The Top 10 Motorcycle Events in 2010

© Jerry “Friggs” Pryor

When winter weather has your motorcycle trapped in the garage, there’s no better remedy for the biker blues than planning your riding excursions for the year. Here are 10, listed chronologically, that should be on your list of possibilities.

Daytona Bike Week, February 26-March 7

While much of the nation languishes under ice and snow, what better time to head for Florida? Load your bike on a trailer and haul it down if necessary, or haul it until you hit the ice-free zone and ride the rest of the way.

Daytona Bike Week is billed as the world’s largest motorcycle event and features motorcycle shows and exhibits, concerts, festivals on Main Street, as well as racing out at Daytona International Speedway. And this year one more attraction has been added, the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show will run at the Ocean Center complex from March 3-6. Admission for Bike Week attendees is free.

Join 500,000 of your closest friends and say good-bye to Old Man Winter.

Laughlin River Run, April 23-27

Another escape from winter is the Laughlin River Run, in Laughlin, NV, which claims the title of largest West Coast motorcycle event. More than 70,000 bikers gather in this Nevada border town that hugs the Colorado River enjoying music, a custom bike show, and the poker run that started it all. That run goes to Oatman, AZ, a ghost town located on historic Route 66, and remains a highlight of the event.

Rolling Thunder Rally, May 28-30

U.S. military veterans who ride will gather 400,000-strong in Washington, DC, for this rally aimed at ensuring prisoners of war and those missing in action are not forgotten. Leading up to the rally, thousands of those attending cross the country together on the Run For The Wall.

The Rally begins on May 28 with a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial (The Wall), and concludes May 30 with a mass demonstration ride from the Pentagon parking lot into the heart of Washington, DC, around the National Mall. If you’re not riding, some of the best viewing spots for the demonstration (it’s not a parade!) are along the Arlington Memorial Bridge and Constitution Avenue. Parking is extremely limited so public transportation is recommended.

Americade, June 7-12

Lake George, NY, will host “The World's Greatest Touring Motorcycle Rally,” which focuses primarily on touring motorcycles and touring cruiser motorcycles. Canceled in 2009 due to the bad economy, Americade is back this year. More than 50,000 people are expected to attend.

Attractions include guided and self-guided tours of the Adirondack Mountains, the TourExpo tradeshow, demo rides, custom bike competitions, poker runs, and more. Additionally, shooting for the family crowd, the area also offers boat cruises, a rodeo, a parade, fireworks, drill teams, and fashion shows.

Republic of Texas Bike Rally, June 10-13

Motorcycling Texas style will engulf Austin as this event—and 40,000 attendees—roll into town. Unofficial attendees will probably swell the ranks to around 150,000. Events include the Big Texas Chop-Off Biker Build-Off, the Guinness World Record-breaking motorcycle parade to the Capitol, a biker street party on Congress Avenue, live music at numerous locations, and vendors and manufacturer displays.

Laconia Motorcycle Week, June 12-20

With roots dating back to 1916, Laconia Motorcycle Week, in Laconia, NH, is one of the oldest such events in the U.S. Attendance is estimated at between 300,000 and 400,000. Events include hill climbs, poker runs, stunt riding, demo rides, live music, and the can’t-miss Biggest Beer Belly Contest.

Located in the center of New Hampshire, Laconia is easily accessible from any part of the state and so you can find accommodations within reasonable distances in any direction. The center of action is Weirs Beach, which despite its name, is not on the coast, but on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, along U.S. 3 north of Laconia.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 9-11

“America’s grandest celebration of motorcycling heritage” is how the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) describes its annual vintage bike event, in Lexington, OH. Attractions include national championship vintage racing, the “world's largest” motorcycle swap meet, new bike demo rides, seminars, classic bike shows, and more.

Each year a “Marque of the Year” display showcases the history of a unique motorcycle brand. AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships feature road racing, motocross, hare scrambles, trials, and dirt-track racing. All proceeds support the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.

Sturgis Bike Week, August 9-15

No biker event is better know than the rally held each year in Sturgis, SD. Officially the Black Hills Motor Classic, but known as Sturgis Bike Week, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and other names, the event will mark its 70th year this summer. With a year-round population of 6,000, Sturgis hosts more than 700,000 bikers during this week-long event.

The rally, in fact, spreads all across the region, with every town inundated with visitors and numerous temporary towns set up in commercial campgrounds that offer camping, showers, food, and live entertainment. Top acts from around the world take the campground stages at no charge for campers or for an entrance fee for others. All roads in the area are completely taken over by motorcycles, with the usual car/bike ratio reversed. Prepare to see more motorcycles than you’ve ever seen in your life.

DelMarVa Bike Week, September 16-19

One of the newer bike rallies, DelMarVa Bike Week is quickly growing into one of the biggest. The name is drawn from the peninsula that extends southward from midway between Baltimore and Philadelphia, encompassing the whole of Delaware (Del), a portion of Maryland (Mar), and into Virginia (Va). Events this year will be scattered among six locations along the Ocean City-to-Salisbury stretch of U.S. 50 in Maryland.

Now in its eighth year, DelMarVa Bike Week grew from about 100 bikes in a campground and then took up residence at Ocean Downs Racetrack. Congestion hampering the movement of locals and rallygoers prompted the decision this year to spread it out. Organizers are hoping attendance will top 200,000 this year.

Blues, Bikes, & BBQ, September 29-October 2

Northwest Arkansas is home to this one-of-a-kind event combining music, motorcycles, and mouth-watering eats. It also raises more than $100,000 each year for local charities. Called the “fastest-growing motorcycle rally in the world,” attendance is estimated at between 300,000 and 400,000. There is no entrance fee, so attendance numbers are unofficial.

Activities include live music, a parade, a bike show, barbecues, and many other official and unofficial events. It kicks off with a ride through the Ozark Mountains. This rally is in its 11th year. As with any rally this size, the gathering spreads over the surrounding areas, with events scheduled in Fort Smith, Rogers, and Eureka Springs.

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