26th Annual International Motorcycle Show - Atlanta, Georgia

Fellow Cycle Connections photojournalist Michael Lousha covered the show when it was in Ft. Worth, Texas, and we noticed that our two new friends from Spin Communications were very helpful to him as well, so we looked at it as a sign that we were meant to go.

We booked a room at the Days Inn right off of the interstate in Atlanta. They allow dogs so we were able to bring Harley-Jane Jr. (the bulldog). I am not sure that we would go there again, however. The people were very nice, but the place was a little run down and the area was just a little scary! But it was only three miles from the show.

Friday, February 23 the Georgia World Congress Center rolled out the red carpet as more than 17 manufacturers rolled in their new 2007 model motorcycles, dirt bikes, cruisers, concept and vintage bikes for their debut in Atlanta, Georgia. Harley-Davidson, Buell, Victory, Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Star, Vespa, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Aprilia, Husqvana, MV Agusta, Piaggio, Honda, Yamaha, and URAL were all represented with associates on hand to give you the “low-down” on what’s new with all of their bikes for 2007. Thousands of us kids were turned loose in this “candy store!”

New for this year was an interactive welcome center that was set up with loads of information for the folks who were thinking of taking up riding for the first time. There was also information on the show as well as some product giveaways. Advanstar, the leading provider of integrated media solutions to the automotive aftermarket, as well as the off-road and powersports industries, provided the welcome center.

For the 14th year, Cycle World was the title sponsor, Toyota was the presenting sponsor, and Progressive Motorcycle insurance was the official product sponsor.

All of the display areas were huge, so you had plenty of room to get around all of the bikes to see them from every angle. And of course the huge display area that drew us in first was the Harleys! Since our other home is our Harley shops, Riders & Heart of Dixie, we had already seen most of them, but it was still cool checking out what they had brought to the show. I think Leigh may have found one of his next Harleys to add to his collection of four. He has to finish his “project” bike first!

After leaving Harley-World, we met Carla King. Carla has written a book called “American Borders” A Solo-Circumnavigation of the United States on a Russia sidecar motorcycle. It is always fun talking to fellow writers and talking with her was very interesting. Within a few minutes another writer joined us named Petra Lattmann. Petra is the owner of V-Twin Mama. I had to be pulled away because I think I could have spent all night talking with these ladies. Before we left though, Carla King did autograph one of her books for us, in which she wrote, “To Leigh & Lynn—May all your motorcycle misadventures have happy endings! All the best—Carla.” That was so cool! The book is a “Motorcycle Misadventures Journey,” a very good read. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the book for yourself, go to www.MotorcycleMisadventures.com, or you can contact her at ab@motorcyclemisadventures.com or (415) 379-7372.

Also there for our amazement was the BOSS “Ball of Steel” Freestyle Stunt Show. It was a good thing that Dee Dee sent us a picture of this because these guys were off the hook! We were caught up in watching them more than shooting them.

Coming from Sweden was the world’s tallest and the world’s smallest motorcycles. Coming from the south, I have seen my share of pick-ups that you would need a ladder to get up in. Here we saw their version of that, only in a motorcycle. This bike is 15 feet long and 7 feet tall, with a 300 hp Jaguar V12 engine. The smallest bike was only 2.55 inches tall and weighed only 2.4 pounds. Just pick it up and put it in your backpack and go!

Before this weekend, I can honestly say that I had never seen a quarter of a million dollar motorcycle. The one we saw was named “Nehmesis,” and is owned by Sam Nehme. The bike was built in six months as part of the Metric Revolution Motorcycle Build-off that is set to air on March 31 on ESPN2. We met Don Gray, also part of the Metric Revolution at the Fall Thunder Beach rally.

There was plenty of eye candy speckled all around, with all of the “bling” custom bikes and sport bikes. It kind of felt like walking through an art museum.

The world’s fastest motorcycle, the BUB # 7 streamliner, going an average of 350.885 mph, was also on tour with the show. But of course we didn’t get to see it run. Ha! Also, I don’t think I would want to be the test dummy on something with two wheels and going that fast. It would have to feel like riding a rocket.

All of the game heads got to play with the new Sony Play Station 3. Also, the tour of Motorcross America had a display at the show. Pretty good timing, or maybe it was planned that way, but one of the many things going on in Atlanta that same weekend was a motocross race.

There was also a real estate conference that had Donald Trump in town for the weekend, and there was a hockey game, all in the general vicinity of the motorcycle show, so Atlanta was packed wall-to-wall and street-to-street with people.

Last year we rode with the Birmingham group with the Ride for Kids and enjoyed it so much. Ride for Kids is a ride that takes place all over the country to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. This year they have a bike to give-away that was built by Roland Sands. We got to see this bike at the show. Pretty cool! We look forward to this year’s ride.

We also got to meet some folks from Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort. We have the shirts that Leigh’s dad got for us—“Ride the Dragon.” Now we need to go do it. Our buddies from Lightning Strikes bike night have been talking to us about maybe putting together a ride to go up there, so it was nice to run into someone to give us some more information about it. I’m sure we will stay in touch with them.

Condor – Lift was “in the house” with their bike stands and holders. Leigh got a holder from them to put in the trailer when we were at Steel Pony in 2004. He loves his.

We fell in love with the toy haulers that Sagon RV Super Center brought to the show, but they were also in the price range of the “Nehmesis.” Too bad—So sad!

There was a ton of food vendors that made the place smell very good, and with the wide assortment of vendors with aftermarket parts, leather, jewelry, and clothes and such, there was a little something for everyone.

We enjoyed the show very much. And a weekend in Atlanta, as always, was very interesting as well.

See you on the road!

Write-On and Ride-On

Story and photos by Lynn Reynolds and Leigh Lilly - Birmingham, Alabama