For more information on Rally for Rangers, visit the Rally For Rangers website or listen to our interview with Rally for Rangers co‑­founder Tom Medema on the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast. For details on the 2024 rallies, read the press release below.

Celebrating 10 years of supporting rangers and protecting parks one motorcycle at a time, 2024 will see a “Greatest Hits” of our decade of adventure. We hope you’ll consider joining us or otherwise supporting these critical efforts to aid park rangers in their important work!

Peru: May 18-30, 2024

Beginning in May, we will return to Peru for a road-based tour of parks from the Pacific to the Amazon.

We will be visiting world renowned parks like Machu Picchu along the way and reaching heights of 16,000 feet as we traverse the stunning Andes range on Peru’s famous winding mountain roadways.

Learn more and sign up.

Mongolia: July 21 to Aug. 3, 2024

July will see our return to where it all began: Lake Hovsgol National Park. The Mongolia rally is SOLD OUT and will be our first all-alumni event to celebrate this historic milestone. Waitlist signups are still available. Learn more.

Black Hills: Sept. 18-22, 2024

Following our successful first venture in the U.S., next September we will return to the stunning and historic Black Hills. This rally will support not only the Oglala-Sioux Park Rangers but also rangers of the Northern Cheyenne.

The event has a broad mix of riding options, from full pavement tours of parks and monuments to the off-road challenges of the Black Hills BDR-X. You get to choose! More details in early 2024.

Bhutan: Nov. 3-16, 2024

The Kingdom of Bhutan welcomes our return in 2024 to support parks and rangers that protect an incredible array of endangered species such as tigers, elephants, and so much more.

This primarily road-based trip is suited for intermediate and advanced riders. Learn more and sign up.

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The Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival will return to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, from May 16-19, 2024. Back for its seventh year, this event will keep attendees entertained with plenty of motorcycle activities, vendors, daily live music, stunt shows, food trucks, and more.

Loretta Lynn’s spacious 3,500-acre ranch allows plenty of room to roll and romp through the woods and across the hills. Back for 2024, the ADV Experience package was a hit last year and includes three days of trial riding, biker games, morning coffee, skills building, and demo rides on Harley-Davidson Pan Americas, and general admission to the rest of the TMMR activities. The ADV Experience is open to any make or model of adventure bike, and the package costs $149, just $20 more than the price for general admission.

Related: 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special | First Ride Review

Along with the wooded trails on the ranch, there are also fields to camp in, the Fist City Track for bike shows and games, a country store and museum, and three music stages. TMMR boasts its “two-wheeled playground” and invites attendees to enjoy Harley-Davidson demo rides, racing, ADV trail riding, the V-Twin Visionary performance bike show, an all-class bike show, biker games, group motorcycle rides, the BC Moto Invitational bike show, and more.

The ranch’s location an hour west of Nashville guarantees plenty of musical talent. The 2024 lineup won’t be announced until after the new year, but you can expect to see a schedule packed with several live performances each day including outlaw country, Southern rock, country, bluegrass, and rock ’n’ roll.

Related: Fun Times at the Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival 

Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival offers a variety of camping options to suit your needs. Basic tent camping is available onsite, and RV hookup spots are also available. For those looking for a more sophisticated stay, the campground also offers fully furnished glamping tents for rent. Hotels and Airbnbs in the area are also available but fill up fast. Members of the U.S. Special Operations Forces can take advantage of the partnership with Special Ops Xcursions for complimentary tickets and camping.

General admission for the Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival is $129, and VIP upgrades are available. Pricing for tent, glamping, and RV spots on the ranch has not yet been announced. To stay up to date on TMMR news, sign up to join the email list or text “TMMR” to (883) 306-6093. Ticket sales start on December 1, 2023.

Visit the TMMR website for more information.

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America should designate a national park dedicated to motorcycles, and I nominate the Barber Vintage Motorsports Park. Set on 880 acres in the lush, rolling hills east of Birmingham, Alabama, it’s a motorcycle dreamland. A 16‑­turn, 2.4‑­mile racetrack designed with input from John Surtees and Dan Gurney winds through the campus. There are no grandstands, just well‑­manicured grassy hillsides where spectators can spread out chairs, blankets, and umbrellas.

The crown jewel, of course, is the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, which holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest collection of motorcycles: more than 1,800 of them representing 200 manufacturers from 22 countries.

More than 1,000 motorcycles are on display at any given time, and they are spread out over five floors in a spacious, well‑­lit cathedral of speed and engineering. The top floor of the museum houses the Barber Advanced Design Center, an industrial design lab.

Barber has hosted rounds of AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike racing since 2003. I attended the Superbike races in 2004, where I watched the dominant Mat Mladin battle it out against Jake Zemke and Miguel Duhamel. It also hosts American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) racing.

Barber hosts two annual motorcycling events: Barber Small Bore, which celebrates the wild and wacky world of minibikes, and Barber Vintage Festival, which brings together vintage bike fans for a three‑­day festival packed with AHRMA races, demo rides, bike shows, seminars, museum tours, vendor areas, and a huge swap meet.

This past October, the 18th annual Barber Vintage Festival hosted the inaugural BMW Motorrad Days Americas – a spin‑­off of the event that takes place every summer in Germany – to celebrate the 100th anniversary of BMW Motorrad.

See all of Rider‘s BMW coverage here.

BMW invited members of the motorcycle media and friends of the brand to be part of the event, which gave me the opportunity for a long-overdue visit to the festival and museum. I’ve been told that you can’t do justice to the museum in less than a full day, and truer words have never been spoken. The scale, depth, and breadth of the collection is mind‑­boggling.

On Friday, our chummy group of motojournalists saddled up on a fleet of BMW R 18 Roctanes to ride from our hotel to Barber. We were joined by Peter Nettesheim and his daughter, Kate. Nettesheim’s New York home showcases the world’s largest collection of BMW motorcycles. He owns at least one of every BMW model built between 1923 and 1970, including the oldest known example of the first motorcycle BMW built, the 1923 R 32, as well as various newer models and an extensive collection of BMW paraphernalia.

Upon arriving at Barber, I hopped on one of the shuttles that carries visitors along the park’s ring road surrounding the racetrack and ferries them to the museum, the Fan Zone, the swap meet, the Proving Grounds, the paddock, and the spectating areas. Motorcycles were parked on nearly every available patch of grass, and the age range and diversity of bikes were impressive. The blue smoke and ring‑­a‑­ding sounds of 2‑­strokes filled the air, and old‑­school minibikes piloted by hipsters and overgrown boys zipped around everywhere. Harleys, Hondas, and Hodakas of various vintages and conditions sat proudly on makeshift kickstand pads, some with “For Sale” signs tucked into the handlebars. Name any motorcycle brand, and it was represented somewhere by someone.

My first stop was the sprawling Proving Grounds, which was the staging area for demo rides offered by BMW, CFMOTO, Indian, KTM, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Yamaha, and electric bike maker Ryvid. BMW had an enormous fleet of bikes on hand and was offering both on‑­road and off‑­road demos. Next to BMW’s demo area, our very own Quinn Redeker gave hourly police‑­style riding demonstrations on a BMW R 1250 RT‑­P, and his humor and skills weaving through tight cone patterns kept folks thoroughly entertained.

Related: Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Hi, My Name is Quinn

Near the Proving Grounds was the Isle of Triumph, an immersive fan experience located inside the racetrack with live music, a bike show, art installations, and vendors selling food, drinks, and merch.

Next, I made my way over to the Henderson Auctions Fan Zone, which overlooks the racetrack and had a bouncy‑­house kids zone, American Motor Drome Company’s Wall of Death, the Urias Family Globe of Death, and a vendor area, where I visited our friends at Royal Enfield, SW‑­Motech, and Wunderlich America.

Taking up most of the real estate in the Fan Zone was the BMW Motorrad Days Americas area, which included displays of current and historical models, a beer garden, a stage with live music, a merchandise store, and partner displays, including Edelweiss Bike Travel, RawHyde Adventures, and the BMW Performance Center.

On the stage at noon, GS Brand Ambassador Shawn “Rock On” Thomas and BMW Motorrad VP Region Americas Trudy Hardy gave a few introductory remarks before pulling a cover off the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS – the bike’s first public showing since being announced on Sept. 28 (see page 7 for details). After Stefan Reiff, BMW Motorrad’s VP of Customer, Brand and Sales, gave an overview of the new GS, Thomas rolled it off the stage, and I captured a short video of him starting up the bike, which is available on the Rider YouTube channel. The R 1300 GS was on display the rest of the weekend, giving folks a chance to check out the bike up close.

Related: BMW Motorrad Unveils 2024 BMW R 1300 GS at Barber Vintage Festival | Videos

At dinner on Friday night, I had the privilege of sitting with Udo Giestl, who worked as an engineer for Butler & Smith, the former U.S. importer for BMW motorcycles. He built the R 90 S racebikes that Reg Pridmore, Gary Fisher, and Steve McLaughlin campaigned in the inaugural 1976 season of AMA Superbike racing. McLaughlin and Pridmore finished 1‑­2 in the Daytona 200 that year, and Pridmore won the championship.

On Saturday, Giestl’s son, Eric, led the BMW parade laps on a restored version of Pridmore’s R 90 S racebike, and he was flanked by Peter and Kate Nettesheim on two vintage BMWs from Peter’s collection.

That same day, Revival Cycles hosted a BMW‑­only ride‑­in bike show, which included well‑­maintained bikes of new and old vintages as well as various customs, like an R 75/5 chopper with a raked‑­out springer front end. I joined several other journalists for an in‑­depth tour of the BMWs in the Barber Museum given by BMW archivist Fred Jakobs, who had traveled from Germany to attend the event.

It was a full, fun weekend with more to do than there was time to do it. No word yet whether BMW Motorrad Days Americas will become an annual event, but no matter what, put the Barber Vintage Festival on your calendar (Oct. 11‑­13, 2024), and make sure you allow plenty of time to explore the museum.

For more information, visit the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum website.

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MURRIETA, Calif. – The 18th annual KTM Adventure Rider Rally will take place at the Lake Powell Resort in Page, Arizona, between Oct. 13-15, with KTM North America, Inc. excited to host its 2023 edition and welcoming riders from around the globe as one of the brand’s most historic and celebrated events on the global KTM Adventure Rally calendar.

With the options to ride spanning northern Arizona and southern Utah, including the Grand Canyon, adventurers will welcome the opportunity to experience designated loops across each day, inclusive of routes that are suitable for all skill levels and with common places for lunch/gas, supported by KTM.

The format of the rally will once again be in line with that introduced last year, promoting a collective environment for riders to enjoy together.

See Rider‘s West U.S. tour stories here.

In the interest of safety and to maximize the fun for participants, adventurers will be placed in groups of two to four people each day. Riders can sign up in advance to pre-determine their groups; otherwise, individuals will be teamed up on-site with a rider/group of the same skill level. In order to navigate the self-guided adventure following GPS tracks provided by KTM, a SPOT, InReach, or similar PLB is required for all riders.

The ultimate KTM Adventure Rider Rally has been specifically developed for KTM Adventure and Enduro riders; however, it is open to all brands of street-legal motorcycles. Thursday, Oct. 12, will feature the ever-popular KTM Ride Orange Street Demo sessions, which enables participants to take part in the planned rides across Friday, Saturday, and half-day Sunday. Riding Technique and Technical Riding Seminars will be available for participating riders, and a broad mixture of Adventure vendors will also be on location.

Related: 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour

In addition to having the chance to enjoy the experience with a selection of KTM Adventure ambassadors and athletes throughout the event, participants will receive an event T-shirt and hat, along with a pre-event dinner on Thursday, breakfast Friday-Sunday, and an Awards Dinner on Saturday, where riders will be able to recollect the experience and share their “orange adventure” stories into the evening.

With positions to the 2023 edition strictly limited, visit the 18th Annual KTM Adventure Rider Rally event page for further information and to register now for the KTM Adventure Rider Rally in Page, Arizona, from Oct. 13-15.

See all of Rider‘s KTM coverage here.

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Americade has been drawing riders to the picturesque area around Lake George, New York, for four decades. To help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the “World’s Largest Touring Rally,” Rider and American Rider magazines co-hosted the inaugural Bring It Motorcycle Show. Since there are so many cool motorcycles at Americade, we invited attendees to bring it!

Related: Americade Celebrates 40 Years

Our show was sponsored by partners IMTBike, SMK Helmets, and Spectro Performance Oils. For three days, June 1-3, we gave awards in five categories: American Bagger, American Cruiser, Japanese, European, and Old School (pre-1990). Additionally, we handed out a daily $250 prize for Editors’ Choice. All daily winners were invited to a grand finale to determine the Best of Show on Saturday evening.

The culmination of our event was an Industry Meet & Mingle celebration at the beautifully restored 19th-century Carriage House at Fort William Henry Resort that overlooks Lake George. The Best of Show winner was selected by vote and received $1,000 cash plus prizes from the show sponsors.

Of the 18 daily winners, 14 were on hand for the Best of Show judging when attendees of the Industry Meet & Mingle cast their ballots.

After nearly 100 votes were tabulated, it was the purity and simplicity of Keith Youngblood’s 1969 Triumph TR6R hardtail bobber that earned the grand prize.

“It’s a highlight of my life,” Youngblood exclaimed. “I never expected to win!”

Youngblood’s vintage Triumph just edged out the bike with the best backstory, which belongs to Marine Corps veteran Hugh Smith Jr. He uses his 2006 Yamaha Road Star V-Twin to help build homes for veterans with children. Smith dubbed his bike “Milwaukee Packout,” as he uses it as a worksite mule, and it’s fitted with Milwaukee toolboxes and even a battery-powered miter saw on the back!

We only had one Best of Show award to give out, but Smith’s story pulled many heartstrings at the event, including those of Americade’s chief, Christian Dutcher, who graciously dug into his pocket to gift Smith with $200 for a special award.

We thank our show entries, our sponsors, and all Americade staff and volunteers for making our inaugural show such a success. We’ll be back next year, so Bring It!

Related: Americade 2021 Rally Report

Bring It Motorcycle Show Day 1 Winners:

Bring It Motorcycle Show Day 2 Winners:

Bring It Motorcycle Show Day 3 Winners:

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Americade is a weeklong motorcycle festival that brings together more than 75,000 riders each year to the scenic Lake George area in New York. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the event, which will run from May 30 through June 4, and there will be a new event this year that you won’t want to miss: the Bring It Motorcycle Show, which is being co-hosted by Rider and its sibling publication, American Rider.

Americade’s goal is to highlight the best of motorcycling and ensure that the public’s perception of motorcycling is a positive one. It features the most factory demos of any event in the U.S., stunt shows, comedy shows, and plenty of riding opportunities in the beautiful region.

Related: Americade 2023 to Offer the Most Factory Demo Rides in U.S.

Attendees this year are invited to compete for prizes during the new Bring It Motorcycle Show, which will run June 1-3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Categories include American Bagger, American Cruiser, Japanese, European, and Old School (for pre-1990 bikes), and there will be an Editors’ Choice selection each day. All daily winners will be invited to the Industry Meet & Mingle on Saturday evening when the Best of Show winner will receive more than $1,000 worth of cash and prizes.

The Bring It Motorcycle Show will have a prime location between stunt shows and food trucks, making it the perfect spot to admire interesting bikes and take a lunch break in between other activities. We’re excited to host this event, and we look forward to meeting some of our readers. Stop by to say hello!

For more information, visit the Americade website.

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We never have a bad time at the Barber Motorsports Park, and that especially holds true for the Barber Small Bore event. The event is full of riders zipping around on small bikes, competing in races and competitions, and having plenty of fun. This year, the Barber Small Bore, presented by MNNTHBX, will run June 9-11 for its fourth iteration.

Related: 2021 Barber Vintage Festival | Rallies and Clubs

Racing includes drag races on a dual-lane 168-foot strip, the two-hour Minibike Endurance GP held in partnership with Sportbike Track Time, and pitbike races. Each race event has dedicated track time before the race to give you the chance to sharpen your skills.

A returning fan favorite race is the Creek Bottom Classic, in which streetbikes with displacements of 200cc or less compete on an off-road trail. All riders and bikes that fit the requirements are welcome. There will also be a minibike hill climb and an amateur stunt competition with a $1,000 cash prize. A stunt lot will be available throughout the weekend to practice your stunts before the competition.

Related: 2022 Honda Grom | First Ride Review

A party in the South wouldn’t be complete without good BBQ. On Saturday night, there will be a whole-hog pig roast, beer, and a custom minibike show. At the end of each day, there will be parade laps on the famous 2.38-mile Barber Motorsports Racetrack.

Eight miles of trails for off-road riding will be available, top vendors will be selling their wares, and some riders will be enjoying recommended off-site rides.

A weekend pass is $50, and one-day tickets are $30. For those wanting a quiet retreat from all the activity, $120 gets you a weekend pass along with access to the Paddock Club with a private balcony, an air-conditioned lounge, and catered meals. Tent camping is $40 for the weekend, and RV camping is $100. Some events have an entrance fee, but most are included with admission.

For more information, visit Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum’s website.

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The Americade rally is celebrating its 40-year anniversary in a big way. Each year, the influential gathering of riders upon the shores of Lake George, New York, hosts every kind of rider on every kind of motorcycle, and in 2023 the popular factory demo rides have been super-charged!

Related: Americade Celebrates 40 Years

Riders attending Americade will have the opportunity to demo 11 different motorcycle brands. It’s an unheard-of number and is nearly twice as many factory demos as any other motorcycle event in the USA. With so many demo choices for attendees, the diversity of motorcycle genres that have become the face of Americade over the past four decades is clearly highlighted.

Related: Americade 2021 Rally Report

“We’re really excited for the riders!” said Christian Dutcher, Americade’s Director. “It’s a great opportunity to dream and ride and even if we wanted to add another factory truck this year, we couldn’t. All the space has been taken. We’re full!”

Americade factory demo rides will run Wednesday, June 1 through Sunday, June 4, and the following brands will be available:

Click here to register for Americade factory demo ride info.

Americade is one of the highest regarded rallies in the U.S. and features more rides than any event in the country, one of the largest expos in the U.S., a free 2-day block party concert, and the most factory demos in the nation. In 2023, Americade celebrates its 40th Anniversary
(1983-2023). Americade week details are available at Americade.com or by calling (518) 798-7888.

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If you appreciate rare and classic motorcycles, you’ll love attending The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2023, which will be held on Saturday, May 6, on a beautiful golf course near the Pacific coast in Carmel Valley, California. This year’s event includes three featured categories – Italian and Single, 1970s Vintage Muscle, and Bring on the Baggers – as well as 11 traditional categories – American, British, Italian, Other European, Japanese, Competition On Road, Competition Off Road, Antique, Custom/Modified, Choppers, and Extraordinary Bicycles and Scooters.

It’s always a stunning array of wonderful motorcycles, so it’s an event not to be missed. Do yourself a favor and ride in on your bike to avoid parking hassles. A free helmet check station is provided. Admission costs $60 in advance, and you can use a promo Code (5OFF2023) for a $5 discount, saving you $15 over the at-the-door price. See you there!

For more information, read the press release below.

Join us May 6, 2023, for the 13th annual The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, presented by Medallia, as we once again celebrate the evolution of two-wheeled beauties. Hosted on the lush green grasses of Quail Lodge & Golf Club in renowned Carmel, California, combine a day of fun, food, and fine motorcycles!

View more than 350 of the world’s preeminent vintage and modern motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles while exploring the newest and most popular products from leading manufacturers and retail exhibitors. Indulge in delicious dining options provided by local food trucks, ice cream from Marianne’s, and other culinary delights in addition to a selection of wines, brews, and other beverages.

Bring the whole family, as The Quail Motorcycle Gathering has something for everyone, including a dedicated kids area for interactive play!

Ticket prices are as follows:

• Admission Only Pre-Sale (Ages 18+) – $60 ($70 Day of Event)
• Use Promo Code: 5OFF2023 for $5 off General Admission – $55
• Young Adult Admission Only (Ages 13-17) – $20
• Children 12 and Under – FREE

Purchase your tickets to The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2023 here.

Bike entrant applications are also now available. In addition to the traditional categories, the 2023 featured classes are “Italian and Single,” “1970s Vintage Muscle,” and “Bring on the Baggers.”

Related: The Quail Gathering XI

To enter a motorcycle, private collection, or motorcycle club, please complete The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2023 entrant application. Payment instructions will be provided when your application has been approved.

The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2023 Inaugural Why We Ride for Kids Fundraising Dinner

You can be one of the first to enjoy a brand-new VIP experience at this year’s The Quail Motorcycle Gathering and help end pediatric brain cancer, the deadliest childhood disease. Join the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Why We Ride community for the inaugural Why We Ride for Kids Fundraising Dinner on May 6 at Quail Lodge & Golf Club.

Building on Why We Ride to The Quail’s seven-year history of fundraising and riding, this special evening starts at 5 p.m. following The Quail Motorcycle Gathering and includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and dinner with Quail Gathering 2023 Legend of the Sport Honoree and AMA Hall of Famer “Bubba” Shobert.

Tickets are available to either the Why We Ride dinner only or the Why We Ride dinner + The Quail Motorcycle Gather combo. To purchase tickets visit the Ride For Kids website.

On Friday, May 5, kick-off The Quail Motorcycle Gathering weekend with The Quail Ride. Embark on a 100-mile journey with a mid-day lunch and evening dinner with other motorcycle enthusiasts. The Quail Ride is limited to just 100 motorcycles. Submit your application to The Quail Ride here.

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During the week of May 31-June 4, Americade will celebrate its 40th anniversary. What has long been the world’s largest touring rally started from humble beginnings when founder Bill Dutcher reached a crossroads in his life and asked, “What next?”

A lifelong motorcyclist who began roadracing in the mid-1960s, Bill is a man of irrepressible energy. I’ll never forget meeting him at my first Americade in 2012. I was the featured speaker on a Tuesday night, and the title of my talk was “Lessons Learned from Crashes, Countries, and Cover Stories.” Bill introduced me to the audience, but before I took the stage, he shared a story about the time he wore roadracing leathers under his gown during his Harvard University graduation ceremony. He was scheduled to compete in a race later that day, so after he and his fellow graduates tossed their caps in celebration, Bill sped off to the track. He then regaled the audience about arriving late to the starting grid, riding over his head to catch up, and ultimately crashing out of the race. He was a tough act to follow.

Related: Americade 2021 Rally Report

Bill spent his career in the motorcycle industry, holding marketing positions at Bultaco and Can-Am before becoming the head of public relations at AMF/Harley-Davidson, a position he held until 1981. Ready for a change, Bill and his wife, Gini, decided to start a touring rally near their home in Lake George, New York. Understanding the importance of brand recognition, Bill reached out to Til Thompson, organizer of the Aspencade rally, which had been held since 1971 in Ruidoso, New Mexico, to license the name for an eastern event. That was the easy part.

“In the fall of 1981, I approached Bob Blais, the mayor of Lake George Village,” Bill recalled. “When I pitched him my concept of an ‘Aspencade East,’ he took a deep breath when I said ‘motorcycle rally.’ About a decade earlier, when he was chief of police, he’d dealt with some bloodied bikers who had gotten too rowdy at one of the local bars.” Bill ultimately won the mayor over, and with his backing, the village board approved the proposal.

The first Aspencade East was held in 1983, and the Dutchers expected perhaps 1,000 people – about as many attendees as the rally in New Mexico. “When more than 2,000 people showed up, I was astounded,” Bill said. “We ran out of T-shirts, caps, and everything else.”

Gini added that when the first attendees arrived at the registration room to pick up their tickets, there was a “certain energy about the rally.”

“People were excited by what was about to happen. We knew that they were just as excited about this new Aspencade East as we were.”

Attendance doubled in 1984, doubled again in 1985, and topped 10,000 in 1986. That same year, the Dutchers changed the event’s name to Americade. It had grown well beyond its association with the original Aspencade rally. And the Dutchers didn’t want their event to be too closely associated with one particular motorcycle brand or model since Honda had introduced a luxury-touring version of the Gold Wing called the Aspencade in 1982.

Even though attendance at Americade has exceeded 50,000 many times over the years, it has always been a family affair. “Bill’s original vision of making a family-friendly motorcycling event still powers what we do,” said Christian Dutcher, Bill and Gini’s son, who took over management of Americade several years ago. “We have many riders who attend other rallies, and they tell me that they love Americade because it continues to be ‘sane.’

“Despite having been part of Americade my entire life,” Christian continued, “I am still caught off-guard by the letters we receive. We get letters from people who want to get married here, who bring their children because they met their spouse here years earlier, and even some who spread the ashes of their lifelong riding partner at the rally. It’s very touching and reminds us that what Americade is to many people is larger than the sum of its parts.”

Through his PR position at Harley-Davidson, Bill knew Rider’s founder, Denis Rouse, and many of the magazine’s staff editors and contributors. “Rider has been part of every Aspencade/Americade,” Bill recalled. “I can’t think of any other company who has attended every event except Rider.”

Over the years, Rider has sponsored Americade’s Opening Celebration, mini-tours, dinner cruises, and other activities. Our editors and contributors have given seminars and talks, led tours, and met thousands of readers and fellow riders. We’ve judged bike shows and photo contests, helped select the Americade Queen, and published dozens of rally reports in the magazine and on our website.

And we’ll be there again this May, joining the Dutchers, the rally’s many dedicated volunteers, and tens of thousands of attendees to celebrate Americade’s big 4-0. We’ll have more details about the festivities in the coming weeks. For registration and other info, visit the Americade website.

See you in Lake George!

This was the First Gear column written by Editor-in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt for the March 2023 issue of Rider.

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