About Us
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Rather than try and convey what the club is about I have extracted a quote from the forum posted by the club chairman.
"What I was going to say is that I would like to distill the club`s focus and ethos into a few sentences so that potential members can get an idea of what they are buying into.
When we started the outline was simple, any thumper.
However, over the years it has become apparent that we are not (and can`t be) the sort of club that offers comprehensive technical advice. We also do not appeal much to Brit bike purists. And we are not a bunch of polishers.
A typical member has a Yamaha, Honda or MuZ thumper as their main bike. The age of these bikes is generally between 10 and 20 years. We seem to enjoy getting out there and harassing bigger bikes. There isn`t much emphasis on buying expensive bits for our machines. Our favourite colour for leather is black and we tend to drink a bit.
I`d say that we are a club of riders who have a liking for the character and nature of the thumper in all its forms. We share technical tips, tall stories and riding adventures."
A selection of responses from club members
"We like are bikes but are not influenced by the latest fashion, but neither are we caught
in the trap of they "don`t build them like they used to". For many of us money seems tight,
the budget small (or non existant) and we are time poor with family/work commitments. Bikes
to many of us is a way of life, not a hobby or the latest trend in leisure pursuits."
"Ride it, have a laugh, have a beer... maybe even polish it?"
"Riding thumpers is precious to us... but we`re not precious about riding thumpers."
"It may be slow, but it`s faster than a ZXCBRFJR120000RRRR parked in your garage..."
"Never seen rain? Mine has..."
"If in doubt, wheel it out - UK Thumper Club. For motorcycle *riders*"
"One Cylinder, forty horses"
"Thumper Club - There isn`t a road twisty enough. (but we`re looking)"
"I wouldn`t define the club by the age or brand of machine, I think what makes this club different to the majority is the type of member.
Most don`t care particularly what badge is on the tank.
Many have a very great deal of experience riding a variety of machines, from incredibly slow/small to ballistically fast.
Most (forgive the generalisation) have decided that a thumper is quick enough to be fun without the agro/expense/fear/police involvement of running a modernish sports bike.
As you say, few of us are millionaires (or ever likely to be)
and most ride year round.
I have no problem at all with "polishers", I sometimes wish I was one(!) but the majority of us aren`t (or more likely haven`t got the time) and there are a few newer bikes (including my MuZ he says with a hurt look).
Mostly though, we`re motorcycle *riders* and long may that continue, see you in the rain in a muddy field somewhere ;-)"
"Hell, I didn`t join this club with the expectation that I`d have to THINK......I joined `cos after looking at the forum, members bikes, and having owned one or other thumper most of my life.......it looked and felt a bit like my favourite old armchair.
I`m free to use it and abuse it as I see fit, i can just be in it and do nothing without complaint, or I can fiddle about with it, maybe sort of look after it a bit and thats fine too.
It`s welcoming, comfortable and easy to live with and makes no unreasonable demands upon my time or money, and its always ....just.........there."
"Simple bikes for simple people"
"As many of you know I have been a member of this club for six years and at present I own a BMW 1150 GS
(I’m still working on my SR single) and I have attended many club events. What this club means to
me is quite simple “The Members” this club is quite unique it doesn’t matter if you own a single or
not if you are passionate about them than that’s all that matters. I think this club is more than a
riders club it’s a brother hood of like-minded individuals that share a common interest
“riding motorcycles” I have been a member of other club’s and this is not always the case. I think
some club’s could take a leaf out of our book and become more sociable to its members and non-members.
As for the direction of the club GC I think the current format is great! The first event I pencil in
on my calendar every year is our annual rally come what may."
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