New York Times

After complaints about violence and indecency, the City of Myrtle Beach declared Bike Week officially and permanently canceled. But the bikers are coming anyway.

Click here for complete article

motowebmaster

Sounds like the BB&BBQ Rally here in Fayetteville. Several businesses and residents have come together in an attempt to force it out of town.

Speedtrip

Myrtle Beach is not hurting for tourism, so they can afford to be choosy.

What gets me about BBB&Q is that Fayetteville enacted a tax to draw tourist and boy did they get what they wished for. Now that they have 500,000 bikers come to town every October they are not so keen on tourist. I think they had more of a wine and cheese thing in mind.

I got to admit that I'm totally over the whole BBB&Q rally, it was a lot of fun for a few years. But it has gotten way to big for the area. I still go check out the bikes for one of the days and the demo rides are great but for the most part I try to avoid the whole GIANT traffic jam. Now that they have turned all the usually public parking into $10 a day spots it's not worth even trying to go get a bite to eat.

__________________
-Shaun-

The Prophet

Maybe this "Economic Crisis" will act as a culling process for motorcyclists as well? Those who bought bikes for masquerading as "tough guys" on the weekends may end up selling off the bikes, as they weren't a real big priority anyway?

These guys seem to Create the most trouble, as they don't "get it".

At any rate, I'm not big on these gatherings either. Spending a weekend witha bunch of amateur leather clad drunks dressed up like hollywood versions of bikers, stuck in an endless traffic jam, each bike looking remarkably like the last, and watching drunken fat chicks lift their tops over their face moments before they pass out?

Na, I'd rather hit the twisties.

__________________

• A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
• Motorcyles are not my whole life, but they make my life whole. ` me

motowebmaster

I still like to enjoy the event, but admit that it was difficult. Between either drinking too much or fighting the traffic when I was sober, looking at bikes and checking out the crowd was about all there was to do.

I'm still going to push for our Saturday morning ride. Otherwise, I may go back to volunteering for water hand-out.

The Prophet

I think maybe the trick is to hit the newer, less popular, smaller events, that haven't become "mainstream" yet. These can be tons of fun and very enjoyable.

We have a lot of these smaller gatherings 'round here, and they seem to go maybe 2-3 years before the word gets out, then the crowds and weekend wannabe's attack and it quickly goes bad.

Seems to be a common trend. Although for the most part it's just me and the Mrs., I also occasionally attend smaller or medium rides, say 5 to 25 riders at best. Any larger, and you're just peeing cager folks off by blocking traffic. Yes, there are excellent group riding protocals and procedures, but seemingly no one ever abides by these.

These larger rides are much better if they are started and finished way out in the sticks, where there is little traffic to deal with in the first place. Starting, riding and finishing in a crowded urban area is never a wise choice.

Google "Slimey Crud Run" for one example of a well crafted ride / event. I'm sure others have excellent examples as well. Proves you can take a large group ride in the country, hit some challenging twisties, nice scenery and stuff, gather at the end for great food, beers and BSing, have a great time, meet great folks and no one gets hurt or makes fools of themselves. Locals welcome you back year after year.

Ride Safe.

SidecarFlip

We call it....'Murder Beach' around here.

The Prophet

Here's a pretty decent events calender. Lot's of oddball, smaller venues to consider.

http://www.lightningcustoms.com/motorcycleevents.html

SidecarFlip

Most likely the citizens in Murder Beach got sick of the public indecency, the littering and casual disregard for basic rights and the loud and obnoxious exhuast of the potato bikes and the wanna-be's.

What's really interesting is that most likely the vast majority of those obnoxious individuals are really closet execs and upper middle class. That's the interesting part.

Go somewhere else and crap on everyone, but don't do it at home because it's not right to do there.

The Prophet

One of the most hilarious incidents in my life occured last year. A friend invited me to go riding with his new group of "buddies". All had shiney Harley's, or oriental clones there-of. I sensed I was "in for it" from the start what with all the doo-rags and fringe, but kept a stiff upper lip.

Later, when we stopped for a drink after a grueling 3 minute ride, the group laughed like crazy, and could not believe that I would wear a helmet. They went on-and-on-and-on about how there is no proof that helmets prevent injury, etc., etc. They also informed me that wearing a helmet was a sure sign of a newbie, etc., the same moronic drivel you hear on poser Biker web-sites.

Facts:

I've been riding steadily since 1967, and have averaged more miles in one single year than they will ever achieve in a lifetime.

These clowns had been riding at best maybe a year(?), and to them, 5 miles to the nearest fern laden "Biker" bar is a "run".

If you've ever spent time on a track, you quickly earn 100% respect for helmets, good gloves, knee and elbow pads, etc., and being a skilled and safe rider.

Needless to say, I ignored the horsecrap, shrugged it off, and strategically departed as quick as I could, but I also later rightly let my 'friend' (now "ex-friend") know his new bud's were useless, poser fags.

I laugh it off now, but what total a-holes.

To Sidecars point, these weekend posers are the ones who ruin it for the most part, because somehow - probably via poorly made hollywood "Biker" films - they were led to believe acting like childish fools is cool?

The only thing you can really do (legally) is ignore them, and refuse to ride or hang with such types. Eventually, they give up riding, and head for whatever the next "trendy" thing to do is. Used to be golf, what happened to that?