Daytona Bike Week '07 is History..
Spread Out = Slower, Safer?
The ten day run of Daytona's Spring Bike Week began with miserable weather. Friday & Saturday was like living in a fish tank, but Sunday's sun brought more bikers than we've ever seen on a "first" Sunday. Surrounding bars did a brisk business, and Main Street was absolutely packed. Here's where it gets weird; the second Sunday, drew only half as many bikers, in fact, we've never seen it so slow on the final day. Vendors did a steady, if not stellar business. All agreed that biz was down again this year. The city of Daytona's inability to either embrace us or throw us out is the usual whipping-boy of excuses, but how can a normal working couple afford to spend 200-300 bucks a night for a ONE star motel, when the chain flophouses just north of Orlando could be had for 50? The commute gets old fast, and the end result is bikers find places closer to their lodging to look for fun. What used to be a week long stay at Daytona has probably morphed into a day or two at best. What ABM did find was a lot of tourists from europe who didn't mind paying those prices, even though they'll be down to 89 dollars in a couple of weeks. Our dollar is cheaper than the euro, and they get the bargains we look for. Sometimes ABM feels like we bitch too much about hotel price gouging, but 1500 for a week in a one star? If they leave a third of the rooms empty, they're still ahead. Food for thought: A vendor lady on Beach Street asked me why they fine gasoline stations for price gouging, but do nothing about the hotels. She tried to find lodging for her family during NASCAR speed weeks, but was forced to put them up at a motel in Altamonte Springs, north of Orlando for 40 bucks a night, because they couldn't cover the 250 at the beach. So ya see, it ain't $6 burgers and $4 beers.
Price Deflation? Here's what we haven't seen in a long, long, time... $2 Bloody Marys. Full Moon Saloon, 9-5 pm. Merchants with strange foreign accents selling biker tees at four bucks. A leather jacket going for $99 last fall, same ones going for $69 last week. I picked up a new pair of brown leather riding pants, not chaps, for... $19.
Stats: 7 fatalites this year, less than half of the '06 spring rally.
Take the long way home: Gas prices are on the rise again, meaning fewer "Sunday" drivers, & out of Daytona, north to rt 100, then north on rt 17, after passing thru the outskirts of Platka, zipped past the "Cheyenne Saloon" & seeing a hundred bikes parked out front, back, and around the sides, pulled in for a coldie, which was a stellar decision, as their "wet tee-shirt" contest was in full swing. All we can tell you is that if you long for the "biker days of old", these ladies could bring a beer from ice cold to a full boil in less than a minute. What I love about these events, is watching the guys go nuts with their digital cameras, while the non-performing women stay back and approvingly, dissaprove. Know what I mean? Back to the Sunday drivers. Much as we detest $3/gal dino juice, it enabled us to share the road with almost no one else on the way back to the ABM compound, and was probably the nicest, most laid-back ride we had all week. Ya know, when the bike is running like a swiss watch, the sun is hugging the western skyline, and your girl is running her hands down the side of your jeans? Top it all off with a few plates of all-you-can-eat deep fried Florida catfish, and it don't get any better.
Keep checking back in. We'll post another when we get either (1) Inspired or (2) Pissed Off.
The ten day run of Daytona's Spring Bike Week began with miserable weather. Friday & Saturday was like living in a fish tank, but Sunday's sun brought more bikers than we've ever seen on a "first" Sunday. Surrounding bars did a brisk business, and Main Street was absolutely packed. Here's where it gets weird; the second Sunday, drew only half as many bikers, in fact, we've never seen it so slow on the final day. Vendors did a steady, if not stellar business. All agreed that biz was down again this year. The city of Daytona's inability to either embrace us or throw us out is the usual whipping-boy of excuses, but how can a normal working couple afford to spend 200-300 bucks a night for a ONE star motel, when the chain flophouses just north of Orlando could be had for 50? The commute gets old fast, and the end result is bikers find places closer to their lodging to look for fun. What used to be a week long stay at Daytona has probably morphed into a day or two at best. What ABM did find was a lot of tourists from europe who didn't mind paying those prices, even though they'll be down to 89 dollars in a couple of weeks. Our dollar is cheaper than the euro, and they get the bargains we look for. Sometimes ABM feels like we bitch too much about hotel price gouging, but 1500 for a week in a one star? If they leave a third of the rooms empty, they're still ahead. Food for thought: A vendor lady on Beach Street asked me why they fine gasoline stations for price gouging, but do nothing about the hotels. She tried to find lodging for her family during NASCAR speed weeks, but was forced to put them up at a motel in Altamonte Springs, north of Orlando for 40 bucks a night, because they couldn't cover the 250 at the beach. So ya see, it ain't $6 burgers and $4 beers.
Price Deflation? Here's what we haven't seen in a long, long, time... $2 Bloody Marys. Full Moon Saloon, 9-5 pm. Merchants with strange foreign accents selling biker tees at four bucks. A leather jacket going for $99 last fall, same ones going for $69 last week. I picked up a new pair of brown leather riding pants, not chaps, for... $19.
Stats: 7 fatalites this year, less than half of the '06 spring rally.
Take the long way home: Gas prices are on the rise again, meaning fewer "Sunday" drivers, & out of Daytona, north to rt 100, then north on rt 17, after passing thru the outskirts of Platka, zipped past the "Cheyenne Saloon" & seeing a hundred bikes parked out front, back, and around the sides, pulled in for a coldie, which was a stellar decision, as their "wet tee-shirt" contest was in full swing. All we can tell you is that if you long for the "biker days of old", these ladies could bring a beer from ice cold to a full boil in less than a minute. What I love about these events, is watching the guys go nuts with their digital cameras, while the non-performing women stay back and approvingly, dissaprove. Know what I mean? Back to the Sunday drivers. Much as we detest $3/gal dino juice, it enabled us to share the road with almost no one else on the way back to the ABM compound, and was probably the nicest, most laid-back ride we had all week. Ya know, when the bike is running like a swiss watch, the sun is hugging the western skyline, and your girl is running her hands down the side of your jeans? Top it all off with a few plates of all-you-can-eat deep fried Florida catfish, and it don't get any better.
Keep checking back in. We'll post another when we get either (1) Inspired or (2) Pissed Off.
posted by americanbikerminute at 4:09 AM
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