1904 Member Spot Lights
Slobi Savicic
Awesome Member!Hello, my name is Slobi and I received the Most Improved Rider award, for 2022 riding season!!
This is very special award for me, and I am very proud of it. Since I joined the group, in 2021, I was hopeful that one day I will be worthy of getting this award. Riding a motorcycle become a huge thing in my life and the award brought so much happiness to me, and a desire to improve my riding abilities even more!.
Riding was introduced to me 7 years ago when I was riding on the back of my friend’s bike. I loved it but right away I knew that I didn’t want to be a passenger. The following summer I took a motorcycle course and got my class 6 in 2018. My first bike was a Suzuki Marauder 125. I was driving it for a couple of months and realized that I need a bigger bike. Soon after, I bought a Honda Shadow 750 and was much happier with that bike. Of course, life then got busy, and I didn’t ride as much as I wanted to.
In 2020 I visited Cycle Works Edmonton, and after meeting Jay, who showed me the amazing Indian Scout 60, I didn’t take much time to come back and order one!! After my Scout arrived, I was connected with IMRG 1904, by Jay, and that was the best thing ever! So much so that in 2022, I upgraded my Scout 60 to an Indian Chieftain, to give me the power and comfort I wanted, after getting some kms under me. I love my Chieftain so much!
I joined IMRG 1904 riders’ group as an inexperienced rider. During the last two season my riding has improved a lot. Riders in the group have contributed to that a lot! They have really supported me, given me invaluable feedback on my riding, and encouraged me to have fun and trust myself. The group members were always patient with me on our group rides and I was always felt safe and secure riding with them.
Riding in the group is a special feeling. You have a strong sense of belonging, to be riding with a group of riders that are great riders and people. Riding in the group requires specialized knowledge of group riding rules, how to be safe, and ultimately carries a big responsibility to be mindful of my own riding and care for other riders as well.
Riding in the group has many other benefits as well! There is a lot of fun and socializing during our rides. Making new friends, developing a strong sense of connections with your group members and heading out on new adventures that you may not seek out on your own!.
My advice for a new rider is to be a patient, practice a lot, ride whenever you have a chance, don’t give up, be open to suggestions and advice from other riders and ask questions about anything you are not sure about. It’s ok to be scared as well, I am still scared at times! The best result will come with practicing repeatedly.
My favorite riding experience, to date, is hard to single out because we have had so many awesome rides this last season and every single one is special on a different way!! But… I would share my WCIC 2022 Revelstoke ride.
The night before leaving Edmonton to travel to Revelstoke to ride, I was still deciding whether I would ride my Scout or Chieftain… which I was still a little scared to ride. After reaching out to other group members, I made my decision- Chieftain will be. I knew I would be supported by my riders’ group. I rode 700 km in one day and with that huge bike… it was an amazing experience!! Our Road Captains helped with my riding position, in the group, and made sure that I was safe all times. I can honestly say that without support from all our IMRG 1904 group riders, I don’t know if I would have made it, on my new, much bigger bike. After we arrived, I felt so proud of myself and extremely thankful to my rider’s family for helping make that moment possible!
Jeffery Prout
Jeff has been a member of our group since 2014! Jeff recounts that he stumbled upon the group by chance “in 2014 I was looking to buy highway cruiser. A friend of many years, Cheryl Wood, had posted on Facebook she was working at Cycle Works. I stopped in to visit. She showed me the 2014 vintage, one week later I owned it. Three days later I rode the vintage to Vancouver Island to the Port Alberni Santa’s Anonymous Toy Run. When I had purchased the bike, Jay Padilla mentioned there was a chapter meeting. I showed up, and there it all began..”.
Being a long-time member, Jeff has seen the group grow and develop over time, into a substantial group of riders that love Indian motorcycles and the comradery we bring to our close-knit community. Jeff has been a part of our community that “started with a handful of members & now two bus full of riders. Worldwide status, definitely history has been made”. And dreams that Chapter 1904 might next “do a Western Canada ride, then to cross Canada ride, and even a World event..”!
Being a long-time member, Jeff recounts that in the early days, there we’re far Indian dealerships than there are now and even fewer IMRG Chapter groups. Being an “early starting point for Indian Motorcycle Rider Group in Canada” is something that Jeff feels is unique to our Chapter 1904 community and has provided us with a strong sense of history and development, within the group!
Our group is all about the ride, experiencing the open road with good friends, beautiful bikes and majestical scenery. Jeff recounts his favourite IMTG Chapter 1904 group memory, to date, was the lunch stop we made in Nelson, in July 2019, on the Western Canadian Indian Chapters ride! Nestled in the beautiful landscape of BC’c Okanagan Valley, Nelson has been a memorable destination for many of our Chapter 1904 riders..especially our tight-corner, curve champions!
Jeff loves riding his Vintage Indian. When asked if he ever thinks about riding any other model, Jeff said “I am very satisfied with the two Indian motorcycles I’ve owned. 2014 vintage, which was a demo bike, and I later purchase of a used 2014 Chieftain. Which are both Springfield blue! If there was a choice to make a Chief Bobber.… Well…you don’t need a reason why to buy an Indian motorcycle!”
Many of us have known Jeff for some time and all would agree that he has been a steady presence in the group, often being one of the first riders to offer his time and resources to the benefit of other members as well as to the benefit of our charity groups that we support! Jeff is a thoughtful friend to all and exemplifies the great qualities that we support in all our riders; a passion for adventure, inclusivity for all and that we would treat all members as a part of our rider family!
When he’s not riding, Jeff loves a good cigar and wiskey! Many of our members can attest to this and the playful antics that erupt when Jeff is getting the party started! And if you want to ride with Jeff, we’ll share his moto “I am who I am and that’s the way it is. My slogan is IRA, I ride alone unless you can keep up with me!”.
We value Jeff as a backbone of the Chapter 1904 group and look forward to building many more amazing memories with Jeff-which we already know will be filled with silly, kind and adventurous antics!
Until next time!
Chapter 1904 Editor
~Gabe