Coliseum Requested for Sonny Barger's Service

Oakland, California, USA (July 17, 2022) - The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has requested to hold Sonny Barger’s memorial service at the Oakland Coliseum complex, just a couple of miles away from the Foothill Boulevard clubhouse where he founded. Barger died June 29 at his home in Livermore.

A funeral at the coliseum may or may not happen, but it is up for discussion. Henry Gardner, the executive director of the Coliseum Authority, plans to discuss the club’s proposal with his board.

In a memo to the board, Gardner said the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club have asked to use the stadium’s parking lot for a service in August, but he’s waiting to hear back from authorities.

“We have consulted with the city’s leadership, including the Oakland Police Department, to seek guidance on whether or not this event can be safely and securely managed,” Gardner wrote. “The group estimates there will be approximately 2,000 of their members in attendance".

"The Oakland Police Department is taking the lead in determining a safety plan and will be providing us with their recommendations on whether and how we should proceed.” it continued

Events at the Coliseum, which is publicly-owned, do not necessarily need the approval of the Coliseum board, which is made up of members of the Oakland City Council, county Board of Supervisors, and members appointed by both government bodies.

Read the memo here: The Oakland Arena Board Memo

Local Bike Nite Continues To Grow

Rodgersville, TN, USA (September 17, 2020) - Red Dog Cafe co-owner Ben McGrew acknowledges that events like Saturday’s Rogersville Bike Nite are good for the downtown economy, but for him these local festivals have a greater purpose.

McGrew, who recently purchased a home about a block from his downtown eatery, said the real blessing of such events is the ability for people to still come together as a community and have fun.

“Yes, the numbers are down for hospitality and restaurant businesses, but the numbers as far as community involvement aren’t down, and we really appreciate that,” McGrew told the Times News earlier this week. “Economy is what drives us, and in the end we need dollars to make these businesses happen. But first and foremost for the Red Dog, it’s the community.

You have people pulling together and spending their time to organize these events to attract people downtown, and for us the biggest thing is what the community does. In the end, the rest of it falls in place.”

“There are a lot of bikers in this area” The fourth annual Rogersville Bike Nite is scheduled for Saturday in downtown from 5-9 p.m. Main Street will be blocked at 4 p.m.

McGrew added, “We’re always excited about Bike Nite. The first year they said there would be 100 bikes, and they had 200. The second year they said they would have 200 bikes, and there were 300. There are a lot of bikers in this area, it keeps getting bigger every year, and it’s always fun.”

McGrew and both of his business partners are motorcycle enthusiasts, and aside from being a major sponsor of the event this year, McGrew is also a judge for Saturday’s Bike Show.

Trophies will be awarded in three categories including Best Stock Bike, Best Custom Motorcycle, and Best Paint Job.

“Some of these motorcycles cost more than a new SUV, and they’re beautiful,” McGrew said. “There’s an interesting mix. You’ve doctors, lawyers, businessmen, etc. on their $50,000-$60,000 bikes, and then you’ve actual bikers.”

“Folks may be looking for something to do” The inaugural Rogersville Bike Nite in 2017 had 200 bikes show up, followed by 300 the next year, and 325 last year.

Rogersville Chamber of Commerce Director Nancy Barker isn’t counting on a third consecutive record breaking year, but she also isn’t counting it out.

“If COVID wasn’t going on, I would say a definite yes (to a new record Saturday),” Barker said. “With COVID, it’s hard to say whether people will venture out. The fact that so many events have been canceled across our area, folks may be looking for something to do, so you never know. We’ve got the space to accommodate however many show up.”

Live music will be performed by The Valley Authority, which plays a combination of rock, country and easy listening. Downtown restaurants will be open late, and several downtown shops will also be open.

A few vendors will be set up along Main Street including Busted Knuckles Motorcycle Shop from Rogersville, an audio store, and a motorcycle apparel store from Kingsport. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the event. Social distancing and face masks are encouraged, and there will be hand washing stations throughout downtown during the event. Free face masks will be available at the event information booth.

“Some of the most beautiful bikes you’ve ever seen” Barker noted that you don’t have to be a biker or own a motorcycle to enjoy Rogersville Bike Night. It’s fun to bring a lawn chair, listen to the music, and people watch.

“I’m not a big motorcycle person, but I love our show,” Barker said. “You’ll see some of the most beautiful bikes you’ve ever seen, and the original things that people do to them. It’s worth a walk-through. It’s amazing the creativity people have when it comes to customizing their motorcycle.”

Barker added, “It’s a great venue and laid back, and folks like riding in and being able to hang out and relax and visit with people and enjoy the music. With the restaurants open, it’s a good opportunity to check out some of the new restaurants. Apparently we’re doing something right because folks keep coming and it keeps growing every year.”

SOURCE: Times News

Biker Bar Closed Due To Large Crowd

Murrells Inlet, South Carolina (September 13, 2020) - A popular biker bar closed Wednesday night after requesting assistance from police.

Horry County police said the owner of the bar near Murrells Inlet requested assistance on Wednesday night to clear the crowd. The owner closed down in compliance with the governor’s orders.

The crowd was dispersed without incident. No citations were issued, according to police.

This is not the first time attention was called to the biker bar during the pandemic. The bar was cited in July for having a concert. The concert was part of the 81st annual Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally.



A state senator sent photos of the concert to the governor or South Carolina as an example of “recklessness,” and called it a “super spreader event.” The business posted live videos from the concert and throughout the week on its Facebook page.

“HCPD continues to monitor and respond to activity around the county,” the department posted on social media. Additional patrol officers have been assigned to work weekend coverage. “Community members and visitors are reminded to act responsibly.”

SBB, as it's often referred, was issued an administrative violation for violating the governor's executive orders back in July. Patrols have been stepped up in the South Division to monitor and respond to any activity.

City and Motorcycle Club Disagree

Sturgis, South Dakota, USA - (May 5, 2020) - The City of Sturgis and the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club are at odds over a proposed annexation. For more than five years, Sturgis has been looking to annex properties that are immediately adjacent to the city and get city services, but are not within city limits.

"The Jackpine Gypsies use city roadways to access their property, the emergency services, and even city utilities," says Sturgis City Manager, Daniel Ainslie. "And so it becomes natural to make sure that area is also within the city limits."

The city has been in negotiations with the club for almost half a year to discuss the proposed annexation.

An opponent said the city of Sturgis’ attempt to annex property owned by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club will mean the demise of the longtime organization closely tied to the start of the Sturgis motorcycle rally 82 years ago.

Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club President Brett Winsell said the annexation goes further than the potential for a higher property taxes.

He said the club is more concerned with current and future city ordinances concerning noise, signage and other issues that may prevent the club from staging its races and other events on the grounds.

The Jackpine Gypsies and founder J.C. Pappy Hoel began the Sturgis motorcycle rally in 1938 and have hosted motorcycle races, hill climbs, motocross and other events, both at the Sturgis Fairgrounds and on the Gypsies Club Grounds. “This will basically kill the Gypsies,” club representative Brett Winsell told the Sturgis City Council. “The tax burden is something that we can’t bear.”



That burden would reportedly increase by slightly more than $2,500 annually, from about $4,800 in county and school taxes already paid yearly by the club.

"We have tried a voluntary annexation," says treasurer of Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, Vicki Winsell. "It has not been in our best interest at all. But if we could come to an agreement that would benefit both parties it would be great. Because right now, we don't feel there's a representation for the gypsies."

Winsell says if the land became part of the city the club would be limited, and could loose some of the freedoms they have by technically being in the county.

According to Ainslie, the annexation is an agenda item at Monday's council meeting, but staff will recommend that a decision be postponed for another month. With the postponement, both sides are willing to head back to the negotiation table and hopefully reach a voluntary agreement.

SOURCE: KOTA

Motorcycle crash kills two

Albuquerque, N.M.USA (May 28, 2019) BSB — New Mexico State Police say two people are dead and four others are in critical condition after a head-on crash involving two motorcycles near Red River Saturday.

Hundreds of bikers were headed to the 37th annual Red River Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally.

"Motorcyclists are about riding, chasing the wind, riding free," said Raymond Gallegos, president of the New Mexico Motorcyclist Rights Organization. "It's a weekend to recognize those that have fallen for us. It really is a rally it's about the brotherhood and sisterhood of riding motorcycles."

Gallegos has a passion for keeping bikers safe and alive. "This is Memorial Day weekend, we've lost some dear friends in the past, when there's a ride," Gallegos said. "We are very attentive to what's going on especially safety and alerting the public that there is going to be more riders on the road."

"We saw four ambulances pass us and immediately we had that feeling that something was wrong," said Annette Torrez, who was one of the hundreds of riders gathered at Red River.

She got a text on her phone: "6 motorcycles down, two fatal, three critically injured."

New Mexico State Police say the motorcycle crash happened on Highway 38.

"It was someone that I knew," she said. "It was someone in our community that lived close to my parents and you just you know, your heart breaks."

Police say two people on a Harley Davidson were killed.

The driver of the motorcycle was 58-year-old Lawrence Robert "Tiny" Cortez. His family said he loved to ride, was very giving and was always there for his friends.

His passenger was identified as 43-year-old Jennifer Lynn Ashley. "Hold your memories closely and tell your family you love them," Torrez said.

Police say Cortez crossed the center line into traffic and collided head-on with another Harley Davidson. "We would like to express our sincere condolences to the families of those that lost their life," said Jessica Cisneros with the Red River Visitor's Center.

"We have a slogan this year 'If you live to ride, you need to ride to live,'" Gallegos said.


He has some reminders for all drivers: make sure to do safety checks on bikes or cars, check braking distance and check blind spots. "I want everyone to make it home safe," he said. "We have some incoming weather that's going to impact the ride home, just make sure you're taking your time. Don't become a memory on Memorial Weekend."

Since January the organization has recorded 128 crashes, 16 of which were fatal.

As for Saturday's crash, police don't believe alcohol was involved. Four other people are in critical condition.

SOURCE: KOB4

United Bikers of Maine Parade Cancelled

Augusta, Maine, USA (April 27, 2019) BSB — The National Transportation Safety Board issued a report April 3 on a fatal 2017 crash during the Toy Run parade, a charity ride organized by the United Bikers of Maine.

The event has taken place for roughly 40 years with as many as 3,000 motorcyclists gathering and joining with the cost of admission being a toy that’s then donated to a child in need. But the Sept. 10, 2017 tragedy has caused UBM to pause and reassess the event for the second year in a row.

In 2018, the group changed the route of the ride to exclude the stretch of Interstate 95 north in Augusta where the crash happened. In 2019, after the release of the report, UBM announced it would cancel the parade indefinitely.

“If it’s too big to manage, then we need to take a look at it,” said Sandy Lyle, the public relations director for UBM.

The 15 page NTSB report outlines that the one of the motorcyclists, 25-year-old Aaron White-Sevigny of Windsor suddenly crossed from the right to the left lane of the highway and smashed into a pickup truck driven by William Nusom. The truck then spun across the highway, killing another motorcyclist, 58-year-old Jamie Gross, and injuring six other people.

UBM and the Augusta Police Department are cited by the NTSB in its report for not mitigating safety risks like having a state trooper present for the parade.

In past years, a state trooper had been present to manage the highway portion of the ride where Augusta Police have no jurisdiction, but in 2017, there wasn’t one.

“If a state trooper had been there or wouldn’t have been there, that’s Monday morning quarterbacking,” said Lyle. “Safety is paramount.” This year, UBM says it is proceeding with an abundance of caution and will only collect toys at the Augusta Civic Center.


The group’s president, Dave Hasey, says bikers can come and go on their own as they please, but there will be no formal group ride. “The safest move for motorcyclists all the way around was not to have the parade,” said Hasey. “It was a very hard decision.”

The bikers say there is a small chance that a better safety plan could bring back the parade in years to come.

Augusta Police Chief Jared Mills released a written statement earlier this week on the NTSB report saying the department “has the utmost respect for NTSB” and “their best practices will be applied” to city procedure going forward.

SOURCE: NECN

Sturgis campgrounds may face fees

Sturgis, S.D. USA (February 25, 2019) BSB — The city of Sturgis is proposing fees — as high as $5,100 in some cases — that would have to be paid in advance by campgrounds outside city limits if they want ambulance service at this year's Sturgis motorcycle rally. The proposed fees range from $300 to $5,100 and are based on the number of ambulance calls to the campgrounds during the 2018 rally, Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie said at a Feb. 19 special meeting in Sturgis with campground owners.

Motorcycles and people fill Main Street on Aug. 5, 2015, after a group photo was taken. 

Barry Amundson / Forum News Service

Under the proposal, campgrounds that had no ambulance calls last year would be assessed a $300 fee to cover this year’s rally in August. Those with one to four calls last year would pay $650, those with five to nine calls would pay $1,850, and a fee of $5,100 would be charged to those that had 10 or more calls during the 2018 rally. According to listings on sturgiscampgrounds.com, there are more than a dozen campgrounds in and around Sturgis.

Ainslie said services provided to campgrounds inside the city limits are covered by city sales-tax and property-tax revenues. The city’s proposal is set for discussion before the Sturgis City Council on April 15. If approved, the fees would have to be paid by May 15. Campgrounds not paying the fees by that date would no longer receive city ambulance service.

At the Feb. 19 meeting, Ainslie said during the 2018 rally the city ambulance service responded to 60 calls from campgrounds, amounting to 17 percent of total calls during the rally. Of those calls, he said, 33 percent of patients refused transportation to a hospital after the ambulance arrived and of those transported only 23 percent of the amount billed was paid, creating a more than $25,000 shortfall, he said.



“We travel the distance out there and either we bandage the person up or give them the immediate aid they need and they refuse transport to the hospital, or other times we go all the way out there and no one’s there. That’s a significant cost that there’s absolutely no reimbursement for,” Ainslie said. Ainslie said reimbursement for ambulance services by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance coverage is limited.

Medicaid reimbursements, for example, only cover 20 percent of the cost of an ambulance call, while Medicare covers 50 percent of ambulance services and private insurance covers 60 percent of a call. According to the city, calls for ambulance service have essentially doubled in 10 years, from 1,076 in 2009 to 2,070 calls in 2018. Ainslie said in 2018 the city provided $277,201 to the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department and Sturgis Ambulance Service.

He said the total losses for the ambulance service in 2018, including building maintenance insurance and equipment replacement, was $250,798. Calls to a number of campground owners around Sturgis revealed some who were unaware of the Feb. 19 meeting. Others voiced strong opposition to an upfront fee. “They basically have told us if we don’t submit and pay, they’ll deny us ambulance services and we’re not OK with that,” said R.J. Ludwick, of No Name City Campground, located between Sturgis and Tilford along Interstate 90.

“We all pay taxes, and we have higher taxes because of our businesses, and we all feel that’s not right,” Ludwick said. Buffalo Chip Campground owner Rod Woodruff said the campground has a full staff of EMT-trained security that will verify the legitimacy of an ambulance call and take a patient to a pickup point to minimize the time for an ambulance run from Sturgis. “We’re doing that just to help the ambulance service to keep their costs down and eliminate the false calls,” he said.

SOURCE: The Dickinson Press

Museum features motorcycle racing legends in exhibit

Warren, Ohio (January 5, 2019) — Vintage motorcycles lined the halls of the National Packard Museum in Warren on Friday, each model displaying how manufacturing has changed over the years. Mary Ann Porinchak, executive director of the museum, organized the the 19th annual Designed to Ride exhibit.

Design To Ride exhibit in Warren, Ohio

"It gives the motorcycle riders and collectors an opportunity to showcase this history," Porinchak said. Some dating back more than a century, the bikes allow guests to see how motorcycles have evolved from 1910 to 2000.

Some of the original owners were also in attendance, including renowned motorcycle racer John Penton. "It's remarkable to have the original bike, the magazine cover and the man that rode the motorcycle all together like we have right now," Porinchak said.


A magazine cover on display captures Penton as he raced in Germany for the International Six Days Trial over 50 years ago. The BMW bike on display at the exhibit is the same one from the picture. Memorabilia is plastered across his exhibit from when he turned his racing passion into a business. "I later decided I wanted to build a motorcycle myself," Penton said.

History like Penton's is the reason the museum has this showcase each year, Porinchak said. The exhibit will be on display until the end of May. For more information, visit the event at Design To Ride with times and dates.

SOURCE: WKBN27
SOURCE: Midwest Biker Events

Girl Power is alive at Thunder Beach, Florida

Pensacola, Fla (November 11, 2018) — Hundreds of bikers rolled into Pensacola for the re-scheduled Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally. Now more and more often, those bikers are women. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council the number of women riding motorcycles doubled between 1998 and 2015.

Christina Billings is a stunt rider, she says she vowed to never get on a motorcycle because they were too dangerous. A friend pressured her to ride on the back of one and she instantly fell in love. Within a month she had her own bike and immediately started practicing stunts.


Now "Chrashtina," as she calls herself, has been stunting for 7 years, traveling the country doing shows. She's also inspiring more women and even little girls to get behind the handle bars. She performed this weekend at Harley Davidson of Pensacola during the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally.

Thunder Beach is held in Panama City Beach every year, but this year a smaller version of the rally moved to Pensacola because of the devastation left behind from Hurricane Michael.

The rally will move back to Panama City Beach next year.

Source: WKRG

Future of Republic of Texas Biker Rally in question

Austin, Texas (September 24, 2018) BSB — The future of the largest motorcycle rally in Texas is up in the air after some of the terms under discussion for a new contract with the Travis County Exposition Center, where the event is typically held each year, have organizers unhappy. A major sticking point, Republic of Texas Biker Rally President Jerry Bragg said, is that it’s possible the event won’t have access to the Expo Center’s banquet hall next summer.

Travis County commissioners on Tuesday postponed a vote until next week on whether to lease the banquet hall for the Travis Central Appraisal District to host meetings instead. The $150,420 lease would be from May to August, making the banquet hall unavailable for the Republic of Texas Biker Rally, which is scheduled for June. The lease also would overlap with the Heat Wave car show, which would be in July.

Thousands of bikers enjoy the ROT Biker Rally every year.

Bragg said that not having access to the banquet hall could be a deal-breaker. “If you had an aerial view of our event, you’d see there’s absolutely no room,” Bragg said. “We can’t eliminate any of the buildings and still put on a reasonable event. ... We’re squeezed for space as it is.” County Judge Sarah Eckhardt made it clear Tuesday at the Commissioners Court meeting that she does not think the biker rally and Heat Wave deserve preferential treatment.

"I don't think it's the business of county government to make sure that things like the ROT rally's pole dancing contest and the Heat Wave's bikini contest get a better deal than anyone else who's going to rent the Exposition Center," she said. Travis County spokesman Hector Nieto said he could not talk about the status of the county’s negotiations with Heat Wave, but he said negotiations with the biker rally have stalled because organizers no longer want to work with the county staff and are now only communicating with county commissioners.

“In order for us to negotiate a contract with them, we need them at the table. ... We still have options available to them,” Nieto said.

A staff-written summary of the commissioners’ agenda item says that they have not heard from the rally organizers since they got the proposed license agreement, because “ROT did not like the rates.” County officials proposed that the rally pay about $50,000 to rent the Expo Center next year. The contract previously had been just under $30,000 a year.

“The proposal they sent was ridiculous,” Bragg said, adding that Expo Center officials are now charging them as much for setup days as they do for event days, which leads to a substantial price increase. However, Bragg said he would dedicate the rest of the week to pursuing a solution. Heat Wave owner David MacDonald also said he would "find a way to make it work," though he said Monday that Heat Wave organizers have considered moving the show to Circuit of the Americas as an alternative to the Expo Center.

Randle Jackson, the Expo Center's division manager, said the venue did offer the biker rally a reduced price because it is a longtime customer that has held its event there for multiple years. "If we charged the ROT rally as we would a normal event, it would be well over $100,000," Jackson said.

Rates have gone up to reflect the market, Nieto said. “Like everything else in Travis County, market value is going up, and we have a responsibility to the taxpayers to operate the facility in the black,” Nieto said. The Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated in 2011 that the annual biker rally brings an estimated $36 million into the Austin economy.

"There are a lot of people that enjoy the ROT, and I know the city enjoys them," Commissioner Gerald Daugherty said Tuesday. "We've benefited from them because it's one of the largest events we get revenue out of." Bragg said the rally organizers don't have time to find another location to host their event next year.

SOURCE: My Statesman

Harley goes after the Millennial Market

Milwaukee,WI (March 11, 2018) BSB — Coming fresh off the announcement of a disastrous quarterly loss and a factory closure, Milwaukee-based motorcycle company Harley-Davidson did what came naturally: they threw a party.

But unlike company anniversary bashes of years past, this event shunned aging-superstar rock concerts and vainglorious parades as the 115-year old manufacturer set about the business of attracting its next generation of customers – attempting to retake their place as the iconic purveyor of cool amongst today’s fickle millennials.

The Flat-Out Friday Event: Harley is going after the younger crowd

Knowing that fashionable young consumers have an aversion to overt marketing, Harley-Davidson has artfully thrown their sponsorship behind Mama Tried, an independent custom motorcycle show and its adjoining Flat-Out Friday event, an indoor flat-track race held in the company’s hometown this past February.

“Mama Tried” references a wistful Merle Haggard song, which gives the show just enough outlaw vibe to attract young, male hipster motorcyclists… and the girls that love them.

Notably absent were the leather-fringe-and-concho-wearing crowd from Harley’s heyday in the early 2000’s, when dealerships held long waiting lists of buyers and Harley-Davidson was a household synonym for cool. With those folks rapidly aging out of their riding years, the motor company now has its sights set firmly on the young, the hip and the multicultural.

An Evil Knievel halftime show delights fans including Willie G. Davidson

The four-day event began with a number of gatherings emanating from the downtown Harley-Davidson Museum campus. Burn barrels warded off the cold around a hay-baled mini bike racecourse in the museum’s courtyard, while spectators huddled inside the facility’s Motor restaurant, nursing Pabst tallboys.

A quarter-mile south at the boutique Iron Horse hotel, young bike builders sipped barrel-aged bourbon in the moto/industrial decorated lobby. A quarter-mile further on the same street, the Fuel Café was four-deep at the bar – filled with smoke from an exuberant tire burnout within the motorcycle-themed restaurant.

It’s there that I spotted three young guys sneaking one of the mini bikes from the museum races through the crowded tavern. Within a minute it was up on the end of the bar; helmeted-rider aboard and engine revving.

Racers staging for the Hooligan Class

What I anticipated would be a slow victory lap around the oval bar top became a full-on jump and perfectly-nailed landing, narrowly splitting the cheering throng of onlookers. Instantly uploaded to social media, it’s the kind of viral hooliganism that Harley is now happy to outsource.

These are the young people that Harley hopes to attract and develop into the next generation of motorcycle lifestylers.

The sell-job may not be as daunting as it seems. Motorcycles have always been the province of youth, and Harley has remained effortlessly hip from generation to generation. The problem has always been in the product gap; the company’s emphasis on large, expensive touring bikes has disproportionately targeted the interstate wanderlust of baby-boomers at the expense of the excitable youth market.

The company’s new emphasis is being put on its Street, Sportster and Softail model lineups amidst a consolidation of their production line following a January announcement to close its Kansas City assembly plant by the fall of 2019. 

They even had some Mini Bike races just for entertainment 

Compared with the larger bikes, the Street is a more urban-friendly motorcycle which now occupies the entry-level position in the company’s catalog. Still, as Flat-Out Friday demonstrated, the Street in the right hands can be flung around a short track and pull crowd-pleasing wheelies.

Harley’s flirtations with entry-level, youth-targeted bikes go back decades. In 1948, Harley offered the Hummer, a single-cylinder 125cc adaptation of the German DKW from patents obtained through war reparations. In 1960, Harley purchased a controlling interest in Italian company Aermacchi, which provided the motorcycle maker with single-cylinder bikes from 90cc to 350cc until it was spun-off in 1978.

More recently, wholly-owned subsidiary Buell motorcycles developed lightweight Harley-powered sports bikes that provided valuable research and development but were a poor fit for the company’s existing dealer network and image.

Racing action at Flat-Out Friday

Following the closure of the Buell division in 2009, Harley flailed to expand market share. Repeating history, it bought Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta in 2008, only to invest millions in the company before selling it back to the previous owner at a loss in 2010.

The company claimed a desire to re-focus on the Harley-Davidson brand, but as recently as June of 2017 it was reportedly moving towards a purchase of Ducati before owner Volkswagen withdrew it from sale. Last week, Harley invested an undisclosed amount in California-based, electric motorcycle-maker Alta.

Friday’s race took place at Milwaukee’s BMO Harris/Bradley Center Arena, home to the city’s professional basketball and hockey teams. Sprayed with Dr. Pepper syrup for adhesion, the concrete floor nonetheless offered its fair share of spills and innocuous crashes, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

Harley livestreamed the event on the web, using telegenic X-Games host Dianna Dahlgren and interviews with social media personalities like Larry the Enticer and hooligan racer Mark “The Rusty Butcher” Atkins.

A Harley-Davidson 45ci on display at the Mamma Tried event

Eleven race classes competed, but only half of those were truly competitive. The rest ranged from mini bikes to mopeds, and an outrageous “inappropriate” class which pitted a wheeled-snowmobile against a dirt bike rider in a giraffe suit. 

It’s fun and unintimidating stuff that makes you think “Hey, I could to that!”– exactly the impression Harley wants you to take away about motorcycling.

Reincarnating Harley’s successful flat-track racing history provides the shot of adrenalin the brand desperately needs to reach younger riders. The Flat-Out Friday schedule has now grown to a second Milwaukee date, as well as satellite races in La Crosse, Wisconsin and Cleveland, Ohio.

Taking a cue from another of Harley’s proxy media darlings –The Race of Gentlemen – Harley will host field games and a beach race this August at the company’s 115th Anniversary celebration in Milwaukee. It’s an attempt to shift the focus back more on motorcycle riding, and less on partying.

The weekend culminated in the invitational Mama Tried motorcycle show. Held at the 25,000 square-foot Eagles Club ballroom, the 1920’s revivalist architecture provided an elegant, gothic backdrop for the multi-marque custom and classic motorcycles displayed on its hardwood floor.

Harley-Davidson has embraced custom culture like no other motorcycle manufacturer, which provides for a vibrant aftermarket and a network of boutique builders. Vendors filled the anterooms of the facility’s lower levels, offering clever T-shirts and stickers that touted their brand. For many, building a Harley is just as important as riding one.

The Mamma Tried event plays heavy on Vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles among others

Mama Tried is a well-curated event that deftly balances public access with insider cool – a recipe its main sponsor knows all too well. The show has outgrown its two-previous warehouse loft locales within four years, and by the turnout for this event it looks to be on a similar track. By noon the ballroom exhibition became so crowded that it was nearly impossible to photograph the bikes.

All of which could be described as a champagne problem for Harley-Davidson. Now faced with the potential of retaliatory overseas tariffs which could turn the manufacturer’s plan for European market expansion on its head, the iconic motorcycle maker needs to grow its next generation of customer in its very own backyard. It’s first move towards that goal was to reclaim cool.

STORY: William Hall 

SOURCE: Classic Cars Journal

Motorcycle lands on man at Sturgis

Motorcycle accident at Buffalo Chip leads to several lawsuits

STURGIS, SD. (October 19, 2017) — An Alaska man who had a motorcycle land on him during a show at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has filed a lawsuit against the rider, the bike manufacturer and the show host.

Royce Rath was in the crowd during the Aug. 7, 2016, concert that featured performances by Lita Ford and Kid Rock. Between those performances, a designed and modified for race Indian motorcycle without a front brake was driven on stage by Roland Sands. The bike failed to stop and rolled off the stage, landing on Rath, who was one of four people injured in the accident. 

The Buffalo Chip's Main Stage

The bike was designed on purpose without front brakes.

Rath suffered permanent disability, medical expenses and the loss of wages and earning capacity, according to his lawsuit. Besides filing suit against Sands and Polaris Industries Inc., the owner of Indian Motorcycles, the suit names the Buffalo Chip Campground, which hosted the show, for failing to use reasonable care to ensure the safety of Rath and others watching the show.

The lawsuit says “Defendant Buffalo Chip Campground, LLC, knew or should have known that allowing an individual to ride on a motorcycle without front brakes, across the stage surrounded by patrons, could endanger those patrons”

SOURCE: Argus Leader

Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival

Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival

The Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival is a 4-Day event held at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, one of Tennessee’s most popular tourist attractions. The Motorcycles and Music Revival will showcase the area’s depth and devotion to Music, Motorcycles, Food, Art, Entertainment, and Southern Hospitality.

This year, to comply with permits and to ensure a great experience, the Revival will host 4,500 on-site campers on 400 acres of manicured countryside that adjoins the meandering Hurricane Creek. Additional day tickets will available as well.

The Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival is a 4 day event

The Tennessee Motorcycle & Music Revival is hosted by the Loretta Lynn Family with a team of seasoned professionals who have targeted expertise in the motorcycle, music and service industries. Consider The Revival a “Big Tent” where Riders, Artists, Musicians and Fans from all genres and walks of life are welcome.

For More Information: Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival 

Sturgis Buffalo Chip®’s 2017 Biker Belles®

Eureka Springs not happy with Bikers

 Bikers taking a cruise in Downtown Eureka Springs Arkansas

In its early days, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was a popular Victorian-era spa resort, with visitors arriving by train to take the water cure in the 1890s.

Decades later, in the 1940s, a group of painters, traveling to this small Ozarks village by automobile during the summers, established a permanent art colony. Today, more than 10 percent of the town’s 2,000 residents work as artists, either in their own studios or in more than 30 galleries amid Eureka Springs’ steep curving boulevards and lush spring-fed gardens.

 Bikers gather outside the Pied Piper Pub and Cat House Lounge

Over the last few years, tourists have been arriving by a louder mode of transportation. Motorcyclists are discovering Eureka Springs, opening leather, lingerie and tattoo parlors, Harley shops and biker bars.

A single biker rally over one weekend will pack the town, says Jeremiah Vasquez, kitchen manager at the Pied Piper Pub and Cat House Lounge.