Austin: Biker Rally weekend

[priller]

The Republic of Texas weekend biker rally is going on right now in downtown Austin and out at Decker Lake east of town. They're rumbling outside my window right now! Sixth Street was extremely crowded last night, with thousands of Harley's and choppers and such. Good times!

Most of these photos were taken at dusk or in the dark, much darker than it appears. That accounts for the shakiness you see in some of them.

[Boris]

Very nice indeed.

Love the shot of the little kids on the bike.

[KevinFromTexas]

Coolness. Great pics. Looks like a lot of fun.

You should post these in the main photo section, priller.

[MichaelB]

Love the ROT Rally.... walk around it ever year! Great shots!

[Austinite]

They contribute millions of dollars to our economy and they have a right to ride their bikes and do what - and dress how - they want.

But I dread this weekend every year. The bikes are ridiculously loud. There is even less parking downtown than usual. There is more cigarette smoke. And the bikers are not, on the whole, a particularly attractive bunch: I think I have seen enough fat, bottle-blonde, insufficiently-clothed, middle-aged women being sloughed-off the end of their husbands' motorcycles for a lifetime; unfortunately, though, I know I'll have to see more next year.

Hey, somebody had to say it . . .

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Austinite

They contribute millions of dollars to our economy and they have a right to ride their bikes and do what - and dress how - they want.

But I dread this weekend every year. The bikes are ridiculously loud. There is even less parking downtown than usual. There is more cigarette smoke. And the bikers are not, on the whole, a particularly attractive bunch: I think I have seen enough fat, bottle-blonde, insufficiently-clothed, middle-aged women being sloughed-off the end of their husbands' motorcycles for a lifetime; unfortunately, though, I know I'll have to see more next year.

Hey, somebody had to say it . . .

But that is everything I love about it.... including them waking me up at 3am! I was actually realizing this year that it was becoming a little more middle-aged rich guy shriner like. Too many Honda's with matching helmets. I want more biker chicks (yes, that is me saying that guys)


Save Our Noise! Keep Austin Loud!

[Austinite]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

But that is everything I love about it.... including them waking me up at 3am! I was actually realizing this year that it was becoming a little more middle-aged rich guy shriner like. Too many Honda's with matching helmets. I want more biker chicks (yes, that is me saying that guys)


Save Our Noise! Keep Austin Loud!

That's the spirit. Wish I had a bit more of it, too be honest. But anyway, yeah, one of the things that annoys me about this weekend is the hundred-thousand dollar rigs at the Fourt Seasons, SFA, and Driskill: there's a part of me that has grudging respect for hardcore bikers; but I think a lot of the people here this weekend were professionals and contractors who like to play outlaw every once in a while. They can do that - not saying they can't. But I wish they wouldn't do it here.

[priller]

I really enjoyed walking around the first day and night and looking at everything and taking photos. But by Saturday I was ready for them to go home. The noise just got to me after a while. And, when we were in a bar, one biker kept trying to buy tequila shots for my wife. Hey, buddy, I'm right here!

But I can imagine the amount of money they drop here. I've never seen Sixth St so crowded before. Even Coyote Ugly had a long line!

[KevinFromTexas]

I would love to have a bike. My dad had a Triumph when he was a teen. Then when I was about 7, he had a Yamaha 550. He'd pick me up from school every once in a while on it. I thought I was the coolest kid in school. He'd let me shift the gears. Then later he bought a Yamaha XS 1100. Huge bike. With gas prices the way they are, and the nasty heat, I would love to have a motorcycle.

I don't mind the noise, mostly I don't like it when it's late. There's one guy that comes down our street every couple of nights at about 2 am. He must live in our neighborhood down south somewhere, but you can always hear him come by.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by priller

I really enjoyed walking around the first day and night and looking at everything and taking photos. But by Saturday I was ready for them to go home. The noise just got to me after a while. And, when we were in a bar, one biker kept trying to buy tequila shots for my wife. Hey, buddy, I'm right here!

But I can imagine the amount of money they drop here. I've never seen Sixth St so crowded before. Even Coyote Ugly had a long line!

Priller, Priller..... just let her work it and give you half the shot! Done! Din;t I teach you anything?

[Jdawgboy]

It was a busy weekend for sure, not just the ROT Rally but the Gay Pride festival as well. Throw Those two events together at the same time and what do you get? Gotta Love Austin!!!!

[priller]

Yeah, you get a pretty fun Saturday evening. We went out with a friend from our condo to eat dinner, then we all walked down to the Pride parade -- which was a lot of fun -- then walked back along a very crowded and noisy Sixth Street to see the bikers. Good times!

We ended up at the bar on the top floor of the Hilton Garden Inn. I guess not many people know about that place, because it's never crowded. But it's a decent place and you get a good view of downtown (it's on the 18th floor). A nice quiet retreat if the usual Sixth Street fare is not to your liking.

[bluedogok]

great pics again priller.

I do have a question, the nickname for Aprilia motorcycles and scooters is Priller, is that where yours came from?

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I would love to have a bike. My dad had a Triumph when he was a teen. Then when I was about 7, he had a Yamaha 550. He'd pick me up from school every once in a while on it. I thought I was the coolest kid in school. He'd let me shift the gears. Then later he bought a Yamaha XS 1100. Huge bike. With gas prices the way they are, and the nasty heat, I would love to have a motorcycle.

My Triumph gets 45-50 mpg in town and I have had as high as 65 mpg on the highway. It's too hot for me to ride right now, I prefer to ride in 45 degrees rather than 95 (and up) degrees. Even the mesh gear gets hot in town stopping so much, not bad out on the open road but the heat just wears on you. Of course, when I was your age the heat didn't bother me any back then so it is probably more of an age thing.

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I don't mind the noise, mostly I don't like it when it's late. There's one guy that comes down our street every couple of nights at about 2 am. He must live in our neighborhood down south somewhere, but you can always hear him come by.

There is a guy around the corner from me that has one and leaves at odd hours, it might be the same guy. I had a 60+ year old guy with a short piped (more than just open) that I wished his bike would get stolen, he would come roaring up/down the street at 3am four or five nights a week so much so that it would rattle the front windows. My wife works in the office building behind the Doubletree on I-35 & 290 and heard them coming in on Thursday afternoon in her first floor office with a window facing LaPosada. When they go by and she is on the phone she has to pause, I heard one go by in a quick call. She was very glad she is off on Fridays now (4 days/10 hour week) so it worked out for that.

The loud pipes is a very big issue of debate amongst riders, mostly falling along the lines of cruiser riders and everyone else. I think they sound better with a modified exhaust but not the full open systems that the cruiser set likes, having ridden behind one from Hico to Cedar Park it was just annoying. My cousin had a H-D Fat Boy with the stock mufflers modified, a little louder but a fuller sound and ran well, easy to control the volume with the right hand. The full open systems are only for noise, it actually reduces the efficiency of the engine to make power or gas mileage because they typically need a little back pressure for both it also creates an idle problem in most cases. I have the stock exhaust on mine.

[priller]

Originally Posted by bluedogok

great pics again priller.

I do have a question, the nickname for Aprilia motorcycles and scooters is Priller, is that where yours came from?

Yes, it is. I think you're the only person that's ever figured that out.

[bluedogok]

Originally Posted by priller

Yes, it is. I think you're the only person that's ever figured that out.

I had been wondering since it is not that common of a name.

Scooter or motorcycle?

I went down to AF1 weekend before last and test rode a Caponord. When it comes to bikes, I am Eurotrash

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by bluedogok

great pics again priller.

I do have a question, the nickname for Aprilia motorcycles and scooters is Priller, is that where yours came from?


My Triumph gets 45-50 mpg in town and I have had as high as 65 mpg on the highway. It's too hot for me to ride right now, I prefer to ride in 45 degrees rather than 95 (and up) degrees. Even the mesh gear gets hot in town stopping so much, not bad out on the open road but the heat just wears on you. Of course, when I was your age the heat didn't bother me any back then so it is probably more of an age thing.


There is a guy around the corner from me that has one and leaves at odd hours, it might be the same guy. I had a 60+ year old guy with a short piped (more than just open) that I wished his bike would get stolen, he would come roaring up/down the street at 3am four or five nights a week so much so that it would rattle the front windows. My wife works in the office building behind the Doubletree on I-35 & 290 and heard them coming in on Thursday afternoon in her first floor office with a window facing LaPosada. When they go by and she is on the phone she has to pause, I heard one go by in a quick call. She was very glad she is off on Fridays now (4 days/10 hour week) so it worked out for that.

That's probably him then. He usually comes by around 2:30 am.

Do you know of any resources to start snooping around for someone who is interested in a bike? Any good places? I really would love a bike. It's always been something I've wanted, and now days with gas prices and fuel efficiency issues, it makes sense more than ever.

I would expect motorcycles and scooters to become even more popular in America over the next few years. My concern has always been about safety, my mother has forbidden me from getting one because of the safety. With more bikes on the roads in a few years, I would think and hope motorists would be more watchful of bikers. Though.

My parents have had two friends who were either killed or seriously injured on a bike. One was crossing a cattle guard at his parent's ranch. He was going too fast and lost control and died. Another friend broke down on South Congress. You know where that South Side Pawn is on South Congress near the DPS/DMV office? He broke down near there and swung his leg to get off the bike, and a car clipped his leg and ripped it off. He lived, but it couldn't be reattached.