Usually when one uses the word bike in Squamish it’s a reference to the non-motorized variety with knobby tires, full suspension and an active adventure seeker on the seat.
Lately motorbikes have been the two-wheel transport of choice around Squamish. Bike riders with the Harley Owners Group took Squamish over last week. The motorcycle invasion started July 3 with the opening of the Western Regional Harley Owners Group Rally. The motorbike overload continues with the Squamish Motorcycle Festival Saturday and Sunday (July 12 and 13).
Welcoming all the visitors on their Harley Davidsons, Hondas and Yamahas is the obvious thing to do.
The group of Harley owners promotes safe and enjoyable riding, according to the website belonging to the Vancouver chapter of the Harley Owners Group. The group has been around since 1988 and has a gathering every year with this being its first meeting ever in Squamish.
Their numbers are strong, too. The collective booked almost every available hotel room in Squamish through the weekend, and made it easy to roll out the welcome mat with their high-end bikes accessorized with all the bells
and whistles.
The motorcycle festival coming up this weekend celebrates dirt and street riding. It includes group rides, a show and shine, a stunt show, speakers, photography, a big party, a Wheelie Machine and displays of rare and unique bikes.
Suzanne Jolly, one of the festival organizers, got the inspiration for the festival after she did a solo trip through Nicaragua.
“I wanted other people to have an opportunity to get inspired by other stories to do rides like that,” says Jolly.
She feels Squamish is the best place to have a motorcycle festival because people here are into all forms of riding.
“We have lots of visiting motorcyclists that don’t know much about our town,” she says. “I love Squamish, so to be able to showcase our town to visiting riders as well as celebrate the incredible riders we have – that’s why I picked Squamish.”
Jolly and her supporters chose the Squamish Food Bank as the event’s charity. Festival participants are being encouraged to donate to the food bank at each festival event.
According to Jolly, the Harley Davidson owners decided to have their gathering here as she was pulling together her idea of a festival in Squamish. She worked with the organizers of that event to settle on the date for the motorcycle festival.
“It’s fantastic to see that two different riding communities decided to host events here in Squamish because it’s such a great venue,” Jolly says, adding these kinds of events benefit locals immensely, from gas station owners to restaurant operators, hotel owners to tourist operators.
Jolly said she wants to make the festival an annual event.
