Affiliated Dealership: BPM Motorcycle, Poitiers
Some riders groups are built from scratch. Others grow naturally from something that was already there — a shared passion, a group of friends, and the right moment. IMRG Poitiers 86 is very much the latter.
Founded in 2018 on the initiative of Jean Gourdin, a former Harley-Davidson chapter member who had made the switch to Indian, the group brought together a collection of riders who shared a love of the brand and the road. Working alongside the Indian dealership in Poitiers, the idea of creating a dedicated Indian club took shape, and after the necessary groundwork was laid, IMRG Poitiers 86 was officially born with 38 founding members.
Today the group numbers around sixty members, with over a hundred followers and a growing Ladies First contingent — riders and pillions who are very much an equal and valued part of everything the group does.
BPM Motorcycle — The Dealership Behind the Group
IMRG Poitiers 86 operates in partnership with BPM Motorcycle, part of a wider automotive and Ducati group with three sites across France — Orléans, Vannes, and Poitiers, each with its own IMRG presence. The Poitiers dealership is located at 109 rue de la Bugellerie in the heart of the city.
The relationship between the group and the dealership is one of genuine warmth and mutual support. Every second Saturday of the month, BPM Motorcycle opens its doors for a full breakfast before the group’s committee meeting, followed by lunch. A further open IMRG session is held on the afternoon of the fourth Saturday. It is the kind of dealership relationship that makes a riders group thrive — practical, welcoming, and built on shared values.
The founding dealership changed hands in 2023, but the group’s relationship with the new management has gone from strength to strength. Some things carry on regardless of who holds the keys.
Riding the Poitou
The Poitiers region offers riding that few parts of France can match for variety. From sweeping river valleys to open countryside, quiet backroads to dramatic natural landscapes, the group has built up a set of favourite local routes that members return to again and again.
Among the most loved is a ride to Les Pommes Tapées, a remarkable cave restaurant carved entirely into the cliff face in the Loire Valley to the north of the department. Once a thriving 19th century industry for producing dried apples — a process that had all but disappeared before being lovingly revived — the setting is like nowhere else. Galleries cut into the hillside, history in every stone, and a story that has been the subject of numerous television reports. It is exactly the kind of place you only find on two wheels.
To the east of the department, the group regularly rides to L’Atelier du Rock — an unusual and characterful restaurant with a personality all of its own, and the added bonus of being run by a fellow IMRG member. To the west, the Vallée de l’Ouest offers a warm welcome to riders — it too is run by an IMRG couple, which says everything about the kind of community this group has built around itself.
For those seeking something more contemplative, the Parc Oriental de Maulévrier is a regular destination — the largest Japanese garden in Europe, set in a landscape that celebrates nature in every season. Serenity, history, and atmosphere in equal measure, and a world away from the everyday.
And for those who want to combine a ride with a stay, the Indian Village at Vallée de l’Ouest offers tipi accommodation for up to four people — hikers, cyclists, and motorcyclists all welcome. It is the kind of place that turns a day ride into a proper adventure.
Going the Distance
IMRG Poitiers 86 is not a group that stays close to home. The members travel widely and ride hard, attending Indian events across France and Europe with genuine enthusiasm. Lipno, La Punta, the ISR, Poland, and the inter-IMRG rides with groups from Lisbon, Rouen, and Nantes are all fixtures on the calendar — always ridden under the group’s colours, always representing Poitiers with pride.
Daytona Beach has also featured on the group’s map. In 2025, Jean-Claude made the trip himself, and this year close IMRG friends from St Maximin, Rouen, Gap and the Ladies First made the journey across the Atlantic — and had the privilege of riding alongside Mike Kennedy, the new CEO of Indian Motorcycle. That a group of French Indian riders from across the regions were out on the streets of Daytona with the man at the top of Indian Motorcycle says everything about the kind of community the IMRG has become.
The next chapter of the international calendar is Lipno — and IMRG Poitiers 86 will be there.
Stories from the Road
Every riders group worth its salt has stories, and IMRG Poitiers 86 has plenty.
There was the memorable moment in Morocco when a Chieftain refused to start and the only solution was to push it — not the most dignified moment for one of Indian’s flagship tourers, but the kind of thing that becomes a story for life.
Then there was the case of the identical Roadmasters. Member Charles arrived at a ride, mounted what he was absolutely certain was his own bike — same model, same options, same colour right down to the last detail — and set off, only to find the bike wouldn’t recognise him as its rider. It took Charles a few minutes and a fair amount of confusion before the penny dropped. Somewhere nearby, another rider was having exactly the same problem.
A Group Built on Openness
What sets IMRG Poitiers 86 apart, according to Jean-Claude, is the transparency and honesty at the heart of how the group is run. Committee meetings are open to all members, and for those who cannot attend, a full written report is sent out afterwards. No closed doors, no inner circle — just a group of riders who trust one another and ride together as equals.
That openness extends to the Ladies First members, who are woven into the fabric of the group rather than treated as a separate entity. Riders, pillions, friends — all equally welcome, all equally valued.
Come and Ride with Us
If you are an Indian rider in the Poitiers region — or passing through the Poitou on two wheels — IMRG Poitiers 86 would love to hear from you. Drop into BPM Motorcycle at 109 rue de la Bugellerie, 86000 Poitiers, on the second or fourth Saturday of the month and introduce yourself.
The roads are waiting.
