The Vintagent Archive: 1973 Daytona Bike Week

Daytona Bike Week traces it roots to the 1937 origins of the Daytona 200 beach races, as a spontaneous gathering of racing fans who traveled to Florida to ‘watch ’em howl…down in Daytona’ [re: Vance in The Loveless].  As there was money to be made from vacationing bikers, the gathering was soon supported and organized by the Daytona Chamber of Commerce, despite a tradition of rowdy behavior and a legacy of as many as 20 rider deaths every year.  Various associated events are organized around Bike Week, in Volusia County (the DeLand Bike Rally in Downtown DeLand on the first Saturday of Bike Week), and in DeLeon Springs.  These days approximately 500,000 people make their way to Daytona for the 10-day event. Festivities include motorcycle racing, concerts, parties, and street festivals. The event is usually held on the first full week of March (including the Fri-Sat-Sun prior to) and contends with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as the most popular motorcycle rally in the United States.

A collection of slides from the 1973 Daytona Bike Week recently arrived in The Vintagent Archive, a slideshow of a particular moment in time, with a unique flavor: the first years of the Japanese four-cylinder roadsters, the apex years of early chopper development post-Easy Rider, the cars and businesses of the period.  I don’t know the builders of some of these choppers, nor the names of participants, so if you recognize anyone, please give a shout!  Otherwise, enjoy a trip back in time.