Gold Coast Bike Week
As Gold Coast Bike Week (GCBW) enters its 10th anniversary year, the kudos this event has attained is reflected in its inclusion as an AMD Pro Show Affiliate Event for the first time. Recently purchased by Australian Motorcycle Imports (AMI), the largest wholesale V-Twin parts distributor in the country, GCBW looks like being bigger and better than ever. AMD Publisher, Robin Bradley, will be here to see the event first hand, and chair the judging panel at the Pro Show - the winner of which will be invited to compete at 2009's Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building in the USA.
Bike Week started with a small group of bikers back in 1999, and has grown bigger with each year. For 2008, Bike Week will cover acres of beautiful grassed parkland, with vendors and the show being housed in tents throughout the event. Tours through the Gold Coast hinterland, charity rides and a beachfront show all take rally goers off-site early in the week, but most events take place on-site Friday through Sunday. The beautiful beaches, warm weather, great riding areas and friendly locals all add up to make GCBW a great event attended by over 30,000 people. Other attractions at this year's Bike Week include test rides on new bikes from both V Twin & Metric manufacturers, concerts, tattoo shows, a riding skills gymkhana, custom car & hot rod show, freestyle mx displays, jet bike fire show and dyno shootouts.
From a trade perspective, this is the premier show to display your talent as a builder, your parts as a dealer or distributor and your new inventions to the biggest audience of motorcycle enthusiasts, short of the Moto GP. As AMI have become the first ever International AMD Pro Show Partner, they are inviting all fellow partners to join them at this event with a free booth for them to promote their wares. For the first time, the event will host a week long hospitality facility for AMI dealers and sponsors.Support from the US custom and aftermarket industry will be boosted with vendors such as Ben from Primo Rivera, and Ed & Julie from Custom Chrome confirmed to attend, as well as support from the likes of S&S Cycle and Baker Transmissions. AMI also have a major charity program organised for an Aussie Vietnam Vet who had a motorcycle accident while attending the 'Run to the Wall' event in the USA, plus Bike Week will also see the Australian premier screening of the S&S 124 TV Bike Build Off which is set to be screened on TV across Australia. All this, plus live music, special guests and much more make GCBW 2008 one not to be missed!
Highlights This year's Bike Week will be a celebrity-packed event, with these big names confirmed:-
-Paul Yaffe - Arizona custom bike and famed Bagger Nation builder
-Jesse James - head honcho of West Coast Choppers who really needs no introduction!
-Donnie Smith - Minnesota's custom bike building legend.
-Johnny Mancuso - famed Harley tuner and drag racer, whose record-setting drag team has just relocated down under.
Of course, the show bikes are what most fans head to Gold Coast Bike Week for. This year, the shows will be split up into the following categories:-
-Beach Show is a ride-in show for mainly mild custom street ridden bikes
-Saturday Show - the big one! Now even more so with the AMD Pro Show involvement.
-Sunday Show is more street bike focused and laid back. Japanese, European and American bikes are catered for with suitable classes at all shows. A massive custom, restored and hot rod car show is also planned for the Sunday finale. The Dyno Challenge will pit to decide the highest horsepower output for various classes.
The Hall Of Fame has been held at the last 3 events and included inductees like Mick Doohan, Brett Stevens, OzBike magazine's Skol, speedway great Ivan Mauger and Neal Bolam, for his work in the V-Twin and motorcycle sport industries. Enquiries for the event and AMD Pro Show can be directed to Dave Leden on 0411 477 223 GCBW - an official AMD Affiliate
Gold Coast Bike Week is the latest custom bike event to become an Official Affiliate to the World Championship of Custom Bike Building. The custom show, to be held on Saturday August 30th as part of Bike Week, will see the winner of the AMD Affiliate Award score $10,000, being an expenses contribution for the victor to compete at 2009's Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building (OWC) in the USA. The worldwide Official Affiliate program that supports the OWC, allows Affiliate winners to achieve recognition as that event's/country's official entrant and to ease the pain of bike freight and associated expenses! Past Aussie competitors include Scotty Cox and Chris Anderson. The Championship Program is made possible by generous support from vendors such as Australian Motorcycle Imports (AMI) and many others.
