The week-long 30th celebration of the Americade motorcycle rally (June 4-9) brought tens of thousands of motorcyclists to the upstate New York village of Lake George. Lake George attracted motorcyclists who wanted to attend the multi-brand motorcycle rally known for its wide array of activities for motorcyclists, both on and off the bikes, as well as those wanting to explore the region’s many winding roads.
Lake George Mayor Bob Blais commented, “Each year our community eagerly awaits the arrival of thousands of motorcyclists eager to experience our hospitality and beautiful surroundings.”
Local hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants welcomed motorcyclists to their community. Michael Spillman of the Lake George’s Holiday Inn Resort said, ” Americade is always our favorite week of the year. The people who come are always great; we’re so pleased to welcome them each year.”
Americade 30 appears to have attracted more major motorcycle manufacturers than any other U.S. event in 2012.
“Americade attendees typically own more bikes and are invested in motorcycling more than the average rider, and we’re fortunate to have very strong support from the motorcycle industry,” said Americade’s GM, Christian Dutcher.
Represented this year were Honda, Harley-Davidson, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Victory, Star, Ducati, Motus, Kymco, Spyder, Motor Trike, Thoroughbred, Roadsmith Trikes, Indian, Hannigan and Lehman Trikes.
Bill Savino, American Honda’s Motorcycle Press Manager, remarked on the busy week, “We always have a tremendous turnout for demo rides at Americade—it’s one of the best rallies to attend, and most importantly, the attendance seems to be as strong as ever. A diverse group of riders got to try out a full complement of our Honda bikes—everything from the CBR250R to the newest Gold Wing. We have been with Americade since the beginning and have seen the rally grow and change from a touring rally to a rally that embraces all styles of riding.”
One indoor and one outdoor tradeshow, known collectively as Tour Expo, attracted 250 vendors who in turn attracted many thousands of enthusiastic shoppers. All signs indicate that the economy continues to improve with most vendors reporting high sales volume compared to other rallies.
Kelly Appleton of GearUp Helmets credited Americade’s multi-brand appeal, “from a vendor perspective, we can tell you that Americade is one of the top motorcycle rallies in the U.S. and THE TOP of all touring rallies in U.S. Unlike most rallies that are cruiser oriented, Americade is a rally attended by cruiser, tour bike, trike, sport bike, and adventure bike riders. Americade is a true rally experience for all who attend. When our customers ask what’s the best rally we go to, we always say Americade and tell them that if we weren’t vendors, it would be the rally we would attend as riders every year.”
Vendor Eli Whitney was equally enthusiastic, “Americade 2012 was once again a huge success for our Tour Master, Cortech and Shoei brands. We experienced double digit sales growth!”
Americade incorporates the region’s beauty and energy into over 70 activities during the event with guided and unguided “MiniTours,” boat cruises, zip-lining through the treetops, and white-water rafting. Many of Americade’s attendees who were exposed to the Adirondacks for the first time through Americade, have returned with their families throughout the year to enjoy the area.
The benefit to the area extends to many local charities, as well. This year’s rally wrapped up with a drawing benefitting the Lake George Rotary Club. The winner was an Americade regular, L J Bolling of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who bought multiple tickets to increase his odds. He was delighted to get a phone call giving him the enviable choice of a Honda Gold Wing, a Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide or $20,000 in cash!
Event Founder Bill Dutcher commented, “With thirty years of history now behind us, the future of Americade looks very strong, and that bodes well for all—rally-goers and the Lake George region. In this part of the world, motorcyclists are appreciated for all they bring—enthusiasm, families, friendship, and yes, their business.”
Americade is always held the first full week in June. For 2013, the dates are June 4-8. For details, go to www.americade.com.
