Daytona Bike Week. Blue Skies. Cold Weather. Warm Atmosphere.

On Wednesday, it seems that everybody decided to stop whining about temperatures, adjusted clothing and went walking the vendors for some serious shopping (?). Started my day at the Freeway Magazine lunch party, a traditional gathering of the main builders, personalities & medias present in Daytona. More industry representatives from here and abroad than last year! Joined the next generation of Custom Builders at the Limpnickie Lot whose size now extends on the other side of Ridgewood Avenue. Seems that each builder in this Collective has now his own line of steel & brass parts (no billet aluminum in sight…) Didn’t miss this gorgeous 1931 Excelsior Henderson surrounded by restored Pans, Knuckles & Shovels. After shooting pictures right & left I realized that most of the bike paint jobs were blue! Is there an explanation? A new trend? Have to think about it…

Stopped by Beach Street. The big good surprise of this 69th Daytona Bike Week. Crowded. Good luck if you drive and are looking for a parking place. Harley-Davidson + Indian + Big Dog side by side on the Riverfront is a huge hit. Difficult to walk from vendors to vendors. Reminded me some good times on Beach Street, pre-2005…Zoomed north to Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach (yes, it’s for sale). 1st good surprise, traffic in & out is better organized. And it also packed with big vendors like J&P Cycles, Custom Chrome, Drag Specialties, Metzeler, Performance Machine acting as anchors for other vendors around the Harley dealership. At Zippers they are extremely busy installing their Thundermax AutoTune module. Custom fairings and sound systems are selling well. Limited edition of David Uhl paintings are almost all exhausted, etc.  I get the confirmation of what I am feeling since a few months. While some are still struggling, others are doing better than ever. And you guess why: quality products from well managed companies offering great and very friendly service. Ended up the day at a VIP party organized by Cycle Source & the Limpnickie Lot at Martini’s (since 2005 located next to Miller’s and for me the best table in Daytona before, during and after Bike Week). Waiting for 250 guests, Chief Editor Chris Callen reminded me that 10 years ago he was riding to Daytona carrying a few magazines in his saddlebags to distribute around town. Today, it’s the 3rd time in 2 months that he has to re-print his Indian Larry commemorative issue… You know what? I really think the worst is behind us. But as I stated before a 1 week, not a 10-day Bike Week, is good enough for now. To follow…

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4 Responses to “Daytona Bike Week. Blue Skies. Cold Weather. Warm Atmosphere.”


  1. 1 Boss Hawg Mar 4th, 2010 at 10:01 am

    Hey Cyril…How about some Blue and Orange Bikes…Go GATORS!

    Ridin down early morning tomorrow….bruuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

    Vroom Vroom Vroom

    Boss Hawg

  2. 2 Billy Mar 4th, 2010 at 5:29 pm

    When hoards “motorcyclist” turn right at the corner and head for the latest “to do event” the real bikers hit the same corner and turn left . . .

  3. 3 Pepper Mar 5th, 2010 at 12:19 pm

    Great news, Cyril. The individuals and companies you mention deserve a great deal of credit for their hard work and creative thinking. I always believed that the companies that survived this down turn would do so because of their innovative ideas and the willingness to think beyond the norm. Challenging at best but the strategy seems to be working.
    Hug a palm tree for me!

  4. 4 Black Sunshine Customs Mar 8th, 2010 at 11:26 am

    Pictures of the tanks are Srip Down Cycles, Jeff of Speedking, Black Sunshine Customs, Led Sleds and KK bike from Led Sleds.

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Cyril Huze