@sneakypete I stayed independent, too, but I was an ABATE Rep for over a decade and didn't want club friction to get in the middle of the political goals of keeping the freedom to choose what safety equipment to use, when. We were successful in keeping that for adults, anyway, which is a good deal.
As far as Club Business goes, start that and I leave the room. It isn't my business, like you said, whether an AMA club or not, if you get my drift. I can't think of any club who had members I did not get along with, and was asked if I was interested in prospecting a couple. I, too declined, partly because what I am doing for a living did not allow me to schedule anything much in advance, and almost all clubs have 'mandatory' events/runs. Knowing I would not be able to make those in advance pretty much did away with that idea, even after I was no longer ABATE Rep for the District.
I met a lot of fine folks, and a couple of a$$hole$, but those are everywhere, and not necessarily flying any particular patch. Yep, I even got along with the few Angels I encountered, but those guys were far from home. As long as it was biker to biker, things went well, you have to establish cred if you look like a civilian. Still have my Shovelhead but it needs work and is lower on my priority list than it would have been 20 years ago. It's stored and will keep....