Friday morning. Although I know all Daytona and Ormond Beach secret roads, there is no way you can escape the traffic jam as soon as you arrive ½ mile away from Rossmeyer’s Destination Harley. Just count 45 minutes (if you arrive no later than mid morning) and you get your secure parking place. Outside, eating and listening to music seem to have replaced shopping and customizing.Can you see anyone carrying a plastic bag? Most major custom builders are absent and semi trailers of parts vendors can’t fill all the parking space. Indoor, the Harley Dealership and J&P Cycles are packed. Is it 
because of the heat (did you say 86 F in October?) or because of the discounted parts or both? 2 hours of small talk with my friends of the industry and it’s time to leave (expect 30 minutes stuck in traffic to be out of the Rossmeyer’s zone of influence).
Direction Daytona South to the Limpnickie lot (across Miller’s) where the new generation of builders excelling in the new retro style enjoy being together, showing their scoots and doing some skate boarding Even Chris Callen from Cycle Source Magazine tries to impress me by doing a couple of tricks. Then, all the gang is fed and energized with some Sucker Punch Moonshine. Time to ride north to Ormond Beach for the “Wide Open Cycles” party sponsored by Renegade Biker Magazine. Except a little bit of wait to cross the traffic on International Speedway, you can zoom from South Daytona to Ormond in less than 20 minutes. A speed record during a Daytona rally. And we all know what it means. There the place is packed, the atmosphere rockabilly, Checked 5 bikes on the lifts and observed that owner Dale got also a hot rod project. Then at midnight, it’s time to visit Jay at the Broken Spoke Saloon. As usual, bands are very good and the service is very efficient and friendly. 2 hours of political discussion later I am dragged to Main Street to meet with other friends at the Pub 44. You find a table and seat right away. Seems like 2 AM is the new sleeping time in Daytona.
Saturday. As a Custom Builder, visiting the Rat’s Hole Show is a must. I have seen quite a few of these bikes in former Rat’s Hole Shows. Still for sale? Surprisingly, very few Bobbers but more and more Metric And Sport Bikes. The judges are sweating scoring the bikes while I shoot some bike details, but only of true new creations. I don’t care the results and who will win the 2008 Biketoberfest Show bragging rights and you wait for some news. So I rush to use a Starbucks Wi-Fi to upload this new post. Guess what? Tonight, there is a big Sucker Punch Sally party. Tomorrow, I sleep till’ 7 AM!
It was good to see you at Biketoberfest.
It looks like you were a lot more busy than I was LOL
I did see most of the people I wanted to and headed south before the late parties.
I hope everyone had a good time and made it home safely
Rogue
Biketoberfest “08” may not be remembered for how busy it was but any time that you can get together with old friends, make new ones, ride bikes and have a few good laughs, the memories will be ones that last forever.
Post more pics of Chris Callen upon his skate board.
he’s always one to push the limits
Hey Cyril, it was great to see you at Our Wide Open Cycles and Renegade Biker Magazine Party! Thanks for stopping buy, hope you had a great time! Thanks for your support!
Scharf
Renegade Biker Magazine
Both Sucker Punch Sally party and Broken Spoke were zeros
Cyril, thanks for the post but of all the guys I’m the weakest with skateboard skills. Some of the Limpnickie Crew are ex-pros…. Anyway, we appreciate you comin’ to our little party and hangin’ out man! And YES, Biketoberfest has always had the spirit of the “One Last Blast” with old and new friends before the snow flies and we’re all packed away up here in Yankee Land. That’s what’s so good about it.
Hey Rodent, the night we were at the Broken Spoke it was off the hook. Did ya’ see the head to head burnout comp? Patterson rules man! Sucker Punch was a blast too but hell, me and the boyz have a good time in an empty parking lot with nothing to do but shoot the bull and drink so don’t take my word on this alone……. Good to see you there my man!
Broken Spoke had a great daytime band from South Carolina, and the loud pipe contests, with pole dancing bar maid s were fun. The lucky daredevil sword swallowing act was good – I have never seen that in Daytona. The act is originally from Coney Island. For 36 years, the Rats Hole has been putting on bike shows – including shows in Europe, and they draw a worldwide crowd and some truely amazing independently built bikes! Not just customized factory..
Times change. Ted Smith tells me that about 75 percent of his bike collection is no longer street legal…. I heard that attendance was down, but I didn’t really notice a smaller crowd for Biketoberfest.
Cyril, it was great seeing you and spending some time catching up at the Limpnicki Lot this Biketoberfest. Those of us that were able to attend this year really had a good time trying to bring something different to the event. Who would have thought to bring in a slippy slide and bouncy cage?!?! Ha…ha… anyway thanks for stopping by and saying hello and hanging out.
Who’s got video of Wildman droppin in?!?!?! It’s got to be out there!
Love you man!
Joe
Cyril mentioned that there were few pro biulders set up with booths.It’s a sad trend at every show & I think that ultimately the shows will suffer for it. Aside from the economy & a glut of customs on the market all the builders I talk to attribute it to rediculous booth prices,electrical fees etc.Then add hotel,fuel,food,trailer parking,& staff.The biggest hit is closing down the shop to attend a show.Now lets factor in the what it cost to build the bike.A lot of shows are looking more like flee markets instead of bike shows.I’m cutting back on the shows I do.The selling pionts to me are how acomadating the promoter is and how much exposure a show gets.One of the deal breakers for me is if I enter a bike in the show will my booth be across the isle from the bike or on the other side of the biulding. Some shows as of recent don’t want spokes models in the booths.One show now charges venders 25.00 ticket price per each staff member including me on top of my booth price.Now you know why you’r e seeing less pro biulders at shows.
Agree 100% with all the above. Cyril.
Yeah, I’ve cut way back on the events I’ll do anymore. Some of the events have even been canceled of late. The cost to be at a multi day, long distance event has skyrocketed the past several years so unless it’s going to be a major event with guaranteed exposure for us we’re thinking about not doing them anymore. I’ve started doing more regional and semi local events. Trailer space and the associated costs tend to be better and we’re still in our area that we build the most bikes. The times they are a changin’.
Where the hell was Big Mike Griffin Playing. I sure missed his blues playing. Biketoberfest is going to hell in a handbasket.
http://www.bigmikegriffin.com/schedule.html
Cyril, it was great finally meeting you! I read your blog a lot and see a lot of my friends
on there. It was good to finally meet the man!
Also, thanks for stopping by The Rat’s Hole Show as well! I also work with Ted and he was sorry he missed you. Always slamming when the Show’s in town!
See ya at Bike Week!
Cyril,
It is always a great pleasure to see you and reminisce of the beginning of our experiences in this industry as well as making memories with new friends to look back on going forward.
You always have an invitation to visit us in WPB and we will be looking forward to stopping by soon to see you as well.
Don’t be a stranger!
Ciao,
Cin