The Drive That Separates a Biker From a Motorcyclist, Part 1

VOICE ONE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein. VOICE TWO: And I'm Steve Ember. Hop on -- this week our subject is motorcycles in America. VOICE ONE: If you love motorcycles, then this is the week to be in the Midwest for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Around half a million people are expected in Sturgis, South Dakota, for a week of concerts, races, charity rides and other activities. Bikers can buy from eight hundred sellers of motorcycle products and clothing. And they can join organized rides to nearby places like the Black Hills, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument. VOICE TWO: Sturgis has a population of six thousand people. The rally is supposed to last a week, but riders come early and stay late. A city spokeswoman, Tyler Lamphere, points out that the area's roads include lots of winding turns -- perfect for riding. The first event was held on a single day in August of nineteen thirty-eight. A small number of people gathered to watch nine racers. There was no rally in nineteen forty-two because of wartime fuel restrictions. The Sturgis Rally is called a celebration of motorcycling. Organizers estimate that attendance has been as high as six hundred thousand people, back in the year two thousand. VOICE ONE: The United States also has other big motorcycle rallies. Bike Week in Daytona Beach, Florida, takes place during the first full week of March, plus three extra days. Events manager Kevin Killian says Bike Week also gets about half a million riders, though counting has stopped lately because of the cost. But he says it is the largest motorcycle event in the world. It brings more than three hundred fifty million dollars to the local economy. VOICE TWO: The rally began in nineteen thirty-seven when the Daytona Two Hundred motorcycle race was first held. Early races took place on the beach, before moving to the Daytona International Speedway in nineteen sixty-one. Bike Week also includes concerts along with rides to raise money for charities. Riders say one of the highlights of Bike Week is riding down Main Street in Daytona Beach. People go to see and be seen on every kind of bike -- from old ones with the paint worn away to beautifully styled new ones. Thousands of motorcycles move slowly down the street in a kind of never-ending parade that continues all day and night. VOICE ONE: Motorcycle rallies can be found in just about every state. Some are held by local riding groups. Others are held by motorcycle makers and their fans. The Iron Butt Rally takes place every two years. Riders must travel more than fourteen thousand kilometers over an eleven-day period. They earn points by arriving in certain areas within a certain time period and by visiting additional places in between. The Iron Butt Association says the rally is not a race, but a test of strength and riding skill. VOICE TWO: Another rally is called Rolling Thunder. Thousands of riders gather in the nation's capital each May to show support for current and former members of the military. This year, President George Bush welcomed leaders of Rolling Thunder, and their bikes, to the grounds of the White House. VOICE ONE: People who go to motorcycle rallies get to explore new places and get new ideas. But more importantly, they get to meet other riders to share stories and talk about bikes. In the Internet age it might be called social networking. But many riders call it a vacation from their normal lives. Motorcyclists have jobs and professions like anyone else. For some, a motorcycle is just transportation. For others, it represents freedom and individuality. Gone are the days when the image of a biker was a rebellious young man with tattoos. Old motorcycle films like "The Wild One" and "Easy Rider" only fed this image. So did the Hells Angels, a violent, real-life biker gang. VOICE TWO: You still see young men and tattoos. But you also see lots of middle-aged riders -- male, female or couples. Classic bikes share the road with new bikes built to look like classics. And there are sport bikes, cruisers and big touring bikes. And then there are the custom choppers. These are personalized bikes built as road-ready art with lengths of metal and imagination. Source: Voice of America