It's high time. That time of year when we dust off the seat and hang 10 on the pegs. Life is sweet in spring. But it's ripe in summer, because that's when the motorcycle world comes to life-full throttle.
Myrtle Beach Bike Week May 12-21, 2006
Why? Because it's not Daytona or Sturgis Bike Week. Myrtle Beach has its own thing going-and it's been going on for 66 years. Over a quarter of a million people amble down to the "Grand Strand" of South Carolina each May to partake in the weeklong bike fest, so you won't be alone. And the area is better than Daytona Beach for nice side trips and rides.
There are five acres of vending, so when you're not seeing the sites or sucking down southern food, you can be buying bling and baubles for your bike. And bike watching is what this show is all about, so it helps that the main area has 20 acres of paved parking. There are the usual demo rides, custom shows and poker runs so check out the rally schedule before you plan your trip. But plan your visit soon, because just like Sturgis and Daytona Beach, this bike week attracts more people than the town can handle, making prices ridiculously high for very so-so situations.
So, maybe it won't be first on your list, but Myrtle Beach Bike Week is a big bit of living biker history. And if you're going for one of those hot, overcrowded, flesh-showing, pipe-blowing biker rallies this summer, it might as well be one that's not so ordinary. For details check out www.myrtle beachbikeweek.com or one of the 5000 other sites dedicated to turning Myrtle Beach into biker heaven each spring.
Americade June 5-10, 2006
The Adirondack National Park is New York's glory. The park was the country's first preserved wilderness and covers an unfathomable 6 million acres (that is an area larger than Yosemite and Yellowstone combined), claiming a full fifth of the state. Aptly known as the High Peaks Region, the park boasts 2000 summits that reach higher than 3000 feet. It's the playground of hikers, boaters and birdwatchers...and for one week every year it's bustling with bikers.
Each June, the tiny tourist village of Lake George, with a population of less than 4000, plays host to approximately 50,000 motorcycle enthusiasts who partake in Americade, the largest organized rally in the country. Lake George, also known as the Queen of American Lakes, is the largest body of water within the park, covering some 44 square miles. It was one of Georgia O'Keefe's favorite getaways, and Thomas Jefferson once commented that Lake George was the most beautiful body of water he'd ever laid eyes on. This still mostly pristine deep-blue lake is dappled with 365 natural islands among which sightseeing boats busily play connect-the-dots.
Lake George, named for King George of England, played a strategic role in the French and Indian War. It's a lake brimming with history, and the sea of motorcycles that touches its shores each June brims with enthusiasm. Americade, formerly known as Aspencade East, began in 1983 as an optimistic extension of Aspencade West held in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Three thousand riders attended. In 1986, the rally was consolidated into a single all-brand festival and has since grown into the stately large-scale celebration we know as Americade. It's a week packed with parties, tours and contests, padded with educational opportunities and consumer markets.
The festivities usually begin with a block party that includes live music and dancing at the Roaring Brook Ranch Lodge (the rally's headquarters) and a pre-party newcomer's seminar for the uninitiated. Tours and the formal trade show get under way on Tuesday.
The major manufacturers will be offering demo rides at the TourExpo. Rides are first-come-first-served and fill up early each morning. The last time we counted, there were over 200 vendors at the rally selling everything from custom valve-stem caps to camp trailers, and there are probably more now. To find out more visit www.tourexpo.com.
Attend the National Event for Your Bike Model or BrandSome of you go to these rallies every year, and what fun they are. But many of you haven't hooked up with your brand brethren and might want to give it a whirl. The regional rides and get-togethers are great as well, but it's the annual national rallies that really kick ass. Even if you don't attend a rally or even a ride, your same-brand-owning club mates will always be a mouse-click away if you have a question about your bike or what aftermarket products or improvements work best. There's a club for just about every kind of bike, for example, the Super Magna Owners Group, which celebrates the original Honda Magna of vintage 1978 and '88. Later model Magna owners have their own club, the Magna Owner's Group. Here are some of our favorite events:
Vulcan Owner's and Rider's Club: This is a fun, fun group and we've been to its annual rally in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, before. These guys love to ride and party. This year the popular event will be held on the weekend of September 20. Get to know the VROCers at www.vroc.org.
Valkyrie Cruisers Club: The national events for owners of the slick-six Honda are called Inzane Ride Ins. It's all bodacious bikes and smoky burnouts. Don't miss this year's event in crazy-beautiful Frisco, Colorado, July 12-16. Event and club information at www.valkyrieriders.com.
Star Touring and Rider's Association: Star Days is actually backed by Yamaha, kind of like the Honda Hoot, but not as watered down. It's more intimate, for sure, with a lot of cool organized events and support. This year the event will be in Longmont, Colorado, July 27-30. That's the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and some of the best riding in the United States. Visit www.stardays.org.
MIG Riders (Marauder Intruder Group): This infamously passionate group is holding its shindig in beautiful Maggie Valley, North Carolina, for the entire week of July 18-26. That coincides with the Hoot, just down the mountain in Knoxville, so you can hit both. See www.migcruisers.com.
Let us know about your favorite brand-specific events and we'll publish them in the next upcoming issue. E-mail andy.cherney@primedia.com.
Honda Hoot June 20-24, 2006
Let us tell you why the Honda Hoot is our favorite motorcycle event-the rally we never miss. We love getting together with bikers of all kinds and owners of all brands, but more than anything we love to ride.
Folks that show up for the all-brands welcome Hoot are there to ride, not to kick tires (much) or stare at booties and chrome (much). We do shop though, and the Hoot has one of the best vendor areas and demo setups of any rally geared toward serious motorcyclists...meaning there's not a lot of crap. Plus the Hoot is staged in Knoxville, Tennessee, on the edge of some of the best roads and scenery in the United States. There are organized rides aplenty, or just point your bike out of town and explore on your own. It's all good, even when it's hot, even when it rains, and everyone has a good time.
We can thank Honda for that, and Charlie Keller, the event's daddy and doer-of-all-things, who is the most passionate event organizer ever born, and the Hoot's extreme success is a result of his enthusiasm and charm. There's something to do every day: Fun stuff like street parties and fireworks displays, custom shows and riverboat cruises. But more than anything, there are these cool organized rides each day, for which you need to register in advance. Our magazine has been sponsoring the Best Dam Ride and Fish Fry for years, but this summer we're leading a new one, the Ride to Roan Mountain. Even just the name is cool, right? The views are supposed to be amazing, and lunch will be terrific. So join us in Tennessee!
Honda Hoot information and registration is found at www.hondahoot.com.