Daytona Bike Week, 2016

[leafman60]

They should've put an AMF emblem on that bike.   


Hope to make it next year LM.  Give my regards to the "Great One"

Martin's has a King Cut prime rib waiting on you!

[Jerryd]

Too bad Moto Guzzi wasn't in attendance! See thread on how to make the brand more successful!

[elvisboy77]

I think this may be my last year to go.  I loved all of the races they used to have, but it has turned into a giant vendor mart for the big manufacturers, and the races are kind of a side show.

I will get my racing fix 45 minutes from my home, at Virginia International Raceway.....

[LowRyter]

certainly the degradation of the races have dampened my enthusiasm to go there considering the cost and effort.

the worst part the Track (NASCAR) just doesn't seem to care.  Ten years ago AMA Superbike was just a notch below WSB and MotoGP.  In fact, Mladen was within a couple seconds of the MotoGP pole at Laguna.  Then NASCAR bought it and immediately Honda left and everyone else cut back.  Several top paid riders retired or lost rides and were out of the series.   MotoAmerica was scheduled to come back and they couldn't pull it off.  And the vintage stuff hasn't been there in years.

It's a Harley convention and all the trash a$$ociated.  If it weren't for meeting folks (and perhaps the weather) there would be no reason to go.

[pyoungbl]

Hi John,
     I have not been to a race at the speedway since they stopped doing vintage races.  My Norton friends had a huge party at turn 6 on the infield and we really enjoyed seeing the old iron on the track.  That's gone now so I don't go to any of the speedway stuff.  For me the attraction of Bike Week is (1) get away from winter...even a mild one, (2) see old friends and enjoy their company again, (3) check out the few vendors who carry stuff I am interested in.  This year I got to talk to a rep from Ohlins as well as one from Progressive Suspension.  They explained some of the finer points of how shocks are built....informatio n I had not been able to gather anywhere else.  This will come in handy when I'm sorting out the suspension of my new bike.
     We (my Norton buddies and I) have a bunch of restaurants that we like to go to, usually combined with a nice ride through the country.  It's really hard to fit them all in.  These do not include the bars on Main Street, Destination Daytona, or the Iron Horse.  Throw in some interesting swap meets, the dirt track races, and some random neat bikes....I'll go back next year.

Peter Y.

[twhitaker]

Is the auction at Stetson still going on?

[leafman60]

Is the auction at Stetson still going on?

Unfortunately - no.

None of the good old days of Vintage Things remain.  No Vintage Races, no Vintage Show, no Vintage Auction.


But there are many neat things to do- even if you are not into H-D's or Indians.

We had a good gathering of Guzzi people at Holiday.  This COULD be an annual Guzzi event if enough interest could be harvested!

[leafman60]

By the way, one of the many things some of us regularly do at Bike Week is visit the HUGE Flea Market and Farmers Market at the southwest corner of I95 and 92 (Intl Speedway).

The place is huuuuuuuge. Everything is there. Antiques, jewelry, electronics, clothing, tee shirts etc, auto parts and services, vegetables, fruits, you name and it's there.

A few pics of the fresh veggie and fruit section.  They give taste samples of everything they sell too-