My six proposed guidelines for bike night etiquette

RevZilla's brick-and-mortar locations, J&P Cycles stores, and many Cycle Gear stores have bike night events on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the riding season, as do other businesses and organizations. Bike night events can lead to new friendships and community, help riders of all experience levels share insights and advice, and overall be a ton of fun for anyone who appreciates the two-wheeled world.

As someone who enjoys these events myself, I think there are a few tips and mindsets that can elevate the experience and make sure that motorcycling in general is represented well, especially to those new to riding. Here are six guidelines that I would propose and I hope these ideas and observations will make these events feel inclusive and fun for everyone.

Park intelligently with healthy boundaries

When I park a motorcycle in a group, I am always conscious of the bike's "tip-over radius," the amount of space it would take for it to fall over and not contact anything else. A tip-over may be an unlikely scenario, but honest mistakes do happen. If my bike were to tip over, or a bike parked next to mine did, the situation would be much less serious if only one motorcycle was involved. Leave a healthy boundary whenever possible, and enjoy the night with less worry.

Don't rev to the limit

There are (and will always continue to be) varying opinions on whether or not loud exhaust revving is euphonious or just unnecessarily raucous. We're gearheads; we like to hear engines and exhaust systems perform, especially our own. While it may be tempting to hold your machine against the rev limiter, I typically try to take a more polite approach. If I'm riding a bike that has a unique or appealing exhaust note, I may blip the throttle a time or two on the way into or out of the event, but nothing more than I'd do leaving my neighborhood.

No stunts in a crowd

Everything has an appropriate time and place; I feel a bike night is best with cool heads and conservative judgement. If you connect with others who enjoy stunting, coordinate a time and place set up safely for it! Bike nights are often crowded events and one stunt gone wrong can put other people or their motorcycles in harm's way. That kind of liability can push organizers to discontinue events.

Look, but never touch

Very simply, I avoid touching anyone else's motorcycle. I'll stand at a distance and I pay particular attention to what I'm wearing — jackets with zippers dangling that could touch bodywork, loose clothing that could accidentally snag a turn signal, etc. It's always gratifying to see someone admiring our ride, and to me that always feels best when the person is respectfully protecting the bike. If you're with a friend and want to identify something in particular, point without touching.

Focus on the bikes and owners who are there

Have you been to a bike night and been cornered by the person telling a story about someone's brother's roommate's neighbor who had a motorcycle kind of like yours 10 years ago? Don't be that guy. Personally, I make an extra effort to ask people about the bike they brought. How long have you had it? What do you like best about it? Does it fit the way you like to ride? If the conversation flows from there, then great! But if not, at least I was learning about new people and the bikes I came to see.

Thank the organizer(s) and let 'em know you're there

There's a deceptive amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to make an event happen, and many employees are working outside their normal hours and responsibilities to provide a positive experience. Letting the staff or organizers know that you're grateful for their efforts, and enjoying the event, can go a long way towards continuing the bike nights that help to strengthen the riding community. Point out what you particularly liked or what was done especially well, and if you have feedback about what could be improved, keep it constructive. Similarly, in some cases businesses or stores use metrics to decide how to allocate their resources. By helping them capture how many people attended an event, and how well the event was received, you can encourage them to host similar great bike nights in the future. If the event is held in a business's parking lot, take a few minutes to stroll through the store, even if you don't think you’re in the market for anything.

I'm certainly not the ultimate authority on all things motorcycle-related, but as someone who enjoys these community events, I think these six simple ideas could make bike nights more enjoyable for everyone. It's not about imposing strict rules and thus being closed-off or exclusive. I take an opposite viewpoint; adopting these approaches to courtesy are the foundation for making bike nights inclusive. If everyone feels they can safely bring their bike and connect with others who've done the same, then it's a purely positive event.

What did I miss? Share your own tips below. And then I hope to see you out there some Tuesday this summer and hear about your passion for riding!