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Retail motorcycle sales may be posting modest gains, but the rarified world of classic bikes with celebrity provenance is proving that the sky's the limit when it comes to discretionary purchases. At this past weekend's Quail Motorcycle Gathering, Steve McQueen's 1971 Husqvarna 400 Cross, identical to the bike he rode shirtless on the cover of Sports Illustrated, sold for a record $144,500. A 1925 BMW R32 pulled $139,000, and remember those Easy Rider replicas that were displayed in the Guggenheim's Art of the Motorcycle exhibit? The "Captain America" and "Billy Bike" fetched $52,650 and $24,570 respectively; not too shabby for facsimiles. But if you thought the Quail boasted big sales, just wait to see what unfolds at the Pebble Beach Concours this August. The famous car event will be holding its first live motorcycle auction-- another Bonhams production-- that will feature a 1954 AJS E95 "Porcupine." That bike's estimated sale price? Well, according to Bonhams, "With the significant increase in demand for historical and rare machines at the top of the market, the estimate of $750,000 for this particular Porcupine offered in August's sale is, in most experts' opinion, quite reasonable."

Love bug season in Southwest Florida is a stubborn, sticky time for bikers who have to scrape insect debris off the front of their motorcycle to avoid paint damage. But try getting them out of your beard. "When I go through a cloud, you don't want to hug me," said Dean Lindquist, a local motorcycle rider known as the Mayor for the resemblance his stature and facial hair bear to the "The Wizard of Oz" character. In between the patches on the front of his black leather vest and around his matching angle-heeled boots are the telltale flecks of gray he couldn't remove after recent rides. Bugs in your whiskers and on your clothes may be one price to pay for choosing two wheels over four during the biannual love bug seasons, in April-May and August-September, but seasoned riders know there is more to it. Smart riding right now means motorcycle riders have to pull over regularly during daytime runs to clean off their goggles and, for the more protected, the small windshields on their bikes. Swarming, during which the adults emerge and partner up, occurs primarily from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Since the peak time for love bugs to be out is during daylight, night riders will have an easier time avoiding them. "Your destination can't get in the way so that you don't pull over when you should," said Alan Harris, a sales associate at Naples Harley Davidson. "Twenty minutes of hard riding will fill it up pretty fast," he estimates after a drive to Lake Okeechobee last weekend that required constant stops to clean off bug splatter that impaired visibility. The flight of these small flies lasts about five weeks in spring and fall, and they concentrate around areas with more decaying organic matter like preserves and farms. University of Florida entomologists describe them as a "nuisance pest," rather than destructive or dangerous. They become all the more bothersome without a thick windshield or windows to roll up. "The thing about it you don't notice in a car - they smell," added Randy Bryant, a Naples motorcycle rider. "They don't taste good either," he said with a laugh. Despite their plague-like cult status in Florida, research into love bugs isn't a priority for scientists since the only economic loss comes from individuals paying for car washes and paint jobs. Though the flies are an invasive species with no good natural enemies in Florida, the funding to research and deal with the population in the state is absent. The last big push to study the unashamedly amorous insects was in the 1960s, when their numbers in the state were much higher and the nuisance even greater, said John Capinera, chairman of the University of Florida's Department of Entomology. "Ideally you would go to Central America and find the natural enemy. That takes time and money, and those are in short supply these days," he added. While for the state, love bugs may not be a fiscal nuisance, inattentive vehicle owners might feel differently. Spattered love bugs left on a car and exposed to sunlight will turn acidic in 24 hours, which can damage paint. Doug Brann, owner of Doug Brann Paint & Body Repair in Naples, said old and new vehicles are as equally susceptible. "That acid is so strong from the love bug, it will eat right through anything," said Brann, who learned the hard way after not rinsing off his wife's new car following a trip across Alligator Alley several years ago. He ended up repainting the front of the one-week-old car. Wax might help protect the paint jobs, but there are no guarantees. Cooking spray is touted as an at-home remedy but can discolor certain paint finishes and isn't recommended. A clear lacquer painted on the front of the car can provide an extra barrier of protection. It will run car owners around $500; a new paint job costs at least twice that. The cheapest, though most labor-intensive solution, is rinsing off bug debris within 24 hours to help neutralize the acid, Brann suggested.

Motorcycle hearses have gone beyond being a gimmick to being offered in many parts of the world as a suitable way for a biker to take his final ride. But for those who need to make it from the church to graveside in the shortest possible time may look to England for their answer. Reaching speeds of 144 mph in a ‘trike-hearse’, Reverend Ray Biddiss wasn’t rushing a rider to their final resting place but chasing a world record on an airfield runway in York, England. The 57 year old vicar needed to exceed a speed of more than 80mph to be recognized by Guinness World Records. Riding a 2008 Triumph Rocket III which was given a trike conversion and then had a coffin carrier added, the holy ride was on a sleek black and chrome hearse. According to the Reverend, who calls himself ‘heaven's angel ‘, the modified Triumph is actually used for funeral services in Halifax, Yorkshire. Called ‘The Rocket’ the motorcycle hearse is a Triumph Rocket III with a 2.3 liter, three cylinder engine built by Liversedge-based DTB Panther Trikes to Reverend Biddiss's specifications and within the relevant road traffic regulations. “Many people who are or have been bikers agree that a motorcycle hearse is the only way to travel for your final journey," Reverend Biddiss told local reporters. He should understand that biker passion, he has been riding for over forty years himself. "I wanted to create the most powerful of all coffin carriers,” Biddiss said, “a vehicle that maintains the integrity of a motorcycle, appeals to the most passionate of bikers and brings a credible alternative to the traditional four-wheeled hearse or other motorcycle hearse outfits."

A unique subculture of the motorcycle world is explored in a new book titled ‘Behind the Patch: Towards an Understanding of Public Safety and Law Enforcement Motorcycle Clubs ’ which looks closer at law enforcement officers that may try to emulate the very outlaw biker gangs they are tasked to police. Different groups of law enforcement have come together to create their own unique motorcycle club. Occasionally their members have made headlines over violent encounters, sometimes with motorcycle clubs considered among the ‘one-percenters’. From the books press release; ‘In contrast to the outlaw bikers, police officers are law abiding and sworn to uphold the traditional cultural norms and values of mainstream society. Law enforcement officers and outlaw bikers are most often viewed as being two distinct subcultures, whose norms, values, and beliefs are in complete opposition to each other.' 'However, according to law enforcement sources, the distinction between Outlaw Motorcycle Gang members and law enforcement officers, which was once a clearly drawn line is now becoming blurred. In fact, some law enforcement officers are creating and joining Public Safety and Law Enforcement Motorcycle Clubs whose members allegedly emulate the outlaw biker lifestyle. Playing cop by-day and biker by-night has placed many of these public safety and police officers in a tenuous position. As a result, numerous law enforcement officials at all levels have turned against their fellow police officers due to their membership in these types of clubs. Not only have the cop-bikers alienated themselves from some of their fellow law enforcement officers, but one-percenter Outlaw Motorcycle Gang members are also angered by police officers who imitate the outlaw biker image.’ Reportedly, ‘Behind the Patch ’, published by Dog Ear Publishing, goes behind the scenes of the Renegade Pigs, the Warthogs and the Iron Warriors Motorcycle Clubs. Written by Karen Katz, the author states she spent several years conducting in-depth fieldwork into the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club subculture. Katz has long been interested in understanding both the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Subculture and the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang subculture. Katz has received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminology and a Master’s of Law, specializing in Criminal Law. Katz is known for her impeccable research skills and she has a reputation as being the “data hound” for her unique abilities to track down even the most obscure primary and secondary data. ‘Public Safety and Law Enforcement Motorcycle Clubs represent a social response to the breakdown of the police subculture, specifically, the erosion of brotherhood, internal solidarity, and camaraderie within police departments,’ the press release reads. Katz writes in detail of this unique hybrid subculture. She delves into such topics as the law enforcement and outlaw biker controversies over the formation of the clubs; the history of the clubs; the purpose of the clubs; their political structure, and the role of women among other things.

Polaris Industries, a company that has built the Victory Motorcycles brand one eye-catching model at a time has surprised the riding world by bringing the historically reverent pedigree of the Indian name into their line-up. “Polaris closed the acquisition of the Indian Motorcycle Company, one of the most storied brands in heavyweight motorcycles,” Polaris CEO Scott Wine said on a conference call, “By uniting the Indian brand with the capabilities Polaris has developed in its 13 years with Victory, we are confident over time that we will accelerate the growth and profitability of both brands and our overall motorcycle business.” Recently, Polaris led its Victory Motorcycle brand to the front of the American motorcycle manufacturing industry pack with its increased sales and more importantly, improved profits. Officials feel they can do the same for the sometimes struggling, but historic brand. “A brief review of history will show that Indian built the first American motorcycle in 1901 and the world’s first V-Twin engine in 1907 and went on to become one of the great motorcycle companies in America in the first half of the 20th Century,” Wine confidently stated. The announcement and excitement rode through the motorcycle world after an agreement was made between snowmobile and off-road vehicle manufacturer Polaris and the two U.K. investment firms that control Indian Motorcycle, Stellican Limited and Novator Partners LLP. While no dollar figures were cited (‘Unless required to, we will never disclose what we paid for an acquisition’, Wine replied to the question of price) Polaris view the new acquisition as a fresh riding road for the American multi-vehicle manufacturer, noting it was "excited to be part of the revitalization of a quintessentially American brand." And it appears the company will have the cash to help the Indian brand ride out of any marketing storms. Yesterday Polaris reported its sales increased in the first quarter over the same time last year by 49%. Sales for the first quarter 2011 totaled $537.2 million compared to last year’s first quarter sales of $361.7 million. "We are extremely pleased with our first quarter results, as the momentum we built throughout 2010 continued into 2011,” Wine stated while reporting the financial results, “Retail demand for Polaris products in North America remained strong throughout the first quarter and we continued to gain market share.” Formed in 1901 in Springfield, Massachusetts by a group of bicycle enthusiasts, Indian Motorcycle Co. was actually the first of its kind in North America. Its brand is considered by many as iconic as Harley-Davidson’s. Aside from its unique styling and reputation as an uphill racer the American manufacturer also pioneered a number of engineering firsts, including electric start and lights, swing-arm suspension, leak-proof engine cases and the first V-Twin motorcycle engine built in North America. But the original company ceased production in 1953 and while the legendary name endured different attempts at a revival, it wasn’t until the present group of investors opened its factory doors in 2006 in the North Carolina town of Kings Mountain that the Indian brand really was ready for the open road again. “We have no intentions of living in the past and fully recognize that the brand has had many ups and downs over the past 60 years but the heritage and style that Indian brings to Polaris significantly expands our target customer base,” explained Wine on the conference call discussing the acquisition. While the amount Polaris paid for the Indian Brand may not be known, what they intend to do with it and who they plan to attract is no secret. “As we look at the breakdown of motorcycle consumers, Victory has established a strong brand position with the performance enthusiast segment where customers are most interested in our modern styling, performance, quality and value of the bike,” Scott outlined, “With the Indian brand in our stable, we will gain access to what we call the “die-hard” segment where riders look for classic styling and iconic brand. This acquisition more than doubled the scope of our target market.” It’s not just the name Polaris has purchased, but the entire Indian Motorcycles company including the engineers, production line and its people. It seems Polaris is aware of the dangers of the appearance of homogenization of the most recent incarnation of the Indian motorcycle. This careful dance will be made with the harsh realities of manufacturing efficiencies and cost effective production lines motorcycle manufacturers have been working so hard to perfect over the last few years. “It’s just not scaled there right now,” Wine observed about the Indian production facilities, “We’ve got very good assembly capability and capacity in Spirit Lake but it’s worth noting again that buying this iconic brand, we will be very disciplined to make sure that there’s a very distinct difference between any Indian bike we develop and any Victory bike that comes out of Spirit Lake.” And just because you have the riding world’s attention, the change of ownership doesn’t necessarily mean they be jumping into the saddle of a new Indian motorcycle anytime soon. “There’s a distinct difference between having access to and actually penetrating any segment of the highly competitive heavyweight motorcycle market,” Wine contemplated, “We made this investment to pursue the capabilities, including a world-class engineering team and a demonstrated ability to execute new product introduction that are strongly correlated to what the Indian brand needs for success.” The feedback from Indian fans has been positive with the expectation of more dealerships featuring the famous motorcycle and a possible wider price range, making it more affordable to ride the classic brand. A possible hint of the range of models from the new owners of Indian came as Scott Wine outlined the short term future with the phrase ‘new heritage’ making its first (possibly official) appearance. “Indian Motorcycle sales were approximately $11 million in 2010 and we project shipments will decline slightly before they accelerate with the re-launch of the new heritage bikes we develop” Wine said, “This business will be distributed to suppliers as we make these necessary but national investments, but we are confident that in time these investments will yield quite strong returns. We have a detailed plan and a strong team to accomplish the hard work ahead to make Indian Motorcycles the top contender and to continue its legacy.” And as for dealerships, Polaris may take this opportunity to expand its own presence in the marketplace. “We put a lot of thought and study into how this might work and our Victory dealer network has done a decent job of expanding over the last 18 months, but we’re still very much under-represented in the Top 100 markets in the United States,” Wine explained, “So we’re not going to try and push Indian into all our of our dealers but we are going to make a concerted effort to improve and leverage the Indian brand and the strength of those bikes with Victory to establish better representation in the top markets for motorcycles in the United States. I think over the next couple of years you’ll see that strategy play out.” Although not discussed during the conversation about the acquisition, taking an American brand abroad must certainly be in the long term plans of the captains of the Indian brand. In the first quarter results for Polaris, the company’s international sales were up 21% compared to the same period last year and they celebrated the grand opening of its European headquarters in Switzerland during the quarter. Speaking of international, the now-former owners of Indian Motorcycles are confident they are leaving the famous name in very good hands. “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with Polaris,” said Stellican Chairman Stephen Julius in a statement, “Polaris will utilize its well-known strengths in engineering, manufacturing, and distribution to complete the mission we undertook upon re-launching the brand in 2006: harness the enormous potential of the Indian brand.” “Polaris is the most logical owner of Indian Motorcycle. Indian's heritage brand will allow Polaris to aggressively compete across an expanded spectrum of the motorcycle market,” Julius said. Novator Partners LLP, Indian's other former owner, is a London-based investment firm founded and led by the investor Thor Bjorgolfsson, an avid motorcycle enthusiast. “After a troubled past, our goal was to bring the legendary Indian bikes back on the roads,” Bjorgolfsson said. “The initial phase of that project is done and now our great partners at Polaris will carry on the work to realize the full potential of this classic American brand.”

When gasoline prices topped out in 2008 at $4.04 per gallon, people panicked. Many traded in their gas guzzlers for something more compact. Three years later, with hostilities in Libya and the Middle East threatening the petroleum supply chain, prices are again on the rise. So far, motorists are reacting with restraint. According to a survey by MasterCard Spending Pulse, which tracks the volume of gasoline sold at 140,000 gas stations across the nation, people are simply opting to buy less gas. During the first week of April, gas stations reported selling 2.4 million fewer gallons, which reflects a 3.6 percent drop over this time last year. "Based on that survey, I get the sense that people do modify their habits when the price creeps up," said Eric Steltzer, an energy policy analyst for New Hampshire's Office of Energy and Planning. "Historically, once pricing gets to $3.50 and $4 per gallon, consumers start to take some different measures."

50 miles per gallon

For Gary LaBlanc of Pelham, that means riding his Harley-Davidson Ultra everywhere he goes. It gets 50 miles per gallon. "It's the only vehicle I own. I use a company vehicle during the week, but this is all I drive," said LaBlanc, who was filling up his five-gallon tank over the weekend at Klemm's Mobile on the Run in Windham, where unleaded regular was selling for $3.69 per gallon. According to Steltzer, that's slightly higher than the state average, which as of Monday was $3.65 per gallon. And that is still lower than the current national average, which was $3.77 per gallon Monday for the cheap stuff. Tom Jenney of Windham, who was actually filling up his hefty-sized Chevy Silverado truck at the Irving Circle K on Hooksett Road in Hooksett, was paying $3.63 per gallon. His V-6 engine gets about 18 miles per pricey gallon, and he knows he could have gotten the gas cheaper closer to home, but his tank was running dry. "Sure, I've thought about a motorcycle. I used to have one. Now I have a wife and kids," said Jenney. "I mentioned the kids. I have two of them, which means we have four cars. What I am doing is trying to drive less, although since I live in the suburbs, that's not easy to do. I will admit that I drove to the park today just so I could walk, for exercise."

Shopping for best price

Cheryl Avery of Campton was also filling up at the Irving in Hooksett. She said her Jeep Wrangler could get better mileage, but since it's what she's got, she's taken to adjusting her driving habits. "I totally care about the price. I shop around as much as I can, but I don't think this is the cheapest, is it?" Avery said. In fact, it wasn't. Hooksett's cheapest gas was being sold Monday at Mr. Gas on West River Road, where Ben Davis was filling up his car. "I've been waiting for this place to open up, and I saw the sign and noticed the price looked good, so I came in," said Davis, who was satisfied with the $3.56 per gallon he was paying for regular unleaded. Station owner Tony Aoude said he just opened for business on Saturday, and made a point of having the best price in town. "I am hoping to keep the lowest prices I can -- I am going to try," said Aoude. "Definitely my price will stay low. My overhead isn't too high, so I'm going to do my best." According to NewHampshireGasPrices.com, an online crowd-sourcing price guide, the lowest gasoline price in the state Monday was $3.54 at gas stations in Chichester, Londonderry, Hillsboro and Concord. The highest price was logged at $3.87 in Weare. Beyond online resources, many consumers are turning to smartphone apps to check prices while they are on the road, planning their gas stops along the cheapest routes.

Where prices are headed

With no sense of when prices will level out -- or where they will max out -- experts expect consumers will continue on a conservative trend. According to a survey of major gas-station chains around the country, 70 percent said sales were down in March by 3 percent -- the greatest drop in sales since prices went over the $4 mark in 2008, according to the Maryland-based Oil Price Information Service, which publishes a weekly newsletter tracking petroleum prices around the country. Although Steltzer was hesitant to make any predictions about just how high gas prices may go in New Hampshire, he said one good gauge is to see where things were this time last year. "A year ago today the average price of gas was $2.75 per gallon, which represents a 32 percent increase. It's hard to make predictions in a global marketplace. Gas prices were pretty stable right up until October of last year. Since then, it's been a steady increase, with the biggest increase coming in February," Steltzer said. "And some might say there seems to be some connection between that spike, and what's happening in Libya."

A leading expert on motorcycle safety is continuing its efforts to reach out to other road-users as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation tackles to ongoing problem of distracted drivers. Using the opportunity of backing April's national awareness month to combat this deadly highway hazard, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is strongly urging all motorists to stop driving while distracted. And the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) certainly comes with the authority and expertise drivers should pay attention to. The group promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs with its standards recognized worldwide since 1973. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. "Distracted driving is of great concern for motorcyclists as we simply have more at stake," said MSF President Tim Buche. "Riders are obviously more vulnerable than car or truck drivers, the ones with far more access to a variety of distractions. Most motorcyclists are focused on one thing: riding. Other motorists should be focused on driving." The U. S. Department of Transportation's website reports a variety of sobering statistics: In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction (16 percent of the total fatalities). The proportion of fatalities reportedly associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009. 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction. "With these alarming, increasing reports of driver distraction and resulting injuries and deaths, we support every effective effort, including legislation, to fight this growing hazard," Buche said. "We're very pleased that Oprah Winfrey, an influential TV personality with huge national reach, has come out so strongly against distracted driving." Introduced by former U.S. Representative Betsy Markey, the resolution to create a National Distracted Driving Awareness Month was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 23, 2010. Most states currently have laws regulating distracted driving. The DOT reports that 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. Last year alone, 12 of these laws were enacted. To increase driver awareness, the MSF presents key facts about motorcycles and their riders and has created a website with valuable resources for drivers. 10 Things All Car and Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles and Motorcyclists 1.  There are many more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road and some drivers don’t “recognize” motorcyclists. They ignore them, usually unintentionally. Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at an intersection. 2.  A motorcyclist may look farther away than he or she is in actuality. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, estimate that a motorcycle is closer than it looks. 3.  A motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots or masked by objects or backgrounds outside the car. Thoroughly check traffic, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections. 4.  A motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Again, don't immediately rely on your perceptions. 5.  Motorcyclists sometimes slow down by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Don't tailgate motorcyclists. At intersections, anticipate that motorcyclists may slow down without any visual warning. 6.  Turn signals on a motorcycle are not often automatically self-canceling. Some riders, (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off. Try to determine whether a motorcycle’s turn signal is for real. And if you’re driving a car, remember to use your turn signals too. They’re a great communication tool for riders and drivers when used properly. 7.  Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily, to avoid road debris, and deal with passing vehicles and wind. Understand that motorcyclists often adjust lane position for a purpose, and it's not an invitation for a car to share the lane with them. 8.  Maneuverability can be one advantage for a motorcycle, but don’t expect that motorcyclist can always steer or swerve out of harm's way. Please leave motorcyclists room on the road, wherever they are around you. 9.  Stopping distance for motorcycles can be nearly the same or better than that of cars. But wet or slippery pavement can put motorcyclists at a disadvantage. Don't violate a motorcyclist's right of way, especially in bad conditions. 10.   Don’t think of it as a motorcycle, a machine: Think of the rider; the person on board is someone's son, daughter, spouse or parent. Unlike other motorists, protected by doors, roofs and airbags, motorcyclists have only their safety gear and are at greater risk from distracted drivers. In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, distracted driving contributed to more than 22 percent of all the crashes and near-crashes that were recorded. This research gathered its data from video recorders and instrumentation installed on the vehicles before they were placed back, for months, into everyday traffic. The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will soon do the same with motorcycles, for six to 18 months, and will combine unobtrusive, continuous data collection with post-incident interviews. The study will create a comprehensive picture of many factors, possibly including distracted driving, that contribute to both crashes and near-crashes. The MSF, its members, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) are now engaged in this study, likely the world’s first large-scale, naturalistic research on motorcycle riding. "While the solution to ending distracted driving is clear – better, smarter, safer decisions – upcoming research will shed more light on the nature of the problem," Buche said.

It was shocking news in 1965 when over 5,000 ‘motorcycle rioters’ tore up a New Hampshire town and fought the National Guard. The date was June 19th, 1965 and the town was Laconia. The motorcycle rally that has drawn an unknown number of bikers to the State of New Hampshire over the next few decades for its race events and later rally would be the scene of a group of riders referred in the news reports as “Hell Angels’ (always in quotes) who circled the town and reportedly refused to let any of the town’s residents out while the supposedly caused havoc. The story is coming to life again through the latest service from Google, offering a searchable look at past news events through scanned newspaper reports. Many caught up in the 1965 event must have thought they were living through the movie ‘The Wild One’ starring Marlon Brando, only released some twelve years earlier. ‘“You’d better get out of here and get out fast– every one of you,” a young family was warned as cars were overturned, buildings set ablaze and National Guardsmen battled with 5,000 rioting motorcycle fans’, wrote the Miami News on June 21^st. No reason is given what encouraged the commotion but many motorcycle historians hint at a changing atmosphere for the event with two state laws enacted in 1965, one allowing police to arrest riders loitering in groups of 3 or more and the other provided for fines up to $1000 and imprisonment up to 3 years for persons who led a disturbance or caused property damage during a riot. According to the Miami News, ‘Commissioner of Safety Robert W. Rhodes said the riot started Saturday night when a California motorcycle club known as “Hells Angels” tipped over a car and threw a ring around the area and would let anyone get away.”’ Nearly 100 people were injured, at least 10 seriously, and damage was estimated into the thousands of dollars. The motorcyclists, many wearing bandanas but otherwise dressed entirely in black shiny leather and their hair in long slicked-down style, crowded into grocery stores earlier buying food and beer. Some 15,000 of them had assembled for the 100 mile national championship road race of the American Motorcyclist Association. The Associated Press noted local resident differed on who and what casued the riots with then owner and operator of the raceway at Louden, where the races were held, stating the riots were caused by 'an irresponsible fringe of motorcycle hangers on.' The Milwaukee Journal wrote that the riot started at 10pm Saturday night ‘coming violently and suddenly’ when a number of leather jacketed youths stopped an automobile as it moved up the street of Lake Winnipesaukee resort. According to the Miami News, 40 people were eventually arrested and left to face the recently enacted laws of large fines and jail time. The New York Times focused the riot on Weirs Beach with 10,000 young men counted in the town located near Laconia, none mentioned as having anything to do with motorcycles.  According to the Times story 150 rioters were arrested ‘on a variety of charges ranging from participating in a riot to breaking and entering and attempted arson’. The following year the Laconia city council passed an ordinance prohibiting drinking in public which stated ‘No person shall drink any alcoholic beverage....on any public street, or public highway, public sidewalk, municipal parking lot, or municipal park within the limits of the City of Laconia.’ A website that details the history of the rally and motorcycle events held in New Hampshire notes the riot and resulting ordinance caused the annual event to slowly decline in the following years. Interstingly, there was a riot in the same area the year before, but with 10,000 college students being the culprits for that disprutive action. Regradless, the riot at the motorcycle event was considered worse because 'These motorcycle addicts were worse. If you could see some of the weapons we took from them,' wrote the Naushua Telegraph.