Some riders groups are built around a brand. The Foundry IMRG was built around something deeper than that — a shared love of the road, good company, and the kind of friendships that outlast any ride.
Based in Canterbury, Kent, and operating out of one of the oldest motorcycle dealerships in the United Kingdom, The Foundry has quietly become one of the most respected and well regarded Indian Motorcycle Riders Groups in the country. Within the wider IMRG community, it is widely recognised as the standard bearer for what a UK riders group can and should be — a template that others look to and learn from. This is their story.
Where It All Started
The group has its roots in the early 2010s, when a handful of American twin enthusiasts in Kent found each other and started riding together. As Indian Motorcycle re-emerged as a serious force in the market, the group evolved naturally — the bikes changed, the name changed, but the spirit remained exactly the same. The Foundry IMRG was born.
More than a decade on, the group is still going strong, still growing, and still very much centred around the same thing it always was — getting out on the road together and having a good time doing it.
Robinsons Foundry — More Than a Dealership
The Foundry IMRG has its home at Robinsons Foundry on Broad Oak Road, Canterbury. Established in the mid 1960s, Robinsons is one of the oldest family run motorcycle dealerships in the UK, sitting in the heart of the historic city of Canterbury just a few miles from the Kent coast. It is an Indian Motorcycle dealership in the truest sense — knowledgeable, passionate, and deeply connected to the riding community it serves.
The relationship between the dealership and the group is one of genuine partnership. Robinsons provide full support — facilities, backup, and everything needed to keep the bikes on the road. In return, The Foundry does what any great riders group does naturally — they fly the flag for the brand and the dealership wherever they go. It works because both sides care about the same things.
On the Road
Living on the Kent coast has its advantages. The group has the sea on their doorstep and some of the best riding in the southeast radiating out in every direction — coastal runs to Ramsgate, Folkestone, and Hastings sit alongside the twisting rural lanes of the Kent Downs and the Weald, with Sussex and Surrey always within easy reach for a longer day out.
The Foundry makes full use of it. Regular local rides keep the group active throughout the season, but the ambitions don’t stop at the county border. Members have travelled further afield on group trips that have taken them well beyond the English coast — most notably to the Indian Motorcycle Festival in Corsica, which has become something of a fixture on the group’s calendar in recent years. Spectacular scenery, great riding, and a gathering of Indian riders from across Europe — it is exactly the kind of event The Foundry was made for.
Then there is Épernay.
On one memorable trip to the Champagne region of France, the group arrived to find the entire town in the middle of a celebration — the streets full, the locals dressed in white, and the champagne flowing freely. The Foundry did what any self-respecting British riders group would do and threw themselves into it wholeheartedly. The evening that followed was, by all accounts, spectacular. The ride home the next morning was rather more subdued.
Giving Something Back
Every year The Foundry rides for a cause. Last year the group raised money for a local hospice — one that had cared for the wife of someone close to the club. This year the fundraising focus is the Blood Runners, the volunteer network that transports urgent blood and medical supplies across the country day and night.
It is that kind of group.
The Family
Ask anyone at The Foundry what they enjoy most about being part of the group and the answer is rarely about the bikes. It is about the people.
The Foundry has a strong contingent of couples — some riding, some as pillions, all equally part of the family. The social life of the group extends well beyond the road. Recent highlights include a go-karting day that apparently got fairly competitive, with axe throwing, clay shooting, and a club barbecue all on the horizon as the summer builds. When the riding stops, the friendship carries on.
This year the group has also opened its doors wider than ever, making the first Saturday of every month a breakfast ride open to all types of bikes. Local clubs including Invictus HOG and Royal Enfield riders have been invited along — because as far as The Foundry is concerned, motorcycling is for everyone, and the more the merrier.
Come and Ride With Us
If you own an Indian Motorcycle in Kent or the wider southeast and you are looking for a group that will make you feel at home from day one, The Foundry is worth a visit. The best way to find out if it is for you is simply to turn up on a Saturday morning, introduce yourself, and see what happens. Chances are you will not want to leave. Find out more at:
