BY JESSALYN KIRCHHOFF
GRAPHIC BY HANNAH KITZMANN
Started in 2019, the Tiger Motorcycle Club is one of FHSU’s newest and quite possibly most interesting additions to the university’s club organization life.
According to the Tigers Motorcycle Club’s Tigerlink, the purpose of the TMC is to “promote skilled and educated motorcycling and maintenance, broaden motorcycle awareness, serve as an advocate for motorcyclists on related issues at FHSU and share camaraderie with other motorcycle enthusiasts, students and the community.”
Adreinne Danner, 2021 and 2022 President of the Tiger Motorcycle Club, speaks a little more on this mission statement.
“Our (TMC’s) mission is to gather both entering and experienced motorcycle riders across student and faculty populations to create an environment of lifelong learning towards safety, networking, maintenance, and community involvement as riders,” Danner said.
Danner, a third-generation female rider within her family, gives insight into how she began riding motorcycles, saying her mother taught her to ride a dirtbike when she was 10 and then stuck with it.
“When I was 21, I sold my dirtbikes, worked side jobs on top of my regular employment to purchase my first street bike,” Danner said. “Now at 25, I ride with the TMC, support my local community and charity events, and enjoy the lifestyle with all members of my family.”
Dennis King, the Tiger Motorcycle Club advisor, has a similar story of his young motorcycle beginning.
“When I was about 11 years old I saved $55 and bought my first 4.5 hp pull start minibike. Fifteen years later I bought a Suzuki Intruder, my first street bike,” King said. “My third ride was leaving Green Bay, Wisconsin and riding it to Hays. Since that time I have owned Triumph, Harleys, Hondas, as well as a few others.”
Danner continues by sharing her most recent favorite memory of riding motorcycles while being in the TMC.
“Although I have so many memories with the club, my favorite is the 2021 Rev & Ride football game at FHSU. As we rolled onto the field, we could see the football team’s pride and passed the cheering students in the stands. It was incredibly inspiring to be a part of our school spirit in that way,” she said.
The 2022 Rev & Ride Football Game Event will take place on tomorrow. Any local, regional, student, or faculty riders are encouraged to participate. None of the riders need to be club members. Please contact the Tigers Motorcycle Club on Tigerlink at https://tigerlink.fhsu.edu/organization/tmc for more information on this event.
King said the advantages of being involved in something that you enjoy is what makes it worth being involved.
“Whether you’re a student, faculty, or staff, we all need stress relief and riding is a super fun way to get that relief,” he said. “Meeting people with common interests, who may be in a different major, can also expand your knowledge and critical thinking. Finally, being one with the bike and the road is a great way to relax and focus on your surroundings. Especially if you are outside of the city, focus on the beauty of the country.”
Danner expands on King’s statement with her own personal testimony as a student.
“When you’re a student enrolled in full-time courses, and working a part-time job, it can be overwhelming and difficult to find time for yourself aside from the regular Netflix stream and phone scrolling,” Danner said. “With campus clubs, you give yourself the ability to socialize outside of your comfort zone, strengthen your community involvement and feel pride in your interests and strengths in ways you can’t experience sitting alone in your idle time.”
Danner then went on to debunk an ordinary misunderstanding when it comes to the TMC.
“A common misconception about the club is that you have to have a license or a motorcycle to join. The only requirement necessary to be a part of our group is to have an interest in riding,” she said. “We hold regular meetings about license acquisition, safety and maintenance apart from school and charity events. We don’t meet often, and nobody is required to pay dues.”
King wraps things up with an enthusiastic concluding invitation to check out the Tigers Motorcycle Club.
For King, the comradery of riding is what makes being involved with the Tiger Motorcycle Club worthwhile.
“Riders don’t care what you ride, just that you’re out there,” King said. “TMC creates some great lifelong friendships and has members from all walks of life. We have people who don’t ride or even have a bike. We have been able to loan a bike to license students to do certain rides, like the Homecoming Parade. We have also had members who ride as passengers when the ride times work. If you have an interest, you should explore the Tiger Motorcycle Club.”