Why BikeStop

"Where is the closest BikeStop....?"

I have been a motorcyclist for more years than I like to admit.

Forever seems like such a long time when you write it down!

I have owned motorcycles since I learnt to ride on the farm aged seven, and have been the proud owner of a host of BMW's, Ducati’s, Triumph’s and Japanese bikes.

These days my interest is classic motorcycles, particularly BMW’s.

During all this time, I have been fully aware that there has always been certain places that:

give us the opportunity to see and be seen,
bring riders together, allow us (and help us ) to band together,
strengthen the strong comradeship that we all have (whether with just one other, or with ALL riders),
demonstrate that we exist, and that we are genuine road users,
see Harley's and Goldwing's and postie bikes and Ducati's and Vincent's and scooters and Honda Dream's and Beemers and XS650's and GS1150's and XL250's ALL park proudly together,
and help to differentiate us from all those non-motorcycling types.

And I, like many others, have always sought these places out.

This binding and highly visible activity of motorcyclists is not a new or unusual thing. It is however taken for granted these days, I believe.

We all know that there is one just down the road. Where ever we travel these days, there will be one not far away.

I speak of course of BikeStops. The term BikeStop is not a new or unusual term – but maybe it is! (If it is new, I claim it as mine! - but you can use it if you like).

Historically, the fabulous ACE CAFÉ was and is an excellent example of a BikeStop – a place for motorcyclists to gather, to meet, and just to be.

A BikeStop is a focus location for what we all are, and what we each bring to motorcycling. There probably has been motorcycle specific cafes and bars etc, ever since motorcycles became available to the general population, I guess.

But these days the term is much broader and I believe it has been diluted.

This century, with 100s of different styles of bikes, 1000s of motorcycle clubs, 10,000s of different towns, 100,000s of different styles of venues, and 1,000,000s of different types of people, nearly everywhere we go could be seen as a BikeStop.

That is not always the case though, is it?

With whole towns consisting only of chain stores, and McDonalds drive-throughs, and franchises, and takeaways, and fast service, and self service, and suitable attire, and.... (The list goes on and on).

For example - these days, the only service you get at a service station, is some 'weary old soul' telling you what the pump number was, where you just filled up your tank, .............as if I care!

Me.... I want a petrol station where someone says 'hi', and passes you a rag if you need it, a coffee shop that likes having a few nice bikes parked out the front, a pub that is happy to let you put your bike in the shed overnight.

In fact, (and this may be getting off the track a wee bit) the only dentist I have ever liked, stocked old twowheels issues in his waiting room instead of house and garden mags.

I admit now, to stealing one very old issue from him, simply because it contained a classic John Rooth page with one of the great, but previously unread, sagas of his old BMW ‘Hilda the deranged /2’.

We all ride bikes, we travel.

We travel from here to there.

Sometimes we go the long way.

Sometimes we go the wrong way.

And sometimes we do not know the way at all,

But we still go.......

I believe that these days, a true BikeStop is a place that welcomes bike riders, and is a place where bike riders feel welcomed.

For years now, people have said to me,.... "someone should....., why doesn't someone......., I wish there was................ a list somewhere of all the great places for bike riders to go."

I often find myself somewhere new, in search of a BikeStop. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Over the past few years I have been involved with venues that actively and openly promote themselves as being motorcycle friendly, and I have been encouraged along the way by some excellent patronage.

With baby boomers, dual incomes, high disposable incomes, hundreds of Ulysses clubs (all going somewhere different each week), a plethora of other bike clubs, and all the people like me that have to save up for each tank of fuel the bike uses, it is time for a list of BikeStops.

With a list of BikeStops - we can all take our money and spend it where it should be spent.

We can actively support the good businesses that want our trade, the ones that welcome us, and look after us.

A couple of months ago, I went on ride, and I had a need, a desperate need for such a list.

I had spent a few days travelling, talking to people I met along the way, ringing mates - new and old, throwing out terrible $3.80 coffees, getting lost in back streets, complaining at the bar, and staring into a few empty glasses, and by God, I think I had discovered a plan at the bottom of one!!!!

The plan began its life as a dream (as is often the case!) I know that there are a few lists out there, local lists – of local haunts, the places bike riders go. But that doesn't help me if I am travelling through unfamiliar territory.

I know that there are some motorcycle maps...... I know that there are places out there..... But where are they all..... Where are they when I need them?

These days with net cafes and such, a list of BikeStops, would and should be accessible to us all, as we travel in any direction, searching for any home away from home, seeking shelter from the storm.

My dream began during my ride to Armidale in April, well much earlier really, but it didn't begin to crystallise until that trip. (You will read about that ride elsewhere on this site.)

I have spoken widely of my dream - the dream that I, and many others, have had.

My plan began when I scrounged a few dollars together to register a business name so that I could register this domain name.

The more people I spoke to about my plan, the more it grew, the stronger it became.

I have spoken to bike riders, and they are full of suggestions and recommendations for BikeStops.

I have spoken to businesses who want to promote the fact that they are motorcycle friendly BikeStops.

Since April, I have travelled through NSW, Victoria, and NT documenting my visits to the ‘places bike riders go’.

I have begun to build this website for this motorcyclist's resource, the map showing BikeStops, - motorcycle friendly pubs, coffee shops, places to eat, places to go etc.

www.BikeStop.com.au - where bike riders go

I am still seeking more BikeStops to include, so please email me your favourite haunts or suggestions to the webmaster.

Eventually I guess I can add all the rally's, and swap meets, our favourite roads and rides, highways and byways, and good roads and the dirt tracks,

maybe some bike dealers and some motorcycle service centres, some useful web links, and some parts and accessories shops.

...But not yet.

"Where is the closest BikeStop....?"

I have been a motorcyclist for more years than I like to admit.

Forever seems like such a long time when you write it down!

I have owned motorcycles since I learnt to ride on the farm aged seven, and have been the proud owner of a host of BMW's, Ducati’s, Triumph’s and Japanese bikes.

These days my interest is classic motorcycles, particularly BMW’s.

During all this time, I have been fully aware that there has always been certain places that:

give us the opportunity to see and be seen,

bring riders together, allow us (and help us ) to band together,

strengthen the strong comradeship that we all have (whether with just one other, or with ALL riders),

demonstrate that we exist, and that we are genuine road users,

see Harley's and Goldwing's and postie bikes and Ducati's and Vincent's and scooters and Honda Dream's and Beemers and XS650's and GS1150's and XL250's ALL park proudly together,

and help to differentiate us from all those non-motorcycling types.

And I, like many others, have always sought these places out.

This binding and highly visible activity of motorcyclists is not a new or unusual thing. It is however taken for granted these days, I believe.

We all know that there is one just down the road. Where ever we travel these days, there will be one not far away.

I speak of course of BikeStops. The term BikeStop is not a new or unusual term – but maybe it is! (If it is new, I claim it as mine! - but you can use it if you like).

Historically, the fabulous ACE CAFÉ was and is an excellent example of a BikeStop – a place for motorcyclists to gather, to meet, and just to be.

A BikeStop is a focus location for what we all are, and what we each bring to motorcycling. There probably has been motorcycle specific cafes and bars etc, ever since motorcycles became available to the general population, I guess.

But these days the term is much broader and I believe it has been diluted.

This century, with 100s of different styles of bikes, 1000s of motorcycle clubs, 10,000s of different towns, 100,000s of different styles of venues, and 1,000,000s of different types of people, nearly everywhere we go could be seen as a BikeStop.

That is not always the case though, is it?

With whole towns consisting only of chain stores, and McDonalds drive-throughs, and franchises, and takeaways, and fast service, and self service, and suitable attire, and.... (The list goes on and on).

For example - these days, the only service you get at a service station, is some 'weary old soul' telling you what the pump number was, where you just filled up your tank, .............as if I care!

Me.... I want a petrol station where someone says 'hi', and passes you a rag if you need it, a coffee shop that likes having a few nice bikes parked out the front, a pub that is happy to let you put your bike in the shed overnight.

In fact, (and this may be getting off the track a wee bit) the only dentist I have ever liked, stocked old twowheels issues in his waiting room instead of house and garden mags.

I admit now, to stealing one very old issue from him, simply because it contained a classic John Rooth page with one of the great, but previously unread, sagas of his old BMW ‘Hilda the deranged /2’.

We all ride bikes, we travel.

We travel from here to there.

Sometimes we go the long way.

Sometimes we go the wrong way.

And sometimes we do not know the way at all,

But we still go.......

I believe that these days, a true BikeStop is a place that welcomes bike riders, and is a place where bike riders feel welcomed.

For years now, people have said to me,.... "someone should....., why doesn't someone......., I wish there was................ a list somewhere of all the great places for bike riders to go."

I often find myself somewhere new, in search of a BikeStop. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Over the past few years I have been involved with venues that actively and openly promote themselves as being motorcycle friendly, and I have been encouraged along the way by some excellent patronage.

With baby boomers, dual incomes, high disposable incomes, hundreds of Ulysses clubs (all going somewhere different each week), a plethora of other bike clubs, and all the people like me that have to save up for each tank of fuel the bike uses, it is time for a list of BikeStops.

With a list of BikeStops - we can all take our money and spend it where it should be spent.

We can actively support the good businesses that want our trade, the ones that welcome us, and look after us.

A couple of months ago, I went on ride, and I had a need, a desperate need for such a list.

The plan began its life as a dream (as is often the case!) I know that there are a few lists out there, local lists – of local haunts, the places bike riders go. But that doesn't help me if I am travelling through unfamiliar territory.

I know that there are some motorcycle maps...... I know that there are places out there..... But where are they all..... Where are they when I need them?

These days with net cafes and such, a list of BikeStops, would and should be accessible to us all, as we travel in any direction, searching for any home away from home, seeking shelter from the storm.

My dream began during my ride to Armidale in April, well much earlier really, but it didn't begin to crystallise until that trip. (You will read about that ride elsewhere on this site.)

I have spoken widely of my dream - the dream that I, and many others, have had.

My plan began when I scrounged a few dollars together to register a business name so that I could register this domain name.

The more people I spoke to about my plan, the more it grew, the stronger it became.

I have spoken to bike riders, and they are full of suggestions and recommendations for BikeStops.

I have spoken to businesses who want to promote the fact that they are motorcycle friendly BikeStops.

Since April, I have travelled through NSW, Victoria, and NT documenting my visits to the ‘places bike riders go’.

I have begun to build this website for this motorcyclist's resource, the map showing BikeStops, - motorcycle friendly pubs, coffee shops, places to eat, places to go etc.

www.BikeStop.com.au - where bike riders go

I am still seeking more BikeStops to include, so please email me your favourite haunts or suggestions to the webmaster.

Eventually I guess I can add all the rally's, and swap meets, our favourite roads and rides, highways and byways, and good roads and the dirt tracks,

maybe some bike dealers and some motorcycle service centres, some useful web links, and some parts and accessories shops.

...But not yet.