Motorcycles are popular in this industry. The first “freetime” column I wrote was about motorcyclists. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who contacted me since, wanting to tell me about motorcycling.
When ISSA chose Orlando, Fla., as the venue for its October 2001 ISSA/Interclean® show, it was a dream come true for industry motorcyclists. Why? Because they could leave the ISSA/Interclean show and head straight to Biketoberfest®, an annual motorcycle rally in Daytona Beach.

Jeff Weaver, a chemist for Proctor & Gamble in Cincinnati, and Greg Luthi, director of sales for the northeast for Katy Maintenance Group based in Wrens, Ga., were among nearly 80,000 bikers who attended Biketoberfest.

The first leg of Jeff’s motorcycle trip was from Cincinnati to Orlando — 925 beautiful miles through the Smoky Mountains during peak autumn colors. Even though he made the journey alone (he met up later with wife Conni in Daytona), it sounded like it was one of his most memorable rides.

According to Jeff, Biketoberfest is “a big collection of motorcyclists who are there to enjoy the weather and the camaraderie.” While there, Jeff and Conni did a lot of different things. They rode down Daytona’s Main Street (a landmark ride for bikers). They checked out the famous area “biker bars” and listened to music. They did some sightseeing, shopped at street fairs, and had their picture taken in front of a lighthouse. (They collect photos of themselves on motorcycles in front of lighthouses.)

Jeff and Conni are avid motorcycle aficionados. In fact, they are so serious about the sport — or shall I say, lifestyle — that they got married at the famous motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D.

“Married at the rally in Sturgis?” I asked Jeff. “Yes,” he said, “we were married on the courthouse steps next to our motorcycle.” The bride wore a spandex white dress and the groom wore black leather. After the wedding ceremony, Jeff and Conni shared a bottle of champagne and some cheese and crackers with some friends in a park in Sturgis. That was their wedding reception.

Jeff has always been a motorcycle fan. Though he wasn’t allowed to have a motorcycle when he was a kid, as soon as he was old enough to do so, he bought an old Kawasaki from a friend.

It’ll be different for Jeff and Conni’s five kids, who won’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll be allowed to ride motorcycles. Jeff and Conni are already planning to buy their oldest child (a sixth-grader) a dirt bike.

Greg Luthi, who, like Jeff, attended Biketoberfest on a Harley-Davidson Road King, has been riding for almost 25 years. It was Greg’s twelfth trip to a motorcycle rally. Sheri, Greg’s wife, started riding a motorcycle five years ago, and accompanied Greg to Biketoberfest. I asked Greg what they did on a typical Biketoberfest day. “Go for rides, shop for equipment and accessories and,” he said, with a smile, “watch people. My favorite part of Biketoberfest is the people watching.”

It sounds like the people are the main attraction. “Bikers are the most genuine group of people I have ever met,” Jeff said. “Spending time with bikers is the most relaxing and enjoyable time for me. The old stereotypes of bikers just don’t apply anymore.”

Greg Luthi agrees that the old biker stereotype is a thing of the past. “Biketoberfest is not a situation where people attend just so they can drink and fight. You meet all types of people from all walks of life and they are from everywhere from Maine to Alaska.” Greg says he keeps going back to Biketoberfest because it’s “a lot of fun and the camaraderie is great.”

Closing out the ISSA/Interclean trip with a detour to a biker rally was a special treat for industry motorcycle enthusiasts. Next year just won’t be the same. Unless, of course, somebody schedules an industry motorcycle rally in Las Vegas. Interested? Let me know.

Gretchen Roufs, a 15-year janitorial supply industry veteran, owns Auxiliary Marketing Services of San Antonio. To suggest someone you think should be featured in “freetime,” e-mail her or phone (210) 601-4572.




POSTED ON: 3/1/2002