Matua Riders Group mixes riding and helping

The Mauta Riders Group pose for the Saipan Tribune during the Liberation Day parade.”Mauta is a Chamorro word that means high clan and, yes, we are like one big family, having the same direction and that is to enjoy, ride, and help the community in whatever way we can,” said Ed Flores, vice president of the Mauta Riders Group (Bea Cabrera)

As has become the tradition for several years now, the Matua Riders Motorcycle Club opened the 2017 Liberation Day parade last July 4 with the thunderous roar of their motorcycles along Beach Road in Garapan.

The burst of energy from the powerful machines in turn incite more energy and excitement among parade spectators and the same held true during the parade on July 4.

“This year, we opened the parade by making so much noise and synchronized choreography. We wanted the opening of the Liberation Day parade to be special,” said Matua Riders vice president Ed Flores.

The Matua Riders was formed in 2011 by the late Ed Camacho; it has been opening the Liberation Day parade since 2012.

“Opening the Liberation Day parade is always meaningful for the group because most of our members are retired military and police. For us, it is our way of giving honor to the soldiers and policemen and women who went before us,” Flores said “It is our tribute of appreciation to those men and women in the military and police. …This life that we have now is a privilege given by them. We acknowledge that, especially on Liberation Day,” he added.

The group started with 20 members and has grown to 50. Majority of the members own a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Flores says the group is open to anyone who has the passion to ride and willing to be of service to the community.

“If one wants to be a member, please know that we do not only accept riders with Harley motorcycles. Any motorcycle owner can join the Matua Riders group as long as your bike can run 45 miles an hour. We are open to all who wants to ride and help the community.”

“We do our rides twice a month. Every government payday, we meet in Chalan Kiya at 1pm and by 2pm, we roll out from south to north on island. This way, we keep our motorcycles in good condition and the ride around the island gives us ideas of what we can do for the community,” Flores said.

In September, the group is scheduled to do a cleanup ride along the whole stretch of Beach Road. Every Christmas they visit the sick at the Commonwealth Health Center and give out fruit baskets. They also donate $500 to the man’amko and give the islands’ elders a joy ride around the island.

“Our group is very much focused on doing good service for the community. As retired military and police, that is part of our system, which one cannot take away. We ride as hobby and we do service as a passion,” Flores said.

The group takes its name from the Chamorro term matua, which means high clan.