It's about enjoying the hobby we love but in an environment where we're totally safe to be who we are," says Kevin Bazeley, chair of the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club (GBMCC).

The GBMCC was founded in 1977, just 10 years after the Sexual Offences Act 1967 began to legalise homosexual acts in England and Wales - albeit with a higher age of consent than heterosexual acts (the discrepancy wasn't fixed until 2001).

Add to this the Aids crisis of the '80s and '90s - and the ruthless reporting of it by some of the British press - and you can see why so many gay people remained closeted and communities such as this club were so crucial. And still are. "For many of our members, it's their only avenue to be out," says Bazeley.

"They are in the closet in their personal lives and coming away with the club is their only opportunity to be themselves. That applies more to our older members, but even our younger folk don't always have the most welcoming environment in their everyday lives."

Joining the GBMCC opens up a wealth of group riding opportunities, from shorter local runs to weekends away across the UK - as well as a big summer camp on the continent, where the club links up with its European equivalents.

Gay Bikers attends numerous Pride events too, placing prominently in the London parade each summer. The club's 500-plus members encompass all four UK nations (as well as a handful overseas) and cover the broad LGBTQ+ spectrum. An invitation to join is extended warmly to straight allies too.

"Our problem is finding younger members," admits Bazeley, 57, who rides a BMW K1600 GT Sport.

"Motorcycling is no longer the cheap hobby it used to be; insurance costs alone can be crippling. Even some of our more mature members have had to give up biking for that very reason. Society is also that much more accepting now, but the club intends to be around for many more years for the riders who need us. There are a lot of mental health benefits to a club such as this, and we are a group of friends who support each other."

The focus, though, remains on biking. "Romances have blossomed over the years, albeit not as often as you might think," reveals GBMCC treasurer Stephen Blurton, 60. He's another BMW man, now on his sixth GS.

"It's about making friends and having a common interest. I've travelled 277 miles to come here this weekend; the journey is all part of the fun. It's getting out and about instead of being sat at home watching Corrie. Social isolation is a problem we all have these days. We gained more members in Covid, even when we weren't doing any events. People always need community."

Sean McAllister, 34, rides a Honda CB650R and joined the GBMCC just as Covid restrictions were beginning to ease.

"I'd just passed my test but had no one to go out riding with," he says. "Joining a club like this meant one less barrier to entry, one less way to feel like an outsider as a new biker. I wasn't the most experienced rider, so my local rep encouraged me to follow him on my first event, to tuck in behind him and follow his bike positioning."

McAllister has been on a host of events since and even led his own routes through the south of England, one of which centred on the Super Sausage Café, a bustling bikers' haven near Silverstone "Motorbiking can be seen as quite a macho thing," he continues.

"Having to come out to a traditional group like that would have been nerve-racking. Joining an environment where you don't have to go through that process is quite appealing. There's a real breadth of characters in this club and I've made some great friends." 

Ian St John, 44, sought similar kinship. "I've been a member since 2017, he says. "My dad passed away and left me his motorcycle. I'd never thought about biking before, but I got my licence, searched online for a club like this and here I am. This is a place where I feel like I fit in."