a good time. There is a tradition of initiating 'rally virgins'. I got off fairly lightly with getting covered in flour and beer. That is me on the left (wearing another shirt featured in this series) with a guy called Andy who I think was also still a learner then.
Somewhere I have a load of rally badges that I cannot find right now. Some people would be going to something almost every week, but I did a lot less than that. Here is my Honda 400/4 loaded up for a rally. I had my original tiny tent that time, but got a better one later on. I had to do a bit of work on that bike, but it was fun. I traded it for a Honda XBR 500 and eventually got a Suzuki GSX600F. I used my bikes to get to work, so it tended to be about practicality rather than all-out speed. By the time I had kids I decided biking was getting a bit risky (or I was getting old and boring). It was a lot of fun and I could fancy having another bike, but we shall see. I am more into human-powered transport these days.
I have done about 15 #shirtonsunday posts after being inspired by 
The geeky guitarist and facilitator of the 10K Minnows Project.
- I'll buy guitar picks for Steem.
- Get a Wirex Debit Card to spend your crypto.
- Get some passive income with Mannabase.
- Get paid to search at Presearch.
- Battle for cards on Steem Monsters and I will lease to small accounts.
- I have Steem accounts to give away to worthy people!