Every year I collect those motorcycle event posters, drawing and printed art that catch my eye or tickle my fancy (and no, I don’t know what part of my body contains the fancy 😊). This year I started with 14 but it was not hard to narrow it down to the 9 Best Motorcycle Posters of 2023.
I wish I could attribute all the artists in this awesome list but there is rarely information on who created each item.
Which one is your favorite piece of artwork? Mine is the Willow Springs Grand Prix poster!
We rode for about 7 hours on Monday from our home to the rally. This ride was all interstate and really reminded me why one should avoid Interstate 81, south or north, it is a terrible experience in the best of times. Thousands of tractor trailers and stupid car drivers weaving to get “the fastest” spot while hold a phone to their face. SIGH.
As we approached the hosting hotel, the “Airport” Hilton, the GPS lady was telling us to ride the motorcycle to the arrivals and departures section of the airport. Of course, we thought that the crazy GPS lady was once again full of “stuff”, so I stopped and reselected the location. Turns out the hotel is literally a few steps from the arrivals and departures doors of the airport. Imagine that!
Day One of the Great Smokey Mountains HOG Rally
Rally registration was at the hotel and sign in for the pre-registered, like Debbie and me, was quick and easy. We each received a SWAG bag that contain pertinent rally materials a t-shirt, patches, pins, and a HOG water bottle.
We were also showed how to download the routes from by scanning a Q-code from their routes posters and how to load those routes into the motorcycle. Snip/snap and we had multi-routes installed on our Harley Davidson.
Ok not quite snip/snap. The problem is the that the Harley Davidson Boom GTS radio/navigation system does not come with a paper owner’s manual but with a little coaching I was able to get the routes set up. I mentioned to the National HOG representative that they should hold a few classes on using the Boom GTS at each rally, I think it would be one of the more popular aspects of future events.
After registration we rode to Smokey Mountain Harley Davidson. SMHD is the host dealership of the rally, and their facilities are among the best that I have ever experienced. A large dealership with an inviting exterior and expansive interior they have very large inventory of motorcycles (and sold 2 while I was there), accessories, and clothing. But that is just the start, Smokey Mountain HD also has a BBQ restaurant and a concert venue. I have never seen a dealership like this before. A little more on the concert venue below.
As we were looking around the dealership and the vendor, Debbie spotted a Custom Dynamics Rear Finder Tip Light which would be SO much brighter than the existing OEM light. She bought the light and wanted it installed while we were there, I did not argue. With the large number of drivers, she saw holding phones on the ride down another run/brake light will never hurt. I will do a separate post on this light and my thoughts on Custom Dynamics soon.
After the part was installed, we decided to ride through Wears Valley, TN. The twisty ride up and over a mountain was a lot of fun and the ride through the valley was quite beautiful. The route we took dropped us in Pigeon Forge, TN near the Rocky Top Harley Davidson Dealership. If you have followed IJustWant2Ride on Facebook or Twitter you will know I collect dealer pins which means I had to get a Rock Top pin!
We had a snack at the Iron Boar bar and Mexican Grill right across the street from the dealership … along with 30 new friends, all from the HOG rally! After we had fueled ourselves, we headed back to SMHD for the opening ceremony and the first concert of the rally.
WOW 2021 was just as bad as 2020 in regards for content for best motorcycle poster, but it was close. I gather my candidates from the social media cesspool, looking all year for the interesting, cute or weird poster.
This year I had 12 to start before reducing down to the best 9 motorcycle posters. Why 9 because everyone does 10 and 11 is too much work. I would love to give credit where it is due, so if you know the artist that produced the items below let me know and I will be happy to provide attribution.
BEST WEIRD motorcycles of 2021! This year I started with a list of 22 really off the wall strange motorcycles. Was not too hard to work it down the best 9.
Just a quick note, these motorcycles may have been around for a few years, but I first noticed them this past year.
I am just now getting around to writing about our trip to the 2021 International Motorcycle Show. Life and work have been pushing against riding and writing for a couple months now thus the reason for fewer posts. I hope that is changing for the better, fingers crossed.
For us this year’s show was held at the Carlisle, Pennsylvania Fairgrounds, which is about a two-hour trip for us. That was not much more than the trip into Washington, DC. The trip into the city, while 100 miles closer, could often take hours as well.
The fairground was mostly flat with only a small hill to get to the Kawasaki display I had no issues with the choice of the venue. It was easy to get to food and product vendors as you walk around taking in the sights. Parking was ample with separate areas and entry points for car and motorcycles.
The fact that the International Motorcycle Show was outdoors, was a surprise. While there I meet a member of the show team and spoke to her about why they moved outdoors. I will write a separate post on her response to that question, it was interesting.
As far as the show and motorcycles went it was pretty much on par with the indoor show with one major exception, there were a lot of test rides available. Every major manufacture had something on hand for a test ride! This was not the case with the indoor DC show typically held in January. DC in January is not an opportune time to test ride a motorcycle.
This year, as I noted in earlier post, the motorcycle show folks had the Direction Wide Open team there to talk about traveling the RV/Caravan lifestyle with motorcycles. Lucinda and Will Belden provided an interesting and lively discussion on how you can take your motorcycling in a different direction with the use of an RV. It was quite fun listening to their stories and answers to the attendees’ questions.
J&P Cycle was again sponsoring the custom motorcycle show and contest next to the tent holding the vintage bikers’ rides. Walking between the two was like a time travel event! But, in each tent there were fabulous motorcycles that made me want to hit the lottery so I could have my own set of tents.
So, all in all I would deem the Outdoor International Motorcycle Show a hit. Would I go if it were raining? Well, if you have read this blog for very long you know the answer to that question, of course I would. But would the attendance be as great, of that I am not sure.
Five years ago, I didn’t own, ride, or predict seeing my future self on a motorcycle. Not that I didn’t like motorcycles, they were just not on my life’s blipping radar. I was a cruise agent with six grandkids, a brick-and-mortar home and, well, I did have a nice little convertible. Transport yourself to the future ‘now’ and you see me riding 5-6 hours a day, many days in a row…and on a sidecar no less. I rode it on the Tail of the Dragon, Twisted Sisters, Talimena Scenic Drive and so many other ‘famous’ road. I’m full timing it in an RV working and riding. Icing on the cake – I’m making a living at it. How the heck did I get here!
Step one: Your spouse suggests you guys buy a bike and take motorcycle lessons.
Step two: Two-upping isn’t enough, you get your own ride.
Step three: Life sneaks up and kicks your ass – you decide how to respond.
I didn’t take naturally to riding a motorcycle. I failed my first class. I went out and bought a bike anyway and practiced in a parking lot for months before I could get up the nerve to take the class again. I passed with a perfect score. About a year into riding, I was in a motorcycle accident (mechanical failure), the bike totaled. Broke my kneecap and nose and was in physical therapy for 9 months. What did I do while I was laid up? I bought a new bike and helmet.
On a cross-country road trip, I dropped my bike at a corner with my weak knee. It took me an hour to feel like I could get back on the bike, but I found I had messed up the gear shifts. My spouse and I two-upped it the rest of the trip. On this trip I decided two things – riding a motorcycle wasn’t for me, not riding wasn’t an option either.
Mounting up for another day of riding!
Idea! How about a sidecar. A new journey of resistance, not on my part but for every inch I tried to step forward, something or someone was shoving me a foot back. The first sidecar builder I found botched the job – the wheel fell off at 60mph going down the interstate. The wheel well kept it from flying off and I was able to pull over. At least 10 other things went wrong in this journey until I found the sidecar builder who helped me change my life (to him I will forever be in debt). Thanks Texas Sidecar Company!
I have put over 20,000 miles on my sidecar in less than two years. And like this whole path, I continued to forge forward following my new passion. My spouse and I started RVing so we could ride new places. I had written a couple of articles for Ride Texas Magazine. The editor found out and mentioned it might make a good story. Like everything else, I took it to the next level. I now write a series called Direction Wide Open on our RVing and motorcycling experiences for Ride Texas Magazine which will culminate in the first ever RV-Motorcycle Rally in the U.S end of September 2022 – hosted by ‘Me’.
I looked for new ways to share my excitement about riding and RVing and found several more magazines who would have me. I submitted a short motorcycle story to Continue the Ride which is a series of rider stories that showcase the diversity and shared passions in motorcycling. My story was in the first round picked up and the only one with the unique combination of RVing and motorcycling full-time around the United States. A few months later Progressive reached out to me to present my experiences at the national Progressive IMS Motorcycle Shows across the U.S. As an introvert, I now find myself center stage at six major cities presenting on RVing and motorcycling five times per weekend.
RV’ing at Iron Mountain
How did I get here? Well, I don’t think I was planning on a shift from being a work from home cruise agent grandma to a RVing, sidecar toting, riding, grandma writer and speaker. But here I am. This has been the best ride ever!
Typically, I attend the “Big” International Motorcycle Show series that feature all the major manufactures which, normally, occurs in winter in my region of the world. This year I will attend not only that show, but also the IMS Outdoor event as well. One reason is how starved I am for in person motorcycle events but also because a friend of this blog is going to be a presenter.
Progressive IMS Outdoors motorcycle shows are offering presentations on “RVing with motorcycles, sidecars, and trikes”. Lucinda Belden is the new presenter, and her sidecar will be on center stage for a half hour show two times per day at each event. From August – October she will be covering six event locations nationally talking about how RV and motorcycles work together.
Lucinda is the proprietor of “Direction Wide Open” or DWO. DWO is Lucinda’s, and her husband Will, place to share their RV and Motorcycle adventures with family, friends, and future friends. They are two full-time RVers and avid motorcyclists, sidecarists (is that really a word?).
Lucinda is the proprietor of “Direction Wide Open” or DWO. DWO is Lucinda’s, and her husband Will, place to share their RV and Motorcycle adventures with family, friends, and future friends. They are two full-time RVers and avid motorcyclists, sidecarists (is that really a word?).
I can’t congratulate Lucinda enough; it is always tough to get a break into any industry but through her and Will’s hard work she is going to be telling a story many of us will want to hear.
The Born Free Motorcycle Show is one of the best chopper jamborees around. It always gets the coolest and craziest choppers to attend and show off. DicE Magazine covered the show and produced a “Coffee Table” picture book all about the bikes at the show.
At 300 pages of the coolest motorcycles, choppers, bobbers, racing and culture pictures the book is fun to flip through. The creativity of some of the builders is hard to believe.
This book will grace my coffee table for quite a while.
The July Bikes & Breakfast, for Poolesville, MD gathering occurred over the weekend. The 1st Sunday morning of each month motorcyclist collect in a Poolesville parking lot for a meet and greet.
This month my grandsons are in town, so I took the older one with me to the event. Taking the blue Harley Davidson, we rode the motorcycle the long route to Poolesville, on a beautiful bright day but very humid morning. We arrived about mid-morning and there were not a lot of bikes in the parking lot. At first, I thought maybe it was Covid-cancelled but we hung around to see what would happen.
By about 10AM the parking lot was getting full, I would guess there was at least 70 motorcycle on display. Besides the ubiquitous Harley Davidsons, there were the standard Triumphs, Hondas, etc. There were a bunch of custom bikes from café racers to bobbers.
The one motorcycle that stood out for me was a 1967 Moto Guzzi. A two-owner bike that is in remarkable shape for a very well ridden bike. Of course, it helps if the owner runs a vintage European Motorcycle garage.
When we left, we took the White’s Ferry across the Potomac river and head for the house. My grandson said he had a good time, but 14 year-olds…does one really know?
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 