Infographic: Motorcycle club business plan
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General description of the business of organizing a motorcycle club
What is meant by the word "motorcycle club"? In fact, this term does not have a clear definition. Someone, hearing it, imagines a group of bikers dressed in black leather and constantly located near some bars. Others, on the contrary, associate the motorcycle club with fans of sports and extreme two-wheeled vehicles. Still others represent something like a school where you can learn to ride a motorcycle.
Such a variety of options allows a person who decides to open his own motorcycle club the opportunity to choose the direction of business development. Therefore, in the last few years the number of such establishments has been increasing with enviable consistency.
List of motorcycle club services, product description
As a rule, a motorcycle club is primarily a place where lovers of two-wheeled vehicles can gather to discuss their interests, hold competitions, etc. However, a club can be more than just a place of entertainment. You can also open a place where motorcycle lovers can:
- learn to drive a motorcycle and prepare to take the exam for a category “A” driver’s license;
- order an upgrade for your two-wheeled “friend”;
- buy parts and spare parts for repairs, etc.
Motorcycle training
Opening a club that will provide driving lessons and preparation for passing the driver's license exam is the most difficult option for developing such a business. The difficulty lies in the need to obtain a license from the traffic police.
Exams for category “A”
In order for a motorcycle school to function, its owner must take care of obtaining a license. To do this, he needs to contact the nearest traffic police department, submit an application and provide the following set of documents:
- constituent papers of an open legal entity or individual enterprise;
- employment contracts concluded with citizens who have the knowledge that allows them to teach other people how to drive motorcycles and can document their availability (for example, a certificate of completion of courses);
- document the equipment of the school (for any training, regardless of the direction, equipment is required);
- a lease agreement or certificate of ownership of the premises where the motorcycle school will be located, and similar documents for the race track where practical classes will be held;
- receipt of payment of the state fee for obtaining a license.
Participation in events
Participation in special events and private celebrations is another way to increase the club’s income. But in order for such a service to be in demand, the club needs to be known. You can conduct an advertising campaign in advance and enlist the support of holiday organizers.
You can open motorcycle driving courses at the motorcycle club. Again, the motorcycle club needs to be known. Then the courses will be popular and generate consistently high income.
This is not an exhaustive list of possible sources of income for a motorcycle club. Even with two or three of them, you can make an organization, initially consisting of motorcycle enthusiasts and not intended for commercial use, generate considerable profit.
Teaming up with the ATV Club
Motorcycle technology, oddly enough, is not only motorcycles. All business development options described above can be applied to ATVs. This type of transport is also very popular, perhaps even more so than motorcycles. This is primarily due to the relative ease of driving.
And for existing motorcycle clubs, the option of attracting visitors by starting work (whatever it may be) with ATVs is a good way to expand their business.
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Competitions, sponsorship races, stunt shows, races at city festivals
Racing, competitions and other recreational activities require more effort than, for example, opening a workshop. In addition to the fact that the owner, of course, will have to formalize his business, he will also need to negotiate with the owners of race tracks and sports tracks (if we are talking about racing), with entertainment venues capable of hosting a motorcycle show (if we are talking about demonstration performances), and , the most difficult thing is with the administration of the locality (if we are talking about arrivals for city holidays).
For example, the Night Wolves motorcycle club, which is very well known in narrow circles, is based in St. Petersburg. Its main activity is primarily aimed at uniting people with the same interests and preferences. Providing tuning services, selling spare parts and repairing motorcycles is a secondary activity.
For almost every significant holiday, the Night Wolves negotiate with local authorities to hold a motorcycle parade, in which, without exaggeration, hundreds of pieces of equipment take part.
Events and holidays
If your club members are professionals in their field, why not use their skills to earn extra money? Put on a few tricks and performances. Having such a “trump card” in your asset, you can safely apply for participation in various events. The public loves such performances, and this can serve as good advertising for your club.
In such cases, the administration is quite willing to make contact. The main thing is that your performance matches the scale and format of the holiday.
How to advertise a motorcycle club
The advertising methods that apply to a newly opened motorcycle club again depend on its main activity. Workshops, shops, motorcycle schools - all of this can be advertised as usual, relevant for all organizations that sell something or provide any services. First of all, this is the Internet and outdoor advertising. At the initial stage, when literally every ruble counts, you can use all known resources for publishing free advertisements, as well as social networks.
If the main goal of the club is to create a place where motorcycle enthusiasts can gather for something, be it simple communication or participation in competitions and demonstration shows, then everything is much more complicated. It is difficult to advertise such a place due to its narrow focus. One option is to order advertising in groups on social networks where lovers of motorcycles and ATVs gather.
How to create a motorcycle club and not get hit with a tambourine without SMS and registration
Since the history of the motorcycle movement originated in the United States, we take the basic rules and procedures from there, and naturally adapt them to Russian reality, making some adjustments.
Here are some of the basic rules and recommendations that should not be neglected when creating a motorcycle club:
- Club format:
There are quite a lot of club formations, from classic MCs to family RCs.
It is important that when choosing the structure of a new motorcycle association (hereinafter referred to as the club), it is necessary to clearly understand which format is more suitable for the goals and objectives set for the new club and its members.
2. Colors and name:
Before ordering patches and proudly sewing them on, you need to at least scour the Internet for matches in “colors” and name, so as not to run into trouble.
3. Motorcycle club recognition:
One of the most important and difficult stages in creating a motorcycle club is obtaining permission to open it and further operate in a given territory, in other words, achieving recognition of the club.
As mentioned above, the rules and procedures were invented overseas and correcting anything by coming up with something new in a well-functioning mechanism would be a waste of time. Based on this, there is a rule: the decision to create is made by at least three clubs of the MS format.
Ignoring this rule entails, at a minimum, an unpleasant conversation with representatives of the same MS clubs with different types of consequences. In any case, if this rule is ignored, the result will be the same - the vests will be taken away until the situation is clarified.
However, individuals may declare that they are not going to ask anyone for any permission, considering themselves adults and self-sufficient individuals - this opinion has the right to life, but not a very long one and not a very happy one.
Of course, there is another option not to wear vests in your region, but to wear them on occasion on the road or at some festival. As it is the rule, all existing MC clubs communicate with each other and the appearance of your newly formed “underground” motorcycle club is unlikely to go unnoticed. Thus, the result is the same, only with a delay.
Accordingly, in order not to hide from anyone and not be afraid of unnecessary conversations, riding a motorcycle in your vest must comply with the following dogmas:
- Find out the presence of existing MS clubs in the region;
2. Contact at least one MS club with a question on how to create a motorcycle club (and believe me, they will tell you in detail and popularly and answer all the nuances that interest you);
3. Wait patiently for a meeting with representatives of the MS club (or clubs).
It is worth noting that for the meeting it is necessary to prepare for a number of questions* that will need to be answered. Also prepare a draft of stripes (colors) of the future motorcycle club for approval.
It is not recommended to reschedule or ignore a designated invitation to visit the MC club - this may be regarded as disrespect or an insult. Further, based on the results of the meeting, you will be explained what rules they live by in this region and all other aspects of the club motorcycle movement.
After all these events and a positive decision (!), you can safely sew on “colors”, buy alcohol and announce a holiday on the occasion of the birthday of the new motorcycle association.
- Recommendation - you must clearly imagine and state your goals for creating a motorcycle club, tasks, priorities and direction of your future club.
Financial plan
It is not possible to prepare even an approximate financial plan within the framework of one article. Since all expenses and expected income directly depend on the chosen line of activity. However, there are items that any opening motorcycle club will have to spend money on.
Initial Investment
Initial capital should be formed from the following mandatory expenses:
- for any activity - search, rent or purchase of premises, advertising;
- for a workshop and a spare parts store – this means additional staff salaries, the purchase of equipment, and the conclusion of contracts with suppliers;
- For a school, this means additionally purchasing equipment, acquiring your own equipment that will be used in the learning process, and costs associated with the issue of obtaining a license.
Monthly expenses
Like the size of the primary capital, the amount of monthly expenses cannot be precisely stated. It all depends on factors such as:
- type of motorcycle club;
- cost of renting premises;
- scope and breadth of activities, etc.
If the goal of the club is to create a place where motorcycle enthusiasts can gather and take part in any competitions, then the monthly expenses column is diluted with donations from participants and sponsorship investments for competitions.
Expected profit, payback period
The approximate profitability and payback period of investments depends on the type of activity. If the motorcycle club is a workshop, store or school, then predicting the profit is quite simple. Everything will depend on the success of the activity, the number of buyers of goods or services and the amount of costs.
If a motorcycle club is intended to gather people with common interests or to hold competitions and shows, then everything is much more complicated. Such an institution is largely altruistic. It is intended primarily for communication between people and for entertainment. Therefore, there is no need to expect huge profits. It will be good if the establishment is able to generate some small income.
The beginning of time
The first thing that will be required, of course, is the community itself that loves to annoy city residents with loud driving at 12 at night. Joke. For the most part, motorcycle communities form the cultural attitude of bikers to the world. Therefore, we gather enthusiasts on two-wheeled horses and rent a suitable room (the size is your will and financial capabilities). Ideally, there will also be a motorcycle track where team members can race, beginners can train, and competitions can even be held in the future.
But simply giving people a garage with the keys and expecting everything to be great is not enough. In order for the organization to move forward steadily, it is necessary to constantly maintain the quantitative level of its members, who will pay membership fees on an ongoing basis and use your “headquarters”. This means that the leader’s task is to make sure that everyone is interested. And at the same time, so that money is paid for this interest. Therefore, let’s turn to the most popular way to develop a motorcycle club.
Common Mistakes
Opening a motorcycle club that should specialize in everything.
This mistake is common in all existing fields of activity. It is impossible in conditions of limited finances (and they are limited in 99% of cases) to open an organization that will engage in all possible types of activities. In the case of motorcycle clubs, you should not create a business that from the start will offer training services, tuning, sale of spare parts, and will also be a gathering place for motorcycle enthusiasts. It is necessary to act carefully and expand gradually.
Why ride in formation?
The build not only looks damn cool, but at the same time completely restores health and armor, repairs damaged bikes and patches up broken tires. A few things to know:
- Only the President and Captain can launch a ride in formation;
- You can choose whether to ride at the head or in the center of the formation;
- Try to drive in a darkened area - this will activate the formation;
- Using Riding Formation Assist, the President can ensure that no one rides faster than himself.
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FAQ
Where should I apply to obtain a license to open a motorcycle school?
A license for the provision of motorcycle riding training services and preparation for obtaining a category “A” driver’s license is obtained from the traffic police department under whose jurisdiction the motorcycle school premises are located.
Is it necessary to somehow register a motorcycle club if its purpose is to communicate between people with the same interests?
No, you do not need separate registration. If the goal of a motorcycle club is to gather motorcycle lovers, then a premises will be enough. If the owner wants to create a cafe or bar in the club, then he should follow the algorithm for opening a catering establishment.
Conclusion
Opening a motorcycle club is both a good option for starting a business (if we are talking about commercial activities), and an excellent way to spend time and find people with similar interests (if we are talking about a club in the sense of a place for gathering people).
Everything is clear about commercial activities. If there is demand in the locality, and the owner is ready to start developing his business, then as a result he can make a good profit. With the club in the usual sense of the word, everything is completely different.
It is worth starting to open it only when a person is ready to invest money that most likely will not be repaid. As practice shows, it is precisely desperate motorcycle enthusiasts who do this.
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Organization of competitions
There are no particular difficulties in this matter, do not be alarmed. But you'll have to run. First of all, to prevent your shop from being closed down by the authorities, you need to enlist the support of local government. In other words, obtain permission to hold a public event. Be prepared that you will have to go to all the adjacent authorities, which will take a lot of time. But it's worth it.
The second important point of any competition is its sponsorship. Why are any sporting events, from global events to simple street events, so full of advertising? Because advertising for sponsors is the only thing they are willing to pay for and help you. So your task will be to find and convince a sponsor. Better than several. Because we will have to form a prize fund, cookies and jam will attract few participants.
Don’t forget about the contributions of competition participants. They will also go towards organizing. But in no case should you inflate the cost of participation, especially at first, when your task is to hold the largest event possible.
Another option is to hold a stunt show. Motorcycle stunts are a very spectacular performance that always attracts a large audience of spectators. However, this show format is on a completely different level in all respects. It requires other permissions. It requires agreements with professional teams, which perhaps simply do not exist in your city. The organization of the venue must be at the highest level, including the safety of both spectators and participants. Well, the financial costs will be incomparably greater. Although the show's profitability may increase. Therefore, develop and keep a plan for the stunt show in your head. When your club becomes more experienced and grows, this will be a good help for further development.
The third version of the show is city holidays. A very convenient format, both for the city and for the club itself. Firstly, the format of your part of the show is calm and does not require the preparation of a special route. In fact, motorcycle racers at such events simply ride in formation in front of the audience, showing off their coolest equipment and the roar of the engines of their iron monsters. Well, maybe the most experienced ones will be asked to ride a little on one wheel for the sake of public applause.
Secondly, this is free advertising for your motorcycle club. Especially if during the trip the leader of the pack develops a banner with the coat of arms of your motorcycle club, as well as the group’s address on the social network and a telephone number for contact. To increase your chances of being invited to such events, you need to increase the reputation and visibility of the community. Therefore, of course, it will not be possible to completely abandon advertising. It will have to be done, even in the simplest format. Let's talk about her.