2010 Rallies & Events
Dirtbag Challenge Part 2
Story and photos by Rodent
At the annual Dirtbag Challenge Low Rent Chopper Build-Off in San Francisco, sideshow is elevated to bike show. To level the playing field a few rules have been set in stone: no Harleys are allowed; a $1,000 limit on all bike projects (that includes parts, paint, and any extras); the bike must be rideable; build time is one month from the announced “Go” date; and only Dirtbag participants can vote for the winning bike.
The show’s location, an ideal spot for the Dirtbaggers, was to me more like a bad part of Newark, New Jersey, than the city of San Francisco. The party site was a storage yard with the bandstand surrounded by rusty containers and the yard was a fenced in on a deserted street in a desolate area. This whole area is so uninviting that there are no signs of the homeless sleeping on the streets and in doorways that is so prevalent in the better parts of the city.
What an ideal place for a party! No cops have been seen in the area despite smoky burnouts, exhibition riding, drags, unreal. The 49ers were playing a short distance away in Candlestick Park, so the cops were probably more interested in rowdy fans than a bunch of Dirtbags. Thousands attended drinking beer, eating hotdogs, and partying like the big one could come any moment. Only in the City by the Bay. In my opinion, the Dirtbag Challenge out does the Smoke Out. Go San Francisco Dirtbags, you’re the best! Click here to keep up with Dirtbag Challenge news.