Greetings Cruiser Enthusiast

Cruiser Club USA, Inc., formerly known as Shadow Club USA, is welcoming the opportunity of starting a Chapter in your area, and the focus of your Chapter is riding. The information that you have received contains information and ideas to help you on your way to forming a Chapter. All you will have to provide is the will and the determination, and remember -the key reason behind this organization is to “Enjoy the Ride and Ride to Enjoy”.

There are several documents you should download and read: the By-laws(read - download*), Constitution(read - download*), the club information document(download*) and the membership application(download*). The Constitution is used as a reference only to give you some ideas to work from as you develop your Board of Officers. You have a free hand on how you would like to run your Chapter.
If you decide to start a chapter, we will send you a blank copy of the logo of our patch design for you to fill in your Chapter name. Your chapter’s name should be written in the empty “crown” at the top of the logo. This could be determined by your city, town, county or possibly a lake or valley - something that would be recognized by your local cruisers. I will put your Chapter name and number on it to be submitted when you order your first patch.
Please make a few copies of the application folder before completing it. You will send one completed application to me, the others you can use as a reference when you design your own applications.
Once you’ve decided to join our organization, please send your application and a check for $30.00 (made payable to Cruiser Club USA, Inc., noting “dues” in the memo section). Please send the completed application and check to Ken Bordens, National Vice President at the address shown below. Once we have received this, you will be an official Cruiser Club Chapter. Your Chapter will be assigned a number and will be included onour National Web site. You will then receive the blank logo.

ADVERTISING YOUR CHAPTER — As a first step in organizing your chapter, you cant approach your dealerships in your area. Cruiser Club is open to all brands of cruisers and touring motorcycles, you can approach Harley Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki dealerships to let them know that club is forming in their
area. You might want to approach dealerships to see if they would be interested in sponsoring your Chapter. This would be a good time to put up fliers to promote your chapter. Possibly offer a free membership when someone purchases a bike (cruiser or touring). Consider placing an advertisement in your local newspaper under motorcycle sales. This will help also. A tri-fold or your business cards will be easy to slip on a parked bike, normally between the passenger seat and the driver seat and tank. Some established chapters have put up a bulletin board at their dealership to advertise their chapter with upcoming rides and events, business card and tri-folds.
MEMBERSHIP —Each member of your chapter will pay dues to maintain his or her membership. Out of their dues, some portion goes to the cost of a lapel pin. These pins are purchased through the National office. Many chapters would buy a 10 pin minimum order to have on hand so that their new member can receive it either at the
time of induction or at the next official meeting. As a chapter, they determine the price of the pins to be sold to the members, not to exceed $5.00 per pin. Extra pins can also be purchased. I’m sure they have more than one article of clothing to put these on. September 5, 1998, the chapter presidents voted unanimously to pay $5.00 per member to the national to minimize costs and support the National. This also comes out of the dues from each member.
Something to consider, try to have two club events in your riding season. You could suggest a picnic and possibly aclub’s Christmas party. You can approach your area dealerships and ask for some donations such as mugs, t-shirts, hats, bike wax, oil or anything else that would be beneficial to your members. You’ll be surprised at what you can get and make sure they put their store names or business cards on their item(s) for advertising. You wouldn’t have to give all they prizes away either. You can keep some to help generate money for the club treasury by having a 50/50 drawing or raffle. Again, these are just suggestions.

The By-laws we have put together are to protect you and your members. These have been followed since the club has been in existence. If anytime you feel necessary to add or modify a law, please write it out and submit it to the National and to all CCUSA chapter presidents on your club letterhead. Once we vote for or against it, you will receive a written reply. It is important that you, the president, also hold a seat on the national board, as do all presidents, must realize that this is your chapter. As long as you follow and support the National and the bylaws we have created, you virtually run your own chapter. If you have any concerns, please call me.
After you have had a chance to look over the Cruiser Club, USA documents, we encourage you to contact us for anyassistance to begin your chapter. All channels of communication will be open. So welcome aboard brother chapterand we will keep in touch!

Chuck Cottrell, National President
Cruiser Club USA, Inc.
260-241-7612
Website: www. cruiserclubusa.org
Or
Kenneth S. Bordens, National Vice President
5717 Lassiter Mill Pl
Fort Wayne, IN 46835
260-485-6208
e-mail National Vice President Ken Bordens

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