Shadow Riders Australia sounds like a sinister organisation of shadowy riders prowling the darkened back streets, but it is far from being a sinister group.
The Shadow Riders Australia website was created in July 2009 to allow riders of the popular Honda Shadow to interact and the result has been many charity rides.
The Honda Shadow is a cruiser that has been going since 1983 and is powered by liquid-cooled 45 or 52-degree V-twin engines from 125 to 1100cc.
Queensland Shadow RidersQueensland co-ordinator Ray Doel says the SRA and its website cater for social riders and includes members’ families in planned activities.
“We are a group of like-minded social riders, not club-orientated or affiliated with any outlawed clubs,” says Ray.
There are more than 500 Shadow Riders in Australia and about half of them are in Queensland.
“Each month here in Queensland we have at least two group rides and at all times we also get on board to try and help out other like-minded riding groups with charity events such as toy runs, spina bifida causes, cancer runs, family support runs, etc,” Ray says.
Their big event is the annual Ride for Life, which this year donates funds to the Gympie City Gym’s Relay for Life team which raises money for the Cancer Fund.
2014 Ride for LifeLast year’s ride attracted 50 bikes and raised more than $1200 and organisers hope to increase participation this year with the event open to all types of motorcycles, trikes and scooters, not just Honda Shadows.
Ride for Life will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2015, from 8.30am at the Ettamogah Pub, Palmview on the Sunshine Coast. Cost is a $15 donation for rider and pillion.
The ride goes via Lanesborough, Maleny and Kenilworth to the Gympie football clubhouse with prizes for various bike categories. No support vehicles are provided.