Motorcycle users describe the motorcycle as a passion. The fact that there are almost 300 motorcycle clubs in Turkey can be seen as a proof of this passion. These clubs organize special events, go on long journeys together, arrange charity campaigns, and most importantly, they want to be noticed in traffic and taken seriously.
We have interviewed with three motorcycle clubs from Ankara, Çanakkale and Istanbul about almost all the details of the motorcycle
Ankara Motorcycle-Passionates Club
Unlike the others, Founder President Hüseyin Birinci, explains the purpose of ANMOS founded in 2011 as follows: "As the other motorcycle clubs have a certain motor style, engine power (cc), vest requirement for waistcoat wearing, I formed this group in order to defy all these rules.
The club that has more than two thousand members and followers on the Facebook page, mainly consists of 14 people. The club shows willingness for social responsibility projects, donating blood, marrow and organs. Also during the official holidays, they go on tours in the streets of Ankara with the cortege and visit Anıtkabir. Iftar (the breaking of the Ramadan fast) and sahur (meal eaten before starting fasting in Ramadan) organizations during Ramadan, picnic and sightseeing are also among the club activities.
"It's a Matter of Affection"
ANMOS has gone on many long and pleasant journeys until now, but when asked for the longest route, firstly, they tell about the 2.750 km Black Sea, Georgia and Batum tour: "It is a dream of every motorcycle lover, also called motorcycle hajj or pilgrimage. One day, it wasn’t the main focus of our discussion but we just happened to mention in passing that we could go on such a journey. We turned on our laptops, set the route from the map, made the list of the required materials, set the date and started counting down. Then, early in the morning, we set off altogether, air and road conditions were also suitable which helped us a pleasant ride. "
Birinci saying that the club is a friendship group, also adds that "We do not have any criteria for people to become a member of our page. You do not even need to have motorcycles to become a member. As it's a matter of love. They can sign up to get information about motorcycle culture, find new road mates, or find answers to their questions. " However, this doesn’t mean that there are no strict rules to participate in club events. For example, members are not able to participate in the trips unguarded or without other protection and technical equipment. One of the most beautiful features of ANMOS is that Motorcycle is not just a man thing, women can also use ride motorcycles very well.
But if you want to get into the core team of the club, your actions and manners during the events are also important. If the voting of the core team members have positive thoughts for you, it means that you’ ll be given the group sign "patch" and you’ll be asked to sew it on your jacket. Following this tradition, a new member can get involved in the core team.
"There is no motorcycle rider that does not fall, there are ones have not fallen yet"
Birinci saying that motorcycle riders are not taken seriously just because the motorcycle culture has not unsettled yet give the example of Italy. “In Italy, motor bikers have different priorities in traffic such as special zone at the forefront allocated to them in the light. This culture must go through too many years to be adopted in Turkey.
The thing that people do not understand is that inside the strange clothes there are people created from the bone of meat like you; they have a mother, a father, a wife, and a child waiting for them at home.
While a vehicle driver can get their vehicles fixed at auto care center, the best- case scenario for us -if not dead- is to face a few broken bones and serious repair costs.
"There is no motorcycle rider that does not fall, there are ones have not fallen yet"
18 March Motorcycle Association
Çanakkale 18th March Motorcycle Association is also considered as one of Turkey's most active and effective motorcycle communities. Founded in 2013, the association has 46 active members and nearly 3,500 followers on Facebook page.
Çanakkale 18th March Motorcycle Association is also considered as one of Turkey's most active and effective motorcycle communities. Founded in 2013, the association has 46 active members and nearly 3,500 followers on Facebook page.
Ferhat Ünsal, the Board Member of the Association, says that traditionally they have a riding performance like a parade for the Martyrs on March 18th every year. "In 2017, we hosted about 6,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country " says Unsal, who also added he will call for the authorities to test the new record because it is about 2.5 times more of the recent record attemp in the Guinness Book of Records.
As an association, they provide books and clothes to children of the surrounding provinces, districts and villages. They run an aid campaign during Ramadan. One of the indispensable events of the club is the cortege show with flags on all the national holidays. The longest race that they ‘ve ever gone to is Isparta Eğirdir Motorcycle Fest, which is located 700 km away from Çanakkale.
"The condition of being a member of the association, being a conscious motor-rider"
Unsal says that the condition of being a member of the association is to wear a vest, but to deserve to wear this vest has also some conditions. "In order for a person to deserve wearing a vest, they must regularly participate in our regular activities for some time and during this time we have to get to know each other. We do not have the motorcycle class and the cylinder volume condition that is a must in many clubs or associations. In addition, for the members to ensure their membership they must obey traffic regulations, respect for pedestrians and other vehicles in traffic and use motorcycle equipment on a regular basis. In short, they must be conscious motor-rider. "
Saying that Motorcycling is a passion and a symbol of freedom, Unsal conveys his feelings about riding a motorcycle as follows: "An anonymous sentence says,
'Four wheels for body, two wheels for spirit'.
It is actually difficult and tiring to deal with chain, oil, equipment, etc. But the moment when you see people -that you do not know- greeting you on the road, chatting with you in every mall, and catching the glances of people at you with envy, you will realize that it is worth all the difficulties and say 'Fortunately, I am a motorcycle rider'.
Team Riders Motorcycle Club
Team Riders, one of Istanbul's most famous motorcycle clubs, was founded in 2012 in Teşvikiye. The club, which has 22 active members, has almost 5 thousand followers on its facebook page.
The Founding Chairman of the Club and also Turkey Motorcycle Platform Media Advisor Selcuk Saral, explains the aim of the club saying that: "Except for trips, events and pleasure driving we do not accept any help from any political or state institutions, to organize charity events for Child Protection Agency, hospice or animal shelters. It is entirely the club’s attempt to raise fund for such places"
The club has been on long journeys together. For example, the longest of these journeys was from Istanbul to Bartın and then to Marmaris. Saral said that you do not need to have a big or expensive motorcycle for membership to the club, "We are not evaluating the people who are ‘member to-be’ according to the cc or the engine of their motorcycles. Regardless of the cc and engine brand of the motorcycles they have, we do care about the people who are going to use them. The prospective member must definitely have the A2 motorcycle license. Apart from this, we welcome people who ride their motorbikes according to the rules and know the vitality of wearing equipment. However, adds Saral; “We do not welcome those endangering themselves and others by ‘popping a wheelie’, which is an acrobatic riding stunt, of lifting up the front tire.”
"Laws Do Not Protect Our Rights Very Much"
Saral also thinks that motorcycle users in Turkey are ignored. The reason for this is explained as follows: "This is because the laws do not protect our rights very much. For example, when a vehicle driver hits a motorcycle they can easily get rid of it claiming that 'I did not see'. But if you legislate against the indifference to motorcycling and motorist, believe that all vehicle drivers will be much more careful and much more respectful to the motorcycling ".
Another issue Saral regards as a big problem is the frequently stolen motorcycles. He states this as follows: "Even if a thief is found, according to the Criminal Code, it is enough for them to give the police station the shake after paying 168 Turkish Liras.
