Motorcycle riders blamed for ruining the quiet atmosphere in a neighborhood outside of Hampstead say that they're a small, informal group of friends that has ridden in the area 10 to 12 times since August.

The riders said that, contrary to resident George Thompson's claims that they ride almost every weekend during warm-weather months, they ride for no more than three hours one or two Sundays a month. They ride no more than four bikes at once, do all they can to muffle the sounds from their bikes, never ride through the neighboring stream bed and never ride before 11 a.m., they said.

The riders use the land, a 16.8-acre patch of meadow and woods between Shamer Lane and Hoffman Mill Road, with the permission of owner Paul Forst. They said they are not a motorcycle club and pay no fees to use the land. "We're participating in a completely legal recreational activity with our kids," said Steve Castro, one of the riders.

Forst said he lets the men use the land because one is a friend, adding, "I'm just trying to be nice to them." He reiterated that he is not breaking any laws by letting the men ride on the land, which he said he has owned since the summer.

The use of motorcycles on land adjacent to residential areas has become a heated issue in several corners of Carroll County, where riding is not prohibited under zoning laws for agricultural land. Neighbors say that noisy motorcycles do not belong in close proximity to homes, while riders argue that they operate within their rights and in most cases do all they can to avoid being nuisances. In the absence of clear laws addressing the subject, these disputes simmer with no solution in sight.

Thompson said he plans to pursue private legal action against Forst and possibly the riders who use his land, located across a small stream that runs parallel to Thompson's property line.

Castro said the group of riders usually consists of him, his son, another man and his son. Castro's son is legally blind, he said, and can't ride in most public biking areas. But the secluded meadow, where Castro can provide supervision, is the perfect venue for his son, he said.

Forst said he wouldn't let a larger group use the land.

The group rides KTM and Yamaha motorcycles, about as loud as chainsaws and much quieter than the average Harley-Davidson, Castro said. He spent $150 on silencing equipment to avoid bothering neighbors, he added.

Thompson and several other neighbors say the noise is too loud, however. Thompson said the revving of one bike spooked a horse his wife was working with and caused the animal to rear and nearly kick her.

Castro wondered whether some other sound might have startled the animal. He also said his group has complied with all environmental requirements and would never ride through the streambed. He added that one neighbor's claims that the group has cursed loudly were false.

"We care about this area too, and we're not that stupid," he said.