…does not stay in Vegas. At least not if we can help it. No need to worry though, whatever you did and were not supposed to do will be safe with us. After great riding weather so far throughout Bikefest, the weather forecast for today predicted gusty winds of up to 55 miles an hour for much of Nevada and Arizona – and they got it right for once. So, instead of hitting the highway and heading home today as originally planned, it might be a smart idea to stick around, take in some more of Bikefest and Sin City and get the wrap-up done.
Rolling out the event for the ninth time this year, Las Vegas Bikefest is still a young event, compared to Sturgis and Daytona pretty much still in its infancy. Located in a city with a multitude of attractions year round and in the heart of a great riding territory, Las Vegas is a destination for bikers regardless of an organized invasion like Bikefest. With already too much going on in the casinos and bars for one extended weekend, adding the packed schedule of Bikefest makes for tough choices. One has to set priorities, yet no matter how much you narrow it down, you still end up wanting to be in at least three places at the same time.
Vendor Village up at Cashman Center is certainly a must, including the Artistry in Iron exhibition and program on a regular basis. The big names on the list are to be found up there, out in the open air and inside the halls. While some builders we talked to prior to Bikefest were hesitant to participate and planned to come just as a visitor and check out what is going on, those who bit the bullet and worked a booth were happy with the attention they received.
Paul Yaffe, who brought his Bagger Nation booth up from Phoenix hardly got a breather all weekend and went through 2000 catalogues until Saturday afternoon. Saxon Motorcycles had no reason to complain either; their display of already upgraded 2009 models – now with Brembo brakes and better transmissions – was well attended. Tim and his crew were even talking about a couple of pending sales from the event and some interest from new dealers to pick up their line.
George Ganem from Nightrider Jewelry, who is displaying his handcrafted masterpieces for the fourth year now at Bikefest was also happy and all smiles. Of course we did not do a representative survey among all the vendors, it should be safe to assume that being here pays off. And it does not even have to be at the epicenter of the whole thing. The guys at Las Vegas Harley-Davidson set up their own vendor village in the parking lot of the dealership, bringing in names like Drag Specialties and Klock Works. The wet T-shirt contest on Friday also contributed to attracting a crowd. Also the Arlen Ness dealership transforms the parking lot into a showground with vendor tents.
In addition to the commercial element, a lot of events are going on during Bikefest. The bikeshow at Cashman Center turned out an impressive line-up of high-quality bikes from professional builders as well as individuals. To pick a winner was near to impossible despite the division of the contenders in numerous classes. For those who are not into the organized display of customized rides, roaming the Strip and the streets around it will provide for a similar experience in many of conspicuous spots.
But roaming the street of what appears to be a gigantic construction zone that is the city of Las Vegas these days can be tricky. This town seems to be constantly reinventing itself with old casinos being blown up and new ones being built, but this year it seems to be really bad. Not only that you suddenly end up in front of a “Road Closed” sign just feet away from where you wanted to go – the Harley-Davidson Cafe on the Strip is one of those traps right now – the patchwork pavement and loose gravel everywhere makes riding in the city anything but fun, in spots flat out dangerous. The fact that most road construction is inactive during the day and work starts with sundown does not help much.
One special event that will take you across town from the main venue is an absolute must for everybody who is into cool custom bikes and custom cars: The Count's Kustoms open house party. Even when you forget the stage, live music, entertainment, free food and tons of bikes in the parking lot, this is just a cool place to visit, and the Count himself a great guy to meet. The collection of cars from Italian sportcars to custom rods to choppers that has its home in the building of Count's Kustoms is enough to make you want to spend the rest of the day there.
Las Vegas Bikefest, as we feel, is well worth making the trip – regardless whether you are a vendor or just looking for a good time in a cool place with cool people. Whatever you prefer – walking off your shoes browsing vendor booths, putting miles on your ride, or partying until the cows come home (well, we did not actually see any) – the choice is yours. See you next year at the tenth anniversary of Bikefest in Las Vegas, which is scheduled for September 30 to October 3, 2010.
– – C.S. Berg
