Daytona Bike Week 2011-Back With a Bang!

Petrol nearing $4 a gallon and bad weather across much of the East Coast has not been enough to put a damper on the annual pilgrimage to central Florida beaches. Bike Week diehards starting arriving in late February and by the 'official' first day, Friday, March 4, the cities that comprise the greater-Daytona Beach- area were crawling with cycling crowds seeking sun and fun. They were not disappointed with either. Dire predictions of a wet and nasty first Sunday didn't materialize as the system that pummelled Shreveport on Saturday veered far north. A slight cool front blew through Sunday night but the Monday highs of mid-60s will be the coolest of the week.

As with every Bike Week, there are great motorcycles to gawk at, fun stuff to buy, good eats to uh, eat, scenic rides that include palm trees and sun!, daily calorie-free Dairy Queen hot fudge sundaes, and Florida lotteries to win, but the biggest fun comes from people-watching. Until you pull up a rail on Main Street in Daytona and spend a few hours watching the motorcycling world go by, you are a flat dud. D-u-d. This show is better than "Cats", it's better than anything your feverish brain could dream after a dinner of bad sushi, it's better than anything has the right to be. Add the Main Street experience to your bucket list. I beg you.

But since you have obligations and jobs and can't miss a weekend of yard work, here is the next best thing. Bike Week according to me.

The new star of a Goth reality show or one of the 'beer girls' at Destination Daytona? You be the judge.

Heaven help us, everyone.



The new 'Vintage Indian" just $37,000 less tax, title, license, transport and the new bachelor pad you will need to rent when you tell your spouse what you have done.

 

The first weekend of Bike Week the nearby town of Deland hosts its bike rally. While there, I asked Steve, 'Where are all the young people?' because there weren't any. The next day, the local newspaper reported the rally 'attracted the elderly.' Hahahaha.



Steve's S1000RR StreetFighter was a huge hit at BMW of Daytona, and several of the employees there had already seen it on-line. The store emptied when the double-R pulled into the lot and Steve spent the better part of an hour answering questions. David from the Orlando BMW store tries the S-Fighter on for size.



This was spotted NOT at the BMW tent (there isn't one this year), but at the TRIUMPH demo display at the International Speedway. This is the 2011 Triumph Tiger 800XC, a GS-knockoff if ever there was one. The lines are similar, the luggage is similar...but apparently the price, and some say performance, is not. The price of the 2010 BMW F 800GS, is $11,395 according to the BMW website. The price of the Triumph is, according to one website, $7995! This beast could be serious competition to our favorite dual sport ride. Steve and I plan to put the 800 XC to the test tomorrow and will report back on what we find.

So there you are, the first weekend of Bike Week condensed into an edible morsel. Check back often this week for more good eats.