Beltline motorcycle meetups rev up community, but noise irks neighbors

The Shell gas station at 17th Avenue S.W. and Fifth Street has become an unofficial gathering spot for Calgary motorcyclists, who playfully call themselves the Shell's Angels. Riders come to meet new people, compare bikes, and organize group rides.

Tony Lue, who got into riding a couple of years ago, describes the community as welcoming to everyone on two wheels. "You get to meet new people every day. You get to see a plethora of bikes, and you get to see how people tune them up," he said. Dazzmin Darius echoed the appeal: "It's really awesome to just come out here as a new or experienced rider and meet people to ride with at any given time."

But the social scene comes with friction. Bikers are known to rev their engines, often at busy intersections and in front of patio-goers. Last year, the city announced a crackdown on noisy vehicles in areas like 17th Avenue, with fines up to $300. Only seven tickets were issued in the following two months.

Lue said some revving is about showmanship. "Honestly, we rev our engines because they sound nice. Some of these bikes have got great exhaust," he said. Darius countered that riders often rev to alert other drivers to their presence, citing motorcycle safety.

Liane Langlois, president of the Alberta Motorcycle Safety Society, disagreed. "Unfortunately, science and physics don't really agree with that, especially when you're in an area like 17th Avenue that has a lot of buildings," she said. "That noise is just going to reverberate off of everything, so you actually have zero idea where the noise is coming from."