I went to Laconia last year. It sounds kinda like you described Daytona.
I went for the scenic ride in the White Mountains and to actually see some products that I was thinking of buying on the internet.

To me the rallys have all the big parts dealers and you get to see and touch the items you want for your bike and sometimes the dealers will install them right on the spot.

After part shopping there is the bars. I prefer the ones with a view of the street. That way I can relax with a cold one and get free entertainment from the street crowd.

It is, what you make of it.

 

With good friends and a few beers I can have fun basically anywhere...

I can envision exactly what the OP is getting at trust me, but I'm sure you can just ignore that nonsense. I think the real reason it was lame was because he drove there in a rental car by himself. Hard to have a good time at a bike rally doing that.

 

Hell....I guess it's all in your personal perspective.
My first bike week I rode a Kawasaki 900 and everywhere we went there were fights and hell raising *** holes.Loved it...Had a blast. Hell, We drag raced down US1. Hot *** women...flashing...It was great.

Now......
It's even better. Hell, Everyone know the vendors are there with their overpriced ****. Why go there?
Last I checked they didn't pull a gun on me and force me and the old lady in to buy a f'n t shirt.
But, Isn't that exactly what every single Harley Davidson Dealerships has?
Overpriced stuff?

Now....
Far fewer *** holes and alot more middle aged people getting away from the ordinary and having a good time. What the hell is wrong with that?
Hell...I would've loved to ride to Deland on Saturday, But it was raIning..(F'N POSER!).Yes...I HATE riding in the rain. We rode down from Jacksonville Friday morning, hit rain in St Auggy all the way to our HOTEL (Fn Poser!)....in Daytona Beach. Guess what...My boots were soaked, I don't own a rain suit and my new Street Glide was full of mud and ****.. (F'N POSER!!)....I actually ...GASP!! .........washed the glide!....(f'n POSER!)...

So......We decided to walk down Main street and enjoy the people.
Yep, Dropped in to the Dog House, Harry's....and Froggy's. Got drunk, Walked back.
Lots of good people, Lots of middle aged women that were a little on the chunky flabby side but Hey...I'm not exactly a fn model either. I actually enjoy women of all shapes and sizes and the perfect model types with their noses up their *** can kiss my ***. I would rather stare at the chick next to me in the short leather skirt with the black boots on...Well, She does weigh about 150....(F'n Poser!!)

Guess what?
I found a vendor that head some **** to rub into my boots to make them waterproof...Now why Didn't I think of that?

So Sunday, We rode, had a great day. Rode out past the Speedway on 92 to Deland....up 17 a piece and back.
Great ride!
ON MY NEW STREET GLIDE.
But Hey...I'm just a F'n Poser!

 

fatbobiron, great story! Had that kinda experience going to the Redwood Run back in '91. 5 hour trip took 10 due to heavy rain, By the time me and the girlfriend (now my wife),got off the bike and into the room, we had to wring out our clothes and pour the water out of our boots.

We still laugh about it today. Makes for great remembrances.

 

I wouldn't write Sturgis off. I've only been there once & am not big into partying but had an absolute blast! Great riding as well, just bring your bike & a friend (s).

 

FastHarley said it perfectly:" ....no matter where you go, you are always there with yourself." This is exactly why I love motorcycling. Rough trips, easy trips, big crowds or all alone, you are always in good company. You and your Harley. Love it. Ride safe.

 

Without you....Daytona would not have been the same.

 

when you all come here....it makes me hunt for a parking space...or pay five bucks to get a space close enough to Boot Hill Saloon. THEN< I have to pay an extra 50 cents for a frickin' Pabst Blue Ribbon! The bartenders are too busy to talk anymore...
but yet....I wait anxiously for the next event. So I can listen about people hating this, or hating that....over priced this, over priced that. Sorry Daytona sucked so bad. Maybe your town can do something for bikers. (See if the beer don't go up 50 cents).

three o'clock chuck (Boot Hill Saloon)

 

hey, that is more tour pins than i have to show for 35 years of riding...join HOG and you can get some more...join the forum and you get a patch. AMA must have tour pins for you guys too.
i do have a trophy/clock i got for the long distance rider(non ama) to laconia in the early 70's. we rode up with from san antonio. went on up into canada-thru in an iron butt on the way home--8,000 miles all together.

 

Get him chuck!

Wait, this guy shows up in a rental car and because his bike is back home and he didn't ride, he says daytona bike week sux, well isn't he just the authority


You have many of the top vendors setting up shop in one spot, offering deals and most offer free install in that price, yeah that sounds like it sux, I would much rather look at pics online and try to figure out what it will look like on my bike, or look in a magazine at a small print yeah that's better

Or better yet, those high priced vendors pushing their shitty wares, god forbid a competing vendor with equally crappy shitty wares is there also and you can get a better price or better package deal, that would really suck *****

But I'll take pitting one vendor's show special versus another and work a deal like I did today on a beautiful set of PM wheels and get better than the show special and get the, to throw in their new machine cut axle with machined ends for my beautiful new wheels, and you just keep on bitchen about tshirts and pins