Las Vegas BikeFest® 2017 Rally Recap
LAS VEGAS: More than 30,000 bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts from nearly all 50 states and 12 other countries cruised into town for the 17th Annual Las Vegas BikeFest, October 5-8. The rally was four action-packed days filled with entertainment, contests, bike shows, MMA fights, Uncle Kracker performing live, and demo rides from Indian Motorcycles. With the addition of Rally West, located at 3rd and Fremont Street, attendees had, even more, options for shopping for the latest in motorcycle parts and accessories, apparel, and more.
“Our goal every year is to continue to keep the rally growing and the activities and entertainment fresh. With the new locations we chose for our poker runs, bringing the Tuff-N-Uff Amateur MMA fight, expanding our vendor area to Rally West, giving away $5,000 in shopping sprees and more bike shows, we feel we accomplished that,” states Mindi Cherry, event manager.
Music filled the rally all four days with over 30 live bands playing- everything from hard rock, blues, punk, country and more. Friday night “America’s Most Patriotic Rock Band,” Madison Rising, headlined and Saturday the party continued right on the Fremont Street Experience with headliner “Uncle Kracker.”
Las Vegas BikeFest gave away over $100,000 in prizes and cash, including $5,000 in Shopping Sprees that was spent with vendors at Rally Central and Rally West. The always popular Miss Las Vegas BikeFest did not disappoint along with other crowd favorites Best Facial Hair Contest, Bikini Contest and Biker Bingo. Poker Walks and Poker Runs were again a big hit and mulligan sales from the Poker Runs and Walks raised $3,100 to benefit the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation.
The 14th Annual Artistry in Iron, Master Builders Championship, peer-judged, invitation-only custom bike building competition sponsored by Steve Soffa and Paughco was another huge success. Builders from all corners of the U.S. as well as Japan and France brought out true pieces of art. Max Hazan, of Hazan Motorworks, was awarded the title of Master Builder Champion. Along with winning $10,000, Hazan took home a custom championship bracelet designed and presented by master jewelry designer, Steve Soffa. Paughco returned this year to recognize the 2nd and 3rd place winners -Jon MacDowell, Bonneville Customs, took home second place and received a complete Paughco rolling chassis and third place winner Jordan Dickinson, Union Speed & Style, received a Paughco Springer front end. People’s Choice Award went to Gilby of Gilby’s Street Dept.
Las Vegas BikeFest featured five different bike shows kicking it off on Thursday with the Quick Throttle Magazine Custom Bike Show featuring, Best Bagger, Antique, Trike, Chopper/Bobber, Metric, Paint, Custom/Pro Build and Anything Goes categories. Friday was the Las Vegas BikeFest Custom Bike Show; categories included Radical, Custom, Semi-Custom, and Specialty. Winner of the Radical Class was Gilby with his 1969 Harley-Davidson. Also on Friday, Hot Bike Magazine hosted their FXR/Dyna Show. Saturday, the world-famous Baddest Bagger Las Vegas returned with some absolutely kick-ass baggers. The top prize of Baddest Bagger in Las Vegas was awarded to Azzkikr Custom Baggers with their 2018 Road King. New this year, the Las Vegas Ladies Bike Show presented by Sin City Moto Girls. The all-female bike show display added to the festivities on Sunday.
Three brand new motorcycles were given away each night of the rally. A 2017 Indian Scout Sixty, a2017 Harley-Davidson Street Rod and a 2017 Harley-Davidson Roadster were ridden home by happy registrants. The second annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame, presented by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, was held on Friday night. This year’s inductees were Peter Fonda, Arlen Ness, Genevieve Schmitt and Dave Nichols. City of Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem, Lois Tarkanian presented a proclamation from the Office of the Mayor, declaring October 6, 2017, Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame Day.
Plans are already underway for the 2018 Las Vegas BikeFest in downtown Las Vegas, with new dates of October 11-14. AIME Expo will collocate in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center as part of Vegas Bike Week.
Website: www.LasVegsaBikeFest.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lasvegasbikefest
Twitter: @VegasBikeFest
Instagram: #LasVegasBikeFest