June 12th-20th, 2021 – New Hampshire – home to America’s Original Riding Rally
After a COVID-hobbled rally in 2020, Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week® returns to New Hampshire for its 98th year, June 12 – 20. Ninety-eight years is a long time, longer than most of us have been alive, so you can imagine there are stories to tell about the world’s oldest motorcycle rally. If you’re doing the math, you’ll have to take into account the 7 years the rally wasn’t held to come up with 1916. This was the year a few hundred motorcyclists, organized by central and southern New England motorcycle dealers, traveled north for a “gypsy tour” to Weirs Beach.
Who would have known this would mark the beginnings of a tradition that would span a century? The tour was first sanctioned by the Federation of American Motorcyclists in 1917 and when the FAM disbanded in 1919, the Motorcycle and Allied Trades Association (M&ATA) took over the sanction until 1924, when the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) was formed. Back then, the weekend event centered around races and hill climbs. The number of participants grew each year as did the event’s duration. Over time, the rally blossomed into a week-long event, eventually suffering in attendance and popularity after getting wrapped up in the upheavals of the 60’s. The rally reverted to a 3-day weekend and would remain so until 1991, when organizers revived the week-long event after seeing the success of Sturgis’ 50th Anniversary Rally in 1990. Laconia Motorcycle Week reclaimed the support of local businesses and the AMA as a week-long rally and the oldest gypsy tour in the country.
Today, Laconia Motorcycle Week® is a much-expanded version of the early “gypsy tour” years, offering attendees lots of fun, food, music and, of course, countless miles of scenic riding through New Hampshire’s famed landscape. Over 230,000 riders are expected to descend on the Lakes Region this year, holding the honor of the oldest of the three national rallies with Daytona and Sturgis being Laconia’s sister rallies. Sure, all that noise and leather may seem intimidating, but don’t be fooled. Behind those leather jackets are just regular people; a multi-generational group of enthusiasts, from all walks of life, who all just happen to share in the exhilaration and liberation that riding brings.
So, be a part of Motorcycle Week history. Plan a ride to New Hampshire for this year’s Motorcycle Week (June 12 – June 20). Whether it’s your first or 98th visit, you’ll find the shared passion for riding, around which this event was founded, has never changed.
Laconia Motorcycle Week® gives great appreciation to all of our sponsors, especially our Presenting Sponsors: Progressive, AMSOIL and Team Motorcycle, as well as the State of New Hampshire for their large financial support of our rally each year.
For more information about visiting the state of NH, check out visitnh.gov.
ROSEMONT, Ill. — The Progressive International Motorcycle show wrapped up its three-day run Sunday at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
The event showcased the latest in street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers, scooters and ATVs.
One of the most powerful doesn’t use gasoline, it uses electricity. The first electric Harley Davidson can go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds.
“You can charge it overnight using a 110 outlet or DC level fast charger,” Jocelyn with Harley Davidson said. “Zero to 80% charged in about 45 minutes.”
The motorcycle show is all about a smooth ride and speed.
“Drive the ride” was showing beginners how to ride.
It’s an electric-powered assisted bike ride that lets first-time riders get the feel for a motorcycle.
The Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® (IMS) Crowns Jordan Dickinson the U.S. Champion of the 2019/2020 Tour J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show
The Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® (IMS), an industry leader on connecting powersports brands with highly qualified enthusiasts and buyers, today announced the winners of the 2019/2020 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS) Championship, with Jordan Dickinson of Union Speed and Style taking home the U.S. Champion title for his 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead. Hundreds of custom builders competed across this year’s tour for the chance to compete in the championship round that took place at IMS Chicago on Sunday, February 9.
The winners across each category from all eight cities along the 2019/2020 tour — Long Beach, New York, Dallas, Washington D.C., Denver, Cleveland, Minneapolis, and Chicago — were entered into the Championship round where winners were then selected by a panel of industry experts and awarded tens of thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise. Evan Favaro of Speakeasy Motors won the Custom Classic category, Chuck Conrick of DA Performance won best for Custom Street, and Jordan Dickinson won for Freestyle.
Celebrating its tenth consecutive year shining a spotlight on the most beautiful, one-of-a-kind custom motorcycles across the nation, UBCBS is the largest and one of the most sought-after touring custom bike competitions in the nation. The elite-level custom motorcycle builder competition features hundreds of intricately built custom motorcycles across the eight-city IMS tour. The UBCBS is sponsored by J&P Cycles, the world’s largest aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories store. The competition has supported IMS’ commitment to fostering garage builders while continuing to entertain, educate, and thrill all two-wheel enthusiasts since 2012.
“I am honored to be named the U.S. Champion by the builder community,” said Jordan Dickinson, U.S. Champion of the 2019/2020 UBCBS. “I hope to inspire others to get out there and start building themselves.”
Builders that competed in the 2019/2020 UBCBS came from diverse backgrounds and skill levels. Over the last nine years, the UBCBS has showcased over 3,000 custom builds from an array of up-and-coming and seasoned veteran builders. Builders have been a part of a team of friends, family, or have built custom bikes by themselves.
“The sheer talent displayed throughout the entire competition has been extremely impressive. From the creative and eye-catching builds to the most ingenious uses of unconventional parts, this year’s 2019/2020 competition builders should be proud of their work,” said Bob Kay, director of UBCBS. “I am proud to recognize Jordan Dickinson as this year’s U.S. Champion for his 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead that clearly demonstrates the combined technical and aesthetic craftsmanship of custom building that excited and inspired the judges.”
The winners of the championship round of the 2019/2020 UBCBS are as follows:
Custom Classic
Winner: New York-based Evan Favaro of Speakeasy Motors with painter Taylored Auto Body won first place with a 1991 BMW R100RT. The cafe racer custom motorcycle features a stainless-steel exhaust through a handmade custom tail section, a stripped frame, CAN-BUS wiring, Bluetooth proximity key ignition, a seat by Fish Bros., and more.
Runner-up: Chicago-based Jake Shellito with painter Dan White was selected as runner-up with a 1974 Yamaha RD350. The motorcycle features a handmade oil tank and tail section, a Yamaha R5 fuel tank, handmade signals and brake lights, hand fabricated foot controls, a shaped and upholstered seat, the engine side covers were machined and powder coated, and more.
Custom Street
Winner: Chicago-based Chuck Conrick of DA Performance with painter NSD Paintwerks won first place with a 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Glide FLHXS. The custom motorcycle features a custom stainless-steel frame, aluminum swing arm, a 124-inch M8 engine generating 148 horsepower, Hyabusa front end, carbon fiber wheels, and Beringer radial brakes.
Runner-up: Denver-based Garett Wilson of DubStyle Designs with painter Dan White was selected as runner-up with a 2000 KTM Duke II. The motorcycle features a CB400 tank narrowed in the front with clearance underneath to make room for electronics, a Goon fiberglass flat track tail section shortened and cut for integrated LED tail signals, 19-inch Sun rims, Buchanan spokes, KTM hubs, and much more.
Freestyle
Winner: Selected as the U.S. Champion, Minneapolis-based Jordan Dickinson of Union Speed and Style with painter Relic Kustoms won first place with a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead. The custom motorcycle was handmade entirely from raw materials and featured a complete one-off frame, and the gas tank, fender, oil tank, and fender struts were hammered from sheet steel.
Runner-up: Denver-based Ryan Gore of Paper Street Customs with painter Scott Takes Underground Art Studios was selected as runner-up with a 1978 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead. The custom motorcycle features a one-off handmade tank, stainless sissy bar, stained glass battery box and intake, suede seat by Curt Green at Bare Bones Leather, a hardtail frame, a complete motor and transmission build, and more.
The UBCBS competition is open to all levels of builders and fabricators. Those interested in competing in next year’s 2020/2021 UBCBS competition can register online at motorcycleshows.com/ubcbs or on-site for one or all eight shows for the upcoming season.
