in this episode we tell the true story of the Daytona Beach Bike Week rally started
on January 24th 1937 to where roughly 500 000 people come down to the 10-day Extravaganza
that is Daytona Bike Week every year the annual event features the world renowned Daytona 200
bike race bike shows Supercross racing free music vendors and some of the best looking ladies on
the planet and we get into it on this episode but demons Row TV and oh yea we ghostin baby
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big shout to the ghosts and the ghostettes welcome to Demons Row TV the Holy Grail of
MC culture where we cover everything motorcycle and Motorcycle Club involved I'm sose the ghost
I'm your host for the evening and today we're going to break down the true story of Daytona
Bike Week let me know in the comments what's your favorite rally of them all
is for me it's a toss-up between Daytona and Myrtle I know a lot of people would
say Sturgis so give me a pound whatever the name of your favorite rally is in
the comments like a pound Sturgis or pound Daytona and get your Ghostin hats now at
www.demansrow.com let's get into it Daytona Beach Bike Week may not be your grandfather's or even
your great grandfather's bike rally a gathering of motorcycle race fans a drunken party a biker
bro or a family vacation destination bike week has been a lot of things over the year is it's
all Mardi Gras or Fantasy Fest or Carnival it's a portable 10-day Street party of motorcycles of all
kinds eye popping costumes bikini clad women sidewalk vendors parades Clydesdales beards
tattoos and alcohol bikers and logos alike go to non-stop concerts and bike shows go on Long rides
or just stay on the Main Street for days watching it all go by it All Began in 1937 when almost 100
Daredevils on motorcycles raced each other on the road and packed sand of Daytona Beach in the first
Daytona 200 launched by a group that included not yet NASCAR President Bill France about 15
000 fans will watch Ed Iron Man Kretz ride his number 38 Indian Motorcycle to the win before
heading to Main Street to celebrate in the next four years Krause and then she's doubled
and things at the handle Derby got a bit Wilder in 1939 A News Journal article reported the party got
so rough that the City firemen had to be called to dampen the crowd Spirits with a little cold
water and the National Guard had to be summoned city leaders attempted in 1941 to limit if not
eliminate the rowdism by organizing activities for fans including field events a hundred mile
race for novices and a parade of motorcycle clubs and the presentation of trophies to the
best stressed women motorcyclists in 1942 the race was put on hold for five years while the
country fought and recovered for World War II but some locals and visitors continue to show up for
the party every year anyway race or no race for unofficial event that became known as Bike Week
France kicked things off again in 1947 and Daytona Beach was jammed to the rafters according to a
February 21st star that reported every available hotel room and apartment was rented most places
only charging moderate rents an average of four dollars or five dollars for a double room without
a private bath but things reportedly got so out of control that a Chamber of Commerce Committee was
formed to come up with a plan in 1948 endorsed by the AMA American Motorcycle Association for
preventing unbridled rowdism the plan included checking Mufflers at all approaches to the city
and handing out lists of rules for Behavior to all visitors to help limit the influx of what
the AMA referred to as one percenters as compared to the 99 percent of the motorcycling public who
are law abiding did it work not right away but tear gas grenade was used to quiet the crowd in
1949 when some motorcyclists insisted on racing on Main Street which have been blocked off for a
street dance we have plenty more grenades if we need them the sheriff was quoted as saying bike
weeks in the 50 were much more quiet the 1950 event was described as quiet orderly and the
most successful racing weekend in Daytona Beach history and by 1951 the wild west atmosphere was
deemed the thing of the past this was likely helped Along by the officers from 70 out of
town police forces brought in by city leaders to help control the crowd and lay down the law
that year a wholesome fund was still encouraged an entertainment program for the diversion of
motorcycle enthusiasts was slated that included a contest for the best uniform police squad it
also didn't hurt that Marlon Brando and James Dean were on the big screen a few years later
making bikes white t-shirts and leather jackets look cool by 1961 France moved the motorcycle
races to his newly built Daytona International Speedway but the parties stay largely on the beach
gradually the wild west return it also started spreading over in Samsula in 1967 Olga and Ali
Weber daughter of the town's co-founder took over the neighborhood gas station and General Store he
built in the mid-20s and gradually turned it into a bar twice a year for bike week and bike toga
Fest a biker Haven where visitors could hang out better on illegal drag racing and camp in the old
cabbage field next door years later in the late 80s it became even more of a must-see destination
when Ron Lesnar webner's nephew and Bar's new owner noticed that wrestling events involving
bikinis and gooey ingredients were becoming popular rather than having women grapple in
mud or whipped cream luzners stayed on brand and coleslaw wrestling quickly became notorious
world famous attraction at sapotnik's Cabbage Patch meanwhile a smaller bike week was forming
Tommy Asbury a black biker from Atlanta was ticketed in 1971 for parking his Harley-Davidson
on Main Street and found a more hospitable welcome along with many other son black motorcyclists and
Daytona's Second Avenue area since renamed Dr Mary McCloy Bethune Boulevard to enjoy Black Bike Week
a major event in the local black community to this day over in New Smyrna Beach in 1981
Gilly aguar owner of Gilly's Pub 44 took a stand against the trade deficit of the day by inviting
everyone to bash a Japanese bike for charity and that immediately became a popular annual event
depending on what you thought bike week should be the 1970s and 80s where either the events
golden age or decidedly unfriendly uncontrollable Invasion a popular motorcycle magazine suggested
there shouldn't even be a 1981 event newspapers reported disorderly conduct and women exposing
their breasts trouble with rival motorcycle clubs began getting the attention of the law enforcement
Community Daytona Beach police won overtime to assure crowd control of former Orlando motorcycle
club leader was sent to prison for murdering a Daytona Beach biker even the Blue Hills Salon long
since a world-renowned biker bar icon famously stayed closed during his first bike week in 1974
because new owner Dennis McGuire didn't want any problems with bikers as he told the Sun Sentinel
years later locals feared that the tourists were starting to stay away and law enforcement and the
city officials were unhappy The Bike Week Festival task force was formed in 1988 to bring some formal
organization to their vet Allen Robinson the original owner of the main Street's beach photo
and video served as chairman and Relentless Bike Week supporter Carl Smith aka Big Daddy rat long
one the forces of nature of bike week was one of the first to see the commercial potential big and
Burly but with some degree in Fine Arts he sold airbrushed shirts from the rat's home and his
other shops organized motorcycle shows in Daytona and around the world and helped spread the message
that bike week didn't have to be a slug Fest Daytona Beach police began cracking down more
harshly on motorcycle club members while welcoming peaceful visitors the boot here was reportedly one
of the first bars to ban colors to reduce rival fights a practice that quickly spread and over the
next 20 years like we slowly evolved into a more family-friendly if not still rough edged event not
everyone was happy with a softer Bike Week in the late 80s the Iron Horse Saloon a rough and tumble
Main Street staple moved to the US-1 on the North End of Ormond Beach to avoid Daytona's planned
decorative Renovations throughout the 90s and into the 21st century police and bikers got friendlier
and local tourism agencies began marketing family activities to draw and vacationers Bike
Week attractions continue to spread out from the beach a Welcome Center where vendors across the
Halifax River on B Street Drew off some of the Main Street crowds auto dealer Bruce rossmeyer
who opened a successful Harley-Davidson dealership on Main Street in 1994 that kicked off his chain
of Harley locations moved it 20 years later to the new 150 acre Destination Daytona complex he
built along the interstate 95 near Ormond Beach to give bikers more restaurants bars shops or hotel
and condos to go to even during the beginning of the CV pandemic in 2020 sporting events and
public Gatherings of all times were being canceled the motorcycles rolled on in Daytona Beach despite
going concern from Health officials and warnings from City officials in the Daytona Regional
Chamber of Commerce we can't cancel it the people are already here you can't put Gates around the
city said Nancy Kiefer the chamber CEO we help with permitting Master planning and the marketing
of the event where we don't control the businesses Bike Week in Daytona like many of the regulars has
matured over the years into a somewhat mellower mix of people looking to have a good time ride
through some beautiful scenery and enjoy the company of other bikers from around the world
so I hope you enjoyed that if you want to support the row get your ghostaveli mask now they're on
www.demansroll.com I got another video where I talk about the dark story of Myrtle Beach
bike week it'll be linked above and thank you for tuning in to Demons Row TV the
holy grail of MC culture like subscribe and comment and oh yeah we ghostin baby
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