Don't tell John Felker he can't ride his Harley Davidson Classic motorcycle just because he happens to be 68 years old.

"I'll never give it up," said the retired steelworker and president of the Black Hawks Motorcycle Club, during a stop at Cagney's Pub on Upper Gage late last month, a popular watering hole for some of the club members. "It's pure pleasure."

The Black Hawks are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year and a commemorative pin is in the works, so is an open house at their headquarters in Caledonia and a few other special events.

Mr. Felker said the club is currently in the process of adopting a stretch of Highway 6 into Caledonia where members will go out and pick up trash and other debris from the side of the road three times a year.

Not to be confused with the so-called "bikers" of Hollywood and organized crime fame, the Black Hawks are a group of avid (mostly men, but there are some women members) motorcycle enthusiasts from all walks of life who like to share their love of the open road and raise money for charity. Many are parents or grandparents who have passed on their interest in motorcycles to their offspring.

There is a strong emphasis on loyalty and camaraderie among club members. The club's mission statement says the organization is committed to raising the status of motorcycle riding and gain public confidence through safe, courteous driving and goodwill.

Port Dover is a popular destination for club members. Day, weekend and week-long runs have also taken them across much of Canada and the U.S.

While the club is not actively looking for new members, Mr. Felker said motorcyclists who share their philosophy and are interested in joining should check out www.blackhawksmc.com. Former Ontario Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander is an honourary member.

In previous decades the Black Hawks were a familiar sight in Hamilton, often acting as escorts in the Santa Claus parade or the Around the Bay race. There were also food and toy drives and a "blood run" where members came out to donate blood to the Red Cross.

Mr. Felker figures he has logged over 1.6 million kilometres (a million miles) since he "got stupid" one weekend in 1957 and bought his first motorcycle, a Harley 1200 that had been used by the Ontario Provincial Police.

"I had it 13 days and broke my leg on it," Mr. Felker recalled. "They said I'd never walk again properly. I thought nothing is ever going to stop me from riding."

Mr. Felker believes motorcycle riders have to get back on their bike right after an accident or they may never ride again.

"Even if you have to drive it to the tow truck, you've got to get on it again," he said.

Mr. Felker feels motorcycle riding probably saved him from turning to crime as a young man.

"I wanted to ride so bad," he said. "The thought of being (in jail) and unable to ride changed my whole life."

Mr. Felker said he gave up riding between 1967 and 1976 after he bought a farm south of Caledonia and was forced to sell his motorcycle to by a furnace for the house.

After a long winter he was itching to get his bike back out on the road this year.

"As soon as the salt is off the road," Mr. Felker said. "It's an early spring for me."

Like Mr. Felker, Marty Koudys has always been fascinated by motorcycles and he enjoys the feeling of freedom he gets when he's out on his Harley Davidson Classic.

"It's an adrenaline flow," said Mr. Koudys, who at age 68 has no plans give up riding.

"I want to keep riding until the very last day if possible," said Mr. Koudys, who added his grandchildren think he's "kind of cool."

Mr. Koudys said he began riding a used Triumph 500 in 1956 and has logged over 161,000 kilometres (100,000 miles) since then. He joined the Black Hawks in 1962 and was named club rookie of the year for "being a good boy."

He served as club president in 1964.

The retired Proctor and Gamble employee said his motorcycling adventures have taken him around lakes Erie and Ontario and as far away as Quebec City.

In 1960 Mr. Koudys recalled he paid $1,000 for a new Triumph Bonneville. For his current bike, Mr. Koudys said he paid $29,000 plus $5,000 worth of extras.

As a young man, Mr. Koudys said it was not uncommon to grab a sleeping bag, head off on a ride somewhere and spend the night sleeping in a field or a ditch. Today those outdoor sleeping areas have been replaced by motels.

Safety is a big concern for Mr. Koudys as it is for most club members.

"I feel differently on the road today because people don't seem to be as considerate," he said.

Mr. Koudys suffered a broken leg many years ago when he was struck by a car while proceeding through a green light at an intersection on Burlington Street near the QEW.

"I remember going through the air and I was lucky I was wearing my helmet and I dented the fellow's hood on his car and he got out of his car and said 'look what you did to my car' and I'm lying on the road with my motorcycle all over the place and the policeman (who had been working the intersection controls) said 'don't worry about it son, you're okay' and it still bothers me today," he said.

While the club has fewer then 100 members, Black Hawks vice president Paul Hill, 62, said information such as membership names and numbers are not made public.

"I can't be specific, that's one of the rules of the club," said Mr. Hill, who is also a social worker with Community Living Hamilton.

Mr. Hill said he began riding at age 16 and purchased his first motorcycle in 1962, a 1947 BSA 250. He recalled he paid $60 for the bike, spent another $80 to make it road-worthy and another $38 for insurance.

Like his fellow riders, Mr. Hill enjoys the freedom that comes with riding a motorcycle.

"To let the wind blow through your hair, even though I don't have any," he said.

That love for the road and helping worthy causes is what also motivates many club members.

"The main focus (of the club) is fundraising for charity and riding, we do a lot of riding," said Mr. Hill who figures he has ridden as much as 322,000 kilometres (200,000 miles) over the years.

Since 2006 the club has handed out the Iron Butt trophy to the member who has logged the most kilometres each year. Last year's winner rode 24,700 kilometres.

With the skyrocketing price of gasoline, Mr. Hill said more people may look at riding a motorcycle as an alternative to their car, noting he gets 55 miles a gallon on his Yamaha V-Star 1100 and some smaller bikes get as much as 90 miles a gallon.

Like Mr. Koudys, safety is always on Mr. Hill's mind when he's on his motorcycle.

"I think every motorcyclist that's still alive takes the attitude that everybody else on the road is an asshole and you've got to watch out for them," Mr. Hill said.

The club's next big event is May 25 when the Black Hawks invite the public to join them on a Cool Ride in support of Community Living Hamilton, which supports individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families.

The ride begins at Frankie's Bar & Grill in Mount Hope at 11 a.m. (registration runs 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.) and heads to the Dragonfly Lodge in Rockwood (near Guelph) where there will be a barbecue and midway games.

Dragonfly Lodge is a barrier-free, year-round vacation destination for community living clients.

For more information visit www.communitylivinghamilton.com.