Face to face contact, interaction in meat space, riding with like minded people, shared knowledge and skills etc.....comradery, brotherhood....call it what you want.....good folks riding and helping other good folks.
Thru my club I've got access to salesman, painters and mechanics - good prices and free/cheap work......just guys helping out other guys.
I was about 5 hours away on my rigid a month ago when it went dead on me....no fire. Made the usual checks....nothing easy. Made one phone call.
10 mins later I had someone in a car setting along the 4 lane with me and my GF.......on a hot day that car with the AC was awesome and I greatly appreciated getting out of the heat. 20 mins after that I had a truck and trailer loading my bike......and not long afterwards I was setting at a club members house in his garage wrenching on my bike. When it was evident I wasnt going to get it running.......he gave me his new 2013 Road King (had 4K miles on it) to ride home.
Traveling out of state - stay at a brothers house.
When done right joining an MC (or RC) means you've got a network of good friends all over.
Its been well worth the cost of admission.
See...i have to disagree with that.....
I see pleanty of clubs that judge someone by the bike they ride....
i mean....how many clubs do you see harleys and sport bikes riding together??
Not near me....i NEVER see that.
.....every club has different "requirements" - mine is a bike 600cc or bigger - thats it.
We have sport bikes, cruisers and even atleast one dual sport.....from HD, Victory, Honda (even a Goldwing or two), Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and BMW.
Sure there is some good natured back and forth....Jap bike this, tractor that.......your bikes leaking rice...did someone loose this (insert Harley part) I found it in the road....etc
Is it common.....no, not likely. For the most part Id say your right.....clubs have a certain "type" of bike they stick to. I did attend a funeral for a local 1% club member lots of years ago (who was a veteran, thats why I was there - PGR member). His club showed up....everyone riding a HD except one dude on a Yamaha VStar - which I thought was kinda odd....but hey, not my gig.