Brotherhood on the Open Road. The Story of Group Rides

On a crisp morning, the rumble starts low — a chorus of V-twins and parallel twins warming up in unison. Riders check their gear, nod to each other, and roll out in staggered formation. It’s not just a ride. It’s a tradition more than a century in the making, one that has carried the spirit of freedom, kinship, and rebellion across generations: the motorcycle group ride.

From Pioneers to Clubs

The origins trace back to the early 1900s, when motorcycles were still novelties and American roads were often little more than rutted dirt tracks. In 1903, the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM) gathered 93 riders in Brooklyn, aiming to promote touring, improve road conditions, and protect riders’ rights. It was the first taste of organized two-wheel brotherhood in the United States.

By 1924, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) emerged, uniting dozens of local clubs under one banner. These early organizations didn’t just schedule races and long-distance endurance runs — they cemented the very idea that motorcycles were best enjoyed together, side by side on the open road.

The Veteran Connection

World War II changed everything. Returning GIs, restless and craving the tight-knit bond of their platoons, found a new outlet in group riding. Surplus Harley-Davidsons and Indians, sold cheap by the military, gave them the means. Weekend rides with fellow vets weren’t just about speed — they were about belonging.

Clubs like the Boozefighters and the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington were born from this urge to connect, and their gatherings often echoed the adventure and loyalty of their wartime experiences.

Rebels With a Cause

Then came Hollister, California, 1947. Thousands of riders rolled into town for an AMA-sanctioned event. The weekend was rowdy, but not nearly as wild as the press claimed. Life magazine splashed an infamous staged photo of a drunken biker on a Harley, beer bottles at his feet. The “biker gang” myth was born.

Hollywood wasted no time — The Wild One (1953), starring Marlon Brando, made the leather-clad outlaw an American icon. Soon, the image of the biker as a rebel — dangerous yet magnetic — was as much a part of motorcycle culture as the chrome on a Harley.

By the 1960s, counterculture embraced the motorcycle as a symbol of personal freedom. Easy Rider (1969) turned the group ride into a cinematic pilgrimage, and the open road became a metaphor for living life on one’s own terms.

How it evolved here in Europe

While American biker culture was gaining its legend, Europe was building its own traditions.

In the UK, the 1950s and ’60s saw the rise of the Rockers — young riders in leather jackets astride Triumphs, Nortons, and BSAs. They gathered at cafés like the Ace Café in London, riding in packs between towns, often clashing with the “Mods” in infamous seaside showdowns.

In France, large-scale group rides flourished around events like the Bol d’Or endurance race, while in Germany, the Elefantentreffen winter rally in the Bavarian Forest became a legendary test of toughness. Spain’s Pingüinos Rally now draws tens of thousands of riders in January, and the FIM Rally rotates across European nations, celebrating cross-border riding connection.

The Rise of the Rally

In the U.S., long before Sturgis became a pilgrimage for half a million riders each August, the Jackpine Gypsies hosted their first race and stunt show there in 1938. Daytona Bike Week began around the same time, with the famed Daytona 200 beach race. Even older is Laconia Motorcycle Week in New Hampshire, which first roared to life in 1916.

In Europe, rallies took on their own flavor — from the snowy campfires of the Elefantentreffen to the pan-European spirit of the FIM Rally.

The H.O.G. Era

In 1983, Harley-Davidson formalized what riders had been doing for decades: gathering in groups to celebrate the ride. The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) was launched not only as a brand loyalty club but as a global community of riders. Today, H.O.G. boasts more than a million members across 140+ countries, each connected to a local chapter through a dealership.

H.O.G. rides range from local breakfast runs to massive state-wide charity events and international adventures like the European H.O.G. Rally — a multi-day festival with guided rides, live music, and thousands of Harleys rolling through scenic routes together. One signature tradition is the H.O.G. Touring Challenge, encouraging members to visit all U.S. states or key global destinations, often collecting rally pins and patches as proof of the journey.

For many, H.O.G. embodies the heart of group riding: organized routes, safety in numbers, and the joy of sharing the road with people who love the rumble of a Harley as much as you do — a sense of companionship that’s hard to find elsewhere.

Why We Ride Together

At the heart of it, group riding taps into something primal. There’s the companionship — the shared nod at a gas stop, the wave to a fellow rider heading the other way. There’s the freedom — the way a long stretch of highway or an alpine pass can strip away the noise of daily life. And for some, there’s still the rebellion — that thrill of living just a little outside the lines.

Whether it’s the leather-vested veterans of a 1% club, a women’s riding group carving the Dolomites, or thousands of Harley Owners Group members gathering for a charity ride, the tradition endures.

Motorcycle group rides have outlived wars, weathered public misconceptions, and adapted to new generations of riders. What hasn’t changed is the feeling: that when you ride together, you’re part of something bigger — a moving tribe chasing the horizon.

In La Valette, Malta, the tradition of group rides isn’t just alive — it’s our backbone. It’s what keeps our circle strong, tight, and unwavering. Week after week, we meet without fail, rolling out together to chase the horizon. These rides aren’t just about the road — they’re about belonging.

Each throttle twist, each shared laugh at a roadside café, deepens our sense of community. It’s the love of the open road, the passion for two wheels, and the unspoken bond that ties us together. And always, at the heart of it, is that motorcycle — the one with the V-twin engine, rumbling like a heartbeat. For most of us, it’s more than a machine. It’s the dream we’ve carried since childhood, now roaring beneath us as we ride side by side.

This is more than a hobby. It’s a way of life. And as long as the road stretches ahead, we’ll keep riding — together.

La Valette Malta

Together we Ride as one big group