
2010 Asheville Bikefest
Story and Photos by Jack Cofano
The Asheville Bikefest was another inaugural event that took place in western North Carolina in May. Touted as an alternative to the Myrtle Beach spring rally, it took place on May 13-16, the final weekend of the Myrtle Beach rally.
The question remains, “Is this a viable alternative to Myrtle Beach?” In my opinion the answer would have to be “No!” These are two completely different types of rallies. Myrtle Beach is a party area, people go there to ride from venue to venue, mingle with other bikers, and visit the many biker establishments that cater to the motorcycle crowd.
Ashville, on the other hand is possibly one of the best motorcycle touring areas in the United States. People go there to ride the mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Deals Gap, the Cherohala Skyway, and some of the most challenging and beautiful roads in the country, two completely different animals vying for the same crowd at the same time.
The Asheville Bikefest was held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center right across from the airport, a great site to hold the show. There was plenty of wide-open space, plenty of parking, and an easy access from any point. The crowds at the show were sporadic with people coming and going constantly, hard to judge attendance. Who could blame them, you come the mountains to ride, not hang around a rally site for long.
Besides the great riding there are many other reason to come to the Ashville area including the city of Ashville itself, which is an eclectic city, reminding me of past times. The area is chock full of artists, musicians, and has a bohemian atmosphere comparative to the “Summer of Love.” Less than an hour cruise and you can be in Maggie Valley and visit Dale Walksler’s Wheels Through Time Museum, a must stop for any motorcycle enthusiast and then on to Cherokee Indian reservation to hit the casino.
The majority of the bikes I saw were touring and sport bikes intermingled with all the cruisers, which makes sense when you consider the area. The vendors were there along with many of the manufacturers who were boycotting Myrtle Beach, deciding instead to come to Asheville. I would be interested in finding out how that worked out, didn’t seem promising.
I hope the promoters of the show learned a lot from this inaugural event because I think it definitely has promise. Holding it at the same time as the Myrtle Beach rally doesn’t make sense to me, Myrtle Beach is not going away. Why try to compete for attendance when they could hold the event at a different time? That’s just my humble opinion.
For information on the Asheville Bikefest, visit www.ashevillebikefest.com.