Top Motorcycle Conventions, Expos, Rallies, Events and Festivals

All over the country and indeed, all over the world, bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts will be taking to the streets to visit and participate in conventions, expositions, rallies, rides, festivals and other events. Here are some of the largest and most popular motorcycle events in the U.S.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Pretty much the top event of its kind in the nation, the Sturgis Rally is held in Sturgis, South Dakota during the first week of August. Considered a "classic" rally, due to its inception in 1938, the rally draws motorcycle enthusiasts from all walks of life, including families as well as die hard bikers. Annual attendance can sometimes reach over 500,000 people.

Americade

This "touring rally" bills itself as the world's largest. It takes place in Lake George Village, New York every year during June. This event attracts over 50,000 people.

Bikes, Blues and BBQ

This is an event held in Fayetteville, Arkansas during September or October each year. This event starts of with a ride into the city from the beautiful Ozarks. The rally began in 2000 but has since grown to become the fastest growing rally in the world, hosting over 350,000 people in 2006 alone. One of the main events at Bikes, Blues and BBQ is a barbecue. This event also benefits charity and is considered to be very family friendly, with many bikers bringing their children.

Daytona Beach Bike Week

This event consists of a rally, street festival, concerts and many parties in Daytona Beach, Florida. Regularly attracting 500,000 people and up each March, this event competes with the Sturgis rally for the title of the largest and most popular motorcycle event during the year. A motorcycle race is a big part of this event, covering a 3.2 mile course that switches back and forth between pavement and beach. The event is held over a period of 10 days and also hosts a classic and custom bike show as well as a clambake and seafood festival.

Laconia Motorcycle Week

This is another rally type event held each June in Laconia, New Hampshire. Laconia Motorcycle Week features a wide variety of events including vintage races, swap meets, tours, fireworks, concerts, bike demos and bike shows.

Laughlin River Run

The largest motorcycle "run" in the western U.S., the Laughlin River Run is held each April in Laughlin, Nevada. Festivities include concerts, bike shows, charity events and a Poker Run.

Love Ride

A Southern California event, it bills itself as the largest one day motorcycle event. Largely a fund raiser, the ride boasts a range of celebrities as participants including talk show host Jay Leno, a well known auto enthusiast. Also joining the ride, celebs like Larry Hagman, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Hulk Hogan, Steven Tyler, Mary Hart, Pat Boone, Nancy Sinatra and Pamela Anderson. This event takes place each October.

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Custom Motorcycle Television Shows

Not to long ago, you could not turn the channel without running into a custom bike building show. The Discovery channel was filled to the brim with programming like American Chopper starring the Teutul family and Motorcycle Mania hosted by Jesse James. Watching people build overly expensive custom motorcycles had suddenly become cool. Pretty soon, custom bike shops began popping up all over the country opened by starry-eyed entrepreneurs looking to make a quick million overnight by cashing in on America's latest craze.
I personally loved watching American chopper, although more for the family fights than for the finished product. The Teutul family was fun to watch. The dad was always getting ticked off at the eldest son and the misadventures of the younger son, Mikey, were always entertaining. The motorcycles that they put together (or, rather their shop assistants put together) were pretty cool, if not a little over the top and extremely overpriced.

Then American Chopper suddenly disappeared from the Discovery Channel along with all the other bike shows seemingly overnight. It was as if America's obsession with custom-built motorcycles was suddenly replaced with a obsession for wilderness survival shows. Some blame the economy for this sudden shift in programming. As gas prices increase and inflation continues, people seem to tune out. Shows which feature the building of over priced custom motorcycles are then replaced with shows that are about survival.

Many custom motorcycle shops, that had opened overnight due to the new found popularity, also found themselves closing. It was as if the whole thing had been a fad, passing quietly back into a small niche market. Most veteran custom motorcycle builders, however, seem unperturbed by these events. While they acknowledge that the television shows had helped them increase their exposure and t-shirt sales, they also know that the custom motorcycle industry is not some get rich quick scheme that anyone can get into and succeed in.

The true artists and designers who build custom bikes because they love to are not worried by the recent downtrend. They know that they still have a niche within the market, and that the industry will once again pick up when the economy does. They claim that the return of bike building shows will once again make "television cool" in the future.

American Chopper has also survived. It had been moved to the TLC network where it continues to thrive. Other shows are also in the works including American Thunder on the Speed Channel, which features custom bikes. A new upcoming show titled: The Next Great American Builder is currently in the works. This show will feature amateur builders competing for a cash prize.

Ryan Tessevich

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Motorcycle Helmet Decals- Stickers are Optional

While buying a motorcycle, you will surely get a helmet with it. A helmet is usually included into the package due to stringent regulation of the state. A helmet is the symbol of safety and all bike riders must have them in order to be secure while riding their bikes in highways and busy streets. A helmet is made necessary these days due to frequent accident cases. It is mandatory to buy a helmet whenever one plans to buy a nice bike.

Moreover all, with the wide range of helmets available nowadays; it is no less than a style statement for all those bike lovers. You will find helmets in wide varieties like orange, red, yellow and white. Usually helmets appear in a single color but now there a hell of variations in this domain that can boggle your mind. Apart from that a helmet can be turned peppy if you consider decorating them with motorcycle helmet stickers.

They are basically used to cut down the same look of your helmets. By applying one of these stickers to your helmet, you can make them look quite colorful and fun. Finding a place for getting these stickers is not that hard. You can check out any local decal store or an online store for instant results. Among the 2 an online decal store is more preferable as they house bunch of Motorcycle helmet stickers from which you can easily find a pick for your bike. By applying these stickers, you can create your own fashion or trend and ride across the town with full flair.

Your bike will look more exotic and in fact some of the decals might even make your bike look expensive. Stickers which are different and unique can be used on your bike to give it a distinct look among the crowd of millions of other bikes. There is a piece for every individual; these stickers help you to create your very own identity. With eclectic collection of Motorcycle helmet stickers like flashy and cool, classy and elegant, simple and funky- you will surely find your piece. This would help you to define your personality in public.

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