How to Start a Motorcycle Club or Riding Club

Riders start clubs for good reasons: there is no club nearby that fits, the local clubs are closed to new members, or a group of friends has ridden together long enough that a name and a patch feel natural. The steps below are the ones that keep a new club out of trouble with the law, the bank, and the established clubs in your area.

Decide what you are building

The first decision is whether you are forming a riding club, a traditional MC, a veteran or charity organization, or a brand chapter. Each has a different expected structure, patch convention, and level of protocol with other clubs. A riding club with a one-piece patch is the simplest to start and the least likely to create friction. A new three-piece-patch MC in an area with established clubs requires introductions and, in many regions, acceptance by a local council or confederation of clubs before it flies colors. Decide this before you design anything.

Write the bylaws first

Bylaws come before patches. Cover membership eligibility, the process for admitting members, dues and what they fund, officer positions and terms, meeting schedule and quorum, voting thresholds, discipline, how a member leaves, and what happens to club property and money if the club dissolves. Keep them short enough that every member will read them. Many state nonprofit associations and the American Motorcyclist Association publish sample bylaws for chartered clubs.

Name and patch clearance

Search this directory, state business registries, and social media for your proposed name before you commit. Then check the patch. Do not use a bottom rocker with a state or city name unless you have done the introductions that custom requires in your region, and do not borrow colors, symbols, or layouts from existing clubs. Many areas have a confederation of clubs, often called a COC or a council, whose meetings are the right place to introduce a new club and avoid an avoidable conflict. Dealership-sponsored chapters and brand groups follow the manufacturer's rules instead.

Make it legal

Incorporate as a nonprofit corporation in your state. It is inexpensive, it separates the club's liabilities from the members' personal assets, and banks require it to open an account in the club's name. Obtain a federal employer identification number, open the account with two-signature authority, and keep records from the first dollar. If the club will fundraise for charity, talk to an accountant about federal tax-exempt status, which lets donors deduct gifts and lets you accept grants.

Insurance

A club that organizes rides and events needs general liability insurance. Event organizers are routinely named in lawsuits after crashes. Chartered clubs can often buy coverage through their national organization, and several insurers write policies for independent clubs. Venues for poker runs and parties will ask for a certificate of insurance before they confirm.

Dues, officers, and the first year

Set dues at a level that covers insurance, a website, patches at cost, and a small reserve. Elect officers from the founding group, hold meetings on a fixed schedule, and ride together before you recruit. A club that has run a season of rides and one well-organized event has something to show a prospective member. A club that recruits first and figures out the rest later usually does not survive its first disagreement.

Growing without losing the plot

Admit members slowly. Every new member changes the character of a small club, and a bad fit admitted quickly costs more than a good fit admitted late. Keep the bylaws current, keep the money transparent, keep the website and social media pages updated so riders can tell you are active, and submit the club to this directory so riders in your area can find you.