8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 831 The parking lot at the corner of Fremont Boulevard and Ord Grove Avenue in Seaside is usually quiet, but once a month it comes to life with people clad in motorcycle gear. They rustle through ice-filled coolers as hot dogs sizzle on a grill in the parking lot. Motorcycles of all shapes and sizes rev and circle around the convening. It’s a monthly Bike Night that draws anywhere from 40 to 100-plus motorcyclists from around Monterey County to chat and show off their bikes. At Cycle Gear’s Seaside location, all kinds of motorcyclists are present with their rides, ranging from adventure and touring BMWs to choppers, cruisers and even minibikes. The free event includes sodas, snacks and water, along with gear giveaways from Cycle Gear, a national motorcycle gear retailer. Representatives from motorcycle law firms, motorcycle training and education organizations and the California Highway Patrol come to talk to riders about their resources under tents. Retired Army veteran Monroe Bonfoey is manning the grill and offering free hot dogs. “I turn my customers onto [Cycle Gear] for helmets and gear—they’re about the best,” Bonfoey says. He’s not an employee of the company, but he attended the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Arizona at age 57 where he obtained a certification to service BMW and Honda motorcycles. To him, the fellowship of riders is the reason he shows up, the spirit of Bike Night. “It’s a community-building event to get people to hang out,” Cycle Gear Seaside store manager Daniel Salinas says. “You don’t even have to bring a motorcycle.” The gathering is an opportunity for riders to share stories about how they got into the hobby. Salinas himself has been riding motorcycles for two decades. Bree Martinez, one of the few women at Bike Night, rides a 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 400 wrapped half in pink and the other half in purple with flower graphics, along with a decal of her Instagram handle @V6baddy. Purple is a favorite color of hers, while the pink represents her mother, who also rides. “I like to hang around and learn different things about bikes and meet new people,” Martinez says, adding she wants to see more female riders at events like this. People from different ages and riding styles are talking to each other next to a row of bikes parked in front of the shop. A group of about six riders pulls into the parking lot, all on minibikes, some of which are no higher than twoand-a-half feet off the ground. One of them is Cristian Calvo, riding a Honda Ruckus—a thick-wheeled contraption that sounds like a muffled lawnmower. “It’s really small and really slow,” Calvo says, as another minibiker shouts, “Yeah, it can’t go on the highway!” as he zips around the lot. Beyond chit-chat, safety is a common topic of discussion. Matthieu Wooden, attending his first Bike Night, talks about how events like these can benefit those who don’t ride. “Bikers are probably the safest drivers on the road, despite what Hollywood and the movies may tell you,” he says, adding that fellow motorcyclists he’s encountered have also told him to make sure he’s riding with protective gear. “We look out for each other. You feel seen.” Toward the end of the event, Salinas gathers the attendees together from the elevated walkway near the entrance to announce upcoming events and raffle off a few prizes. He says that the crowd usually ebbs during the rainy or winter months, but picks up in the summer especially before the MotoAmerica race weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (see story, p. 33). As the event concludes, some riders continue milling around the parking lot while others mount their machines to ride away, acknowledging each other with waves and head nods as they pull out. Bonfoey, who continues to chat with others, testifies to the size of the rider population in Monterey County. “It’s pretty active,” he says of the community. “It’s big.” Bike Nights happen at 5pm on the second Tuesday of each month (next on July 14) at Cycle Gear, 2001 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. Rev Together A monthly gathering at a motorcycle shop in Seaside brings diverse riders together. By Sloan Campi “We look out for each other. You feel seen.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE ALBERT LUCAS JR Cycle Gear’s Bike Nights are a chance for motorcyclists to share stories. “There’s definitely a camaraderie when we’re out there on two wheels versus all the cars,” store manager Daniel Salinas says. LET' S CELEBRATE! 2026 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Presented by Join Us in Celebrating Excellence Across Our Business Community! Thursday, July 23 6:00 - 9:00 PM Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa Get Tickets at montereychamber.com
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