Posts Tagged ‘Bike Week’

Daytona 2012 — Chillin’ at Willie’s Old School Chopper Show

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel Willie's Tropical Tattoo

[Ormond Beach, FL] — You never know who you’ll run into at Willie’s Tropical Tattoo Old School Chopper Show at Daytona Bike Week.  From celebrities of the motorcycle world — Willie G. for example — to custom bike builders, to just plain folk, everyone makes the annual pilgrimage to Willie’s. Plaques and trophies are awarded …read more…

Daytona 2012 — Harley-Davidson’s Ride-In Custom Bike Show

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel Harley Ride-In Show

[Daytona Beach, FL] — This year at Daytona Bike Week, Harley-Davidson partnered with American Iron Magazine for its Ride-In Custom Bike Show on Beach Street. The event took place on Wednesday, March 14 and attracted a wide variety of motorcycles entered in 11 different classes. In the evening, Harley sponsored a special concert for HOG …read more…

Daytona 2012: Main Street madness

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel Um, maybe Elvis shouldn't have left the building...

[Daytona Beach, FL] — Daytona Bike Week’s 71st annual edition just wrapped up — the 10-day event ran from March 9 through 18 this year. As always, a cruise down Main Street is obligatory — it’s the place to see and be seen at Bike Week.  

Daytona 2012 — 40th Annual Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel Rat's Hole

[Daytona Beach, FL] — If 2012 isn’t the Year of the Rat, it should be. One of the must-see events of Daytona Bike Week is the Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show, now in its 40th year. Although “Big Daddy Rat” — the legendary Karl Smith — passed away in 2002, his son Ted continues the …read more…

The Rat King of Flat Lick, Kentucky

// December 10th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // People, Travel Smitty

[Flat Lick, KY] — To some people, a Rat Bike may look like a two-wheeled, rolling junk pile, an ancient motorcycle with random, added-on bits and pieces in various stages of hanging — or falling — off. But as the cliche goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For Rat riders — a very …read more…

Legends and Heroes of the Cannonball

// March 25th, 2011 // 13 Comments » // Events, People, Travel Cannonball

Daytona Beach, FL — Riding a motorcycle coast-to-coast is challenging enough: long hours on the road, weather, traffic, boredom. Now imagine doing it on a 95-year old motorcycle, at an average speed of 35 miles an hour! Last September, 44 riders did just that, roaring out of Kitty Hawk, NC en route to Santa Monica, …read more…

Big Daddy Rat — Rat’s Hole Chopper Show

// March 12th, 2011 // 10 Comments » // Events, Travel Rat's Hole

Daytona Beach, FL — Outrageous custom choppers are a dime a dozen nowadays. Well, not really, I just said that to get your attention. I enjoy seeing them as much as the next biker, and some of these machines are truly rolling works of art. But one of the things I really like about the …read more…

Launch of Motorcycle Bagger magazine

// March 12th, 2011 // 5 Comments » // Events, Travel Motorcycle Bagger

Ormond Beach, FL — In this era of declining print media, it’s always exciting to see the launch a new magazine — particularly one for which I write! American Iron has been a longtime client — I wrote my first “Tour” article for the magazine in 2003. Tam Communications also publishes RoadBike (I’ve written “International …read more…

Chillin’ at Willie’s Tropical Tattoo Old School Chopper Show

// March 10th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Events, Travel Tropical Willie's

Ormond Beach, FL — Chillin’ at Willie’s Tropical Tattoo Old School Chopper Show is a Bike Week tradition. “Hardcore” and “old-school” are terms that would describe some of the bikes AND some of the patrons. You’ll run into just about everyone here, from motorcycle magazine editors to biker gang members — but the vibe is friendly, …read more…

Shake, Rumble, and Roll — World’s Largest V-8 Motorcycle Parade

// March 10th, 2011 // 16 Comments » // Travel V-8

Daytona Beach, FL — An old beer commercial featured the tagline, “Why ask why?” When it comes to mounting a V-8 engine in a motorcycle frame, I guess if you have to ask “Why?” you just wouldn’t understand. “There’s no substitute for horsepower” might be one answer. Or perhaps you just want to be noticed …read more…

A Stock Motorcycle is a Blank Canvas!

// March 8th, 2011 // 7 Comments » // Events, Travel Bike Week

Daytona Beach, FL — Whether you ride a Honda or Harley, Victory or Valkyrie, Yamaha or Ural, you’ve probably done something to your machine to make it uniquely your own. Stock is merely a starting point — a blank canvas, if you will. Chrome tsotskes, leather fringe, and custom paint are all things bikers do …read more…

Daytona Bike Week — One Man’s Lifetime Dream

// March 8th, 2011 // 9 Comments » // Events, Travel Bike Week

Daytona Beach, FL — Sometimes, just chatting with the person next to you can lead to an interesting story. I met Tony Wheeler during Bike Week on Beach Street, when I pulled my Road King into an open spot next to his Softail Deluxe.  Thousands of bikes lined both sides of the street; throngs of …read more…

DeLand, FL — The Little Bike Rally That Could

// March 6th, 2011 // 9 Comments » // Events, Travel DeLand

DeLand, FL — It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume — both physical and audible —  of Daytona Bike Week. Attracting upwards of half a million visitors, the 10-day springtime motorcycle rally generates more than $300 million for the local economy. The streets of Daytona — resplendent in a sea of denim and …read more…

Daytona Bike Week 2011 — The Rumble Returns

// March 4th, 2011 // 10 Comments » // Events, Travel Bike Week

Daytona Beach, FL — Thousands of bikers rumbled into Daytona today (Friday 3/4/11) for the official start of Daytona Bike Week, the traditional kickoff of the spring motorcycle riding season. Bike Week actually lasts 10 days (through Sunday 3/13), and attracts upwards of half a million visitors to this seaside community. 2011 marks the rally’s …read more…