Milwaukee’s Outlaw Motorcycle Show Welcomes a New Generation of Riders
By all reasonable measures, motorcycles are practical vehicles. They cost less than cars, require relatively little fuel, and offer much-needed reprieve from urban gridlock. But since the mid-20th Century, when motorcycle gangs became popular and movies like Easy Rider bound ideas of freedom and rebellion together on the the wheels of custom choppers, the motorcycle idea has loomed gigantic in the cultural imagination.
The Mama Tried Motorcycle Show, an event launched by Harley Davidson, honors that idea by bringing together mechanical hobbyists, race fans and the cabal of willful outsiders who form the grassroots core of the show.
We were there for Flat Out Friday on February 23rd, which serves as the thundering opening ceremony of the Milwaukee event as more than 10,000 fans watched from seats surrounding the track. Here, a few of the highlights.
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Building a Bike
Brent Jaswinski, left, from Motorcycle.com and teammate Ryan Achterhof, of Hal’s Harley Davidson, work on their custom Harley Davidson as they compete against some of the top custom bike builders in the country for the annual Mama Tried Bike show held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Prepping Custom Bike
A Harley Davidson pressure gauge is seen on the work bench of Hal’s Harley Davidson mechanic Ryan Achterhof as he and bike builder partner Brent Jaswinski of Motorcycle.com team up for the Mama Tried custom build competition on Thursday February 22nd, 2018 in New Berlin, Wisconsin.
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Last-Minute Tweaks Before Race Time
Racers go over their bikes in-between qualifying races for the Flat Out Friday race series.
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Coating with Dr. Pepper
The compact track is covered in Dr. Pepper syrup for traction. It challenges even the best riders and keeps fans entranced to see if anyone will crash.
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Lean In
A rider dives into a turn during Thursday night practice rides as racers prepare for Flat Out Friday race series at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
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Rusty Butcher Making Changes Between Races
Hooligan racer Rusty Butcher, real-name Mark Atkins, and a friend try to frantically replace a bad clutch plate before the start of the qualifying race for Flat Out Friday race series.
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Feet for Balance
Hooligan racer Benny Carlson dives into Turn Two, his feet leaving the pegs for balance.
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Crowd-Side View
Fans and enthusiasts look on as racers from all over the United States compete in the Flat Out Friday race series held at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday February 23, 2018 in Milwaukee.
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Last-Minute Tweaks
Hooligan racer and entrepreneur Mark Atkins, a.k.a. Rusty Butcher, of Corona California works on his custom racing Harley Davidson before he takes a practice run for the race night of Flat Out Friday race series.
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Hooligan Race Crash
A rider loses control and crashes coming into Turn Two during a hooligan race.
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Zaria Martens Preps to Race
At 14 years old, she’s the defending women’s champ for Flat Out Friday race series. Here, Zaria Martens gets ready for a qualifying race backstage at the the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
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No Suspension, No Brakes, No Brains
A T-shirt over the handle bars of a race bike at the Flat Out Friday race series.
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Hitting the Road, Again
The Friday night’s races spill over to the custom-built bike show and motorcycle film festival the next day, and later, crowds file into nearby bars for after parties. When it’s all over, we’re ready to hit the road.