BikeWeek Summary
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 520
From: Palm Coast, Florida
One thing I inadvertently left out that needs an honorable mention is the bike show at ******* Tropical Tattoo.
Bikes form the 30s until present. Pan, shovel, knuckle, evo, twinkie, they were all represented.
Phenomenal show!!!! No celebrity builders with over done paint. No clear coated fake rust bikes. Bikes that showed honest wear and decades of being on the road. Garage builds at their best.
The only knock is it is a victim of its own popularity. Absolutely slammed. Wall to wall people slammed. It used to be a small thing with a bunch of bikers and gear heads. Not anymore.
I've recommended it in the past as something people really need to see. I won't in the future!!! Forget it exists, it isn't worth seeing, you wont want to attend, there are no droids...
Bikes form the 30s until present. Pan, shovel, knuckle, evo, twinkie, they were all represented.
Phenomenal show!!!! No celebrity builders with over done paint. No clear coated fake rust bikes. Bikes that showed honest wear and decades of being on the road. Garage builds at their best.
The only knock is it is a victim of its own popularity. Absolutely slammed. Wall to wall people slammed. It used to be a small thing with a bunch of bikers and gear heads. Not anymore.
I've recommended it in the past as something people really need to see. I won't in the future!!! Forget it exists, it isn't worth seeing, you wont want to attend, there are no droids...
Last year, it was packed in to capacity, and you couldn't even see half of the bikes.
Until they move to a larger location, like, across the street, would be nice, I just can't do it. They have really outgrown their location.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 11,772
Likes: 41,407
From: Marion NC / Lake Norman NC / Panama City Fla
I went there this year and test rode the Ultra Limited and the Indian Roadmaster. I found the Harley to be the better ride in every catagory except style. My girlfriend like the Harley better as well, she even made a comment about how loud the tranny shifted on the Indian.
All and all it was a good time.
All and all it was a good time.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 61
Likes: 3
From: Surf&Sand
Agree with all of your views. It killed me to not go to that bike show but there was NO room..none.
The big wheel baggers don't annoy me anymore as you see them here pretty regular..I guess they are growing on me.
Loud stereos..I have never wished so hard for an electrical fire.
Way bigger than last year
Sunday about 4ish it came a pretty decent rain. Perfect weather all week.
The big wheel baggers don't annoy me anymore as you see them here pretty regular..I guess they are growing on me.
Loud stereos..I have never wished so hard for an electrical fire.
Way bigger than last year
Sunday about 4ish it came a pretty decent rain. Perfect weather all week.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,059
Likes: 4
From: Florida
I was surprised at the gigantic Indian/Victory display at the track. A lot of Victory customs as well. Interestingly, I almost never see them on the street. A lot of custom electronics on sport bikes. Some surprisingly loud stereos on them and they do a good job hiding all the components. The disturbing trend of riders that can't get their feet flat on the ground continues... now joining the guys on baggers are girls on sport bikes. I RODE MINE!!! (The whole 90 miles!!! 
)
)
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 756
Likes: 133
From: Connecticut
Back in 76 I took a ride down to Fl from NY to see an old GF at college on my Honda Hawk 400 with nothing more than a backpack and a sleeping bag strapped to the bike - still one of my favorite trip memories! Great write up, thanks!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,442
Likes: 418
From: South Carolina
Just got back.
A quick summary from my perspective. Everyone is welcome to throw their own thoughts in too.
Every year there is something that surprises me. This year it was Indian motorcycles. Indian appears to be the guppy that swallowed the whale. Polaris bought Indian, Victory was the big brother and I thought Indian would be a niche bike for them. Hell no. Indian is THE Polaris bike... Victories were almost an absent no-show at BikeWeek, Indian bikes were everywhere. Clearly they are selling a sh!tload of them.
Big wheel and super loud stereos are still in style. Personally, I will be glad when the fad passes. But that is just me.
Old school, build your own trikes are dead. It is all Can-Am Spiders, Slingshots and Harley tricycles. Basically they are being used as a gateway for people who never rode before or don't want to learn to ride something on 2 wheels. Me?, when that time comes, it will be a sidecar.
And in the world of make-believe pirates, billy bad-asses and various alter-egos that is the Main Steet carnival parade, there are a few stand-outs. Not because they had the best pirate outfit, but because what they did was so different and they did it with tongue in cheek and OWNED it. They are:
-- Disabled Dude cruising up and down Main in a motorized wheelchair trike. His disability did nothing to stop him from enjoying BikeWeek.
-- Middle-aged, matronly woman dressed as a nun (wearing habit and all) riding a Suzuki Burgman scooter with a trike kit riding up and down Main waiving to the crowd. She was wearing a metal medallion around her neck that said "Bite Me" and the back of her trike said "Haulin ***"
--Oriental guy on a motorized unicycle (I didn't know they existed) cruising Main and filming everything.
-- Spanish looking guy riding a sport bike and a thong under his lowriding jeans. Up and down Main with his *** in the air giving the crowd the half-moon and a shot of his bright orange t-back thong. Owning it with a huge sense of humor. (you would have to have seen it...)
The Jonesee "Owned It" Award for 2016 goes to:
.....A dead tie between the motorized wheelchair trike guy and the middle-aged nun. Both of them doing their thing in different ways and putting all the posers to shame.
Best weather I can remember. I really don't know how it could have been any better. Absolutely perfect this year.
For the first time I saw the police bust some throttle jockeys on Main. About 5 super sport bikes got pulled off Main and written up for Hammering their throttles until they were bouncing the rev limiter. In less than 5minutes some guy on a v-twin pulled the same stunt. Same cop stopped him in the middle of Main, but instead of writing him up. He made the guy get off the bike and do 20 jumping jacks in the middle of Main in front of the crowd instead of writing him up. The funny thing was the guy's bike didn't restart and he had to push it down Main..ROFLMAO. throttle jockeys..... crowd loved it.
In the Pass - Fail categories:
Huge profs and PASS goes to 20-something year old kids on sport bikes with their backpacks on their backs and sleeping bags strapped to their tail fender. I've said it before, these kids are the future of motorcycling and the replacement for broken down guys like me.
Huge Fail goes to any pickup trailering a bagger with a licence plate from one of the 5 southeastern states. Sorry dude, I don't care what your excuse is. And just so you know, that chirping sound you kept hearing and couldn't place where it was coming from... It was the kids on sport bikes with their sleeping bags and backpacks giggling at you as they passed.
A quick summary from my perspective. Everyone is welcome to throw their own thoughts in too.
Every year there is something that surprises me. This year it was Indian motorcycles. Indian appears to be the guppy that swallowed the whale. Polaris bought Indian, Victory was the big brother and I thought Indian would be a niche bike for them. Hell no. Indian is THE Polaris bike... Victories were almost an absent no-show at BikeWeek, Indian bikes were everywhere. Clearly they are selling a sh!tload of them.
Big wheel and super loud stereos are still in style. Personally, I will be glad when the fad passes. But that is just me.
Old school, build your own trikes are dead. It is all Can-Am Spiders, Slingshots and Harley tricycles. Basically they are being used as a gateway for people who never rode before or don't want to learn to ride something on 2 wheels. Me?, when that time comes, it will be a sidecar.
And in the world of make-believe pirates, billy bad-asses and various alter-egos that is the Main Steet carnival parade, there are a few stand-outs. Not because they had the best pirate outfit, but because what they did was so different and they did it with tongue in cheek and OWNED it. They are:
-- Disabled Dude cruising up and down Main in a motorized wheelchair trike. His disability did nothing to stop him from enjoying BikeWeek.
-- Middle-aged, matronly woman dressed as a nun (wearing habit and all) riding a Suzuki Burgman scooter with a trike kit riding up and down Main waiving to the crowd. She was wearing a metal medallion around her neck that said "Bite Me" and the back of her trike said "Haulin ***"
--Oriental guy on a motorized unicycle (I didn't know they existed) cruising Main and filming everything.
-- Spanish looking guy riding a sport bike and a thong under his lowriding jeans. Up and down Main with his *** in the air giving the crowd the half-moon and a shot of his bright orange t-back thong. Owning it with a huge sense of humor. (you would have to have seen it...)
The Jonesee "Owned It" Award for 2016 goes to:
.....A dead tie between the motorized wheelchair trike guy and the middle-aged nun. Both of them doing their thing in different ways and putting all the posers to shame.
Best weather I can remember. I really don't know how it could have been any better. Absolutely perfect this year.
For the first time I saw the police bust some throttle jockeys on Main. About 5 super sport bikes got pulled off Main and written up for Hammering their throttles until they were bouncing the rev limiter. In less than 5minutes some guy on a v-twin pulled the same stunt. Same cop stopped him in the middle of Main, but instead of writing him up. He made the guy get off the bike and do 20 jumping jacks in the middle of Main in front of the crowd instead of writing him up. The funny thing was the guy's bike didn't restart and he had to push it down Main..ROFLMAO. throttle jockeys..... crowd loved it.
In the Pass - Fail categories:
Huge profs and PASS goes to 20-something year old kids on sport bikes with their backpacks on their backs and sleeping bags strapped to their tail fender. I've said it before, these kids are the future of motorcycling and the replacement for broken down guys like me.
Huge Fail goes to any pickup trailering a bagger with a licence plate from one of the 5 southeastern states. Sorry dude, I don't care what your excuse is. And just so you know, that chirping sound you kept hearing and couldn't place where it was coming from... It was the kids on sport bikes with their sleeping bags and backpacks giggling at you as they passed.
Flippin' nuns:
Last edited by UUNetBill; Mar 16, 2016 at 09:10 PM.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,945
Likes: 85
From: Florida
I completely forgot about the cooler train with the chicks on board!!! I actually passed them on my bike.
I was surprised they were allowed on the road.
The front nun was solo when I saw her.
Thanks for posting the pic. It proves you just can't make this stuff up.
I was surprised they were allowed on the road.
The front nun was solo when I saw her.
Thanks for posting the pic. It proves you just can't make this stuff up.
Last edited by Jonesee; Mar 15, 2016 at 11:19 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,561
Likes: 187
From: Florida
Nice write up Jonesee! Funny, I thought I saw more Victories on the road than in the past, but didn't notice many Indians riding around. Probably depended on where one was at the time. The number of Slingshots surprised me. I must have passed about 20 of them headed east, one after another like a parade, when I was headed west on Rte 40 early on the first Sunday of Bike Week. There were lots of them all over town all week. The nuns are regulars on Main St, as is the fact cars are allowed cars on Main St. They have to stop that! Will be interesting to see attendance estimates.