Staff photo by Fritz Busch Folk Breed Riding Club members from left, Ian Durford, New Ulm; Jesse Bue, Gibbon; and Brandon Stage, New Ulm; pose at the club’s bike night on the 100 block of North Minnesota Street June 15. The club plans to hold bike nights from 5 to 11 p.m. every other Friday in downtown New Ulm through the summer.

NEW ULM — A new, independent, non-territorial motorcycle riding club is meeting 5 to 11 p.m. every other Friday night on Minnesota Street, from Center to First North Street.

The Folk Breed Riding Club includes bobbers, choppers, baggers and cruisers. The club usually meets and rides every Sunday when the weather is favorable.

“We just wanted to see New Ulm have a bike night so people don’t have to ride out of town to find one,” said club member Ian Durford of New Ulm. “Members range from the mid 20s to 5’s. To join, you should be employed, show activity and interest.”

Durford said there are other bike nights in the area in concert with the club’s meeting every other Friday night. The other establishments hold bike nights the same evening are The Oleander Saloon in Oldtown Mankato and the Searles Bar & Grill. All three places are on Facebook.

“We think it would make a good circuit for bikers to ride to Mankato, Searles and New Ulm on the same night,” Durford said.

“We hope to get about 150 people here,” said club member Brandon Stage of New Ulm. “New Ulm businesses will benefit from this and so can we.”

Durford said he moved to New Ulm from San Diego several years ago in order to find a more affordable place to live. He worked at Kraft Foods before taking a job at Minnesota Valley Testing Labs Inc.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).