Choosing which OFTR clubs to join

Joining the OFTR is arguably one of the most important and valuable things off-road motorcycle riders can do to enjoy and support their sport in the province of Ontario. We try to make the process of joining the OFTR as simple as possible, but one of the decisions members must make when signing up is which club or clubs they should select to join as part of their membership. This article is aimed at providing information to members when it comes to choosing what club(s) to join.

What role do clubs play in the OFTR?

As the name says, the OFTR is a Federation made up of groups of stakeholders each playing a role in protecting and promoting dirt biking in Ontario. This includes members like you, volunteers, sponsors, event promoters, and of course clubs.

Clubs in particular have a critical responsibility in the OFTR for supporting and promoting dirt biking within the local municipalities in which they operate. Within the federation, clubs have the exclusive responsibility of stewarding OFTR trail, organizing volunteers, arranging trail patrols, putting on trail rides and other events, as well as engaging with municipal government and local stakeholders. 

Remember too that OFTR clubs are all run by passionate volunteers as non-profit organizations who donate countless hours of their personal time. Without the great work that clubs do, there simply wouldn’t be off-road riding in many parts of Ontario.

Which club(s) should I join?

With all the important work that clubs do on behalf of OFTR members, it’s easy to see how choosing what club to join to show your support for that club is an important decision. In general, we find members tend to choose to join the club in the area they most often ride, but there are a few factors that may help you make the decision.

First, regardless of which club you choose to join, an OFTR membership entitles you to use the entire OFTR trail network. So by joining one particular club, you aren’t prevented from riding elsewhere in the province on the OFTR trail network even if that part of the trail is stewarded by a club you didn’t join.

Second, a portion of the membership fees the OFTR collects are automatically distributed to the club or clubs you choose to join. So by choosing a club, you are in effect showing that club your support in the form of funds from your membership to do all the important work necessary to keep trail riding healthy in the area that club operates. The more you use and value the services a given club provides to you (trail to ride, events, local advocacy etc.), the more you likely want to ensure that the club has the money to do all the good work they do.

Third, some clubs go the extra mile by putting on “members only” events that are open to members of that club but not the general public or other OFTR members. These may be sessions on bike maintenance, skills training, information sharing, or special riding events just for that club but can not be open to the general public or other OFTR members due to agreements with local landowners or other restrictions.

Lastly, keep in mind that while you must choose at least one club, you can optionally select an additional two clubs to join for an additional fee. Those of us that ride regularly in multiple areas, or that feel it’s important to support dirt biking in additional regions can choose to join multiple clubs. One hundred percent of the added membership fees collected by the OFTR for joining additional clubs go directly to the clubs you choose to support.

The choice is yours to make

We hope this article has helped make it clear what the role of clubs are in the OFTR and why choosing a club is an important decision. Joining the OFTR also means you are supporting local clubs that work to ensure there is trail to ride, events to enjoy and local advocacy to promote our sport. In the end the choice of which club to join is yours to make and we expect that members will continue to show their support for the clubs which provide them the most value.

We enjoy hearing from our members, so if you have any questions or concerns please email us at info@oftr.ca.