what are the most popular rallies ? [Archive]

hansomat

04-02-2003, 08:09 PM

While the National is a very nice rally I also visited once a rally in Idaho ( Stanley Stomp ) and had a good time. So many rallies are advertised and I wonder what in your opinion the 10 best rallies are ? Can we make a list of of 10 good rallies ?

1 National ( this year in WV )
2 Daytona ?
3 ?
4?
etc

Can we get 10 good sites together ?

Americade ? is that a good rally ?

Like to hear your comments on what rally I should NOT miss.

Thanks

Hans

KBasa

04-02-2003, 08:53 PM

Originally posted by hansomat
While the National is a very nice rally I also visited once a rally in Idaho ( Stanley Stomp ) and had a good time. So many rallies are advertised and I wonder what in your opinion the 10 best rallies are ? Can we make a list of of 10 good rallies ?

1 National ( this year in WV )
2 Daytona ?
3 ?
4?
etc

Can we get 10 good sites together ?

Americade ? is that a good rally ?

Like to hear your comments on what rally I should NOT miss.

Thanks

Hans

OK, you asked for it.

Here's my personal faves, though I'm sure you'll get tons of input from other folks.

Americade - I'd take a pass and spend a day riding Vermont or elsewhere in upstate NY. The area around Lake Placid is especially beautiful.

Top of the Rockies in Paonia, Colorado. Without a doubt, this rally is the best integrated into the community. Go. You'll have a ball and the roads are terrific.

49er Rally, Auburn, CA. - Outstanding roads, great site, good beer. You can walk into town for dinner. Speedway racing on Saturday night, right next door at the track. Not to be missed.

Damn Yankee Rally - Heath, MA. No showers. Tough. Still fun and you haven't lived until you've seen a rolling bonfire.

Pemi River - Those Damn Yankees again, hosting an event in conjunction with Bike Week in New Hampshire.

Those are the ones I've been to that I can highly recommend. I went to the Central Cal club's Beemer Bash when it was in Paso Robles, CA and had an absolute ball. They moved it to Mariposa and I didn't go (not their fault), so I can't comment. If it's anything like the old spot, that might be a terrific take too.

:thumb

widebmw

04-02-2003, 10:50 PM

The best overall for the mosts years is------????
Top "O" the Rockies, in Paonia, Colorado.
This year July 17 - 20
Also Chief Joseph at John Day, OR. June 12-15
John Ferris

BMWGypsy

04-03-2003, 08:50 AM

I agree with Dave's list...although I haven't been to the 49er's...yet! And would like to add:

1. Finger Lakes - NY wine country and central location for visiting with LOTS 'o friends.

2. GA mountain - at least I hope this is one of my top tens. Going this year for the first time and I've heard good things about it. At least I KNOW the roads are fabulous!!

:beer

MrsKbasa

04-03-2003, 10:36 AM

Well, I agree with kbasa & bmwgypsy, those mentioned are on my list. But have a different order of preference.

1. Top of the Rockies in Paonia, Colorado. They have massages!

2. 49er Rally, Auburn, CA. - English trials and massages!

3. Pemi River - Yankee Beemers, with other New England Clubs hosting an event in conjunction with Bike Week in New Hampshire. In a location North of the hoopla, so riding is good. No massage, but pool for hot days.

4. Finger Lakes - NY wine country and central location for visiting with LOTS 'o friends. .

5. Americade - Shopping mecca. Test ride every manufacturer side by side. Lots of accessories. Great food. Beautiful country. Hot tubs at the hotels.

cmwingfield

04-03-2003, 02:57 PM

A rally not mentioned in the previous posts is Falling Leaf in Missouri in the Fall. It's well organized, well attended, and the Anvil Shoot is a hoot! Plenty of firewood, good food, and great roads.
:cool:
Mike

mully

04-03-2003, 04:47 PM

My $0.02:

1. 49er Rally (CA) Why? Scenery, "Fast Fridays" speedway races, beer garden, Sierra roads & GS trails.
2. Georgia Mountain (GA) Why? Great riding, good parties, good food, good GS ride.
3. Range of Light Gypsy Tour (CA) Why? Killer GS rides, fantastic scenery, cool campsites.
4. Wisconsin Dells (WI) Why? Party rally with good food, good site.
5. ROK-ON (TN) Why? Great riding nearby (Cherohala, BRP, Thunder Road, Deal's Gap), friendly atmosphere.

Honorable Mentions:
- Rocket City (AL) good food and "Microwave Dave's" blues music
- Turkey Tom's GS International (NC) quaint, out-of-the-way place, and good feed

Man, I'm sittin' here wishin' I was going somewhere this weekend! :D

mully

BMWRider

04-03-2003, 08:41 PM

I've attended two great rallies: the MOA National in Midland, Michigan and a Rider Magazine rally in Martinsburg, West Virginia called "Ride Through America's History". It was a great idea to have a theme of sorts to the rally and there were numerous historical Civil War sites within riding distance of the National Guard air base that served as rally HQ.
I had the opportunity to meet Rider contributor Bill Stermer there - he was test riding an R1100RS at the time - and also rode my first BMW there, as the full complement of BMWs were under their demo tent. I was riding a GL1500 Honda at the time but after my first ride aboard an R1100GS, I began to get the Beemer Bug, a condition from which I've never recovered. :D
I've been to many other great events (my personal favorite is the annual AMA Vintage Days at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) but the two aforementioned rallies stand out in my mind.

MarkF

04-04-2003, 06:54 AM

I guess it all comes down to what you like. I don't like huge rallies. I also expect a big, family style, Saturday evening meal included in the price. That said I love the Green Mountain Rally in Vermont and the Georgia Mountain Rally. The riding nearby is great. I love riding in Ontario so anything up there is good for me even if it breaks my my two commandments - not big & big meal. I haven't been to alot of places so there are plenty others I don't know about that are good or better. I'll let you know about the BMWBMW SquareRoute after May!

MarkF

P.S. The Sportbike Rally, the first weekend in July at Parry Sound, Ontario, is one of my all time favorites. There are a lot of yougsters and asian bikes but it is very cool. Besides there is a BMW sponsor and a GS ride. Where else, but Canada, do you get a radar run on an active airport runway?

Beemer1

04-10-2003, 05:14 PM

I go to Americade every year, great place to ride , in the Adirondacs lots of activities.

I am very disappointed with the rally site selections over the last two years. Trenton was two hours away ( yes I am a Canadain) but it was only a mediocre site. There are many much better sites in Canada. Even within a few hundred miles of Trenton.

Now Charleston, is right in the middle of a city. Three camping locations that are a city ride away from most of the activities. Now I have an excuse to drink and drive. Oh sure there are shuttle buses. Not my idea of a rally experience.

Don't get wrong, I will go but I am not looking forward to it very much. If it wasn't for the great people I wouldn't go at all.

Can we have a nice site next year preferably not in a City, where we can all camp together and where everything is in one place. It would be kind of nice if it were in the southwest, or even the northwest.

MarkF

04-11-2003, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by Beemer1
Can we have a nice site next year preferably not in a City, where we can all camp together and where everything is in one place. It would be kind of nice if it were in the southwest, or even the northwest.

Gotta agree with you there. I like it out in the wilderness. But, I don't think MOA will get the same attendence away from the motels, B&Bs and restaurants. There's gotta be a compromise. Somewhere away from the center of a city but with plenty of alternate lodging. I would think a Ski resort area in the summer should fit the bill.

MarkF:brow

KBasa

04-11-2003, 03:12 PM

Originally posted by oilhed
Gotta agree with you there. I like it out in the wilderness. But, I don't think MOA will get the same attendence away from the motels, B&Bs and restaurants. There's gotta be a compromise. Somewhere away from the center of a city but with plenty of alternate lodging. I would think a Ski resort area in the summer should fit the bill. Wait, isn't that what RA tried last year?

MarkF:brow

I think you'll see people come visit this rally that have never been to a national before. While the core constituency of the MOA has been comprised of campers, we're seeing a wider variety of riders on BMWs now, not all of whom camp. The riders are changing and we need to change to keep up and keep the greatest number of people involved. The very existence of this board is evidence that the MOA wants to reach out and enrichen the BMW MOA experience for the greatest number of members.

I've been about 50/50 on the camp/hotel ratio at nationals. I have to say that a hotel is fine with me. I'll go hang around the rally site for 12 hours a day and get my absolute fill. It's always nice to go back to a quiet room, with my own toilet and shower and spend a little time with MrsK. But then again, hanging in a big campground with a bunch of other folks has it's plusses too.

Charleston a big city? I dont' think so. With a population of 53,000, it's a smallish town. The suburban town I lived in in Massachusetts was 40,000 and the one I live in here in Marin is about the same.

The wilderness is close by and available for your riding pleasure from what I can tell on the maps.

YMMV, of course, but I'm totally stoked to be there.

:)

Friedle

04-11-2003, 07:37 PM

Dave Swider is right on the money with his response above!

Stop thinking of Charleston as a "city" and start thinking of it as a small friendly town with fantastic venues for our gathering.

The RA did go to a fantastic riding area and gather at a small ski area about 12 miles from the middle of nowhere in the wilderness. About 1500 people showed up by an optimistic count. Had the usual 6,000-7,000 people who usually show up for an MOA International gathering showed up in Red River the event would have been a disaster due to a lack of facilities to handle the attendees. It is not easy to find a location that has the facilities to handle a crowd of our size on motorcycles and still offer our attendees an interesting riding experience. I think you will find that Charleston meets both of these goals in spades. See you there.

gsjay

04-11-2003, 08:16 PM

Charleston a big city? I dont' think so. With a population of 53,000, it's a smallish town. The suburban town I lived in in Massachusetts was 40,000 and the one I live in here in Marin is about the same.

The wilderness is close by and available for your riding pleasure from what I can tell on the maps.

:)

We scouted Charleston out in January. You can be on a two lane road enjoying the great WV. scenery in a matter of minutes. Those that don't come because the rally is in the CITY are gonna miss out on a great time.
But those of us that do go won't be over crowded!
gsjay

MidwestTravel

04-21-2003, 07:03 PM

1. I always go to the original Mini Rally in "little Sturgis". Great band, great people, nice to ride in the Amish country. I go do different things every year, and this year will be no different.
2. Trying the 1st Laurels Highlands Campout this year. BMW and Kawasaki will be nice, and it looks like there is a lot of scenery to go to.
3. The National. I've got enough posts up to explain it.
4. Sherando Lake Rally. I have heard from several of my customers in the area that it's a great rally, OK, I'm willing to try.
5. Wisconsin Dells Rally. Again, I've heard it's a great rally, and I fear I won't see Sue (I don't need no stinkin' microphone) if I don't go there.
6. BMW RA national in Birmingham. Well, it's October and likely the last big ride of the year. And now that I have the R1200C, I'm not nearly as afraid of long trips and breakdowns.

bertbrumfield

04-22-2003, 12:26 PM

One of the(if not the) best rallies of the RA was at Fontana, NC, even with the police protection :>). There were over 2,400 attendees, one of the RA's largest.
Fantastic location in the middle on nowhere. 30 minutes to an hour to anywhere, but in the middle of beautiful country and near smokey mtn nat. park and other attractions.

TheSuperScoot

04-23-2003, 06:42 AM

As a reformed Honda rider, I can aver that ANY BMW rally beats any other marque's gathering (except for our friends over at Harley, whose rallies are like a two wheeled version of the Persian Gulf War.)

For my money, I liked:

1. Redmond Oregon. Great riding, great people, great town, perfect venue. Only thing missing was a few more food vendors. Guess the locals didn't realize how much we could eat.
2. Top O' Them There Rockies. Nobody does it like the Colo.Beemerfolk, and what a great town and area. Possibly the most food vendors, per capita. Old hippie chick hit on me in downtown bar. But six bucks for a quart of oil at the rally site??
3. The Dells. It rained the entire time I was there, in a soggy tent next to Villa Magilla. We ate soggy brats. Waterproofing in my jacket went south. Mud galore. Never had so much fun.
4. Finger Lakes. It's in WATKINS GLEN. Need I say more?

Terry
r1100rt
Pittsburgh

beemerron

05-14-2003, 08:47 PM

Top O' the Rockies has to be the best, The late, great Rolling Broccoli was a fine affair too. For the Airheads, don't miss The Gathering of the Clans.

eljeffe

05-14-2003, 09:10 PM

Top 'o the Rockies in Paonia is a MUST!!!

http://www.coloradobeemers.com/tor.htm

----

The Curve Cowboy Reunion is a rally unlike any other. It offers a completely different spin on rallies, and is definitely reflective of the growing desire for a first class Luxury Touring rally that no other organization provides.

http://www.curvecowboyreunion.com

----

Bavarian Mountain Weekend in Sipapu is also a great time and offers some great riding

http://www.nmbmwmc.org/sipapu.htm

----

K1200RS Texas Hill Rally is the best way to experience the Texas Threes (337, 335, 336) in the Hill Country of Texas.

http://nine-eleven.com/rally/

----

GreenStainz

06-12-2003, 03:38 PM

Agree with most of you.

Top O' Rockies is a great rally with a perfect park.

Sipapu (BMW- Bavarian Mountain Weekend)- great roads to get there, sits at the bottom of the small ski mountain and usually has a fantastic bonfire.

National Rallies are always fun but don't like to be around big crowds.

Someone suggested a ski resort to host the national rally. Its a great idea but one problem is finding enough flat land to house all of the campers. Its tough to find it in the mountains of Colorado.

Would love to attend some rallies up in Idaho and Canada!
:clap
andy:bliss

bmwrebel

07-07-2003, 06:55 PM

Two good rallys now are the Dinks in central IL in August and Square Route in early June. The Dinks have a theme rally and it is as much fun as the classic DCR rallys were back in the day. BMWBMW Square Route has a great camp ground, great back roads and a lot to see in the area. Both rallys feed you and have entertainment. :clap I dont make as many as I useto, but I recomend these. Ramblin Rebel:brow

GSinNC

07-07-2003, 10:25 PM

Americade is awesome! So many bike to see, such great people, so much to do in only 5 short days. Been 14 straight years!

Honda Hoot is sort of like Americade light! Good people, good vendors and Honda really does a nice job. Just don't like Knoxville as much as when it was in Asheville.

Biktoberfest ..... place to see and be seen! Fun for a day!

judjones

03-25-2008, 05:29 PM

1. Iowa Guzzi rally, Elkader, IA. Best rally food, good food all around the area, and you can flog your bike on the dirt track when the horses aren't on it.

2. Paonia.

3. Arkansas Fall Color Tour, a dual sport event in Clarksville.

4. Rally Week in the Black Hills. Avoid Sturgis proper, avoid pavement. Bring a DS and dirt bike and enjoy the best of the Hills, plus racing every night.

5. GR3 (formerly in Bagley,WI) used to be a don't miss. It's still good, but has moved around too much to develop a real flavor. It's on a tough weekend, competing with a really good trail ride in Theilman, MN and a 3-speed bicycle ride around Lake Pepin.

6. Bear Tooth Rendezvous. Not nearly as much fun since they banned dogs, but the riding is incomparable.

7. Falling Leaf. My first rally ever, in Bland. Even better in Potosi.

8. Hiawatha. Best off-road golf carting.

9. Ontario Sport Bike rally, Parry Sound. Haven't been to this one for a long time, but it might be the coolest rally I ever attended.

Dells? used to be good, but not since it became a motel rally.

SheRidesABeemer

03-25-2008, 06:12 PM

Like to hear your comments on what rally I should NOT miss.

As a New Englander you should not miss the YB Damn Yankee's in Heath (http://yankeebeemers.org/), Finger Lakes (http://www.fingerlakesbmw.org/rally/index.php)and Hermit Island - Down East Rally (http://www.bmwrsm.org/)

Mongo

03-25-2008, 06:34 PM

Holy resurrected threads batman!:jawdrop

PAULBACH

03-25-2008, 07:13 PM

The best rallies are the one you can get to. They are all good especially the ones in your own back yard.

1. Green Mountain Rally in Vermont. Awesome riding, great food and the only rally with unlimited free popcorn.

2. Finger Lakes Rally. Also featuring wonderful riding and Bob Henig of BOB's BMW sponsors a superb Ride for Kids buffet breakfast. There is also a world class motorcycle and aircraft museum nearby in Hammondsport.

3. Airheads at the Aerodrome. Keep this one a secret since those of us lucky enough to get a spot like to keep the steak roast a secret. And then there is the air show of vintage aircraft.

4. Damn Yankee Rally. The roads in Western Massachusetts are mostly unknown to the Motorcycling community and the there is always a good touring opportunity.

5. BIG Gig urban rally. Held in the largest city in the United States. It exists to help break up the winter and usually falls half way between national rallies.

6. Salty Fog Rally. A new rally that cares more about good food and some on the most scenic rides in North America. No beer tent.

__________________________________________________ __________________

Mega Events

BMW National Rally with Camp Gears. The biggest BMW rally of them all. The yearly family reunion. Since it travels to a new location each year it never becomes stale or ho hum.

Daytona - plenty to do and see every day without ever having to go near Main
Street. But do go to Main Street once to be sure you really didn't miss something. Don't miss the auctions (several of them) at Stetson University in nearby DeLand. Most of the motorcycles to be auctioned will be on line before the auction.

Americade - 50,000 attendees during the week must like something. The riding in the Adirondacks is a special treat. BMW sends two trucks of motorcycles and still people line up at 6:00 a.m. BMW also sponsors two boat cruises and a rodeo. The year Christian Pfeiffer will give a free show atop Prospect Mountain. Ben and Jerrry is giving free ice cream to all attendees.

That's nine and I'm leaving room for at least one new one this year.

Rapid_Roy

03-26-2008, 08:45 PM

The Top O the Rockies is nice, but I can't go that far.
I always go to the Great River Road Run, Hiawatha, The National, and the Dells. I may try to hit the ADV Rally in St Germaine WI this year also, in August.

Mudbug

03-26-2008, 10:50 PM

Black Hills BMW Stampede :thumb
Top 'o the Rockies
The Curve Cowboy Reunion
Bavarian Mountain Weekend in Sipapu
Texas Hill Country Rally
Texas National BMW Rally
ROT - Republic of Texas Rally
RAT - Ride Around Texas :scratch
BMW RA Annual Rally

Sue

03-27-2008, 11:46 AM

Almost EVERY rally I've been to was my favorite - while I was there.

There are some that I don't miss, or hate to miss:

Great River Road Rally
Iowa Rally
Wisconsin Dells Rally

But oh -- so many more are SO excellent!

osceola

03-27-2008, 11:59 AM

Living in Denver the "Rally's you can get to" theme rings true....
There's lots of rallies around the country that sound great but this thing called "work" seams to take a lot of my time.
So my favs are
1. Top O the Rockies of course!:thumb
2. Bavarian Mountain Weekend in Sipapu, NM:german
3. Husker Rally in Franklin, NE :usa
4. Thunder Mtn Rally Cedaredge, CO (moving to Hotchkiss, CO this year):dance
5. Red Rocks Rendevous in Panquitch, UT:brad
6. Road Runner Rally in Heber, AZ :whistle
7. Any MOA rally I can get to, been to Redmond, Spokane and West Bend.;)
8. Any RA rally I can get to. Been to only 1 in Red River, NM but would like to try to get to this years up in da UP. Been there and it is beeeeeutiful country.:lurk
Also what I try to do every year is to get to one or two rally's that I haven't been to. This year Black Hills, Beartooth or the Iowa rally or Land of Oz rally's are on the list of maybes....

osbornk

03-27-2008, 01:06 PM

ANY annual MOA or RA rally within 600 miles of my house.

SIBUD

03-27-2008, 03:13 PM

cheesewhiz

03-27-2008, 03:47 PM

My personal most bestest is: Oktoberfest @ Beemer Hill :brad

Then the Dells :thumb

I'm still pretty much a noob but I'm aging FAST

:whistle

KBasa

03-27-2008, 04:10 PM

I'm taking drugs. Was Charleston announced as the 09 rally site? :dunno

:ha

Read the date of the post, Bud.

SIBUD

03-27-2008, 06:56 PM

:ha

Read the date of the post, Bud.

Kbasa, my friend, if you were taking what I'm taking, you wouldn't be able to see, let alone read. :dance

I'm gonna go take a couple more and go back to sleep.:thumb

Really is kind of funny, in a drug induced, hazy sort of way. :dunno

LHairgrove

03-28-2008, 12:44 AM

#1 Paonia, CO

#2 Falling Leaf, Potosi, MO

#3 That neat little rally in Sturgis, MS where all those cool old BMW's can be seen..

#4 Sipapu, NM

#5 Chief Joseph, John Day, OR

#7 Roadrunner, Heber, AZ

I like a lot more, but these are my favs....:bikes

:bikes

k75karol

03-28-2008, 02:10 PM

Kbasa, my friend, if you were taking what I'm taking, you wouldn't be able to see, let alone read. :dance

I'm gonna go take a couple more and go back to sleep.:thumb

Really is kind of funny, in a drug induced, hazy sort of way. :dunno

nite! ZZZZZzzzz

Heal fast!!!

brewmeister

06-22-2009, 09:18 AM

1. Iowa rally,any year , but Keiths old place was best
2.1981 national at the Dude ranch ,seeing dempster drive a R80GS over the river bank into 6 ft. of water was priceless
3.Great River Road run,(GR3) especialy at the yogie bear camp grounds legendary beer drinking!
4.The dinky dozen rally,Great people lots of fun
5.Top of the rockies a natural high
6.The Dells rally,not enough space to be complete here
7.The Minnesota rally great roads nice people .
8.The 87 National in da up hey!
9.The 06 national in Boise,party in the rose garden,,OPPS this was the other guys rally
10.Any other and all of the other rallys . throughout the country
BMEUPSCOTTIE!

:clap

SheRidesABeemer

06-22-2009, 03:01 PM

it does my heart good to see someone using the search function. :wave

Copilot

06-22-2009, 06:09 PM

We try to never miss Finger Lakes. Wine, wine, wine and Watkins Glen.

We also like the Dells Rally, Falling Leaf, Hiawatha and GR3. Who can forget the Chicken Rally! First time for that one last year. :groovy

Mark and Tina

PeoriaMac

06-22-2009, 09:58 PM

[QUOTE=MarkF;1690] I would think a Ski resort area in the summer should fit the bill.

Well, we did Lake Placid, NY back in the 1980's. Beautiful area. Problem was that ski resorts get used for all sorts of things off season. We got there fairly early, and still had to camp next to the piles of horse manure from the Horse Show that had been there the previous week. The most wide-open rally I can remember was Shreve Ohio--also back in the 1980's. Huge campground, and people could spread out if they chose to. Which, of course, many diid not.

Mac