Hugh Smith won the Japanese category on Day 3. The Marine Corps veteran won a special award during the Industry Meet & Mingle on Saturday night at Americade 40 in Lake George, New York.
Americade has been drawing riders to the picturesque area around Lake George, New York, for four decades. To help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the “World’s Largest Touring Rally,” Rider and American Rider magazines co-hosted the inaugural Bring It Motorcycle Show. Since there are so many cool motorcycles at Americade, we invited attendees to bring it!
Our show was sponsored by partners IMTBike, SMK Helmets, and Spectro Performance Oils. For three days, June 1-3, we gave awards in five categories: American Bagger, American Cruiser, Japanese, European, and Old School (pre-1990). Additionally, we handed out a daily $250 prize for Editors’ Choice. All daily winners were invited to a grand finale to determine the Best of Show on Saturday evening.
More than 60,000 people attended Americade 40. The Bring It Motorcycle Show was held on Beach Road near Canada Street, so it got a lot of foot traffic. We had cloudy skies on Saturday, but the rain stayed away.
The culmination of our event was an Industry Meet & Mingle celebration at the beautifully restored 19th-century Carriage House at Fort William Henry Resort that overlooks Lake George. The Best of Show winner was selected by vote and received $1,000 cash plus prizes from the show sponsors.
Of the 18 daily winners, 14 were on hand for the Best of Show judging when attendees of the Industry Meet & Mingle cast their ballots.
The Bring It Motorcycle Show concluded on Saturday evening at an Industry Meet & Mingle event at the newly renovated Carriage House at Fort William Henry in Lake George.
After nearly 100 votes were tabulated, it was the purity and simplicity of Keith Youngblood’s 1969 Triumph TR6R hardtail bobber that earned the grand prize.
“It’s a highlight of my life,” Youngblood exclaimed. “I never expected to win!”
Keith Youngblood’s beautiful 1969 Triumph TR6R Bobber, which won the European category on Day 2, was also ultimately voted Best of Show. He won $1,000 in cash, a crystal trophy, and prizes from the show sponsors.
Youngblood’s vintage Triumph just edged out the bike with the best backstory, which belongs to Marine Corps veteran Hugh Smith. He uses his 2006 Yamaha Road Star V-Twin to help build homes for veterans with children. Smith dubbed his bike “Milwaukee Packout,” as he uses it as a worksite mule, and it’s fitted with Milwaukee toolboxes and even a battery-powered miter saw on the back!
Hugh Smith, a Marine Corps veteran, uses his 2006 Yamaha Road Star “Milwaukee Packout” as a work vehicle when he helps build houses for female veterans with children. Check out the bag of Quikrete in the right toolbox and the battery-powered miter saw on the back. He won the Japanese category on Day 3, and he came in second place during Best of Show judging. Americade director Christian Dutcher chipped in $200 to honor Smith for his service and work, and Rider and American Rider magazines will send him some cool prizes.
We only had one Best of Show award to give out, but Smith’s story pulled many heartstrings at the event, including those of Americade’s chief, Christian Dutcher, who graciously dug into his pocket to gift Smith with $200 for a special award.
We thank our show entries, our sponsors, and all Americade staff and volunteers for making our inaugural show such a success. We’ll be back next year, so Bring It!
Americade is a weeklong motorcycle festival that brings together more than 75,000 riders each year to the scenic Lake George area in New York. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the event, which will run from May 30 through June 4, and there will be a new event this year that you won’t want to miss: the Bring It Motorcycle Show, which is being co-hosted by Rider and its sibling publication, American Rider.
A trio of customized Can-Am Spyders and a Honda Gold Wing at Americade 2021.
Americade’s goal is to highlight the best of motorcycling and ensure that the public’s perception of motorcycling is a positive one. It features the most factory demos of any event in the U.S., stunt shows, comedy shows, and plenty of riding opportunities in the beautiful region.
Attendees this year are invited to compete for prizes during the new Bring It Motorcycle Show, which will run June 1-3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Categories include American Bagger, American Cruiser, Japanese, European, and Old School (for pre-1990 bikes), and there will be an Editors’ Choice selection each day. All daily winners will be invited to the Industry Meet & Mingle on Saturday evening when the Best of Show winner will receive more than $1,000 worth of cash and prizes.
A V-8 trike at Americade 2021.
The Bring It Motorcycle Show will have a prime location between stunt shows and food trucks, making it the perfect spot to admire interesting bikes and take a lunch break in between other activities. We’re excited to host this event, and we look forward to meeting some of our readers. Stop by to say hello!
KTM and 10 other motorcycle brands will be offering demo rides at Americade, June 1-4, in Lake George, New York.
The Americade rally is celebrating its 40-year anniversary in a big way. Each year, the influential gathering of riders upon the shores of Lake George, New York, hosts every kind of rider on every kind of motorcycle, and in 2023 the popular factory demo rides have been super-charged!
Riders attending Americade will have the opportunity to demo 11 different motorcycle brands. It’s an unheard-of number and is nearly twice as many factory demos as any other motorcycle event in the USA. With so many demo choices for attendees, the diversity of motorcycle genres that have become the face of Americade over the past four decades is clearly highlighted.
“We’re really excited for the riders!” said Christian Dutcher, Americade’s Director. “It’s a great opportunity to dream and ride and even if we wanted to add another factory truck this year, we couldn’t. All the space has been taken. We’re full!”
Americade factory demo rides will run Wednesday, June 1 through Sunday, June 4, and the following brands will be available:
Americade is one of the highest regarded rallies in the U.S. and features more rides than any event in the country, one of the largest expos in the U.S., a free 2-day block party concert, and the most factory demos in the nation. In 2023, Americade celebrates its 40th Anniversary (1983-2023). Americade week details are available at Americade.com or by calling (518) 798-7888.
As they have done many times over the years, rallygoers and volunteers created an Americade “living logo” in a parking lot overlooking Million Dollar Beach in Lake George, New York. This one is from the 8th anniversary of Americade. (Photos courtesy Americade)
During the week of May 31-June 4, Americade will celebrate its 40th anniversary. What has long been the world’s largest touring rally started from humble beginnings when founder Bill Dutcher reached a crossroads in his life and asked, “What next?”
A lifelong motorcyclist who began roadracing in the mid-1960s, Bill is a man of irrepressible energy. I’ll never forget meeting him at my first Americade in 2012. I was the featured speaker on a Tuesday night, and the title of my talk was “Lessons Learned from Crashes, Countries, and Cover Stories.” Bill introduced me to the audience, but before I took the stage, he shared a story about the time he wore roadracing leathers under his gown during his Harvard University graduation ceremony. He was scheduled to compete in a race later that day, so after he and his fellow graduates tossed their caps in celebration, Bill sped off to the track. He then regaled the audience about arriving late to the starting grid, riding over his head to catch up, and ultimately crashing out of the race. He was a tough act to follow.
Bill Dutcher at Americade ’87 with the winner of the “longest distance ridden to Americade” award – he rode from Vancouver Island, Canada, to Lake George, New York, to attend the rally.
Bill spent his career in the motorcycle industry, holding marketing positions at Bultaco and Can-Am before becoming the head of public relations at AMF/Harley-Davidson, a position he held until 1981. Ready for a change, Bill and his wife, Gini, decided to start a touring rally near their home in Lake George, New York. Understanding the importance of brand recognition, Bill reached out to Til Thompson, organizer of the Aspencade rally, which had been held since 1971 in Ruidoso, New Mexico, to license the name for an eastern event. That was the easy part.
Americade has always been popular among Honda Gold Wing riders. Here a member of the Red Knights tows a firetruck trailer with working lights and a hose spraying water. The Red Knights have long been a part of Americade.
“In the fall of 1981, I approached Bob Blais, the mayor of Lake George Village,” Bill recalled. “When I pitched him my concept of an ‘Aspencade East,’ he took a deep breath when I said ‘motorcycle rally.’ About a decade earlier, when he was chief of police, he’d dealt with some bloodied bikers who had gotten too rowdy at one of the local bars.” Bill ultimately won the mayor over, and with his backing, the village board approved the proposal.
A BMW picnic in the late 1980s atop Prospect Mountain, which overlooks Lake George. BMW introduced their industry-first motorcycle ABS at the event.
The first Aspencade East was held in 1983, and the Dutchers expected perhaps 1,000 people – about as many attendees as the rally in New Mexico. “When more than 2,000 people showed up, I was astounded,” Bill said. “We ran out of T-shirts, caps, and everything else.”
Gini added that when the first attendees arrived at the registration room to pick up their tickets, there was a “certain energy about the rally.”
Bill and Gini Dutcher, the founders of Americade – 40 years old then, 80+ now, and still participating in Americade and still riding.
“People were excited by what was about to happen. We knew that they were just as excited about this new Aspencade East as we were.”
Attendance doubled in 1984, doubled again in 1985, and topped 10,000 in 1986. That same year, the Dutchers changed the event’s name to Americade. It had grown well beyond its association with the original Aspencade rally. And the Dutchers didn’t want their event to be too closely associated with one particular motorcycle brand or model since Honda had introduced a luxury-touring version of the Gold Wing called the Aspencade in 1982.
Parking motorcycles on Beach Road along the shore of Lake George has long been an Americade tradition.
Even though attendance at Americade has exceeded 50,000 many times over the years, it has always been a family affair. “Bill’s original vision of making a family-friendly motorcycling event still powers what we do,” said Christian Dutcher, Bill and Gini’s son, who took over management of Americade several years ago. “We have many riders who attend other rallies, and they tell me that they love Americade because it continues to be ‘sane.’
The tall guy in the middle is Christian Dutcher, son of founders Bill and Gini, and now the owner/director of the rally.
“Despite having been part of Americade my entire life,” Christian continued, “I am still caught off-guard by the letters we receive. We get letters from people who want to get married here, who bring their children because they met their spouse here years earlier, and even some who spread the ashes of their lifelong riding partner at the rally. It’s very touching and reminds us that what Americade is to many people is larger than the sum of its parts.”
Americade 1990. Rather than the rally’s normal “living logo,” a yellow ribbon was created to honor the U.S. and Canadian troops serving during Desert Storm.
Through his PR position at Harley-Davidson, Bill knew Rider’s founder, Denis Rouse, and many of the magazine’s staff editors and contributors. “Rider has been part of every Aspencade/Americade,” Bill recalled. “I can’t think of any other company who has attended every event except Rider.”
One of two wooden signs hand-carved many years ago by Rider’s former National Sales Director, Joe Salluzzo.
Over the years, Rider has sponsored Americade’s Opening Celebration, mini-tours, dinner cruises, and other activities. Our editors and contributors have given seminars and talks, led tours, and met thousands of readers and fellow riders. We’ve judged bike shows and photo contests, helped select the Americade Queen, and published dozens of rally reports in the magazine and on our website.
And we’ll be there again this May, joining the Dutchers, the rally’s many dedicated volunteers, and tens of thousands of attendees to celebrate Americade’s big 4-0. We’ll have more details about the festivities in the coming weeks. For registration and other info, visit the Americade website.
See you in Lake George!
This was the First Gear column written by Editor-in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt for the March 2023 issue of Rider.
Americade, the largest touring rally in the U.S., was held June 7-11 in Lake George, New York. (You can read our 2021 Americade Rally Report here.) The event was a huge success, with tens of thousands of attendees, demo rides from eight major motorcycle manufacturers, an enormous vendor expo, guided and self-guided rides, and entertainment. The organizers are already planning for next year’s rally, and they recently issued the following press release announcing new dates.
Americade 2023 will take place one week earlier than normal, May 30-June 3, starting the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Americade 2023 will celebrate a historic milestone, its 40th event, featuring a number of special additional live music, entertainment, and motorcycle attractions.
“Laconia will be celebrating a big milestone too, their 100th, next year,” said Christian Dutcher, Americade’s Director, “and having two major events overlapping during special years doesn’t make any sense. So, we’re going to slide Americade earlier to give each event a little elbow room.”
Americade 2022 featured the most factory demos of any event in the U.S. and in 2023 Americade will likely feature even more. Kim Knupp, National Events Manager for Yamaha said, “This is exciting news. It’s a great move for Americade and will increase attendance. It opens up opportunities for those who want to go to both events but currently can’t.”
Additionally, national brand vendors fully support the move as well. “I support it 100%,” says Melissa Auclair, of Mustang Motorcycle Seats. “Not only will it benefit the vendors, but it will also benefit the customers.”
Americade 2023 kicks-off in full May 30 (May 29 pre-registered attendees).
Americade is coming up June 7-11 in Lake George, New York, and Tucker Powersports is a Platinum Sponsor for the 2022 rally. Its Kuryakyn and TwinPower brands will have a major presence at Americade. Read more in the press release below.
Touring motorcycle riders of all brands will connect with Tucker Powersports’ Kuryakyn and TwinPower brand representatives at the annual Americade Rally in Lake George, New York, this week. Tucker, the nation’s leading distributor of powersports products, is a Platinum Sponsor of the rally and will have a commanding presence at the event.
Kuryakyn and TwinPower will share a large display tent in the festival commons in Lake George, where riders will be greeted by the Kuryakyn entrance arch as they arrive. Tucker will also sponsor the shuttle for rally attendees, helping them more easily between activities on the rally site.
The partnership between Americade and these Tucker brands comes quite naturally. The Kuryakyn brand has been a top source of accessories for all brands of touring motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidson, BMW, and Honda Gold Wing models. This year, the brand launched new touring bags, a line of waterproof bags, and even a Pet Palace for riders traveling with their “best friend.” Since its inception in 1982, TwinPower has been supporting riders with great oil, batteries, drivetrain components, maintenance items, and tools, which are a perfect fit for long distance riders.
“This event is important for both Kuryakyn and TwinPower,” said Tyler Anderson, Kuryakyn Brand Manager. “Americade is the most significant gathering of touring riders in the country. We want to learn from the attendees while sharing our great products that are designed expressly for long distance riders.”
Americade, started in 1984, was one of the first motorcycle rallies designed for the long-distance touring rider. It combines rides through the beautiful roadways of upstate New York and New England, a huge trade show and expo, presentations by expert riders and touring veterans, and social events that bring out the camaraderie of riders who love putting lots of miles behind them on their motorcycles.
Americade 2022 runs from June 7-11 in Lake George, New York. For more information, visit americade.com.
One of the guided rides at Americade was the Lake Placid Adventure, which included a stop at Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. (Photos by the author and Andy DeLivron)
One of the many downsides of the pandemic was the cancellation of motorcycle rallies and other events. Americade, billed as the world’s largest touring rally, has been held in Lake George, New York, in late spring (typically the first week of June) every year since 1983.
The 2020 edition of Americade, which would have been touring guru Fred Rau’s 30th consecutive appearance at the event, had to be canceled. In January of this year, Americade announced that the event would be moved from early June to September 20-25.
Riders head out on one of the many guided tours that took place daily during Americade. Rallygoers could choose from Twisties & Treats, NY & VT Covered Bridges, Vermont Spoiler, Scenic Riding & Fine Dining, and the Lake Placid Adventure, and each tour included lunch and door prizes.
“We want to make 100% sure that a 2021 Americade will happen,” said Christian Dutcher, Director of Americade. “Moving it to September gives us a very high likelihood of it happening. September is also a perfect time of year for riding, with mild temperatures, no rain, and fall foliage season beginning. It should be beautiful.”
Happen it did, and the event was a great success. Though, since it was Americade, of course there was some rain!
Demo rides on the latest models are always popular at Americade.
This is one of two wooden signs hand-carved years ago by Rider’s former National Sales Director Joe Salluzzo.
Rider has supported Americade since the early days, and as we do every year, we sponsored the Opening Celebration on Monday night, which is open to participants who preregister for the rally. Guests enjoyed dinner under the big tent on the lawn of the Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center, overlooking Lake George and the surrounding mountains. The Rick Bolton Trio and mentalist Dustin Dean provided entertainment, and we gave away door prizes.
The rally kicked off in earnest on Tuesday with guided and unguided rides, seminars, vendors and food at the Tour Expo, demo rides (BMW, Honda, Indian, KTM, Triumph, and Yamaha), boat rides, live entertainment, and many other activities. Since Lake George is on the eastern edge of Adirondack Park and not far from Vermont, there’s no shortage of fantastic roads within a 100-mile radius.
The Americade Knights of the Round Table, with Fred Rau, Bill Dutcher, Momma D, and Greg Drevenstedt telling tall tales.
These guys really love Americade.
On Tuesday evening, as guests enjoyed the Medieval Feast under the big tent, I did an onstage interview for the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast with Bill, Gini, and Christian Dutcher, the family that founded and runs Americade. We talked about how the rally began and what has helped it become such a popular and unique event. (To listen to the episode, go to ridermagazine.com/insider.)
Onstage after the podcast interview was the Americade Knights of the Round Table. Fred Rau, Bill Dutcher, Momma D (Dee Jones), and I wore crowns and drank mead as we told humorous and embarrassing stories about our collective travels and experiences on two wheels. The crowd had plenty of laughs at our expense, and they especially enjoyed it when we took questions from the audience.
Riders came from far and wide to enjoy the scenic riding and activities at Americade.
Wednesday morning began drizzly and gray. At 7 a.m. Fred Rau hosted his popular coffee club. At 7:30 a.m., with raingear on, I queued up on Beach Road for the Lake Placid Adventure, one of several guided rides that day. We were joined by a group from the Wounded Warrior Project, which Americade has supported for several years. The rain stopped after about an hour, and we enjoyed a scenic ride up to Whiteface Mountain, a delicious lunch at the Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, and stops at the Olympic training facilities for the long jump and bobsled.
A group from the Wounded Warrior Project on the Lake Placid Adventure tour.
Under the big tent on Wednesday and Saturday nights, comedian Alonzo Bodden entertained large crowds. During his stand-up sets and “Heavy Lightweight” special on Amazon Prime Video, Bodden’s comedy is topical. But as a longtime motorcycle enthusiast with several bikes in his garage, when Bodden performs at Americade, he interacts with the audience and spins comedy gold from his on-the-spot moto-related dialogue. Bodden returns year after year, and every show is unique. (To listen to our interview with Alonzo Bodden on the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast, visit ridermagazine.com/insider.)
Taking a moment to swap bikes on our Triumph ride with Alonzo Bodden, Peter Jones, Adam VanderVeen, and Dean Court.
On Thursday, I had a chance to go on a ride with Bodden, The Moto Life columnist Peter Jones, Adam VanderVeen from Triumph America, and Isle of Man TT racer Dean Court. After the demo rides ended, we gassed up a Rocket 3 GT, Trident 660, Street Triple, and Speed Triple 1200 RS, and wound our way up Highway 9N along the western shore of Lake George. We made it back to town just before the rain began.
At the Tour Expo, rallygoers can have audio systems, LED lights, and other accessories installed on their motorcycles while they wait.
On Saturday the sun was out and the Tour Expo was a popular place for attendees to buy accessories, apparel, seat cush-ions, T-shirts, and more.
After a major storm blew through in the wee hours of Friday morning, the skies cleared and the next two days were sunny. Being only a few hours from the New York and Boston metro areas, Friday and Saturday are always the busiest days at Americade. The Expo was packed with folks shopping for new gear and having audio systems and accessories installed on their bikes.
Under the big tent was the Friday Night Spectacular, with a dinner, People’s Choice judging, Brown Liquor Social Club, Vintage Bike Roar, awards, and major door prizes. There was a boat cruise on the Minne-Ha-Ha and fireworks over the lake.
The Ride for Kids charity event at Americade raised more than $17,000
Saturday featured a Ride for Kids charity ride that raised more than $17,000 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. From 1-10 p.m. was the Block Party & Music Festival. As with every night of the rally, there were bikes parked along Canada Street and others cruising up and down, many adorned with brightly colored lights.
Next year’s Americade will take place June 6-11, 2022, so start making plans now. For more information, visit americade.com.
We conducted our latest podcast interview with a live audience at the Americade rally, held September 20-25, 2021, in Lake George, New York. Rider’s Editor-in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt interviewed the founders Bill and Gini Dutcher, and their son Christian, who is the Director of Americade, the Touratech DirtDaze Adventure Bike Rally, and Rolling Thru America. The first Americade rally, then called Aspencade East, was held in 1983 on the scenic shores of Lake George, nestled in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. The first event was a runaway success, and the event has grown steadily over the years to become the world’s largest touring rally. The Dutcher family talk about what the rally was like in the early days, and why motorcyclists from around the country return to Americade year after year. This is a special episode you don’t want to miss!
For more information about Americade, visit americade.com.
