Introducing Kommune Konnections

Running on reserve? We got you. When life throws up a late night oil leak, or a flat tyre halfway home, or just about any challenge on or off the bike, we’re always here to lend a hand, or an ear. We’ve seen firsthand the impact of poor mental health and social isolation, so we’re working with the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and Movember to engage and support our community, champion vulnerability and cultivate camaraderie.

The Social Connections Challenge is a collaboration between the DGR and Movember, aimed at tackling social isolation and improving men’s mental health within our motorcycle community. The coolest thing we can think of is caring for yourself and the people around you, so here we are launching Kommune Konnections, redefining ‘cool’ one not-so-random act of kindness at a time.

We believe motorcycles are a perfect metaphor for our vulnerability as humans. If we neglect our machines, they’ll fail on the open road. Likewise, if we neglect our mental wellbeing, life grinds to a halt or at best we hobble along, anxious and lost. The poetic image of the lone wolf riding solo into the sunset works great in the movies but we’re advocating for something more sustainable and uplifting, namely, engaging social events and creative collaboration in a space that feels like home, with a diverse crew that feels like family.

We’ll always be a DIY space first and foremost but nowadays we’re much more than a workshop. With support from the DGR and Movember, we’re able to create more opportunities for more of us to get together more often, on and off the bike. Maybe you don’t ride or you’re just curious about bikes, that’s great; our doors are open to everyone regardless of your level of experience and knowledge. Konnections is about community solidarity, helping each other demystify the machine, making better sense of life and having a laugh along the way. 

We believe our events and gatherings will help to reduce social isolation, engage people from all walks of life and even coax some people back from the brink of harmful mindsets by offering them a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. We believe we can assist men in our community especially, to forge healthier bonds with themselves and with each other, over the workbench, on the road or by a campfire. It seems like we’ve all outgrown the tough guy thing and Konnections is a better fit for the future. However, it’s important that everyone knows Konnections isn’t just for men; far from it. Everyone is impacted either directly or indirectly when one link in the chain ain’t quite right, so our gatherings, rides and events are open to all genders, all ages and all backgrounds- one big moto family. 

We’re always thinking about how we can reach and assist as many people as possible and we see Konnections as a global endeavour designed to improve the lives of the greater moto community, starting here in Melbourne. Our mantra is: “build ​it ​and ​they ​will ​come, ​build ​it ​well ​and ​they‘ll ​stay”.

Our master plan has two main focuses. Firstly, as we’ve already touched on, we’re orchestrating serious Moto FOMO by hosting the most uplifting and inclusive gatherings in Melbourne’s motorcycle scene. This means no cliques, no secret handshakes and no need to be anyone but yourself. We want these getaways and get-togethers to leave a positive lasting impression on anyone who rolls into our world because everyone who shows up is a valuable cog in our engine of change. At a glance, 2022 will be peppered with weekend rides, camping adventures and in-house shindigs. There’s also our 11-week Kommunal Kustom Build that’s already received an overwhelmingly positive response, so much so that we’re building two bikes! We’ve also created Kommune Social, a digital platform built around a central news feed that shows everything happening within the community, such as new discussions in forums, active social groups and new and upcoming events, plus heaps of moto-related resources to help you wrench, ride and repeat. This is our kind of daily news: no ads, no erratic opinions, no BS. Just good honest moto chatter.

The second part of our Konnections program is the creation of a digital ‘service manual’ aimed at assisting other community leaders (or would-be leaders) around Australia and eventually worldwide. Our crew of designers, tech nuts, wordsmiths, mechanics and all round brilliant humans are busy compiling everything from sponsorship pitches, to management tools, course curriculums and e-commerce. Essentially, we’re taking the Kommune concept and all the lessons we’ve learned over the past decade to create a definitive How To for anyone wanting to establish a space like ours, or for anyone wanting to evolve an existing workshop or club. The clincher? The whole platform will be free: no hoax, no pyramid scheme and no barriers. Like we said, one big moto family. 

This concept came about because we see Konnections as the catalyst for the future of the DIY scene and a way to connect and communicate with other like-minded organisations who share our hope for an increasingly engaged and informative global moto culture. We believe we have the ability to mentor other community leaders, so they can ultimately serve their community better: exponential good vibes, starting here at Kommune HQ in Melbourne.

We’re all different but we’re all much the same. We’re all bound by a collective interest (although obsession might be a better word!) in motorcycles and motorcycle culture and while we appreciate the cathartic nature of riding solo or tinkering alone in the shed late at night, we also believe the most memorable rides and the most rewarding workshop sessions are the shared ones.  

Konnections is happening now; these are the good old days. Here’s to one big moto family and thanks again to the legends at the DGR and Movember who make all this possible.

Swing by the workshop to say g’day (especially dog owners!), dive into Kommune.Social and definitely reach out if you think you can support Konnections. We’re always open to ideas for social gatherings and we’re always on the lookout for spare parts and donor bikes for custom builds. We can never have enough volunteers and if you’ve got the skills to lead our mechanics and fabrication courses, we’d be stoked to hear from you.

Collaborations with like minded local artists, brands and companies are always on our radar and we love working with members of our community who’ve got niche skills relevant to what we do here. Get in touch and let’s make it happen.