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2011 Las Vegas BikeFest

Here's a review of Las Vegas BikeFest from Ryan Merrill at Motorcycle-usa.com.  Let us know if you were able to attend and have your own comments to share.  

 

Ryan Merrill

Events Coordinator |Articles |Articles RSSReporting from the front line of the motorcycle world, Ryan can be found at motorcycle events that span to all riding genres promoting the latest and greatest Motorcycle-USA has to offer.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

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The Fremont Street Experience offered bikers music, dining, shopping, gambling and official BikeFest merchandise.

Blocks from downtown Las Vegas sits the Cashman Convention Center, the current home base for the Las Vegas BikeFest motorcycle rally. The large facility offers plenty of room and parking for the 30,000-plus motorcyclists who venture to the city that never sleeps looking to enjoy a weekend of biker fare.

Aside from the well-planned rally itself, Las Vegas offers shows, shopping, music, clubs, dining, bars, casinos, warm weather and all the high-energy action expected of the self-proclaimed, “Entertainment Capital of the World”. One popular destination is the Freemont Experience located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas, centrally located among the hotels and casinos, including the host hotel for BikeFest, The Golden Nugget. In conjunction with BikeFest, Freemont Street offered official BikeFest merchandise, popular tribute bands, celebrity appearances, bikini contests and motorcycle raffles as part of the BikeFest experience. It was a place where bikers and tourists intermingled but you could feel the biker vibe as motorcycles roared up and down the city streets and customs sat parked all around for people to feast their eyes on. Bikes and Vegas seem to go hand-in-hand when it comes to being flashy and sporting some bling.

Ten bikini babes battled on stage for the Las Vegas BikeFest bikini model title and a $500 first place prize.

Some 200 vendors ventured to BikeFest, offering the usual broad array of motorcycle everything, from leathers to T-shirts, jewelry, sunglasses, parts and accessories, insurance and legal services. There was Affliction offering lifestyle clothing, the Law Tigers offering legal help and companies offering new innovative products such as Lockstrap with its great locking tie-down system or Convict Cycles which offers Lockdown Stor-Bordz, a product that allows riders to store a variety of valuable assets safely and securely in a custom motorcycle foot board.

There was a menu of competitions, including Bikini, Wet T-shirt, Miss and Mr. Las Vegas BikeFest, Hog Out competition offsite at the Harley-Davidson Café, custom bike shows, the World’s Strongest Biker, as well as two poker runs. A Ride for Kids charity run was held, and on the other end of the spectrum were the slot and poker tournaments. Of course, live music is a must and BikeFest featured the likes of rock bands Nurse Ratchet, the Crashers, Voodoo Cowboys and others to round out the event. Other headliners played at various venues around town but were still linked to BikeFest including Bush, Duran Duran and ZZ Top.

Artistry in Iron presented 20 of the hottest custom builders with their latest bikes in an "invitation-only" custom builder’s bike show. Chris Richardson of LA Speed Shop was selected by his fellow builders as the 2011 Artistry in Iron Master Builders Champion. All these bikes were works of art but one specifically caught my eye. A bike named “Steam Punk” built by Copper Mike Cole with Gravesend Cycles featured many antique copper parts such as old fire extinguishers, industrial gauges and a really neat old maritime compass inset into the copper gas tank. Sponsored by American Cycle Magazine the show was held at the Cashman Center Friday and Saturday only but included autograph sessions along with a meet and greet to learn more about the builders behind the masterpieces they created. You can see all the Artistry in Iron bikes in our Las Vegas BikeFest Artistry in Iron 2011 photo report.

(L) The Strongest Biker Competition involved motorcycle tires and beer kegs. (M) Custom buider Chris Richardson with LA Speed Shop won the 2011 Artistry in Iron Master Builders Championship. (R) Hatred Customs entered a slammed custom in the bike show

The Cashman Center was also the scene of BikeFest’s Custom Bike Show. The event had a good turnout, with the majority of bikes entered in the Radical Class vying for the $2000 top prize and an invite to be one of the featured builders in the 2012 Artistry in Iron competition. AFT Customs with operator and builder Jim Giuffra took home several trophies for two different bikes entered in the show, one a metric custom named “Asumati.” Built from a Honda VT750 this bike combined custom paint, leather, detailed engraving and hidden radiators along with many other customized parts to form an award-winning package.

Tribute bands such as Ultimate Van Halen rocked the Jagermeister stage at the BikeFest Vendor Village.

Admission to the Vendor Village cost $15 per person for the weekend, which mostly gave you access to shop, view many of the contests and listen to local bands under the large party tent hosted by Jagermeister. Registration packages were also available, ranging from $25 to $55 per person and offered some extras like a t-shirt and special access to some hosted parties both on- and off-site.

Some of the better parties were out of the confines of the Cashman campus. Establishments such as the nearby Hogs and Heifers and Double Down Saloon are true biker bars. For more local flavor, try Fremont Street where the night never seems to end and anything you could want is available foot steps away. Las Vegas has much to offer and for 2011 BikeFest lived up to the reputation of the “Entertainment

An Arkansas 'hog' rides the world's oldest Hawg. Folk art celebrating motorcycles can be found in the most unexpected places while riding through Arkansas' Ozarks.

The outdoor patio of Jose’s is tightly packed and the air is filled with the sweet scent of cigar smoke. Bartenders are busy filling up plastic cups with frozen margaritas and beers from the tap. Earl & Them is laying it down on the small stage, the lead singer crooning a Neville Brothers tune before breaking into an original bluesy riff. Stars fill the clear night time skies overhead as people spin and dance in front of the stage. It’s only the first night of the Bikes, Blues & BBQ rally but Fayetteville is already in full swing and Dickson Street is the epicenter of night life for the thousands of motorcyclists who are already here.

Motorcycle USA pulled into town after a fantastic day of riding. We’re quickly learning that riding through the scenic Ozarks is a major part of the Bikes, Blues & BBQ experience. The leaves are just beginning to take on shades of red, but the yellow and purple wildflowers aren’t quite ready to relinquish their grip on the last days of summer. It doesn’t take much to find a winding stretch of remote asphalt through postcard-perfect scenery around here. We get lost on a road headed to Boxley and run across a herd of elk grazing in a mountain meadow before heading back to town just in time to take in its night life.

Dickson Street is lined on both sides with motorcycles, a scene not unlike what you’d see on the Main Streets of Sturgis or Daytona Beach. Others cruise the two-way street, which funnels down to motorcycle-only traffic. Signs in windows everywhere say “Welcome Bikers” and unlike other rallies there isn’t an overkill of police presence. Dickson is a stone’s throw from the University of Arkansas and the crowd is an eclectic mix of hardcore bikers, weekend warriors, stroller-pushing families and college kids. The college crowd seems curious about the whole biker lifestyle, like the circus rolling into town. Despite us invading their territory, they embrace the temporary intrusion into the bars and restaurants they call home.

(L) There's no shortage of pubs and bars on Dickson Street. (M) Girls just want to have fun! These coeds from the U of Arkansas were having fun at the Victory Motorcycles tent. (R) Earl & Them sings the blues at Jose's while entertaining the Bikes, Blues & BBQ crowd.

Dickson Street is a corridor of brick-faced bars and restaurants, neon signs glowing in windows and sandwich boards on sidewalks. Unlike other rallies, the businesses are established and permanent. Vendors line the upper portion of the district, which sits on a hill, and walking up and down the sloped street is an exercise. The night air is cool and comfortable. Dickson is a combination of upscale eateries and trendy bars mixed with the occasional dive bar and cheap eats, from Mickey Finn’s Irish Bar to the Dickson Street Pub. The vibe on the streets is friendly and low-key. I saw more strollers and families lined up on Dickson watching motorcycles cruising by than any other rally I can recall recently and you don’t find the busty babes working the beer bars downtown. After all it is a charitable event, billed as family friendly. It’s a refreshing change from the usual tawdriness. At the bottom of the hill, the smell of fried foods intermingles with meats being grilled in the main food vendor area. It’s also home to the cordoned-off beer garden and main stage which is reserved for adults and carries more of a traditional rally vibe.

Mountain men live in these parts. This one just happens to really dig the blues.

We catch a set of Fayetteville locals Red Ambition which has the crowd up and dancing. Men twirl their women while others just kind of gyrate in one place. They like to dance here, young and old alike shedding inhibitions and getting funky with it. Who cares about carrying a beat anyways? The Jager Girls are busy taking photos with fans at the Jagermeister Boss Hoss Trike. Nearby a big man sits hand-rolling cigars at his booth. It’s a giant outdoor party under the star-lit night, a good way to unwind after spending hours in the saddle that day.

As with most rallies, just hanging out on the main drag watching bikes roll by is a popular activity. LEDs on motorcycles is popular with motorcyclists around here and we saw everything from Honda Goldwing trikes with illuminated wheels to a glowing posse of stretched and slammed Hayabusas. Blinking LEDs on funky sunglasses are a common sight on people walking by, but I still haven’t figured out what’s up with the flasing binky thing I saw in the mouths of several girls riding on the backs of bikes.

We finish off the night with a frozen margarita and the smooth sounds of Earl & Them. We head back to our room already thinking about the People’s Choice BBQ Competition on Friday and are eager to check out the lawn mower pulls at Washington County Fairgrounds. Day One of fun at the Bikes, Blues & BBQ festival is in the books and we’re amped and ready for more.

2012 Yamaha R1 Gets Traction Control

Bart Madson

Managing Editor|Articles|Articles RSS|Blog|Blog Posts|Blog RSS

Bashing away at an MCUSA keyboard for more than half a decade, Madson lends his scribbling input on everything from bike reviews to industry features and motorcycle racing reports.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The 2012 YZF-R1 features a new seven-level traction control system. The Yamaha literbike will also be offered in a World GP 50th Anniversary Edition seen above.

Yamaha’s 2012 YZF-R1 will face its Superbike foes with the aid of traction control. The Tuning Fork brand has revealed its 2012 sportbike lineup, with the flagship literbike not a ground-up redesign, but instead a carryover of the 2011 bike with its feature electronic assist. An indiscernible styling refresh to the R1 is bolstered by a special-edition 50th GP Anniversary colorway.

Yamaha hails the R1 traction control system as a direct byproduct of its title-winning MotoGP racing program. The system offers seven levels of TC. A total of 21 settings will be available when combined with the returning three-level D-Mode “Drive Mode” system.

Technical details on how the R1 TC system works are still forthcoming. Yamaha press materials only state: “The system has been developed so the rider does not feel any unnatural or harsh intervention from the system. In addition, traction control can aid in reducing tire wear due to less wheel spin.”

The 998cc Inline Four powering the R1 retains the crossplane crankshaft that first debuted on the 2009 model. The YCC-I (Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake) and YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) systems also return. While a new ECU setting does promise “excellent drivability during low and mid rpm acceleration,” the Yamaha will not get any extra oomph to challenge power production offered by the class-leading BMW S1000RR or HP beast of the Big Four, the Kawasaki Ninja. (The 2011 R1 turned the MotoUSA dyno to 152 horsepower and 75.65 lb-ft, ranking sixth in both categories during our 2011 Superbike Track Comparison)

Significant R1 updates are all internal, as the “re-styled” headlight cowl appears different from the predecessor only in a bold new graphics sort of way. Same goes for the heat guards and exhaust end caps. Other minor refreshes include new top triple clamps, styled after the M1 GP racebike. The adjustable footpegs have been tweaked as well, to enhance boot contact and improve rider interface.

The R1 chassis is unaltered. Spec sheets of the 2012 and 2011 models are identical, from steering geometry to length, width and height dimensions (excepting a nominal 0.1-inch lift in seat height). Fully adjustable Soqi suspension components return, along with the dual six-piston Sumitomo caliper braking configuration up front.

Most notable for the 2012 Yamaha Superbike is what hasn’t been changed (similar to the still-carbureted 2012 YZ250F motocrosser). No ABS system was introduced, and there has been zero weight reduction. Claimed wet weight remains 454 pounds, with the ’11 R1 notable as the heaviest bike in our annual Superbike Shootout – its 473-pound measured curb weight a full 34 pounds more than the class-leading Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Traction control jacks up MSRP by a modest $400, the base models (black and traditional Yamaha blue/white colorways) retailing for $13,990. A white/red paint scheme raises the price another 200 shekels, while the World GP 50th Anniversary Edition livery rings in at $14,490. The special anniversary edition will be limited to a 2000-unit production run worldwide.

Yamaha expects its 2012 R1 to arrive at dealers in October.

The standard R1 blue/white and raven colorways will cost $13,990, with a white/red livery $14,190 and the Anniversary Ed. $14,490.

2012 Yamaha R6 Unchanged

The 2012 Yamaha R6 is unchanged for the new model year, though it will also be available in 50th Anniversary livery.

Yamaha’s Supersport entry goes another year without a major overhaul. It’s been since the 2008 model since a significant redesign, when the 600 benefited from the YCC-T and YCC-I technology of its larger-bore kin. The only notable change for 2012 is a $200 price increase, $10,890 for black and Yamaha blue/white, and $11,090 for white/red colorway. The R6 will also be offered up in a World GP 50th Anniversary Edition for $11,390 – the special edition limited to 1500 worldwide.

The base model R6 will show up on dealer floors in October, with the special anniversary edition expected in January.

Thor Motocross Phase Gear Review

Justin Dawes

Associate Editor|Articles|Articles RSS|Blog|Blog Posts|Blog RSS

Raised on two wheels in the deserts of Nevada, the newest addition to the MotoUSA crew has been part of the industry for well over 15 years.Equal parts writer, photographer, and rider, "JDawg" is a jack of all trades and even a master of some.

I love fresh gear, and I especially like fresh, top-shelf gear. However, our duties often require us to test gear that isn’t the most expensive or the top of the line. A couple of weeks ago a big box showed up from Thor Motocross. Inside was a smorgasbord of 2012 MX gear for the Southern California crew to test. The sizing for the more spendy Flux and Core jerseys and pants were all tailored to Waheed’s skinny frame, leaving me with the budget-friendly Phase line-up. As disappointed I was not to be the rockstar this time, I would objectively and fairly review the set up even though I felt like chopped liver.

Thor Motocross Phase Slab Jersey - $29.95

Thor is absolutely killing it with the insane amounts of colorways and designs available throughout its range of moto gear. Even those light in the pocketbook get can get the flashy graphics that used to be reserved for only the most expensive duds. The Phase Jersey features sublimated graphics in a 100% polyester, moisture wicking fabric. The neck and cuffs also get the high-end treatment with shaped openings designed to fight restriction of movement.

The fit of the Phase Jersey is not too tight and not too loose. As Goldilocks would say - it’s just right. Lightly padded elbows are a nice touch, and I am a huge fan of the shaped cuffs. This jersey is comfortable! Airflow through the polyester micro-mesh is decent and I had no issues with heat even on 90-degree days. For $29.95 there is no better deal out there.

Thor Motocross Phase Slab Pant - $89.95

Constructed of 600D poly oxford and 500D Kordura the Phase pant was designed to last while still looking cool. On the waist is a ratcheting closure and a small bit of elastic on the side. Leather inner knee panels are standard issue for battling the heat from exhaust headers and wear from knee-braces. The Phase Slab Pant has matching graphics that flow seamlessly into the matching jersey. As a whole this gear’s looks are far beyond what is expected of a budget set-up.

My first impression when pulling on these pants was they were way too tight in the the knee and leg. Sure I’m not exactly the most svelte tester out there, but if the waist fits well the rest should too. it took a little extra effort to pull the Spandura stretch panels over my Asterisk braces, but once in place the fit was surprisingly comfortable. The cut of the Phase Pant is tighter than other pants, but after the day riding in them I like it better. There is no bunching of the knee area to cause blisters or destroy graphics. I also think the waist on the Phase is superior to the more expensive offerings from Thor because it doesn’t pull down in the back when moving around in the saddle.

Thor's Phase Slab gear has found a permenant place in my gear bag right next to all the expensive jerseys and pants.

Overall Thor’s Phase Slab jersey and pant combo far exceeded my expectations of a how a less expensive set of gear could fit and perform. Riders looking for an economical way to protect their hide while looking good doing it should check out the Phase line up. I have to say that even though I am a gear snob, I really like this set of gear and plan on using it regularly.

The Thor Motocross Phase Slab Pant and Phase Slab Jersey can be found at Motorcycle Superstore.
Sizes: Jersey - SM thru 3x, Pant - 28 thru 40