2010 Laconia Motorcycle Week Preview

It’s time once again to kick off the oldest motorcycle rally in the country. Riders along the Eastern seaboard and beyond will be road-tripping to New Hampshire to make Weirs Beach, Laconia, and the White Mountains their stomping grounds for the next nine days as the 87th Anniversary of Laconia Motorcycle Week cranks up this weekend.

Laconia Harley-Davidson will be the place to be to get the party started as a full slate of activities is planned for Saturday, June 12. Local bands will be providing the jams during the day, with the guys from the Ball of Steel performing their insane stunt riding, too. H.O.G-escorted rides through the beautiful New Hampshire countryside will be taking place daily. And on the schedule for Saturday night is a twin bill of classic rock with The Marshall Tucker Band and Foghat both prepared to light up the joint.

The Laconia Roadhouse at the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound will be rocking & rolling as well with a steady stream of live acts. Whatever style of music you like, they’ll have something for everyone, from Rock to Country & Western, Blues to R&B. The entertainment schedule includes The James Montgomery Band, The Tom Dixon Band, Baked Naked, Soul City, Entrain, Southern Breeze, The Zoo and a whole lot more. The Roadhouse is also going to have a mechanical bull, a trapeze (not sure if they have a show planned or are going to let drunks swing from the rafters – that’d be a hoot to watch), Best Body Contests and promises to have the best-looking ‘tub girls’ around.

I’m sure that claim will be challenged by the gals that tend bar over at the Broken Spoke Saloon. Jay Allen’s crew never disappoints. There will be Loud Pipes Contests daily at the Spoke, and an Interactive Bike Build-Off with Wink Eller and Dave Perewitz will be taking place throughout the week. Saturday they’re planning an Eller/Perewitz Bike Build-Off Ride and final judging of the contest. If that’s not enough reason to get your butt over to the Spoke, then maybe the promise of live music every night is, kicking off with Voodoo Moon, billed as the nation’s #1 Godsmack tribute band to start the week and headlined by Warrant on Friday, June 18.

There will be another Biker Build-Off sponsored by the Lobster Pound at the Laconia Roadhouse. Six shops will be competing for a big cash prize. You’ll be able to check out their progress throughout the week as the crews piece together a ground-up custom. The winner will be chosen by People’s Choice on Saturday, June 19th.

And if you like to check out cool custom bikes, you’re in luck. There’s a slew of bike shows planned throughout the week. It starts with the Third Annual Vin & Deb Bike Show at the Galley Restaurant on Sunday and continues with a Ride-In Bike Show at the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound on Wednesday, June 16. Another show will be held at the Historic Train Station in downtown Laconia on Thursday and Friday is the City of Laconia Bike Show at Opechee Park, with unique trophies awarded in numerous categories, from Custom, Metric, Stock, Unique, Rat to ‘Best of Show.’

Are you a racing fan? There will be plenty of it. Road racing action in the form of the 87th Loudon Classic takes place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 13th. Following that is Vintage Road Racing as the US Vintage Grand Prix invades the track at NH Motor Speedway with the promise of some serious flat-out, wheel-to-wheel racing for class championships. The Hillclimb/Drag Races at Gunstock Mountain Resort on Wednesday is always a popular draw, and the flat track races at Jolly Roger’s Moto Sports Park in East Lempster, NH, will offer plenty of thrills and spills as well. They even have the first-ever Supercross race for Laconia Motorcycle Week 2010 scheduled for Friday at The Lodge at Belmont Dog Track.

It wouldn’t be a trip to Laconia without a spectacular ride or two. With several beautiful lakes, the White Mountains and the Kancamagus Highway’s Scenic Byway all within easy riding distance, there’s plenty to choose from. Highly recommended is the “Ride to the Sky” up Mt. Washington which offers panoramic views as riders climb through four climate zones on their way up to the summit of 6288-foot Mt. Washington. From the top you’re able to see five states. On Monday and Thursday the road will only be open to motorcyclists, and on Tuesday a ‘Women’s Ride’ is planned up the peak.

There are also several charity rides taking place, like the Fourth Annual Peter Makris Memorial Ride on Sat. June 12th. A few poker runs are planned, too, such as the Poker Run around the Big Lake on Thursday with sign-ups at Bullwinkle’s Restaurant.

Lakeside Avenue will be bustling with activities between bike shows, swap meets, bike blessings and vendors galore. The list of motorcycle manufacturers who will have demo rides available includes Can-Am with its intriguing three-wheeler, the Spyder, Yamaha and its cruiser division Star Motorcycles and Royal Enfield will all be set up at the Funspot.

One place I plan on being is at the ‘lobster boil’ with Bud Light that will be held at the Wolfetrap in Wolfeboro. Fresh from the coast and into the pot, I’ll be sure to bring my bib and a slab of butter. And mid-week will be a fireworks display over Weirs Beach starting at 10 p.m., graciously sponsored by the good people of Progressive Motorcycle Insurance.

Motorcycle USA flies out on Monday for the East Coast and will start hitting the party Tuesday of next week, so keep an eye out for daily updates and plenty of photos from the scene of the oldest rally around, the 87th Annual Laconia Motorcycle Week.