Changes roll in with the motorcycles

OFF THE WIRE
By Susan Voyles • svoyles@rgj.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

When Street Vibrations roars into Northern Nevada on Wednesday, the five-day celebration will take over downtown Reno, downtown Sparks and Virginia City.

For the first time in years, bikers will be able to park their bikes on Virginia Street from Second to Sixth streets.

"From day one, people in the motorcycle rally always believed they had a God-given right to park under the Reno Arch," said Randy Burke of Roadshows Inc., the event's producer.

And the tricked-up, custom bikes are what people come to see.

Street Vibrations is the fourth largest bike rally in the country and celebrates its sweet 16th birthday this year. The event runs through Sunday.

From early sign-ups, Burke estimates attendance will be up about 10 percent from last year. He said that means up to 50,000 visitors can be expected.

Big trailers filled with bikes and accessories for sale that clogged Virginia Street in recent years will be moved to Victorian Square in downtown Sparks for the first time this year. Big vendors still are needed to pay the event bills, Burke said.

Strange as it sounds, he said expanding to the Sparks venue this year has worked to reduce production costs.

More Reno police were required when the big trailers and other vendors filled Virginia Street because officers couldn't see around them.

With the removal of those trailers, police will be able to see from one end of the venue to the other, Burke said.

"It's a win-win situation on a whole bunch of levels," he said

The move helped reduce the event's estimated bill for police and other Reno city services from $135,285 last year to $32,494 this year. Roadshows doesn't ask the city for help in sponsoring the costs.

Three cities

Street Vibrations' events also are planned in Virginia City, and Roadshows will put on events for the Reno Harley-Davidson dealership, 2315 Market St. Other events are planned at the Harley dealership in Carson City.

Virginia City is a natural, Burke said.

"It's a fun road up there and fun road down. It has that Western setting that bikers like. They think their motorcycles are metal versions of horses."

Venues, events

Vendors are scheduled to open at the Reno Events Center and Victorian Square at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Free entertainment in downtown Reno will be offered at the Harrah's outdoor plaza, the Legacy/Circus outdoor plaza at the northeast corner of Virginia and Fourth streets, and the outdoor trench plaza near the Eldorado.

Music also will be at the Nugget's outdoor stage in Sparks.

Other events include a stereo-blasting contest among big bikes in the Reno Events Center, which will be filled with vendors.

Museum-quality custom bikes will be on display in the Silver Legacy and several beauty contests, including Miss Street Vibrations, are scheduled.

VIP passes are $60. That includes an official Street Vibrations long-sleeved T-shirt, an official pin, VIP reserve parking, concert tickets for Foghat, Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats and Los Lobos and several poker runs and poker walks that include lunch or breakfast.

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