Biketoberfest 2022 on Main Street. Photography by: Thomas Schmuki

My a few years back on one of my favorite Harleys… a 2003 100 Year Anniversary Heritage Softail.

About the event

Biketoberfest is an annual event held in Dayton for motorcycle enthusiasts. This year was the 82nd Annual event held in Daytona. Motorcyclists come from all over the world. Some drive their bikes from California, Canada, etc. Others have their bike either shipped or towed there on motorcycle on a trailer. How many bikers attended Biketoberfest 2022? The estimated count is over 125,000 leather clad, tattooed throttle twisters.

Biketoberfest is held in October for all the German Beer drinking HOGS and is smaller than Daytona Bike Week which is held in March. Biketoberfest is smaller in scale and attendance than Bike week in almost every category. That is probably why I prefer Biketoberfest over Bike Week.

Biker festivals are filled with vendors selling leathers of every kind, bars and bands, but mostly it seems the main event is just people watching. Take a cruise on main street. This seems to be the main attraction. Just before going home we cruised main street twice with GoPro in hand or on helmet. Main Street during bikers festivals are filled with vendors, bars and biker centric clothing stores like: Harley Davidson clothing, “Biker Chick”, etc.

My history with the event

I have lived in Florida now for well over 35 years and have been riding BIG Bikes in Florida nearly all that time. I have mostly ridden Honda Gold Wings and Harley Davidson motorcycles. I would guess I have attended approximately 10 or so Biketoberfest rallies in the past 35 years. I attended a few of them with my son Eric and many of them I attended alone and met up with my very good friend Craig Bachelor. I normally stay one or two nights and then ride back to South Florida.

The ride

The ride is long but not too long. I-95 is filled with biker enthusiasts all packed up headed north for the festivities, the beer, and the crazy people. Our ride north to Daytona was delayed half way through by a strong rain storm. This may have been Alices first ride in the hard rain. “Welcome to biking Miss Alice…”. She took it with a smile. We found a bridge with dozens of other bikers to hang out while the storm passed.

I normally ride my bikes on the highway on cruise control. This allows me to loosely grip the handle bars and enjoy the ride. Frankly I am nearly as comfortable riding on the Harley as riding in a car. Lets face it even in a car after 100-200 miles you are ready to get out and stretch your legs.

I purchased a comfy seat and larger/taller windshield so Alice could be more comfortable riding as a passenger. She has a great big wind breaker in front of her….. BIG old TOM. This may be why most motorcycle riders are FAT, to break the wind for their riding partner.

My Harley - Road Glide slices through the wind with ease. The BAD: terrible sound system which cannot be heard at all past 45 MPH. Maybe I will upgrade this! I get about 180-210 miles on each fill up. Just enough to have to get gas one time along the 250 mile one way trip from Delray Beach to Daytona.

For a fun less than 2 minute video on our ride to Daytona, click the following link:

Video on our Ride from Delray Beach to Daytona

The riders by category

Alice was quick to notice the different categories of bikers on our short trip to Daytona. Of course I was aware of these categories, but she brought them to my attention again.

Let's face it a motorcycle is a BIG Toy. Motorcycle salesman know this when you walk in the door. Some riders use their BIKE as their only mode of transportation, but most don’t. Now lets not be offended by my categories:

The crotch racketeers

These are the motorcyclists that have and ride motorcycles built for racing. I had a Honda CBR 954 RR. What does the RR mean? “Race Ready”. My RR was specked out at 180 MPH. I think it went 0-60 in first gear in literally a breath or 2. These bikes are FAST, ATHLETIC, and a major rush to ride. They are NOT comfortable. My knees hurt mostly on this platform. My RR may have been one of my favorite bikes to ride of all time. After 1.5 hours of riding my body said, “GIVE ME A REST.” How fast did I go on my 954? NOT TELLING! Let’s put it this way, at about 100 MPGH the bike is just PURRING along in its comfort zone.

Who rides the crotch rockets, rice burners racing bikes anyway? Mostly younger, athletic, young men and some young women. The bodies are toned and often times they look like they just left a body builder contest. Lots of biker babes wearing swim suits.

The more ERGONOMIC the bike the more comfortable the riding position is and the older the riders are…

A beautiful white Ducati parked in front of our hotel. Santa oh Santa?

The I have arrived riders who love to show off their new toy

It seems to me although I have not done an official survey the predominant of current motorcycle riders, mostly HARLEY DAVIDSON riders are 40+ years old, have already formed a BEER gut, wear expensive jewelry and their bike is truly just a TOY. Some of these riders are seriously great riders but many of them scare me the most. Honey, lets go buy a Harley…. It will be our first bike ever, isn’t that cool? A standard Harley Ultra Classic motorcycle is 877 pounds, dry with no luggage or gasoline. Add gas, luggage, 2 200+ pound adults and this successful business person is balancing 1,300+ pounds of weight. This of course is a recipe for disaster.

Perhaps I fit somewhere in this category.

Did I mention the expensive cigars in this category?

The … I spend every penny on my bike so it it is the coolest bike in town category

I am trying not to be judgmental here, and in many cases I may be wrong. I have read “The Millionaire next door” book and understand you should not judge a book by its cover. To spend 50-$100,000 on a tricked up custom bike to show off on your ride down main street in Daytona. On the ride home these bikers may be wonder where their next mortgage payment will come from or worse yet where to park their bike in front of their custom trailer.

The … I have a long grey beard, never to have been washed category

This is my favorite category to photograph. You can see the miles on their face. They don’t care about having the coolest or fastest bike in town, they are just grateful to have 2 wheels on the ground and cannot wait to park their bike at their favorite bikers bar, down a few beers and smoke a cheap cigar. These bikers have stories. Some are IRON BUTT riders with verified hundreds of thousands of miles on their derrière.

The ultimate customized old school motorcycle.

Main Street

Main Street during Biketoberfest transitions to a motorcycle only road. Every biker has the opportunity to wait in line, in the HOT sun and ride 5 MPG down Main Street so other bikers can gawk at us and take our photos. Here are some samples of my Main Street photography:

Main Street during Biketoberfest 2022

The Bikes

One of the main reasons to attend bike week aside from the incredible people watching opportunities is to see the unlimited variations of motorcycles, none of which seems to be the same. Bikes as old as World War II and as new as right off Harley Davidson’s headquarters in Milwaukee, WI. To customize a motorcycle is to make it your own. Standard additions or changes include PIPES because you better have the loudest coolest sound around. Chrome everywhere, custom seats, custom colors. How about a HORN that will honk as loud as a train? Let’s add some power by changing engine parts, custom carburetors and breathers and pipes. And don’t forget you MUST have the LOUDEST and coolest sound system so your neighbors can hear your ROCK and ROLL. Alice reminded me to add: how about the custom Alligator seats?

Photographic art of Main Street - Daytona by Thomas Schmuki

I think Alice was much more intrigued by the bikes than the people. Perhaps I have been a bit numbed by it over the years.

The biker bar ladies

Included here are a few samples of the bar tenders and servers at various bars and Venus at Biketoberfest 2022. The theme seems to be: swim suits, tattoos, lots of skin, and a “tip for a photo.” I wonder where these girls are recruited from?

A night out with my good friends Craig and Penelope

I have a few true friends and Craig B, you are one of those and have been so for well over 20 years now. Craig was a reseller for storage technology when I met him. We soon became friends and have met many times at Biketoberfest. Alice and I also visited them at one of their homes in Saint Pete Beach just this year.

Craig is a true character. A collegiate and Olympic level boxer. I am glad to have him in my corner in case anyone wants to duke it out with me.

We had a great evening at Hyde Park in Daytona. Perhaps the best steak I have ever had in my life. Here is a photo of Craig’s “gitty up”. They told us we had to eat outside because of his sleeveless attire. He had fun talking to the manager telling her that it is OK for the women to be sleeveless but not a man? Sort of a double standard don’t you think? Well, that is Craig.

Craig survived a terrible motorcycle accident years ago and chose not to inform me about it until years after it happened. The police declared him “dead” on the scene, but somehow he survived. A crazy driver hit Craig from behind while he was sitting still at a stop light. Glad you are still here with us Craig!

What is my favorite Bike Rally

I have been to Biketoberfest maybe 10 times or so, Bike week about 3 times, Leesburg bike week. I have not yet attended Sturgis which is most definitely on my bucket list. Alice, are you listening?

My favorite festival so far was Leesburg. My favorite time…. With Alice at Biketoberfest 2022. Who would have thought you would even think about riding motorcycles and hanging out with a photographer 3 years ago. I am so grateful.