Get ready for an unforgettable night of bikes, beats, and community at the Shannon’s Bike Night on Saturday, 7th December 2024!

This inaugural event will take place simultaneously across three major cities – Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne – in Shannons showrooms, bringing together bike lovers from all over the eastern states.

This is more than just a bike night – it’s Australia’s biggest-ever multi-city, indoor showroom bike celebration, complete with:

✅Live DJs setting the vibe with music all night long
✅Food trucks and vendors serving up delicious local favorites
✅Awards and/or giveaways for attendees
✅Trade stands from your favourite local brands in the motorbike industry

Whether you’re a seasoned rider, an enthusiast, or just love the thrill of motorbikes, Shannons Bike Night is the event for you!

▪️ @sydneywestriders
▪️ @oneaddictionau
▪️ @melbournestreetriders

🗓️Date: Saturday, 7th December 2024

⏰TIMES:BRIS AEST | SYD + MEL AEDT):
SYD: 4 PM to 8 PM | BRIS + MEL 5 PM to 8PM

📍LOCATIONS: Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne Shannons Showrooms

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EVENT URL: https://www.facebook.com/events/2278106669222835

On Sunday, October 12, we proudly hosted the 2024 Ladies Only Ride Day at Luddenham Raceway, marking our fourth ladies’ day since our inaugural event in 2020. Over 40 enthusiastic riders came together for a day brimming with excitement. While the morning kicked off with a few nerves and light sprinkles, the afternoon transformed into a vibrant celebration filled with bright smiles and clear skies.

This incredible event wouldn’t have been possible without the vision and dedication of Christine Yang (Glamaha.Moto). Christine reached out to us eight months ago to kickstart this project, and her invaluable input has helped us create an event tailored to ensure comfort and enjoyment for all the ladies involved. A huge shoutout to Christine, the “Hype Girls,” and the SWR track team for their outstanding efforts!

We’d also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Michael Kayello from Micky K Motorsports for his invaluable technical guidance and the workshop he conducted with the ladies on the day of the event. Additionally, a big thank you to Bikebiz for their support in hosting the Track Ready Workshop at their Parramatta store on Friday, February 13. This exclusive session was instrumental in preparing the ladies for the event and provided essential insights for those new to the track scene. The ladies earned crucial maintenance checks for safety, received additional tips for track riding, and got advice on fitting parts and selecting the right gear for the day.

Stay tuned for highlight footage and photos from Motobooth (James) and Sunday Therapy (Gus)!

Unveiling our Journey with Hills Ulysses Motorcycle Branch

On Wednesday September 17th 2024, we had the absolute honor of presenting our journey to the Hills Ulysses Motorcycle Branch.

This was a significant moment for us, as it was the first time we were able to dive deep into our emergence in both the street and track scenes and share the important motivations behind our mission. We also had the opportunity to engage in a meaningful Q&A session with the members, which allowed us to further explain our “why” and connect on a personal level.

The Ulysses Club is a social club for motorcyclists over the age of 40 and is the largest of its kind in Australia, with over 10,000 registered members. The club also has branches in New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, France, Great Britain, Norway, Namibia, The Netherlands, Thailand, Switzerland, Sweden, Zimbabwe, Cuba, and Botswana.

With approximately 115 branches across Australia, Ulysses members have endless opportunities to meet new people as they travel, join local rides, and participate in social events across different locations—simply for the joy of riding and making new friends.

Riders Unite at Artarmon for Sydney Bike Night

On Wednesday, August 14th, together with Shannons Insurance, we proudly hosted the inaugural Sydney Bike Night at Shannons Artarmon showroom. The vision behind the event was to bring together riders from across Sydney for a street meet, where they could showcase their bikes and share their passion with fellow enthusiasts.

Despite the rainy weather, we were thrilled to welcome over 500 attendees, with 250 dedicated riders braving the rain to join us on two wheels.

The event was made even more memorable with support from trade stands including North Side Motorcycles, Riderszn, Platinum Potions, and Cutting Edge Paint Shop. Photography was expertly captured by Yo Media, while delicious food was served by Yummy Banhs, and DJ K Time set the mood with incredible tunes.

We’d also like to extend our congratulations to the following winners, each of whom received a Sydney West Riders (SWR) hoodie:

• Most Eye-Catching Bike – Sam Idrisoglu
• Most Unique Helmet – Alexander Clare
• Safest Rider – William Crisologo
• People’s Choice Award – Estefano Vargas Rojas
• Content Creator – Joseph Maalouf

Shaping Futures at Oatley Senior Campus

On June 24th, we had the opportunity to visit students Oatley Senior Campus to present our “Dreaming Big” session as part of the 10-week Inspire180 program. During our presentation, we shared the inspiring journey of the Sydney West Riders, along with our personal stories, challenges, and aspirations. The session concluded with an interactive workshop where students explored and identified their own aspirations.

Some of the dreams shared by the students included pursuing a career in law, becoming a mixed martial arts fighter, and opening a clothing store.

Background

The Inspire180 project is designed to enhance the social, educational, and leadership skills of young people by transforming their worldview and helping them recognize their full potential. Our mission is to empower youth to pursue their dreams and stay clear of criminal behavior, drug experimentation, and gang involvement.

In 2017, Sydney West Riders partnered with Tony Hoang and the Christian Ambassadors Motorcycle Club to launch the Inspire180 program. The pilot project, which took place at Bonnyrigg High School, was a great success. That same year, the program received the “Community Impact Award” at the 2017 Entrepreneur Gala held in Canley Heights. Click Here for Full Story.

SAVE THE DATE! We’re calling out all riders in Sydney for the STREET MEET we’ve all been waiting for! We’re teaming up with Shannon’s Insurance to bring you the ultimate night out and a safe space to show off your ride at their showroom in Artarmon. There will be trade stands, activities, food, prizes, DJ KTIME, and an official ride from our usual Wednesday meet. More details to be announced soon

Date: 14th August 2024

Landing Page: https://club.shannons.com.au/club/events/sydney-west-riders-sydney-bike-night/

After considering the feedback received over the years, on March 22nd, we piloted a new track day format specifically tailored for seasoned track riders, current racers, and upcoming club racers who need more track time and opportunities to practice starts, which cannot be done at our social ride days.

The practice day will be limited to only 10-15 riders to ensure that the purpose of the format is maintained. With success and a good response from the first event, we will be hosting another private practice day on Friday, May 24th.

Click here to book.

 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗬 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗩 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘

Celebrating International Women’s Day. Big cheers to our amazing female riders who not only ride with us but also provide valuable support behind the scenes.

Firstly big thanks to Smantha from That’s Life Magazine for featuring and sharing Rita Nguyen’s story. The magazine is currently available at all newsagents. But if you can’t get a hold of it, below is Rita’s story. It is worth reading for our women riders who are contemplating to join our track days. Rita joined us in 2019 and now have been assisting us since 2021 with a team of other amazing ladies.

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Rita helps keep her local motorcycling safe.

Hearing the ruble of motorcycle engines as riders took their positions, I grinned. There’s no place I’d rather be, I thought.

I’d never ridden before but in 2019, aged 20, I saw a second-hand black and silver Yamaha R15 for sale. And on a whim, I bought it. Even after getting my license, I was too terrified of crashing to ride beyond my own suburb.

While servicing my bike one day, my mechanic Sean suggested I join the Sydney West Riders (SWR). “You’ll meet lots of who you can learn from” he said. So, I booked in for one of their monthly track days at Luddenham Raceway. I liked the idea of meeting other riders, felt safer riding on a track without cars, and there was an ambulance on site. 

On the day, I was very shy, but founders, brothers Kevin and Steven Lam, the volunteers and 50 other riders were so friendly and supportive, I instantly felt at ease. Doing laps as part of the beginners group, we were offered tips by volunteer mentors on our body position and safest way to navigate corners. Between laps, I watched the more experienced riders zoom around the track with confidence.

A few months later I was at the SWR’s Ladies Track Day with 30 other female riders. What an amazing community I thought as we laughed and chatted about bikes. I felt I’d truly found my tribe. I became an SWR volunteer in early 2021, helping out on days I’m not working as an account manager for a construction company. My role sees me signing in riders on track days at Luddenham Raceway or Sydney Motorsport Park, ensuring we have their correct information and they’ve signed their paperwork. I help with marshalling riders on track and making sure they’re a safe distance apart. I’m also the self-designated brownie baker!

Other volunteers help with mentoring and time keeping, and we have a rescue crew in case someone needs help or to clean up debris. 

“I saw you out there. You’re doing great!” I say to newcomers, remembering how much it’d meant to me. 

We hold regular road riding events where riders can join a group, go for a ride and stop for a meal and chat. We’re also busy planning our Ladies Track Day in October.

SWR makes everyone feel welcome. Teens to retirees turn up to have a chat, check out each other’s bikes and feel the thrill that comes with riding. I’m so proud to be part of such a positive community.

As told to Samantha Ireland