The Charlotte Easyriders Show last weekend started off my year of covering rallies and shows as it does ever year and if the crowds and quality of bikes are any indication, it’s going to be another great year. Now if we could only dial in some nice warm weather life would be good. It’s freakin’ cold here on the East Coast!

Things were a little anxious as the show started Saturday morning. Usually when the gates open there is a horde of people waiting to come in. Not so this cold Saturday. It didn’t look good. Not to fear, by noon the place was slammed and stayed that way for quite a few hours. I talked to a few vendors and they said they were also surprised by how slow things started off, but were pleasantly surprised by how well the day turned out.

There were quite a few new bikes at the show that were exceptional. Lee Wimmer of Wimmer Machine in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, entered a gorgeous bobber and was rewarded by a judged win. Not surprising at all as I am such a big fan of his was a red street fighter built by Kendall Johnson of Kendall Johnson Customs in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that was my personnel favorite. Good to see Kendall back building one-of-a-kind customs. There was also a FXR built by Gilliland Customs that was what I can best describe as a light lime green color that just doesn’t come across the same as in person no matter how I tried to shoot it under the crappy inside-light conditions. Try as I might, the photos still did not do the bike justice. That was just to name a few standouts as I could go on and on picking out my favorites.

As usual the Purrfect Angelz supplied great entertainment and fabulous eye candy. Michael Ballard and Angie Carlson of TV’s Full Throttle Saloon fame stood on stage all day meeting and greeting an endless line of fans. My feet hurt just watching them stand throughout the day. Great people and a great TV show. Music, art, photos, vendors, and bikers made up the rest of the entertainment throughout the show. This show got me so pumped I can’t wait for the next event on my schedule.

Stay tuned for more from the Charlotte Easyriders show in the next few days as I have more photos for you to enjoy. There will even be a short tour of the new NASCAR museum, which is conveniently connected to the Convention center. Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines.